Sunday, December 30, 2012

Radhanath Swami on Tolerating Religious Differences

Everyone has their own logic, even in the circles of religion. Everyone has their scriptural quotes to show that we are the way to truth and light and there is no other way except through me. That I am the greatest, my religion is the greatest and everyone else is subordinate or evil. I am Hindu, I am a Christian, I am a Jew, I am a Zoroastrian or I am a Jain and because I am that, that is the greatest because if that is the greatest, that makes me the greatest. Look what this has done to the world. Religion is supposed to create a sense of seeing every living being with equal vision. Religion is supposed to bring about a sense of compassion and love for everyone. If you don’t love everyone you cannot love God. But religion today has the opposite effect of its purpose. It creates sectarianism, bigotry and hatred toward others. We have to learn to tolerate the envy in our heart in the name of God.

24 comments:

  1. Each and everyone is the child of God. A true religion teaches it. Through this religion everyone help others and work together to please the Supreme Father, God. Love and serve everyone else. All glories to HH Radhanatha Svami Maharaja.

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  2. "If you don’t love everyone you cannot love God"
    In the Memories DVD set, Mother Urmila narrates:
    In that meeting my son was sitting on my lap, and Prabhupāda was talking to my father about Kṛṣṇa and Prabhupāda looked at me and said “Just like this mother is loving her son without any expectation of return, in the same way you should love Kṛṣṇa.” And my father said “Will loving her son help her to love Kṛṣṇa?” Prabhupāda said “No. Loving Kṛṣṇa will help her to love her son.” And even now I hear many devotees saying things like the way you love your family members will help you understand love for Kṛṣṇa, but that was not what Prabhupāda said. He said “No, you have to do it the other way.” He said, “If you eat good food you will have good eyesight, but if you put the food in your eye you will become blind.”

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  3. If you do not love every one you cannot love God

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    Replies
    1. Do you have a sastric reference for this?

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    2. Yeah, this is incorrect. By loving God you can love everyone, not the other way around. This is a misconception that Srila Prabhupada corrected. In a conversation with Urmila Mataji (see her recollections on Srila Prabhupada Memories DVDs) he said that by loving Krsna you will learn to love your children, not the other way around.

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  4. Very true! People have ended up using religion for their own purposes. Religious intolerance is the order of the day inflaming violence. People should to taught to tolerate their brothers and sisters from other faiths.

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  5. Thank you very much maharaj ji for explaining the real & true meaning of religion.

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  6. Thanks for sharing this great article!

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  7. It is very rare to see religious leaders speak in such secular terms & having a genuine and deep sense of respect for all faiths. Thank you Radhanath Swami for redefining religion in its true perspective, which is, to see everyone equally & to love them irrespective of their religious or social denominations.

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  8. As Maharaj always says "A true religion is that which teaches us to love GOD".

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  9. "Religion is supposed to create a sense of seeing every living being with equal vision. Religion is supposed to bring about a sense of compassion and love for everyone. If you don’t love everyone you cannot love God. We have to learn to tolerate the envy in our heart in the name of God." These words should be understood by all fundamentalists.

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  10. Very nice suggestion.One should approach saintly person and ask him about what is the purpose of the human form of life and should follow his instructions.Without the association of the saintly people the transformation of ht heart is next to impossible.

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  11. Radhanath Swami Maharaj gives us the essence of religion. Thank you very much !
    Hare Krishna !

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  12. If one cultivate the knowledge that each and every living entity is part and parcel of Krishna, then he can respect people of different faith.

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  13. Radhanath Swami has given formula to check our love for God. "If you don’t love everyone you cannot love God."

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  14. AS HH Radhanath Swami says, every one feels whatever religion they are following is the best and this is because of envy in our heart. This envy is the root cause of our existence in this material world, we should learn to tolerate this .

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  15. WE have to tolerate the envy in our heart in the name of GOD, , very profound statement from Radhanath swami.

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  16. Radhanath Maharaj talks about the root of the problem. Religion today really has the opposite effect of its purpose. Its purpose should be unite people rather than breaking them.

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  17. What a beautiful place this world will become if everyone follows Swamiji's advice & respect & love every living being....

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  18. This is essence of religion..I like this article so much.

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  19. Nice..Real religion teaches us to Love and Serve God

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  20. Radhanath Swami tells that it is the false ego that makes one think that I am great and my religion is great. One is being cheated by ones false ego.

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  21. Very true! Religious intolerance has created so much disharmony amongst people. the way to peaceful relationships is religious tolerance.

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