Dear Maharaja, Please accept my humble obeisances.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

Please excuse my impetuousity, but since you asked I will attempt to answer.
Since you haven't seen this guy in 30 years, you don't owe him anything, and
I don't see any need to be overly friendly with him

Here is the gist of what I would say if I were a sannyasi being asked these
questions.

> > I do not embrace absolute truths which would make me a poor candidate
> > for any religion. I have a scientific mind. If you remember I studied
> > physics. There was the ?Heidenberg uncertainty principle was put simply
> > deals with the fact by trying to measure something you alter it and thus
> > the "truth" of the information you obtain. I was also intriqued by the
> > philisophical implications of the laws of entropy. Entropy is the
> > natural tendency of everything to trend toward disarray and decay. Life
> > is the fight against this. That being said I am glad you have something
> > that gives meaning to your life.

I am also very glad for you that you can find some meaning and rationale in
a meaningless world view. I doubt it will comfort you as you are approaching
old age and death.

But even scientists are begnining to wake up to the fact that the world
exhibits all the traits of a designed organism. In fact, to say that the
world occured by chance without the direction of superior intelligence is a
totally irrational claim. When you look at the universe (the tiny fragtment
of it we can observe) or if you look into a single cell you will observe the
characteristics of carefully planned design. I guess that's why the ID
movement is expanding by leaps and bounds and the ET (Evolution Theory) is
on its way out.

> > I am curious about your day to day living. Do you watch TV? Read
> > fictional or other non-religious minded literature. I don't suppose you
> > play golf. Is there anything you miss even a little. Where does sex and
> > marraige fit into your life?

No I don't play golf as it is a meaningless activity. I have better things
to do with my life. The only thing I miss is to get closer to Krishna. I am
a monk so I have no wife and have taken a lifelong vow of celebacy. If you
ask me if I sometimes miss those things, the answer is maybe now and then I
miss those things, but then I just think about the far greater pleasure I
find in serving Krishna and being faithful to my spiritual master, and the
misleading thoughts go away like dew in the morning son.

I don't aim to sound cold or impersonal, but try to look at it from my view
point. It's not that the Hare Krishnas believe in God, we KNOW God beyond
doubt. Anyone can have that knowledge and develop that faith, it's right
there in the Bhagavad Gita. But only the rare soul is interested in knowing
the Absolute Truth and the true nature of all things. I wonder why that is?
Do you have a good answer to that? Why are people reluctant to know God for
real? Most are satisfied with some vague belief because it makes them feel
better, or they are down right atheists. I just don't get it. If we are not
interested in using the human form of life as it is meant to be used, eg.
for self realization, then we are no better than animal.

etc etc.

Just give him a Sunday feast lecture, Maharaja

Your servant
Jahnu das