Questions and Answers:
Not eating eggs a dogma?
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Hare Krishna,
Prabhus.
Please accept my fallen obeisances,
All glories to Srila Prabhupada!
Recently one of my friends accused the Vedas of dogma, when I was
trying to explain to him why I would not purchase and distribute to
him egg and cheese(possibly containing rennet), orientated foods.
I told him that it is bad karma to even be involved in the distrubution
of such foods as meat, fish, eggs and that there would be karmic reaction.
He understood that but he then went on to argue that what if there
was only eggs left to eat, he was starving and could not reach them
and I could easily pass them to him. Would I pass them to him? I was
thinking "no better to die chanting Hare Krishna than, eat some eggs
at the last minute, die and become a chicken." But I replied "I don't
know" because I sensed he would reject me if I said no. I went on
to say I would like to know what would be the bona fide way of dealing
with that situation too, and he said "what your following blindly,
it just sounds like dogma!" I then tried to explain again- The discussion
moved onto the topic of me not being able to fully understand unless
I had contact with a practicing devotee who could help me understand
the scripture fully, he then argued " I'm a Muslim (example), and
it says here in the Q'uran that I should go out and kill loads of
people, I don't have anyone around to help me understand what that
really means. But I kind of feel its right and the truth, so I'm going
to do it anyway (example)". He was comparing this to me not giving
him eggs to eat on the basis of the Vedic scripture advising me not
to do this. I was completely taken back by this and had become rather
shaken, so he stopped. And I could not answer. I was amazed by his
intelligent challenges but I had not the strength nor the knowledge
to challenge this. But I would like to know what would be good answers
to these challenges?
1. If there were only eggs left to eat, would you distribute them
to the starving?
2. If the scripture says you should "not do like this" or "you should
do this", how can that be proven to be the truth? (on the basis of
the muslim Q'uran argument)
Thankyou,
Hari Bol!
Bhakta Sean, England
Hare Krsna, dear Sean prabhu
Please accept my humble obeisances
All glories to Srila Prabhupada!
The only way how to know who your father is is to ask your mother.
There's no other way. Because we are imperfect, we are meant to accept
a superior authority. This is the first point to understand. There's
no meaning of proving, because when we say prove we usually mean verify
by these imperfect senses, or to be more specific accept the authority
of our imperfect senses. Now, that does not mean we should accept
any nonsense. One should accept a perfect authority, because if he
accepts perfect authority than his conclusion will be perfect. But
a person who accepts the authority of imperfect senses or someone
who poses as a guru and is under the control of material nature will
always remain on the level of ignorance. That is the difference between
the inteligent and the asses. Perfect authority is Krsna, because
no one is more perfect than God. If you think that Krsna is imperfect,
or that He's not God you prove it. Take for example the Bhagavadgita,
if he can find any flaw in the philosophy and logic Krsna has spoken
than he can speak. But if he can't than his challanging is simply
envy. Now the issue with eggs, yes if it's an emergency like for example
you will die of hunger you can take it. The Vedas also say that one
living entity eats another living entity and that's how the material
world works. But that does not mean we should eat our children. There
should be discrimination. We Krsna conscious devotees are not hung
up on vegetarianism. Whether you eat meat or vegetables you are sinful
because you are taking life : The devotees of the Lord are released
from all kinds of sins because they eat food which is offered first
for sacrifice. Others, who prepare food for personal sense enjoyment,
verily eat only sin. Bg.3.13 So we offer all the foods we take to
Krsna beforehand according to His liking and He takes the sinful reaction.
This is the main point. You can also ask your friend that if there
are only eggs left in the planet, what does the chicken eats to give
the egg?
PRABHUPADA SPEAKS OUT
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Parivrajakacarya:
You cannot get nim in Iran.
I have never seen a nim tree in
Iran.
Prabhupada: No tree. In the desert,
where is tree? All desert. All
this Middle East, desert.
So they can be allowed to eat meat. Otherwise, what they’ll
eat? So everyone must eat something. So if there is no vegetation,
if there is no sufficient, they can be allowed.
Parivrajakacarya: I visited some
of these small villages in the south of Iran,
and the tents of nomads who kept sheep, that was their life.
They had a tent and they had hundreds of sheep, and they would
move the tent every month. They would take the tent, for one
month they would live here, next month they would move.
Prabhupāda: Why they’re changing?
Parivrajakacarya: Because they’re
desert people. The sheep eat all the little green, and then
they have to move on.
Pradyumna: Same thing as the Bible.
When the sheep eat up all the green in that place, then they
have to go to another place with their sheep. In
the Bible the same thing. All that Abraham, Joseph...
Prabhupada: Bible was produced here,
in this desert. Jerusalem
is not far away. Mecca,
(indistinct), Arabia.
Morning Walk
and Room Conversation
--
August 9, 1976,
Tehran
Prabhupada: We therefore submit
our statement as it is stated in Bhagavad-gītā.
You cannot say that we are cheating, because we are presenting
something authorized, which is accepted. That’s all. So we
are not cheater. You may accept or not accept; that is your
business. But we are presenting something standard. That’s
all.
Harikesa: And it works.
Prabhupada: Works or not works...
Suppose it does not work, but still, it is standard. You cannot
deny it. Bhagavad-gītā is read all over the world.
Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa:
Even the scientists are not in agreement over Darwin’s
theory.
Harikesa: Actually that’s why they
say we are dogmatic, because it never changes. It doesn’t
develop.
Prabhupada: How it can change? If
it is correct, how it can be changed?
Harikesa: They have no experience
of anything...
Pusta Krsna:
They have no experience of any truth which lasts.
Prabhupada: Yes, that’s it.
Harikesa: So they say we are dogmatic.
Prabhupada: It is not dogmatic.
When I say, “Next February will be very nice season,” it is
not dogmatic. It is by experience. Last February or many other
Februarys I have experienced. Therefore I say, “Next February
will be like this.” That is not cheating, neither dogmatic.
That is experience. That example I gave many times, that a
child asks from the father, “Father, what is this?” The father
says, “My dear son, it is microphone. If you speak, it will
be recorded.” So I take it from my father this is microphone.
So I may be child, but when I say, “It is microphone,” that
is correct because I have taken from the authority. If a child
is asked, “What is this? Do you know?” if I say, “Yes, it
is microphone,” that is correct. And if he, the man, says,
“How do you know it is microphone?” “My father said.” Then
he is correct. I may be disqualified as a child, but because
I have taken the words from my qualified father, it is correct.
That is our process. I don’t claim that I am very big man,
but we repeat only what we have heard from Kṛṣṇa. That’s all. You may accept it, not
accept. That is your business. Therefore I named it Kṛṣṇa
consciousness. We are speaking simply what Krsna
has said, and we are presenting Bhagavad-gita
as it is. This is our business. Now, in the market so many
things are being sold, not that everything has got all customers.
Our Krsna consciousness may not
be accepted by all. That is the case in everything. But what
we are presenting, that is standard. We are not cheating.
Puṣṭa Krsna:
Na danam na
janam na
sundarim. We are not simply looking for followers.
Prabhupada: Neither we are after
false followers. If you agree, then you come. If you agree—“No
illicit sex, no... Yes...” Why? There is no “Why?” You have
to accept it. Then you come to me. That’s all. If you like,
you come; if you don’t like, go away. I don’t care for you.
This is our policy. There is no “why?” You may say, “dogmatic,”
but it is not dogmatic but it is standard from Bhagavad-gītā,
from Vedic literatures. Striya-suna-pana-dyuta
yatra papas catur-vidhāh:
“Wherever there are these four kinds of sinful activities,
oh, that is very dangerous place.” So we have taken it. [break]
Now everyone, when there are so many cars... I saw one advertisement,
Ford car, that “Bring all ’79 cars and compare. Ours is the best.”
You cannot condemn him. It is advertisement. “Bring all ’79
cars, others, and compare with our car.” You can have your
consent. That is not cheating. So we say like that, that “Bring
all knowledge and compare with Bhagavad-gita’s knowledge.” Now it is up to you if you accept
this or don’t accept it. That is not cheating. But these rascals,
they are simply placing some bogus theory without any authorized
statement: “All of a sudden monkey once gave birth.” And where
is that authority?
Room Conversation
--
October 14, 1975,
Johannesburg
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