Murali_Mohan_das

Of course Christ is an incarnation of Vishnu. Every living entity is an incarnation of Vishnu. Vishnu resides in the heart of every living entity as Paramatma. The question is, what *sort* of incarnation are we? Are we each *direct* expansions of the Lord, are are we infinitessimal particles of His jiva shakti? That level of distinction can be made by the self-realized souls.

I wouldn't want to get punched in the face. That's a different feeling than guilt--that's fear.

The word "awful" used to have a nearly opposite meaning to today's accepted meaning.

Aren't you being pedantic? What's the purpose of your sophistry?

Well, which *aspect* of God did they kill? Lord Brahma has a finite lifespan. Sri Krishna left His body when He manifested on this planet. Lord Jesus exhibited dying (and resurrection) in His pastimes. We need not be confused (even as our hearts break).

Good explanation!! Sounds reasonable enough (from my meager understanding of the Buddhist perspective).

Thank you, HerServant. I don't see any impediments on the aspiring Christian's path towards Bhakti, that is, not any impediments that aren't also in the path of the aspiring Vaishnava. You have never offended me (though I can be very offensive, no doubt). You are a model disciple of Christ. All of God's peace and love to you as well!!!

To the extent that He can be jealous and vengeful, the Old Testament God sounds more like Brahma than Vishnu, doesn't he?

"A rose by any other name..."

I saw the movie as fun. I see Satan and Jesus as being brothers (like the Mormons, I suppose). My mundane senses are gratified by conspiracy theories. To enjoy the movie, however, requires quite a bit of suspension of disbelief, though. There were holes in the plot large enough to drive a truck through (why didn't Silas just shoot the guy in the head, and, if he *meant* to shoot him in the gut, what assurance was there that he'd be able to pass on what he knew? Just because a woman is buried on some sarcophagus, what *empiric* evidence is there that the woman must be Mary Magdalene?). I can understand your uneasiness, though. Despite your warnings, I saw the "Golden Compass" as well. I found it entertaining also. While it's certainly anti-Church, I didn't see it as being anti-spiritual, or atheistic.

Interesting stuff, Suchandra. I'd really like to read "Forbidden Archeology" some day. In the meanwhile, I discuss things with meat-eaters. They bring up archeological evidence of meat-eating going way back. I point out that many vegetarian cultures cremate their dead and/or dismember the bodies and leave them for carrion-eaters--they don't bury them, hence, there isn't much of a fossil record to represent those cultures. Also, archeologists seem to prefer working in deserts, where excavation isn't as difficult as in the jungle (not saying they avoid the jungle altogether). Also, it's a lot easier to be a vegetarian in a tropical climate than in the extreme climates of the far North. It seems clear that, in Africa (and perhaps many other places on Earth) humans have contributed to a process of desertification by living in a disharmonious and unsustainable manner.

I don't see Srila Sridhar Maharaja as being omniscient (though the Lord may reveal anything He choses to/through him), but, at the same time, I seem to remember him studying at a college run by British subjects as did Srila Prabhupada. While Srila Sridhar Maharaja might not have read all of the works of St. Thomas Aquinas, I also do not think all of his understanding of Christianity was obtained second or third-hand. He very well may have read the Bible. Do you know, BhaktiK, Beggar, or anybody else?

Sriman Mahaprabhu said "achintya bedhabed"--simultaneously and inconceivably one and distinct. The oneness is real and eternal, and so is the distinction. We can certainly "lose" ourself in the Lord, whether as "The Light" or as Shyamasundar. Sriman Mahaprabhu, in His later pastimes, was fully engrossed in His internal lila and became like a madman. To the extent that the Lord chooses, we can be empowered by Him without limitations.

No, that's what *you're* saying. I'm saying it's not our place to say what the acharya is doing or not doing.

Do you see any "I" in there? I sure don't. What makes you think I'm talking about myself?

I don't see it that way at all. God is the only absolute truth. We can only know absolute truth to the extent that God reveals it to us. Otherwise, our experience of the absolute truth is purely subjective. All that matters (to us as individuals) *is* what we believe in, where we place our faith. If all of Jesus' miracles have "naturalistic" explanations, that doesn't make him any less special in my mind. Sri Krishna held up Govardhan Hill with his pinkie. Srila Prabhupada blasted a hole in the mountain of false ego of the West. Srila Prabhupada's miracle is superior to Sri Krishna's in my mind. Jesus' greatest miracle is the faith he inspired/inspires in so many faithful people.

I just checked the first link, and got a "file not found" error. It seems like the links have been broken since you first posted them. I have the three files to which you originally linked. You could upload them to a free site like eSnips.com and post fresh links. If you don't have the facility to do that, I could create a folder on my own eSnips account as I did for Mahaksa Prabhu's recordings.

Sruta's going to kick my butt, isn't he? I guess I'd better start worshiping at the Catholic Church instead.

I'm not talking about me imagining I'm Sri Krishna. I'm talking about you imagining Sri Guru is *not* as good as Sri Krishna. If it's an offense to say that Srila Prabhupada could have transgressed any arbitrary moral standards and still remained a pure empowered incarnation of Nityananda Prabhu, then let me happily accept the fruit of my offensive thought.

You posted the same quote twice, Beggar, so I'd say my thinking didn't change at all between the first and the second quote. Have I *ever* presented myself as a follower of anybody or anything??? If you think I have, you're imagining things. Rather, I've said the Srila Gurudev has mercifully granted me his shelter. To which extent I avail myself of his shelter and follow his instructions and which extent I follow the suicidal impulses of my own mind is strictly a question of my free will. How am I judging *anybody* by saying that no one is qualified to judge the acharya? A thief sees everyone else as a thief.

I keep thinking of the bhajan by Bhaktivinoda Thakur which indulekha didi posted, in which the Thakur was seeing his entire family as being the prasad of the Lord. Surely, that is proper vision.

I'm doing no such thing. I'm saying it's wrong for us to *judge* the acharya, whatever our imperfect senses suggest to us he/she may be doing.

As a child, I greatly enjoyed reading the books (novels, perhaps) of "Lobsang Rampa", with their mentions of the Akashic Records. They were fun (if not spiritually illuminating), whether or not their author had ever actually been to Tibet.

Sri Krishna Himself killed plenty of demons who had possessed/taken the form of animals. Great thread, all. He walks amongst us even now!

I finally got to watch "The DaVinci Code" last night. It was beautiful and inspirational.