VNN Editorial - Rules Start Where Love Ends

EDITORIAL

December 29, 1998 VNN2756

Rules Start Where Love Ends

BY RANGA PURI DAS

EDITORIAL, Dec 29 (VNN) — How wrong can we go?

Dear devotees of the Lord: Please accept my dandavats. All glories to the Vaisnavas. It was so nice to see how this unity in diversity is expanding the actual tidal wave of Mahaprabhu's pastimes. This outbounds the walls and fences erected by sectarianism.

There is a natural tendency to fanaticism when people finally embrace a certain faith and become attached to its external features, not well aware of its deeper contents, and therefore to protect themselves, out of fear, become jealous and separatists. At least in an early stage of spiritual advancement, as it is warned by Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur in his Introduction to Sri Krishna-samhita, a masterpiece on the Srimad-Bhagavatam.

Association is fundamental to achieve perfection. Spiritual life is no exception. Sometimes charismatic devotees inspire a large following, building churches and institutions. When the Acharyas leave this world, a big skeleton (institutional networks or assets) remain, although the spirit may or may not be there.

Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Prabhupada used to call this phenomena churchianity and warned his disciples against this accommodative process, where one wants to find a place (of importance?) within an institution, forgetting the essence and purpose of sadhu sanga.

Sometimes several generations pass until some enlightened soul(s) instill again inspiration and bring those remaining skeletons back to life. History repeats itself in terms of the church's collective psychology and is more prominent in the Judeo-Christian tradition, where faith and power have been combined to build an empire.

The world in general and specifically the West, is influenced by the history of the institutions created after Lord Jesus. Practically speaking, the whole Western world is supposedly erected after some sort of Christianism. Nevertheless, if we see how distant from spiritual life and good habits we are and how so-called religious practices have evolved, we wonder if today's world, although definitively influenced by churches, is actually shaped by the teachings of Jesus. It rather seems that the opposite is true.

For the benefit of all let us analyze ourselves and compare some similarities between the development of the Gaudiya mission in the West (mainly ISKCON) and the history of Christianism.

A Short History Of 2000 Years Of Christianism

PART 1 THE JEWS

Once, within the Jewish tradition, a bold powerful personality appeared, who presented strongly spiritual life in a simple way, inspiring full surrender to the Service of the Lord. "Give up everything and follow me". Young people started to follow, despite opposition and even criticism of some apparently unorthodox practices, like recruiting women, outcasts, and socially unfit people. "Forget the past and start a new life". Focusing in the basic regulative principles (commandments) and practical devotional service of spreading the Good News, he attracted enthused followers, that otherwise were not much involved in religion of any sort. Most of the Jews remained skeptical, being more conservative, although his mission later on inspired new vigor on the Jews.

He came after another great prophet, John the Baptist, who predicted that later on somebody powerful would appear to spread the message widely. His name was Jesus, although his followers honored him with some titles -prophet, master, messiah- equaling him with his predecessor and 150 years later as Christ surpassing any precedent in the tradition.

As he was announcing his departure, some of his followers claimed to be the most loyal, although one betrayed him and others denied him thrice having known him. Later on some were sent on missions abroad and leadership was disputed.

Simon, called Peter (foundation stone) by the master, James (brother of Jesus) and John were actually the three that expanded their exchanges towards the rest of the twelve main disciples, and so on and so forth. Peter was the wise, James the pandit and John the unconditional. The Romans persecuted them and the Jews looked down on them. Saulo de Tarsos used to be so antagonistic towards them, that he actually fed the lions with live Jesus followers while he was serving the Roman empire. Nevertheless, he said that once, he had a vision of Lord Jesus, although the later had already departed several years ago. In a wonderful bright form, Jesus told him "Why do you chase after me?". Saulo became so impressed, that he decided to surrender. Because of this he requested spiritual guidance from Jesus, who instructed him to approach his old disciple Peter Simon to receive his knowledge and teachings. After his conversion Saulo was known as Paul.

PART II THE CHRISTIAN START

Paul found Peter, but before one week passed, differences between them increased at every moment. [and none looked for a higher authority to settle that].

1. According to Peter, salvation was to be attained by devotional works (service), and Paul insisted in Faith as the sole cause.

2. Peter said that Jesus Lord presented himself as a devotee, and become disgusted when equaled to God, to whom he referred as "his father". Nevertheless, Paul insisted that Jesus was actually God Himself. The discussions became so bitter, that they even fought physically. [fighting spirit amongst disciples].

Afterwards, the relationship came to an end and a deep schism started between the followers of Jesus. The ones that shared the vision of Peter, and the followers of Paul.

The later was by material means, far more powerful and educated. Therefore he started to devise a powerful campaign to spread the new religion everywhere, consisting of the teachings of Jesus as he conceived them. Another name was added to Jesus - Christ-. The new religion became known as Christianity.

The new dogma finally appealed to the Romans, some of whom saw that an alliance with the Christians could give the Roman Empire additional power with the increasing number of Christians.

Usually the Romans did not interfere with the faith of the conquered countries. Religious disputes were to be solved by the local church. So, the Jews were actually the ones that banned the Christians.

PART III THE CATHOLIC CHURCH

The first strongly "converted" Roman emperor was Constantine (274-337 DC). The Christian ideas were later molded by him in concordance with the interests of the Empire and so became part of the State religion. Due to his fear of intellectuals, Constantine decided that all books should be burned. He even burned the famous Alexandria Library, the greatest library that existed in the West (of meaningful texts), with about 3 million pieces of literature.

He highlighted another convenience: the known religions had prophets, messengers of God. But they could present something else: a person that was at the same time a prophet and God himself. The only savior [find parallel]. In order to keep the monopoly of truth, they devised two main ways to keep control of the conclusions derived from studying the scriptures:

1. Prohibit Jewish practices and dis-authorize the Jews and their scholars [Gaudiya Math forbidden]. Furthermore, to declare the Jews the killers of God [betrayers of Prabhupada]

2. Develop a new set of "divine" laws. [voted resolutions].

Later on, more trouble: Bishops had different opinions. To settle this, a concilium at Nicea was called where the new "divine truth" was imparted to the bishops, many of which in the beginning disagreed (after all sincere souls are everywhere). The ones that did not want to accept were killed, about 1200 (the half of them!). Under these conditions the rest were more than happy to accept the new gospel.

On the year 380 the Catholic church was created, and disobedience to it - heresy - was to be considered a crime against the State, and therefore punishable.

Nevertheless, it was hard to keep an even truth, particularly because of the changing interests of the empire. There should be only one true representative of God on earth, to be the head of the church. Naturally the Romans gave the post to the bishop of Rome, who since then was called the Pope (zonal acharya).

The Pope, a close ally of the emperor, the only one who could actually understand the message of God and the only infallible who could then deliver the message to others, checking thus the independent following and power that other bishops could have. Chosen ones became cardinals, archbishops, etc. given quotas of power as long as they kept obedience to the Pope (new generations of gurur).

PART IV REINCARNATION BANISHED. CHANGING LAWS

Gradually, by the year 530 D.C., another emperor, Justiniano, decided that reincarnation should be abolished from the teachings, as dependence of the institution of the church was weak as people started to think that their own acts lead them to condemnation or salvation. Therefore, they could keep a better control of the people, if fate depended on the Church instead of people's actions.

The priests were appointed also as spies, revealing to the Roman centurions the sins confessed through the sacred confession by the followers, that were later on caught by the "divine" soldiers and subject to the Roman justice. At this point, many of them had their own army to enforce resolutions, conversions and control. The holy books were practically forgotten and replaced by convenient "messages" from the "Holy father". The absolute truth at some times was that priests should marry, at others that they should not (specially to avoid the properties of the church to be further scattered). In other cases priests could have lovers, but not wives. One of the popes, although officially celibate had 16 sons.

PART V MAJOR BUSINESS [yukta vairagya...]

Although keeping big titles and names [watch similarities] popes ranged from thieves, homosexuals, criminals, a few reasonably honest and probably fewer yet even saints. Most nevertheless, traders of faith - selling salvation, time in heaven, pardon for sins (both already committed or in advantage), indulgences (discounts on waiting time in the purgatory). Some of the best business became selling parts of the bodies of saints (17 arms of Saint Andrew sold!). Crosses, and reliquaries of every kind. When all these materials were depleted and they found it hard to go on selling so many members of the same saint, invented more saints and objects up to the limit of imagination. Even these were sold out! Then it was declared holy any object that touched such reliquaries, and long pieces of cloths that "touched" them became holy and were also sold by small pieces.

In some churches were kept "subtle" objects, as the ray of the star of Bethlehem, a cough of the holy spirit, and a suspire of St. Joseph. There was a charge for committing sins, in favor of the treasure or better yet, selling in advance pardon to condemned acts, that were absolved by the Holy Father (the pope).

PART VI THE SCRIPTURES

The Empire became known as a sacred empire. In this way the original Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek scripts, came to disappear from public access, and new texts appeared, written in Latin (the language used by the Roman aristocrats), which became the official language of the church. Greeks and Russians opposed this and kept the teachings as they could, subject to prosecution, keeping separate churches: The Orthodox.

At this point even the testimonia of the direct disciples of Jesus were forbidden (BBT vs. BBT Intl.) and the only accepted were coming from Christians that were in Paul's line. Actually Luke, Mathew and Mark were not amongst the 12 apostles and even John, is not John the apostle. Curiously these four versions are accepted as the new testament, although none is written by an actual witness of Jesus pastimes, and the lengthy, consistent scripts by James, Peter and John of Arimatea, main disciples of Jesus are forbidden and excluded from the bible.

Back to the scripts, nowadays it has been proven that the oldest biblical scripture currently accepted is not older than 1100 years, meaning that the actual records were practically deleted from history.

PART VII BY HOOK OR BY CROOK [yena tena prakarena..]

The power of the church continued to grow: Even the brave Vikings, discredited for being opposed to the Christians, were conquered by the schemes of one of the popes, that tempted Igor to corruption (the king of the Eastern Viking Empire), who against their principles, consented to a perverse plot to kill his brother, king of the Western Viking empire, in order to become the only ruler. All the sins involved were absolved by the Pope under the condition that the Vikings should officially become Christians.

PART VIII THE ENEMIES. THE INQUISITION

Later on, in the middle ages, starting in 1233 the church burned countless intellectuals that dared to challenge the official views. [New Vrindavan crimes]. Thousands were killed, others condemned to lifelong imprisonment, assets confiscated and more. The smallest sign of deviation with the views of the church became sin. Reading books that were not authorized by the church was a punishable crime. [At this point, I would like to comment that one of the original eleven zonal Acharyas, still considered one of the best, almost a saint and prolific writer, ordered the burning of Srila BR Sridhardev Maharaj's books, and his followers beaten in the temple. The Mahabhagavata books were wrong, not his kanishtha adhikari scripts].

PART IX NEW RELIGIONS?

Later on the reformists lead by Martin Lutero, who was shocked by the aberrations committed in the name of the faith gained importance, supported by the German aristocracy, not happy as the pope selected the king by-passing them. Others followed, but created new powers as the king of England created the Anglican church, humbly posing as the head of it. Calvino and Zwinglio created cruel tyrannies, ordering the death of their opponents. In this way new churches were born, some reformed, others concocted, but nevertheless most based in the Latin books, that Lutero translated to German. No more testaments of Peter, James, Thomas, Barnabas, John, etc.

Today there are thousands of sects, besides the Catholic each claiming to be the only authentic, etc. etc. and labeling the rest as renegades, reformists or even heretics and demons.

The hatred amongst the "Protestants" or reformists and the "Catholics" is still alive in Northern Ireland as they kill each other.

The following story may illustrate these feelings:

Once, at a Catholic high school, the graduates were asked by the nuns what career they wanted to pursue. Replies ranged from medical doctors to pilots, lawyers, etc. They welcomed these ideas until a girl said she wanted to be a prostitute. Alarmed, the nuns took the girl to a private audience with the superior. The superior, concerned asked again the girl, who replied "I want to be a prostitute". Hearing so, the superior surprisingly felt relief, exclaiming "Oh good! We were worried because the nuns heard you say you wanted to become Protestant".

CONCLUSIONS

In this way the "church" grew externally, becoming very powerful but obviously spiritually empty. This without mentioning that actually Jesus did not pretend to introduce a new religion as he himself practiced the Jewish rituals and declared "he did not came to change the law, but to follow it, and to give it life".

It is not surprising that these politics, familiar specially to the West, having lived about 2000 years of a blend of political and ecclesiastical oppression have influenced the conscious and unconscious behavior of the believers.

The devotees of Krishna unfortunately are not an exception and must guard themselves against the manipulation of the truth. Lord Krishna has protected this through the institution of the varnashrama dharma. In this system brahmins must keep themselves voluntary aloof from the mundane ambitions of power in order to transmit the pure knowledge, that must not be adulterated - its ultimate reality becames manifested in the heart of the sincere devotee.

These statements from the Ramacaritamanasa illustrate these frailties:

"Never was a creature born in this world, whom power did not intoxicate" ... "There is no god, man or sage whom Sri Hari's powerful Maya cannot infatuate. Bearing this in mind, one should adore the lord of this great Maya."

May we learn to appreciate the devotion and realization of each other, as the Lord himself has conceived preserving the dignity of the devotees and the sanctity of the truth. Let us take advantage of the wisdom of the vaisnava saints that live today.

Let the rules of the Lord be abided, and let Him be the sole judge and let us not waste time trying to create another corrupt empire in the name of Krishna, offending devotees, and inventing and dictating new rules to support our views. May the divine love be the guide for our dealings, and remember:

"Rules start where Love ends."

All glories to the devotees of the Lord. Jaya Sri Sri Guru-Gauranga. Jaya Radhe Syam!

Your servant
Ranga Puri das

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