Faith vs. Literalism

[Namah 0]

Its is a opportunity to actually witness the devotions of the Science of Godhead manifested in the amazing varieties of mental challenge which inspire one to humbly fall at the lotus feet of Lord Krsna. I understand why the association of devotees is so important now. I have never been exposed to so much intelligence in a concentrated form. The process of giving up my attraction to Maya and the rule of my senses requires an approach designed to overcome my conditioning. Everyone has a unique set of conditioning and I am not sure that in this lifetime I will be able to completely overcome my mind and senses. However I am now aware and that awareness is more than I started with. I believe it is the duty of the devotees to offer the world the opportunity to become aware of the Hare Krsna mantra. This mantra needs to be sung on the radio, the TV and in the movies. It is an attachment to a whole which can be represented by a variety of spokes. It is the outer circle and the inner circle of the wheel. The variety of the spokes give the wheel the ability to turn and through this movement we have life and its external coverings of maya worshipping Krsna. We go from the smallest the inner circle to the largest the outer circle and the journey between the two puts the sound of the Hare Krsna Mantra into our form of devotional worship. The minds on this Forum represent incredible sound vibrations through the written word of intelligence. Thank You All

Originally posted by darwin:

Dear devotees,

 

Please read these 2 articles and tell me what you think of them:

 

The first article, Literalism vs Essence by Ramacandra das, just came out today on Chakra. Ramacandra das seems to argue that he needs to blindly accept all of the Iskcon world view as true or he will begin a process of questioning everything and lose all faith.

 

The second article, On Leaving ISKCON, by Steven J. Gelberg (Subhananda das), 1991, has been on the internet for at least a couple of years. In it Steve Gelberg seems to describe how he has totally lost his faith and religion. Steve Gelberg was an ISKCON devotee for seventeen years, and most of that time he was a staff writer for the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust.

 

For many of us devotees, if we tried to adopt Ramacandra das' attitude, we would end up like Steve Gelberg. I am trying to find an entirely different, and personalist, approach for myself. See the Bhaktivinoda Thakur page on my website.

 

I will be thankful for any help you devotees can give me.

 

Thank you. Hari Bol!

 

[This message has been edited by darwin (edited 11-05-2001).]