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EDITORIAL June 2, 1999 VNN4021 Comment on this story Help Save Our World BY JNANADAS EDITORIAL, Jun 2 (VNN) — If you saw a big poster with the slogan "Help Save Our World", would you give it a second glance? I would. I would look to see what it's about. Everyone knows the world is a really dangerous state. There's crisis on all fronts. People's lives and minds are disturbed. Love and trust are conspicuous by their absence. Stable marriages and families are a thing of the past. Addiction, mental illness and suicide are rife. We are plagued by diseases such as cancer, which come from an unnatural lifestyle. Ecologically we are heading for disaster. The world economy is in danger and may collapse soon. A large proportion of the world population faces death from starvation and disease. This could easily be prevented by a fair distribution of wealth and resources, but wealthy nations are unable to extend a helping hand with love. Weapons of total annihilation are distributed throughout the globe and world war could flare up at any time. In fact, we are facing disaster socially, economically, environmentally, psychologically and spiritually. Everyone knows this, and any sensible person is looking for an answer. Even the top scientist have clubbed together and admitted that they do not have the answers. They are appealing to the "wisdom traditions of the world" for insight as to what to do. Srila Prabhupada was well aware of the crisis, and he said that only Krishna consciousness can save the world. Once he said, "History will record that this Krishna consciousness movement saved the world in its darkest hour". One of his servants related that Srila Prabhupada used to carry an old wallet around with him, and no one knew what was in it. One day Srila Prabhupada left the wallet on his table, and his servant peeked into it. Inside the wallet was a very creased piece of paper, on which were written the words: "How to save the world". If we want to be successful, we should find out what's bound to happen because Krishna (or his representative) wants it to happen, and then be there and help it to happen. So sometimes I think about saving the world. Srila Prabhupada wants it, so how's it going to happen? Is everyone going to become full of ajnata-sukriti, because of all the books they've got (and maybe read) and because of the prasadam they've consumed, and all the harinama they've heard from the harinama parties at every street corner? And is this going to change everyone's heart so that at some point the lamb lies down with the lion? Is that what we see happening at present? Is there even a trend that way? If the world at large goes the way it's going, does it look as though it's headed for disaster or for the Golden Age? Am I a faithless wretch for asking these questions? I think I'm being practical. "If what you're doing doesn't work, try something else". Here's an idea. In 1966, Srila Prabhupada spelled out the First Purpose of ISKCON: "To systematically propagate spiritual knowledge to society at large and to educate all peoples in the techniques of spiritual life in order to check the imbalance of values in life and to achieve real unity and peace in the world". The Second Purpose is : "To propagate a consciousness of Krishna, as it is put forward in Bhagavad-gita and Srimad-Bhagavatam". Srila Prabhupada distinguishes between, on the one hand propagating general spiritual principles, and on the other hand propagating explicit Krishna consciousness. In this First Purpose, then, Srila Prabhupada is addressing the specific issue of unity and peace. That's what we need and that's what everyone wants. Now, how to propagate spiritual knowledge and educate people spiritually in such a way that they will accept? Because everyone has their own idea. Someone wants us to hug trees, someone else says we should meditate on the Light, and someone else says that if enough people pay X thousand dollars for a mantra, peace will come. "Opinions are like belly buttons; everyone has one". Why will everyone accept what we say (because Srila Prabhupada said that not everyone will become devotees) It depends on how much we say, how we say it. Srila Prabhupada convinced us that we aren't the body, and he emphasised that this is not belief, it's spiritual science. Similarly, in the purport of SB 2.2.35, Srila Prabhupada outlines a way by which even "the common man" (that is someone who is not convinced of Krishna consciousness) can understand and accept the existence of Supersoul "by reason and perception". In other words, we can explain the spiritual science of soul and Supersoul to people in such a way that they can see that it's not sectarian. We can also explain how to live in harmony with natural laws and with Reality (including soul and Supersoul), so as to be peaceful and prosperous. For the general populace, we don't initially have to explain what will look religious aspects. Just let them accept the general spiritual principles first. Those who are intelligent will inquire further. They will want to know where this superior knowledge is coming from. We can present our philosophy and a practical framework for living in such a way that many people can understand it and accept it. If we make an attractive presentation, they can even pass it on to their friends. It's possible to make this knowledge self-spreading. Influential people will be able to make facility or pressure for this to be in the media, and be taught in the schools. It can definitely lead to significant changes in the world. Here's an example of what can be done. There is (or was) an organisation in Sweden called Natural Step. It's concerned with ecological education. They devised a publicity campaign. First they spoke to a famous actor and said, "We have been invited to do a television program. Would you like to take part?" Yes of course she would. Then they went to another famous actor, and said, "We're doing a television program and so-and-so is going to be on it. Do you want to be on it, too?" Yes, of course. Pretty soon they had a big group of really famous actors who were all going to be on this television program. At that point they went to the television company and said, "We've got this big group of famous actors, all big names, who want to do a program. Are you going to put it on the air?" Yes, of course, it was going to be big. Then everyone saw it and they were duly impressed. Then the group went to industrialists and spoke to them about the program, and asked them to give backing for publicity. The upshot was that they got backing to make an attractive publicity package, which was mailed to EVERY SINGLE HOUSEHOLD IN THE COUNTRY. That's an interesting example of what can be done with a material idea. If we take Srila Prabhupada's vision to heart, we can make big changes in the world today. That's what I reckon, anyway. Jnanadas Comment on this story | Contact VNN about this story | Send this story to a friend
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