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Christian Jew-Haters The following quotes (or scripts) reveal shocking hatred towards the Jewish people and false accusations against the Jews by popes, 'saints', and other Christian religious functionaries. This article exposes and refutes the monumental falsity that deceptive Christian missionaries love to mislead Jews with: that the Jew-haters weren't "real" Christians. The following quotes are arranged in order of birthdate. The dates range from prior to the year 100 (Common Era) until present day. None of the quotes are taken out of context, nor are they embellished. (Pope) Clement I: (d.101) Highly esteemed Christian martyr and Apolistic Father of the Church who blamed the Jews for Nero's persecution of the Christians. (Saint) Justin Martyr: (100-165) Recognized as one of the most important early Christian writers, and also one of the original anti-Jewish church fathers revealed his anti-Semitism when he stated in the year 116 that: "The Jews were behind all the persecutions of the Christians. They wandered through the country everywhere hating and undermining the Christian faith." Tertullian of Carthage: (150-225) advised that: "Only those who were baptized [Christians] and followed the prescribed course of penitence could hope for release from punishment" and "Divine revelation, not reason, is the source of all truth." Quintas Spetimus Florens Tertullian: (160-230) Latin Church Father who bruited that: "The Jews formed the breeding ground of all anti-Christian actions." (Saint) Hippolytus: Roman Priest (170-236) who was obsessed with the belief that the Jews were receiving and would continue to receive God's punishment for having murdered Jesus. The "Saint" avouched: "Now then, incline thine ear to me and hear my words, and give heed, thou Jew. Many a time does thou boast thyself, in that thou didst condemn Jesus of Nazareth to death, and didst give him vinegar and gall to drink; and thou dost vaunt thyself because of this. Come, therefore, and let us consider together whether perchance thou dost boast unrighteously, O, Israel, and whether thou small portion of vinegar and all has not brought down this fearful threatening upon thee and whether this is not the cause of thy present condition involved in these myriad of troubles." Origen: Well-known teacher and preacher credited as the greatest theological scholar of the early church. Born in Egypt (185) his works range from Contra Celsum (which attempts to abolish idolatry) to Hexapla (Old Testament scholarly work). But when it came to Jews, his comments were far less scholarly: "On account of their unbelief and other insults which they heaped upon Jesus, the Jews will not only suffer more than others in the judgment which is believed to impend over the world, but have even already endured such sufferings. For what nation is in exile from their own metropolis, and from the place sacred to the worship of their fathers, save the Jews alone? And the calamities they have suffered because they were a most wicked nation, which although guilty of many other sins, yet has been punished severely for none as for those that were committed against our Jesus." (Bishop) Cyprian: (200-258) He is credited with the much quoted anti-Jewish (among other faiths) phrase: "Outside the Church, there is no salvation." Eusebius of Caesarea: The first historian of the Christian Church (265-339), and credited author speaks in Demonstration of the Gospel (I.I.) of how the royal metropolis of the Jews would be destroyed by fire and the city would be inhabited no longer by Jews, "but by races of other stock, while they [the Jews] would be dispersed among the Gentiles throughout the whole world with never a hope of any cessation of evil or breathing space from trouble. Furthermore, he claimed that Jews in every community crucified a Christian at their Purim festival as a rejection of Jesus. He also made a distinction between Hebrews [who he saw as "good men of the Old Testament"] and Jews [who he characterized as "evil."] (Saint) Hilary: Noted author from Potieres (315-367) who spoke of the Jews as "a people who had always persisted in iniquity [sin] and out of its abundance of evil glorified in wickedness." (Saint) John Chrysostom: The strongest attacks on Jews and Judaism by the Church Fathers are to be found in the homilies of Chrysostom (344-407) in his Antioch sermons. He is considered to be among the most beloved and admired in Church history. Besides his proclamation of Jews as "god-less, idolaters, pedicides, stoners of prophets, and commiters of 10,000 horrors [which, incidentally, is found in the anti-Jewish Christian Bible in Matthew 23:37-38], Chrysostom declared the following in his work Orations Against The Jews: "The Jews are the most worthless of all men. They are lecherous, rapacious, greety. They are perfidious murderers of Christ. They worship the Devil. Their religion is a sickness. The Jews are the odious assassins of Christ and for killing God there is no expiation possible, no indulgence or pardon. Christians may never cease vengeance, and the Jew must live in servitude forever. God always hated the Jews. It is essential that all Christians hate them" (year 379). Furthermore: "The Jews sacrifice their children to Satan. They are worse than wild beasts. The Synagogue is a brothel, a den of scoundrels, the temple of demons devoted to idolatrous cults, a criminal assembly of Jews, a place of meeting for the assassins of Christ, a house of ill fame, a dwelling of iniquity, a gulf and abyss of perdition. The Jews have fallen into a condition lower than the vilest animal. Debauchery and drunkenness have brought them to a level of the lusty goat and the pig. They know only one thing: to satisfy their stomachs, to get drunk, to kill, and beat each other up like stage villains and coachmen. The Synagogue is a curse, obstinate in her error, she refuses to see or hear, she has deliberately perverted her judgment; she has extinguished with herself the light of the Holy Spirit." He elaborated further on God's punishment of the Jews: "But it was men, says the Jew, who brought these misfortunes upon us, not God. On the contrary, it was in fact God who brought them about. If you attribute them to men, reflect again that even supposing men had dared, they could not have had the power to accomplish them, unless it had been God's will. Men would certainly not have made war unless God had permitted them. Is it not obvious that it was because God hated you [Jews] and rejected you once for all?" On yet another occasion Chrysostom is quoted as saying "I hate the Jews because they violate the Law. I hate the Synagogue because it has the Law and the prophets. It is the duty of all Christians to hate the Jews." Chrysostom's homilies were to be used in seminaries and schools for centuries as model sermons, with the result that his message of hate would be passed down to succeeding generations of theologians. The nineteenth century Protestant cleric R.S. Storr called him "one of the most eloquent preachers who ever since apostolic times have brought to men the divine tidings of truth and love." A contemporary of Storr, the great theologian John Henry Cardinal Newman, described Chrysostom as a "bright, cheerful, gentle soul; a sensitive heart." (Saint) Gregory: Turkish Saint (330-395) who gave the following indictment directed at the Jews: "Slayers of the Lord, murderers of the prophets, adversaries of God, men who show contempt for the Law, foes of grace, enemies of their fathers' faith, advocates of the Devil, brood of vipers, slanderers, scoffers, men whose minds are in darkness, leaven of the Pharisees, assembly of demons, sinners, wicked men, stoners, and haters of righteousness." (Saint) Augustine of Hippo: (354-430) Church Bishop and Father who characterized the Jews as "willfully blind to Holy Scripture, lacking in understanding, and haters of truth." Further, he affirmed: "The true image of the Hebrew is Judas Iscariot, who sells the Lord for silver. The Jew can never understand the Scriptures and forever will bear the guilt for the death of Jesus." In a sermon on Catechumens, he said: "The Jews hold him, the Jews insult him, the Jews bind him, crown him with thorns, dishonor him with spitting, scourge him, overwhelm [him] with reviling, hang him upon the tree, pierce him with a spear. The Jews killed him." (Pope) Sylvester I: Serving from 314-335, this Pope condemned "Jewish anti-Christian activity." (Saint) Ambrose: Italian Saint, born around 340, who defended a fellow Bishop for burning a Synagogue at Callinicum and asked: "Who cares if a synagogue -- a home of unbelief, a house of impiety, a receptacle of folly, which God himself has condemned -- is burned?" Moreover, this 'saint' stated it was no sin at all to burn synagogues. Although we possess no substantial evidence to support this, Ambrose alleged that, since Jews killed Jesus and had escaped persecution, it is all right for Christians to do whatever they must to the synagogues. In a letter he wrote to his sister, a nun, he professed that any action against the Jews are acceptable to God. (Pope) Valentinian III: Besides murdering one man, this acclaimed 'saint' of the West expelled Jews from holding office, forbade Jews to disinherit their children or grandchildren if they converted to Christianity, and punished all who did not agree. He added: "I do not wish Christians to serve such persons, lest by their office they find occasion to corrupt the venerable Christian's faith." (Emperor) Justinian: Author of The Justinian Code (527-564) which negated civil rights for Jews including loss of Synagogue, loss of reading the Hebrew Bible, loss of social gatherings, and loss of holiday celebration [Passover]. Furthermore, his law went on to state: "But what ye are wont to call Deuterosis (the Mishnah) is entirely forbidden, and the Heads (of the Synagogues) shall see to it that this law is carried out." John Damascene: 8th Century Syrian writer who, according to the Historian Ruether in her book "Faith and Fractide (p.127) said: "God gave the Jews the Sabbath because of grossness and sensuality and and absolute propensity of material things." (Pope) Gregory VII: He was the Pope from 1073-1085 who forbade Jews to have power over Christians and forbade them to hold office, in a letter dated 1081 to Alfonso VI of Toledo, Spain. Furthermore, the letter stated that Jews must pay special "Jew Taxes" throughout Spain. (Saint) Bernard of Clairvaux: Eleventh Century medieval saint who was highly regarded and the most venerated of the saints of his time. His devotional writings were an inspiration for further Christian generations. Although he had a high status with Christians, he wasn't so cozy with the Jews. He was opposed to Jew-killing because he wanted them [the Jews] to live on and see the terrible 'sins' he accused them of commiting. Further, he was partially responsible for the Crusades. (Saint) Thomas Aquinas: 13th century scholastic philosopher commonly known as the "Angelic Doctor" who, in his "On the Governance of the Jews," declared: "The Jews should not be allowed to keep what they have obtained from others by usury; it were best that they were compelled to worked so that they could earn their living instead of doing nothing but becoming avaricious." (Pope) Innocent III: Although named innocent, this Pope was not so innocent of crimes against the Jews. In 1205 he announced: "God is not displeased, but, rather, finds it acceptable that the Jewish dispersion shall live under Catholic kings and Christian priests. For the Pope (1198-1216) maintained that Jews were directly subject to Christians and in a Vienna charter of 1237 he declared that: "Because of the Jews intolerable sin I will be your [Jews] Lord since imperialist authority opposed everlasting servitude on the Jews from ancient times as punishment for the Christ-killing." Further, he defined explicitly the Jewish position in the Christian world: "The Jews' guilt of the crucifixion of Jesus consigned them to perpetual servitude, and, like Cain, they are to be wanderers and fugitives. The Jews will not dare to raise their necks, bowed under the yoke of perpetual slavery, against the reverence of the Christian faith." (Pope) Gregory IX: Italian Cardinal (1170-1241) who, in 1233, announced to the Dominican order that their main goal was to "convert Jews to Christianity." Moreover, he condemned the Talmud as containing "every kind of villainess and blasphemy against Christian doctrine." (Saint) John Capistrano: San Juan Capistrano is a city in California named after this 'saint'. Little do most people know that St. John's nickname was "the scorge of the Jews." He lived from 1385 to 1456. From the Franciscan order, he led campaigns in opposition to the Jews. In 1453, he efforts to him to a trial in Breslau [Poland], in which several Jews were killed and the entire Jewish population of Breslau (now Wroclau) was expelled. He even sunk so low as to call the Jews "dreadful." (Pope) Benedict XIII: Spanish cardinal, later appointed Pope, who promised work toward reunification of the two obediences, but later resisted the pressure on him to abdicate. His Bull on the "Jewish Issue" (1450) declared: "The heresies, vanities and errors of the Talmud prevent them [the Jews] from knowing the truth." (Pope) Sixtus IV: Italian Pope (1414-1485) who encouraged and approved (1478) of King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella's (Spain) expulsion of the Jewish Community within Spain. Bernardino of Feltro: 15th century Italian priest. A mild man who extolled patience and charity in normal circumstances, he described himself as a "barking dog" when dealing with Jews: "Jewish usurers bleed the poor to death and grow fat on their substance, and I who live on alms, who feed on the bread of the poor, shall I then be mute before outraged charity? Dogs bark to protect those who feed them, and I, who am fed by the poor, shall I see them robbed of what belongs to them and keep silent" ("Le Bienbeureux Bernard in the Feltre by E. Flornoy")? (Pope) Clement VIII: Italian Pope (1536-1605) who professed that: "All the world suffers from the usury of the Jews, their monopolies and deceit. They have brought many unfortunate people into a state of poverty, especially the farmers, working class people and the very poor. Then, as now, Jews have to be reminded intermittently that they were enjoying rights in any country since they left Palestine and the Arabian desert, and subsequently their ethical and moral doctrines as well as their deeds rightly deserve to be exposed to criticism in whatever country they happen to live." (Pope) Julius III: His "Contra Hebreos Retinentes Libros (1554) ordered the Talmud burned "everywhere" and established a strict censorship over Jewish "genocidal writings" -- an order that has never been rescinded and which presumably is still binding upon Catholics. (Pope) Paul IV: His "Cum Nimis Absurdim" (1555) was a powerful condemnation of "Jewish usury." It embodies a legal code to curb "Jewish power" that was recommended to all communities. (Pope) Pius V: Counter-Reformation Cardinal (1504-1572) who disclosed his views on Jews in "Hebraeorum Gens" (1569) when all Jews were expelled from the Papal States. (Pope) Gregory XIII: He was the Pope from 1572-1585 who declared that the Jews "continue to plot horrible crimes against Christians with daily increasing audacity." Moreover, he condemned Jewish "genocidal writings." (Pope) Benedict XIV: In "Quo Primum" (1751) he denounced Jewish "control of commerce" and "systematical despoliation" of Christians through usury. Maria Theresa Hapsburg: This Queen of Hungary and Bohemia (1771-1789) broadcasted her detrimental views of the Jewish people as follows: "Henceforth no Jew, no matter under what name, will be allowed to remain here without my written permission. I know of no other troublesome pest within the state than this race, which impoverished the people by their fraud, usury and money-lending and commits all deeds which an honorable man despises. Subsequently they have to be removed and excluded from here as much as possible." (Cardinal) Joszef Mindszenty: Hungarian symbol of resistance to Communism throughout the 1950's who was quoted in The B'nai B'rith Messenger, January 28, 1949: "The troublemakers in Hungary are the Jews! They demoralize our country and they are the leaders of the revolutionary gang that is torturing Hungary." (Preacher) Thomas Short: In November 1996, Christian evangelist Thomas Short was visiting Texas A&M, when he openly declared to a Jewish student that she was "destined for hell." He then told another Jewish student that "Hitler did not go far enough." (Reverend) Jerry Falwell: On January 14, 1999, Jerry Falwell said "the Anti-Christ is probably alive today and is a male Jew." In his speech, he continued: "Is he alive and here today? Probably. Because when he appears during the Tribulation period he will be a full-grown counterfeit of Christ. Of course he'll be Jewish. Of course he'll pretend to be Christ. And if in fact the Lord is coming soon, and he'll be an adult at the presentation of himself, he must be alive somewhere today."

Sri Lanka's Buddhist clergy want to ban conversion to Christianity World news radio Australia Sri Lanka's influential Buddhist clergy have called for laws to ban Christian conversions spreading in poverty-stricken rural villages and vowed collective action against the practice. They have adopted an 11-point plan to fight proselytisers, active in several districts of the island and called on the authorities to immediately pass laws to prevent conversions taking place under the cover of helping rural communities to improve their economic standards. They say a shortage of Buddhist monks in several temples is also allowing Christian priests to make inroads into the Buddhist heartland by converting farming communities. The monks say about 23,000 Buddhists are being converted to Christianity each year and proselytisers have targeted 5,000 out of the 25,400 villages in the country for their activities. (31/07/01, 06:07:26 AEST)

Aggressive Religions Have No God-Given Right to Destroy Ancient Faiths and Cultures By Swami Dayananda Saraswati Religious conversion is a widely discussed topic in the Indian media these days. I think this issue needs to be thoroughly understood by all the people that count in every religion. The world's religions can be categorically said to be either aggressive or non-aggressive. Each religion has a certain promise in the form of an ultimate goal. Their faithful people try to live the prescribed life and reach the promised goal. Neither they nor their clergy are out to bring the people of other religions to their flock. Zorastrians follow their religious tradition without attempting to convert anybody to his or her religion. This is true with the followers of the Jewish tradition, Vedic religion, Shintoism, Taoism and the many other religions of various tribes in the world. I call these religious traditions non-aggressive because they do not believe in aggressive conversion. Then there are religions like Christianity, whose theologies, containing a number of basic non verifiable beliefs, advocate conversion. Evangelism and proselytization are sacred commitments of the entire cadre of the highly organized clergy. The clergy inspired laity are not any less committed to conversion. They are zealous in their mission of preaching and conversion. In their zeal, the end more often than not justifies the means. From the days of the Inquisition, every attempt recorded in history to stop their program of conversion only stoked their flame of zeal. As a result, many religions with their unique cultures have disappeared, leaving behind only mammoth relics, like the ones in Greece and Mexico. The loss of such great living cultures of the world is the mark of success for the zealous of the aggressive religions. The truth is that where there should be a sense of guilt and remorse, there is a sense of achievement and pride. Many leaders of non aggressive traditions think that the charity of the missionaries is designed to neutralize any protest from the native religious community. One cannot totally dismiss their thinking. Religious conversion by missionary activity remains an act of violence. It is an act of violence because it hurts deeply, not only the other members of the family of the converted, but the entire community that comes to know of it. One is connected to various persons in one's world. The religious person in every individual is the innermost, inasmuch as he or she is connected to a force beyond the empirical. The religious person is connected only to the force beyond he has now accepted. That is the reason why the hurt caused by religion can turn into violence. That is why a religious belief can motivate a missionary to be a martyr. When the hurt of the religious becomes acute, it explodes into violence. Conversion is violence. It generates violence. Aggressive religions and non-aggressive religions are not on the same plank. Conversion is, therefore, a rank, one-sided aggression. The genius of the non aggressive traditions cannot change, and therefore, they cannot be asked to do the same thing as the aggressive religions do. Humanity cannot afford to lose any more of its existing living religious traditions and cultures. We want to enjoy the religious cultures of both Christianity and Islam as we also want to enjoy the cultures of Jews, Parsis, Taoists, Shintoists, Hindus and others. Humanity will not let a pyramid be razed to the ground by the Egyptian government to create a housing complex. Even though they are in Egypt, the pyramids are too ancient to be the property of that country. They are standing monuments of human genius--they belong to the whole of humanity. So, too, are all the monuments of the past lying all over the world. Religion and culture are not often separable. This is especially true with the Hindu religious tradition. The greeting word, namaste, is an expression of culture as well as religion. Even though a religious mark on the forehead is purely religious, it is looked upon as a part of Hindu culture. Rangoli [patterns drawn on the ground with rice flour] at the entrance of a Hindu house is not just cultural; it is also religious. Indian music and dance cannot separate themselves from the Hindu religious tradition. There is no classical dance, bharata natyam, without Siva Nataraja being there. The classical, lyrical compositions of Meera, Tyagaraja, Purandara, Dikshitar and many others are intimately connected to the Hindu religious traditions. Therefore, conversion implies destruction of this entire culture. A committed Christian will not wear a tilakam, much less have rangoli in front of the house. If there is no rangoli at the entrance to a Tamil Nadu house, we immediately know that it doesn't belong to a Hindu. A converted Christian woman ceases to wear Indian traditional clothes, like saris, etc. No Christian woman will wear a nose ring. It is amazing how easily cultures disappear by the program of conversion through various means, leaving only dead monuments to be preserved for posterity. The living religious traditions, intimately woven into the fabric of their respective cultures, have to be allowed to live and thrive. Religious conversion should spotty aggressive religions should realize that they are perpetrating violence when they convert. We want them to live and let others live.

The Mind of the Fanatic Steve K. Dubrow-Eichel, Ph.D. This column appeared in the "Perspectives" page of the Wilmington (DE) News Journal, on 9/23/01. There was a time, James (not his real name) tells me, when he could have flown a fuel-laden jet into the World Trade Center. To meet James, one would never imagine he could perpetrate such an horrific act. James currently works in the medical field; he is a gentle man, a loving husband and a father of two. Years ago, however, he was a fanatic, a follower of a charismatic religious leader and a full-time member of an extremist religious cult. My colleagues and I have worked with hundreds of former cultists. Some were potential terrorists. The vast majority were not what one might expect. They were bright, idealistic, hard-working, self-sacrificing individuals who believed strongly, completely, in the justness of their causes. With rare exception, their fanaticism was rooted in a sincere intention to right wrongs, "clean up" sins, impurities or injustices, establish a society fully compliant with what they felt certain was God's will. Sometimes, the only thing that separates the fanatic next door from the fanatic terrorist are the number of followers, amount of money, and availability of military hardware. Lest we forget, members of the fanatical Japanese cult Aum Shinrikyo were actively seeking weapons of mass destruction that would have caused devastation dwarfing their Tokyo subway gassings, and even the mass murders of September 11. Closer to home, extremist groups like the Branch Dividians are, or have been, armed and anticipating the initiation of Armaggedon. To understand the mindset of fanatics, closely examine their propaganda. They sound strikingly like hygienists, who seek to "clean" or "sanitize" an environment in order to make it a "healthier" place to live. Fanatics utilize "us vs. them" language to divide the world in a polarized manner between that-which-promotes-health vs. that-which-causes-illness. The actions necessary for "hygiene" and "health" then become logical as well as obvious: Destroy that which causes or encourages disease. To the hygienist, that means destroying germs and their breeding grounds. To the fanatic, that means subjugating, imprisoning, "reeducating," and, if all else fails, destroying "diseased" people. Fanaticism often begins with a sudden, dramatic shift in world-view, often due to an overwhelmingly disturbing experience that is not readily explainable using "ordinary" or familiar frameworks. Sometimes this involves betrayals and deep disappointments at the hands of close friends, family, loved ones, or a group/cause with which one strongly identifies. (Osama bin-Laden fits into this mold.) Discarding beliefs and allegiances that related to a profound betrayal can feel thoroughly liberating. The second step on the road to fanaticism is exposure to a fanatic ideology (and, sadly, there are religious and political philosophies that lend themselves easily to this mindset). The third step usually involves a personal connection to a charismatic leader who appears to embody the "purity" promised by the ideology. The final step requires the internalization of information control: The fanatic's new ideology and personal allegiances must be strengthened and reinforced through the demand to be ever-vigilant against "wrong" thinking, to deny and denigrate information from "outside" sources, and to confess any and all doubts and questioning of one's faith. Over time, the new identity solidifies and the "old" self becomes equated with the very "disease" that must be eradicated. The fanatic does not distinguish between military personnel and civilians because they (we) are all germs capable of infecting those who would otherwise become or remain "pure." I do not believe we can ever completely eliminate fanaticism. The causes are too varied, too complex, and I can think of no "cure" that does not invoke the "illness" of fanaticism itself. To invert what the late Senator Barry Goldwater once said, extremism--even in the defense of liberty--is indeed a vice. Under the right conditions, most of us can become susceptible to fanatical ideologies. That is why, in a democracy, it is so important to not only tolerate, but welcome dissent and debate. We must challenge ourselves when we are drawn toward demonizing beliefs or lifestyles that feel foreign or repugnant, even as we protest them. And when left with no choice but to fight and wage war, we need to resist the temptation to view our enemies as less than human--as germs or vermin--lest we find ourselves one day looking into the mirror and realizing that we have found the fanatics, and they are us

more... Sikh Religious Philosophy "Realization of Truth is higher than all else. Higher still is Truthful Living." (Guru Nanak, Sri Rag) There is only one God, he is the Creator, Sustainer and Destroyer. "You are the Creator, O Lord, the Unknowable. You created the Universe of diverse kinds, colours and qualities. You know your own Creation. All this is your Play." (Guru Nanak, Var Majh) "The Formless Supreme Being abides in the Realm of Eternity. Over His creation He casts His glance of grace. In that Realm are contained all the continents and the universes, Exceeding in number all count. Of creation worlds upon worlds abide therein; All obedient to His will; He watches over them in bliss, And has each constantly in mind." (Guru Nanak, Japji) God cannot take human form. "He neither has father, nor mother, nor sons nor brothers." (Guru Nanak, Maru) "Burnt be the mouth that asserts, the Lord takes birth. He is neither born nor dies; neither enters birth nor departs. All pervasive is Nanaks Lord." (Guru Arjan Dev, Raga Bhairon) The goal of human life is to break the cycle of birth's and deaths and merge with God. This can be accomplished by following the teachings of the Guru, meditation on the Holy Name and performance of acts of service and charity. Without devotion to the Name Divine is birth in the world gone waste. Such consume poison, poisonous their utterance; Without devotion to the Name, without gain they die, and after death in transmigration wander." (Guru Nanak, Raga Bhairon) "True life is life in God, contemplation on the Name and the society of the saints" (Guru Arjan Dev, Dhanasari) "I shall merge in the Lord like the water in the sea and the wave in the stream. The soul will merge in God and like air I shall look upon all alike. Then why shall I come again? The coming and going is under the Will of the Lord and Realising This Will, I shall merge in the Lord" (Bhagat Kabir, Maru) "The disciple of the True Guru (God) dwells upon the Lord through the teaching of the Guru and all his sins are washed away" (Guru Ram Das, Var Gauri) "Our service in the world gets us a seat in the Court of the Lord" (Guru Nanak, Sri Rag) "One known as disciple of the holy Perceptor must, rising at dawn, on the Name Divine meditate" (Guru Ram Das, Raga Gauri) The five cardinal vices are; Kam (lust), Krodh (anger), Lobh (greed), Moh (worldly attachment) and Ahankar (pride). If one can overcome these, they will achieve salvation. "Five thieves who live within this body are lust, anger, greed, attachment and ego. They rob us of ambrosia, but the egocentrics do not understand it and no one listens to their cries" (Guru Amar Das, Sorath) "I am in the Refuge of the Lord; Bless me, O Lord with your Grace, so that the lust, anger, greed, attachment and ego may be destroyed" (Guru Arjan Dev, Gauri Sukhmani) Narm Marg; emphasizes daily devotion to the remembrance of God. "Meditation of the Lord is the highest of the deeds, through which myriads obtain release, through which the thirst (of desires) is quenched, through which one becomes all knowing, through which the fear of death goes away, through which all the desires are fulfilled, through which the dirt of the mind is cleansed and the Nectar of the Name of God is absorbed in the mind" (Guru Nanak, Gauri Sukhmani) Rejection of all forms of blind rituals such as fasting, religious vegetarianism, pilgrimages, superstions, yoga, as well as any form of idol worship. "Let good conduct be thy fasting." (Guru Nanak, Var Majh) "You keep the fast to please Allah, but slay life for your relish..But you do not reflect on the Lord, Who is within you" (Bhagat Kabir, Asa) "Only fools argue whether to eat meat or not. They don't understand truth nor do they meditate on it. Who can define what is meat and what is plant? Who knows where the sin lies, being a vegetarian or a non vegetarian?" (Guru Nanak, Var Malar) "The world is in agony because of the filth of ego, the word is filthy because of duality; The filth of ego cannot be washed away, even if one bathes at one hundred holy places." (Guru Amar Das, Sri Raga) "They go to holy places for a bath, Their minds are impure and bodies are like thieves; If by bath their dirt drops down, they got on themselves twice as much dirt and ego." (Guru Nanak, Var Suhi) "Whosover controls the mind, he is a pilgrim" (Guru Arjan Dev, Maru Solhe) "You calculate the auspicious moments, but do not realise, That God is far above the effects of these auspicious moments." (Guru Nanak, Ramkali) "Good omens and ill omens stick to him Who does not remember the Lord." (Guru Arjan Dev, Asa) "The way to true yoga is found by dwelling in God and remaining detached in the midst of worldly attachments." (Guru Nanak, Suhi)) "Pandits are busy studying Puranas, Yogis are busy in yogic meditations; Sannyasis are intoxicated with ego, Tapsis are intoxicated with secrets of Tapas; All are intoxicated, none is awake, With them are thieves robbing them." (Bhagat Kabir, Basant) "Five are the Muslim prayers; five their appointed hours, Five their names. These be the true prayers: The first is Truth, the second is lawful earning and the third is to beg the Graces of God for all, The fourth is the right intention in the mind and the fifth is the praise of the Lord." (Guru Nanak, Var Majh) "He reads the holy books with commentaries, He does not remember God, his way of living is not flowless. He instructs and makes other people firm, But does not practise, whatever he says. Understand the substance of the Vedas, O Pandit!" (Guru Arjan Dev, Ramkali) "The stone he calls his god, in the end, drowns him with itself... Know that a boat of stone carries one not across" (Guru Arjan Dev, Suhi) "The stone neither speaks nor gives anything. Therefore its service is fruitless and its worship is of no avail." (Bhagat Kabir, Bhairo) Normal Family life (Grasth) is encouraged, celibacy or renunciation of the world is not necessary to achieve salvation. The devotee must live in the world yet keep his mind pure. He must be a soldier, a scholar, a saint. "Beauteous lady! hast not heard with thy ears, To the husband's home must thou come, nor for ever canst thou in the parental home abide" (Guru Nanak, Sri Rag) "I that in the parents home on the Lord meditated, In the husband's home bliss have found. Blessed is the entire life of such." (Guru Ram Das, Sri Rag) "Those known as celibates knowing not the right device, discard house and home." (Guru Nanak, Asa) "Forsaking the household, one's mind took him to the forest, but it could not get peace even for a moment; but when it sought the refuge of the Saint of the Lord, its wanderings ceased and it returned to its own home. One abandoned his relatives and became a Sannyasi, but the craving of the mind did not cease. One's desires are not finished without the Word of the Guru, which alone can bring peace. When hatred for the world wells up in ones mind, he becomes a naked recluse, but the mind wanders ceaselessly and these wanderings do not end his desires, but when he meets the saints, he reaches the House of Mercy. Siddhas learn numerous Yogic poses; but their mind only after miraculous powers yearns. Thereby comes not to them fulfilment, content and peace of mind." (Guru Ram Das, Bilaval) The Sikh Holy Book (Guru Granth Sahib) is the perpetual Guru, there is no place in Sikhism for a living Guru today. "The bani is the preceptor and the preceptor is the bani, All the nectars are present in the bani: If the faithful follows the bani of the preceptor, The preceptor himself helps him in the realisation of his ideal." (Guru Ram Das, Nat) Sikhism rejects all distinctions of caste, creed, race or sex. "All are created from the seed of God. There is the same clay in the whole world, the potter (God) makes many kinds of pots." (Guru Amar Das, Bhairo) "Recognise the light (of God) and do not ask for the caste, There is no caste in the next world." (Guru Nanak, Asa) The Guru's stressed the full equality of women, rejecting female infanticide, sati (wife burning), permitting widow remarriage and rejects purdah (women wearing veils). "We are born of woman, we are conceived in the womb of woman, we are engaged and married to woman. We make friendship with woman and the lineage continued because of woman. When one woman dies, we take another one, we are bound with the world through woman. Why should we talk ill of her, who gives birth to kings? The woman is born from woman; there is none without her. Only the One True Lord is without woman" (Guru Nanak, Var Asa) "They cannot be called satis, who burn themselves with their dead husbands. They can only be called satis, if they bear the shock of separation. They may also be known as satis, who live with character and contentment and always show veneration to their husbands by remembering them." (Guru Amar Das, Var Suhi) Honest labour and work (Kirat Karna) are the approved way of living ones life. It is considered honourable to earn ones daily bread through honest work and not by begging or dishonest means. "He who eats what he earns through his earnest labour and from his hand gives something in charity; he alone, O Nanak, knows the true way of life" (Guru Nanak Dev, Rag Sarang, pg. 1245) Vand Chhakna, sharing with others is also a social responsibility. The individual is expected to help others in need through charity. Seva, community service is also an intergral part of Sikhism. The free community kitchen (langar) found at every gurdwara and open to people of all religions is one expression of this community service.

Sikhism and Other Religions Hinduism Concerning Hinduism Similarities Reincarnation Like Hinduism Sikhims believes in the transmigration of the soul. There are countless cycles of births and deaths. One only breaks this cycle when they achieve mukhti (merger with God) Karma Karma regulates the reincarnation and transmigration of the soul, Sikhism links Karma with the doctrine of Grace. "Mortals obtain a human body as a result of good deeds but he reaches the gate ofsalvation with God's kind grace." (Guru Nanak, Japji) Maya The world is just an illusion and some get enchanted with this illusion and forget God Differences Sikhism rejects polytheism and accepts monotheism. Whereas Sikhism starts with one God and universalizes Him, Hinduism starts with many Gods and occasionally gives glimpses of 'One'. "I do not accept Ganesha as important. I do not meditate on Krishna, neither on Vishnu. I do not hear them and do not recognize them. My love is with the Lotus feet of God. He is my protector, the Supreme Lord. I am dust of his Lotus feet." (Guru Gobind Singh, Krishna Avatar) Authority of the Vedas and the belief that the truth revealed in them is absolute and that reading them one can realize perfection. "I have read all the Vedas, but my mind's separation from God is not removed and the five demons of my house (body) are stilled not even for an instant." (Guru Arjan Dev, Ashtpadis, pg. 687) Sikhism does not recognize any priestly class. "Kabir, the Brahman may be the Guru of the world, but he is not the Guru of the saints. He rots to death in the perplexities of the four Vedas" (Bhagat Kabir, Salok, pg. 1377) Rejection of the Ashrama Dharma theory of dividing man's life into four stages. Instead the Gurus emphasized living the householders life. Rejection of the Varna distinction of division of human society into higher and lower castes. "There are four castes of the literates, warriors, cultivators and menials and the four stages of life. He who meditates on the Lord is the most distinguished amongst men." (Guru Ram Das, Gond, pg. 861) "The Lord asks not mortals caste and birth, so find thou out the Lord's True Home (truth). That alone is man's caste and that his glory, as are the deeds which he does." (Guru Nanak, Parbhati, pg. 1330) The Gurus rejected the Avtara theory of the incarnations of God. The Gurus not only exposed the mortality of these gods but used stories to illustrate moral values, such as 'pride leads to a fall' illustrated by the story of Harnakhash, untouchability becoming superior through devotion to God by Krishna stories and stories where Bhrahma, Vishnu and Shiva are shown to be ordinary mortals. The Gurus stressed that there is only one God and that these gods and goddeses were not true. "In every age, the Lord creates the kings, who are sung of as His incarnations. Even they have not found His limits." (Guru Amar Das, Ashtpadis, pg. 423) "Millions of incarnations of Vishnu and Shiv, with matted hair Desire Thee, O Kind Lord, with endless longing of their mind and body. Infinite and Inaccessible is Lord, the World Sustainer, and He is the Omnipresent wealthy Master. The gods, perfect persons, heavenly heralds and celestial singers contemplate on Thee. The greater gods and heavenly dancers utter Thine praises. Myrids of kings, gods and many super human beings remember the Lord and hail Him." (Guru Arjan Dev, Chhant, pg. 455) Worship of idols and images. "The blind ignorant ones stray in doubt and so deluded, deluded they pluck flowers for worship. They worship the lifeless stones and adore tombs. Their service all goes in vain." (Guru Ram Das, Malar, pg. 1264) "They who say the stone is a god; in vain is their service. He who falls at the feet of the stone; vain goes his labour. My Lord ever speaks. The Lord gives gifts to all the living beings. The Lord is within, but the blind one knows not. Deluded by doubt, he is caught in a noose. The stone speaks not, nor gives anything. In vain are the ceremonies of the idolater, and fruitless his service." (Guru Arjan Dev, Bhairo, pg. 1160) The Gita and Vedanta goal of a Mukt. Once he achieves salvation he does not live for the community. In Sikhism the Gurmukh achieving salvation lives to save others. "Abandon lust, wrath, avarice and worldly love. Thus be rid of both birth and death. Distress and darkness shall depart from thy home, when, within thee, the Guru implants wisdom and lights the Divine lamp. He, who serves the Lord crosses the sea of life. Through the Guru, O slave Nanak, the entire world is saved." (Guru Arjan Dev, Gauri, pg. 241) Belief that reading of the six Shastras and their mastery will bring salvation. "The greatly voluminous Simirtis and Shastras stretch out the extension of worldly love. The fools read them, but know not their Lord. Some rare one knows Him by the Guru's grace. Of Himself the Creator does and makes others do. By means of the True Bani, He implants truth within the mortal." (Guru Amar Das, Maru, pg. 1053) "Many Shashtras and many Simirtis have I seen and searched them all. Nanak, they equal not Lord God's invaluable Name." (Guru Arjan Dev, Gauri, pg. 265) Rejection of Sanskrit or any language as being sacred. ¸..· ´¨¨)) -:¦:- ¸.·´ .·´¨¨)) ((¸¸.·´ ..·´ -:¦:- jijaji -:¦:- ((¸¸.·´* [This message has been edited by jijaji (edited 10-28-2001).]

Sikhs and Differences Sikhism does not believe that any Holy Book takes precedence over all others or any religions prophet is the final messenger of God. "Say not that the Vedas and Muslim books are false. False is he, who reflects not on them." (Bhagat Kabir, Parbhati, pg. 1350) "The followers of the Vedas, the Bible and the Koran, standing at Your Door, meditate on You. Uncounted are those who fall at Your Door." (Guru Arjan Dev, pg. 518) "And many have been orthodox amongst the Muslims, and men of miracles, and Ashvini Kumaras, and the part-incarnations of Vishnu, all O all went the way of death. And many were the prophets and spiritual guides, yea, countless were they: they sprang from the dust and to dust they returned." (Guru Gobind Singh, Akal Ustati) Purpose of the Holy Book "Thus We have revealed the Koran in the Arabic tongue and proclaimed in it warnings and threats so that they may take heed and guard themselves against evil." (20:114 Quran) "Upon this Plate, three things have been placed: Truth, Contentment and Contemplation. The Ambrosial Nectar of the Naam, the Name of our Lord and Master, has been placed upon it as well; it is the Support of all. One who eats it and enjoys it shall be saved. This thing can never be forsaken; keep this always and forever in your mind. The dark world-ocean is crossed over, by grasping the Feet of the Lord; O Nanak, it is all the extension of God." (Guru Arjan Dev, Mundavanee, pg. 1429) Sikhism believes that people of different religions are equally capable of achieving salvation while still following their own religion. "Believers, take neither Jews nor Christians for your friends. They are friends with one another. Whoever of you seeks their friendship shall become one of their number. Allah does not guide the wrongdoers." (5:49, Quran) "Mohammed is Allah's apostle. Those who follow him are ruthless to the unbelievers but merciful to one another." (48:29, Quran) "When the sacred months are over slay the idolaters wherever you find them. Arrest them, besiege them, and lie in ambush everywhere for them. If they repent and take to prayer and pay the alms-tax, let them go their way. Allah is forgiving and merciful." (9:4, Quran) "There is a garden, in which so many plants have grown. They bear the Ambrosial Nectar of the Naam as their fruit. Consider this, O wise one, by which you may attain the state of Nirvaanaa. All around this garden are pools of poison, but within it is the Ambrosial Nectar, O Siblings of Destiny. There is only one gardener who tends it. He takes care of every leaf and branch. He brings all sorts of plants and plants them there. They all bear fruit - none is without fruit." (Guru Arjan Dev, Asa, pg. 385) "The temple or the mosque are the same, the Hindu worship or the Musalman prayer are the same; all men are the same; it is through error they appear different. Deities, demons, Yakshas, heavenly singers, Musalmans and Hindus adopt the customary dress of their different countries. All men have the same eyes, the same ears, the same body, the same build, a compound of earth, air, fire, and water. Allah and Abhekh are the same, the Purans and the Quran are the same; they are all alike; it is the one God who created all. The Hindu God and the Muhammadan God are the same; let no man even by mistake suppose there is a difference." (Guru Gobind Singh, Akal Ustat, pg. 275) Sri Guru Granth Sahib places greater emphasis on love of God as the main motivation for man rather than fear of God. "Truly, none will take heed but the wise: those who keep faith with Allah and do not break their pledge; who join together what He has bidden to be united; who fear their Lord and dread the terrors of Judgement-day; who for the sake of Allah endure with fortitude..." (13:18, Quran) "Allah's reward is great. Therefore fear Him with all your hearts and be attentive, obedient, and charitable. That will be best for you." (64:13, Quran) "Within my heart, I sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord, and celebrate the Word of the Lord's Shabad. The Lord Himself is pervading and permeating the world; so fall in love with Him!" (Guru Nanak Dev, pg. 790) "Remembering Him in meditation, one abides in peace; one becomes happy, and suffering is ended. Celebrate, make merry, and sing God's Glories. Forever and ever, surrender to the True Guru." (Guru Arjan Dev, Asa, pg. 386) Sikhism does not believe in the idea of Gods name being only those authorized in a religious tradition or Holy Book. "Many are Thy Names and infinite Thine forms and it cannot be told how many merits Thou hast." (Guru Nanak, Asa, pg. 358) Non-Sikhs are allowed to visit and enter the most sacred shrine of the religion, The Golden Temple. "Believers, know that the idolaters are unclean. Let them not approach the Sacred Mosque after this year is ended" (9:26, Quran) "Blessed is the place, and blessed are those who dwell there, where God's Name is meditated upon. The sermons and songs of God's praises are sung there and there is nothing but peace, poise and tranquillity." (Guru Arjan Dev, Raga Bilaval, pg. 816) "If the Lord Allah lives only in the mosque, then to whom does the rest of the world belong? …The God of the Hindus lives in the southern lands, and the God of the Muslims lives in the west. So search in your heart - look deep into your heart of hearts; this is the home and the place where God lives." (Bhagat Kabir, pg. 1349) Attitude towards women. Sikh women are allowed to lead congregations of men at the temple or administer all religious ceremonies involving either men or women. "Man have authority over women because Allah has made the one superior to the other, and because they spend their wealth to maintain them. Good women are obedient. They guard their unseen parts because Allah has guarded them. As for those from whom you fear disobedience, admonish them and send them to beds apart and beat them." (4:34, Quran) "We are born of woman, we are conceived in the womb of woman, we are engaged and married to woman. We make friendship with woman and the lineage continued because of woman. When one woman dies, we take another one, we are bound with the world through woman. Why should we talk ill of her, who gives birth to kings? The woman is born from woman; there is none without her. Only the One True Lord is without woman" (Guru Nanak Dev, Var Asa, pg. 473) Sikhism does not believe in women wearing veils. "Stay, stay, O daughter-in-law - do not cover your face with a veil. In the end, this shall not bring you even half a shell." (Bhagat Kabir, Asa, pg. 484) Sikhism does not believe in fasting or pilgrimages. "The mind is not softened by fasting or austerities. Nothing else is equal to worship of the Lord's Name." (Guru Nanak Dev, Ramkali, pg. 905) "The pilgrimage to shrines, fasting, cleanliness and self-mortification are not of any avail, nor are the rituals, religious ceremonies and hollow adoration's. Deliverance, O! Nanak! is in the devotional service of God. Through duality the mortal is engrossed in worldliness. (Guru Nanak, Sri Rag, pg. 75) Sikhism rejects the killing of any animal evoking a prayer or by slow death. Muslim Halal meat is forbidden for Sikhs. "Yet holding the knife, the world they butcher. Wearing blue the rulers approval they seek; With money derived from mlechhas the Puranas they worship. Goats slaughtered over the unapproved Muslims texts they eat." (Guru Nanak, Raga Asa, pg. 472) Sikhism rejects the idea of circumcision. "Because of the love of woman, circumcision is done; I don't believe in it, O Siblings of Destiny. If God wished me to be a Muslim, it would be cut off by itself. If circumcision makes one a Muslim, then what about a woman?" (Bhagat Kabir, Asa, pg. 477) ¸..· ´¨¨)) -:¦:- ¸.·´ .·´¨¨)) ((¸¸.·´ ..·´ -:¦:- jijaji -:¦:- ((¸¸.·´* [This message has been edited by jijaji (edited 10-28-2001).]

quote: He has given mankind the blessed assurance that all Theistic churches will shortly merge in the one eternal spiritual community by the grace of the Supreme Lord Sri Krsna Caitanya. jijaji: All theistic churches will shortly merge..? So ALL Christians and ALL the different branches of Christianity are gonna merge into the universal church of Sri Chaitanya as well as all the other Theistic religions? I hardly think so...Gaudiyas cannot even agree within their own sect and are constantly fighting with each other as to who is the highest Guru etc..within their own camp. The Madhvas certainly will not as they do not consider Sri Chaitanya as Krishna like the Gaudiyas do...and for that matter there are hundreds of differing theistic religions in India alone who are NOT gonna give up their traditions that go back futher than the Gaudiya religion. This is a fantasy created by fanatics who think there should be only one religion and one way of seeing reality..THEIRS! Very similar to how MUSLIM FUNDAMENTALISTS THINK.. ¸..· ´¨¨)) -:¦:- ¸.·´ .·´¨¨)) ((¸¸.·´ ..·´ -:¦:- jijaji -:¦:- ((¸¸.·´* [This message has been edited by jijaji (edited 10-28-2001).]

Sikhs do not believe in the concept of Avatarvad. Better run and hide from such demons along with everyone else who doesn't think like you. The world is becoming smaller and smaller for some people it seems.. ¸..· ´¨¨)) -:¦:- ¸.·´ .·´¨¨)) ((¸¸.·´ ..·´ -:¦:- jijaji -:¦:- ((¸¸.·´* [This message has been edited by jijaji (edited 10-28-2001).]

quote: Thakur Bhaktivinode has predicted the consummation of religious unity of the world by the appearance of the only universal church which bears the eternal designation of the Brahma Sampradaya. jijaji: I am doubtful about Srila Bhaktivinode ever mentioning the 'Brahma Sampraday' at all in any of his writings. ¸..· ´¨¨)) -:¦:- ¸.·´ .·´¨¨)) ((¸¸.·´ ..·´ -:¦:- jijaji -:¦:- ((¸¸.·´* [This message has been edited by jijaji (edited 10-28-2001).]

The Non-Dual Christ by Pieter Schoonheim Samara (from Nonduality Salon) Could the Teachings of Christ really centered in Non-Dualism? Is Christ in reality the all pervasive timeless unconditioned Self, abiding as the Heart of everyone, as Consciousness Itself? If Christ IS the Truth, shouldn't His Teachings be examined to discover Who and What That Truth is and abide as That, rather than to seek out for remedies in this world? - as in "Go first to God ("I AM") and all things will be added unto you." Luke 12:31 There are many passages in the New (and Old) Testament, where, when the notion we are all separate beings, centered in our identities as thinking bodies, is put aside, one is surprised to find that most passages are apparently referring to Christ as being the Self, and likewise He speaks from the non-dual perspective. While in the Old Testament God states the Truth as "I AM THAT I AM", the West has diverted Christianity around Descartes' dictum: "I think therefore I am." From, the non-dual point of view, the first two of the Ten Commandments (Ex 20: 1-7) are extremely powerful non-dual statements, i.e., neither permitting images before the "I" sense, nor allowing the use of the subject "I" together with an identity to images. So, it is no wonder that in reading the words of Christ as non-dual, the statements come out as being also very powerful. The following are several quotes about Christ as the Self (the subject "I" Consciousness) of all "All things were made by him, and without him was not anything made that was made." John I: 3 'In him was life, and the life was the light of men." John I: 4 "And the light shineth in the darkness; and the darkness comprehendeth it not." John I: 5 "That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that is born into this world." John I: 9 Here the creation is not only created by Christ, but also all creation throughout all time is a projection of the Conscious Principle "I", as "without him was not anything made that was made". Who Christ is said to be is Life, and that Life was the Light (Consciousness) of "every man that is born into this world." The darkness described is the mind, which cannot know the True and imageless Self, the All Knower, and cannot see the seer, which lights it. From these quotes and the quotes to follow, we will see that Christ is defined clearly as the Self of all, and that His Teachings are to redirect each listener that can "hear" Him, to purify the mind, or directly to enquire into and abide as the Self, or to admonish them to take their stand in the Truth and "abide in me", the Self. Quoting a few passages, it will become clear that these are statements from someone, who, having realized their Self, no longer has a sense of "I" in relation to the body or mind, but abides as and is "Consciousness Itself". "No man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven."John 3: 13 Here Christ states that this Self is always realized. In John 3: 14-21 Christ elaborates on this theme of the "Light" further, as do many other of his passages. When seen from the non-dual perspective, His passages are intensely strong, giving no ground for alternate ideas that there may be some reality to the world or some basis to the world or some alternate "Ways" or approaches. For example: "I am the Light of the world: he that followeth Me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the Light of Life." John 8: 12 By comparison with the ancient sages and magi from the East, one might think from reading these passages that Christ always speaks as the Atman and of the Father as Brahman, or as the Self realized being One in relation to the All pervasive and timeless Self (the "I AM THAT I AM"). Christ states: "Verily, verily, I say unto you, before Abraham was, I AM." John 8: 58 One can see from the way Christ always refers to the Father, as the doer of the miracles and all that He says, that regardless of His apparent actions, that He has no sense of being a doer, that all He says and does just happens, because He abides in the Father. Consider the following passage, where Jesus is speaking to the Apostles in John Ch 14: "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life: No man cometh to the Father but by Me. (verse 6) If you had known me, you should have known my Father also: and from hence forth you know him and have seen him. (verse 7) "Philip said to Jesus, 'Lord, show us the Father, and it is sufficient for us.' (verse 8) "To which Jesus replied: "Have I been so long with you, yet you have still not known me, Philip? He that has seen me has seen the Father; therefore, how do you say, 'Show us the Father'? (verse 9) "Believe you not that I am in the Father and the Father in me? The words I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwells in me he does the works. (verse 11) "Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me, or else believe me for the very works' sake." (verse 12) Again: "I and my Father are one." John 10: 30 Explaining how his Truth is in fact the Truth of all, Christ states in John Ch 15: "Abide in me, and I in you. As a branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can you, except you abide in me. (verse 4) "I am the vine, you are the branches...apart from me you can do nothing." (verse 5) In John Chapter 17, Christ prays to the Father on behalf of the Apostles, that He sanctify them by His Truth, and that they might be one with the Father ("I AM THAT I AM"). Here, one can see that His state is always one with the Father. One is quite clear that Christ’s permanent abiding state, when He says "where I am", is unrelated to the world. He asks: "Father, I will that they also, whom thou has given me, be with me where I am, that they may behold my glory, which you have given me: For you have loved me from before the foundation of the world." (verse 24) The notion of Spirit, that He (Christ) and God (the Father) are one in Spirit also conveys the sense of the formlessness of Brahman (the Father), as well as our own Truth as spirit versus body: "God is a Spirit, and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth." (John 4: 24) Apart from all Christ's teachings of practices and parables about non-judgment (Mat Ch 7: 1-2; Luke 6: 37-42; John 8: 6-11), non-attachment (Mat 6: 40), non-anxiety (Mat 6: 25-34; Luke 12: 22-32), perpetual forgiveness (Luke 17: 4; Mat 19: 21-22; Mark 11:25), compassion (Mat 25: 34-40), humility (Mat 18: 4), and so on, which all relate to a discarding of attention to the world ("Take no thought for your life." Mat 6: 25), probably the most profoundly direct instruction Christ gave concerning the teaching of is non-dual Truth is from Luke 11: "The light of the body is the eye: Therefore, when thine eye is single, your whole body will be filled with light...." (verse 34) From the non-dual perspective, this is easily paraphrased as follows: The part of you that sees (the seer, one's Self) is your true light. Therefore, if you hold the seer (subject-"I") singly or exclusively (versus giving attention to thoughts and images) you will have illumination - or what some call the "enlightenment of the whole body". (This is similar to God’s First and Second Commandments weren’t clear enough in terms of having no images before the “I AM.”) And as to the Heart, which is the seat of the all-pervasive Self ("I AM"): "The wise man's heart is at his right hand, but the fool's heart at his left." Ecclesiastes 10: 2. And: "The pure in heart shall see God ("I AM")." Matt 3: 8. Anyone in the east, coming to a similar conclusion about Christ, might call the approach of Christ the path of "sudden realization", because his teachings are often in the form of commandments or statements giving no ground (room to maneuver). His approach permits no delays, no second chance, no outs, no remedy, no alternatives to the tribulations of the world. His way to God (the "I AM" of the Old Testament) is full of beatitudes and purity (Mat 5: 2-11), blessedness and love (Mat 6: 38-48). But those that oppose the Spirit "will never be forgiven" (Luke 12: 10, Mat 12: 32; Mark 3: 29) and "will be thrown into the outer darkness, where there is great suffering and gnashing of teeth." (Mat 8: 12;14: 50; 22: 13; 24: 51) The reading of the New Testament requires a constant coming to terms with Christ's life: His all knowingness of each person close or far away, now and in the future, how they will act, what will happen, when, and why; the constant ceaseless flow of power, where miracles fall from him, undirected. In the non-dualist texts, these are the powers described as God's, to be all knowing, all powerful, and so forth. In Revelations, Ch I: 8, Christ tells John: "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the ending" sayeth the Lord, "which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty." But what was special about Christ was the sense of awe-inspiring fierceness, the intensity of rock hard Reality that packed each moment, demanding ... commanding perfection of everyone, now. For example: "Be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect." "I give you a commandment: Love one another." John 15: 12, 17 "For I have not spoken of myself, but the Father which sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak. And I know his commandment is life everlasting." John 12: 49 As Christ repeatedly stated "If any man have ears to hear, let him hear." Mark Ch 4: 23, again Mark 7: 16, etc.. This "hearing" is central to the entire non-dual teaching process, until the mind becomes still*, free of its focus on identity with images and the Conscious principal, the subject "I", one's True imageless and timeless Self flashes forth. *"Stillness of mind" means "Be still and know that I am God (‘I AM’ Ex 3: 14)." (David, Ps). Probably the best summation of the possibility, potential, or promise that Christ represents to the Western world is in his following statement from John 16: 33. "These things I have spoken to you that in me you might have peace. In the world you shall have tribulations: But be of good cheer; I have overcome (conquered) the world." Actually, not to see Christ as the personification of the non-dual Truth is to turn all He says into demagoguery, to make him into another "zealot" of the time, the founder of a bizarre cult, of strange rituals based in fanatical superstition and myth, a revamping of paganism in monistic form. It seems quite obvious though that if we can "hear" Him, Christ, ever abiding in and as the Father, may be one of the most profound Teachers of the non-dual nature of Reality and proof of its philosophy in terms of realizing the Truth of our own Reality as all pervasive Self! Blessed am I In freedom am I I am the infinite in my soul I can find no beginning no end All is my Self

quote: Although posing as great scholars, ascetics, householders and swamis, the so-called followers of the Hindu religion are all useless, dried-up branches of the Vedic religion. jijaji: I need some clarification here... Who are the scholars, ascetics, householders and swamis being referred to here? How do you pose as a householder? What dried up branches of Vedic religion is being referred to here? When did they dry up? Are they useless because they have a different siddhanta from Gaudiya Vaishnavism? ¸..· ´¨¨)) -:¦:- ¸.·´ .·´¨¨)) ((¸¸.·´ ..·´ -:¦:- jijaji -:¦:- ((¸¸.·´* [This message has been edited by jijaji (edited 10-27-2001).]

quote: Perhaps this `fever` is out of frustration at the inability to defeat the supposed `offenders` by higher reasoning, which is obviously lacking, and a reluctance to take their own lives or simply go away. jijaji: Fundamentalism does not allow disagreement. If we look at Islam we see such intolerance it is frightening. Men cannot dress the way they want, they must have beards, etc etc. Women have to behave in a certain way as not to excite the men who are pigs and would have sex with camels anyway. But my point here is the fanatical feverish heat that develops in the head region when one is completely lost in the mentality of 'My Religion the One and Only' one becomes almost insane it seems. I do think it is quite possible to have a certain path where a sadhak is devoted to one deity alone with 'single minded devotion' and many Gaudiya Vaishnavs are not as fundamentalistic as others. Same goes for Christians...some very balanced people and others like.... JIMMY SWAGGART!! ¸..· ´¨¨)) -:¦:- ¸.·´ .·´¨¨)) ((¸¸.·´ ..·´ -:¦:- jijaji -:¦:- ((¸¸.·´* [This message has been edited by jijaji (edited 10-27-2001).]

Fundy Fever... Scarry stuff...those who contract this fever are tortured by others who come to different conclusions about God and spirituality than they. The fever reaches its zenith when direct disagreement occurs. ¸..· ´¨¨)) -:¦:- ¸.·´ .·´¨¨)) ((¸¸.·´ ..·´ -:¦:- jijaji -:¦:- ((¸¸.·´* [This message has been edited by jijaji (edited 10-27-2001).]

Can you explain 'doomed' here? What exactly do you think will happen to people who associate with them and/or read their 'poison'? btw I can just as easily say, Those of you who associate with gHari-whatever & party are doomed (*), whether conversing with them or just reading their poison. * Doomed - they will be taken for a ride and misled with false philosophies. Looking forward to a profound answer from you, Thanx. THe Dammed, Doomed, Marooned ------------------ ¸..· ´¨¨)) -:¦:- ¸.·´ .·´¨¨)) ((¸¸.·´ ..·´ -:¦:- jijaji -:¦:- ((¸¸.·´*

So who are the followers of Hinduism that Prabupad referred to? Hinduism is generally a term referring to followers of Sanatan Dharma including many branches and schools of thought.

quote: "Although posing as great scholars, ascetics, householders and swamis, the so-called followers of the Hindu religion are all useless, dried-up branches of the Vedic religion." (April, 1967, New York lectures) jijaji: This is a pretty heavy across the board statement.. What about the Followers of Madhva? This cannot apply to them as many Iskcon people have tried to win support from the tattvavadins over recent years. What about the Ramanuja sect in South India..(they are certainly not dried up) very much alive in their tradition as is the school of Advaita. If they were all dried up and useless..why bother for support. What about the other branches of Gaudiya Vaishnavism that were alive and well at the time this statement was made? Statements like these to discredit other schools of thought are not thought out very well. In the longrun it becomes evident the party who says such things is wanting to exalt his own philosophy above other schools by distorting the facts i.e (useless, dried-up) and thus creates more misunderstanding by spreading untruths. ¸..· ´¨¨)) -:¦:- ¸.·´ .·´¨¨)) ((¸¸.·´ ..·´ -:¦:- jijaji -:¦:- ((¸¸.·´* [This message has been edited by jijaji (edited 10-27-2001).]

Like I said at on one thread..... He is doing secret Bin Laden Puja ------------------ ¸..· ´¨¨)) -:¦:- ¸.·´ .·´¨¨)) ((¸¸.·´ ..·´ -:¦:- jijaji -:¦:- ((¸¸.·´*

Why respond to such strangeness melvin obviously is very very needy. Why is he allowed to display such adolescent craziness and hijack the forums? JNDS is a very fair person when it comes to this forum... But melvin seems to be having some sort of Psychotic Episode!!! I'm sure my response here will only flame his brain fever all the more... GOD HELP US ALL ¸..· ´¨¨)) -:¦:- ¸.·´ .·´¨¨)) ((¸¸.·´ ..·´ -:¦:- jijaji -:¦:- ((¸¸.·´* [This message has been edited by jijaji (edited 10-26-2001).]

Portrait of my Mother... http://www.ambaa.org/images/Durga1.jpg ¸..· ´¨¨)) -:¦:- ¸.·´ .·´¨¨)) ((¸¸.·´ ..·´ -:¦:- jijaji -:¦:- ((¸¸.·´* [This message has been edited by jijaji (edited 10-25-2001).]

http://www.ambaa.org ¸..· ´¨¨)) -:¦:- ¸.·´ .·´¨¨)) ((¸¸.·´ ..·´ -:¦:- jijaji -:¦:- ((¸¸.·´* [This message has been edited by jijaji (edited 10-25-2001).]

quote: The reality is that spiritual life looks miserable on the outside but is filled with incredible, indescribable nectar on the inside. Material life is just exactly the opposite. It looks wonderful on the outside but it is rotten to the core. jijaji: Sounds kind of black & white.... Me thinks it's 'A Question of Balance'.... ¸..· ´¨¨)) -:¦:- ¸.·´ .·´¨¨)) ((¸¸.·´ ..·´ -:¦:- jijaji -:¦:- ((¸¸.·´* [This message has been edited by jijaji (edited 10-22-2001).]

quote: There is only one religion, Harer Namah...chant the Holy Names. All others are subsidiary. Krsna has unlimited names, of which Allah, Yaweh and Buddha are but a few. What is there left to argue about? jijai: sorry not all people agree that yours is the only Religion and to think so is silly and simply beating your own chest, tooting your own horn, go team go, ra ra ra , our teams best...! ¸..· ´¨¨)) -:¦:- ¸.·´ .·´¨¨)) ((¸¸.·´ ..·´ -:¦:- jijaji -:¦:- ((¸¸.·´* [This message has been edited by jijaji (edited 10-20-2001).] [This message has been edited by jijaji (edited 10-20-2001).]

melvin: This war is the Ultimate one where you have to use ur brains, not brawn to de- feat the enemy. Do you have the former trait? Well, I doubt it. jijaji: Wha y do you doubt it..? Because I don't to your way of think..? Oh that must mean everyone who disagrees with your fundamentalistic outlook is wrong and will not survive the war? COMPLETE LUNANCY !! You live and think in a very limited black and white reality tunnel. Plus you seem to know very little of religion you claim will take over humanity! ------------------ ¸..· ´¨¨)) -:¦:- ¸.·´ .·´¨¨)) ((¸¸.·´ ..·´ -:¦:- jijaji -:¦:- ((¸¸.·´* [This message has been edited by jijaji (edited 10-20-2001).]