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[[Category:Rubber Stamping Religion|1]]
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<div class="section" id="Lectures" text="Lectures"><h2>Lectures</h2></div>

<div class="sub_section" id="Bhagavad-gita_As_It_Is_Lectures" text="Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures"><h3>Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures</h3></div>

<div class="quote" book="Lec" link="Lecture on BG 4.13 -- Johannesburg, October 19, 1975" link_text="Lecture on BG 4.13 -- Johannesburg, October 19, 1975">
<div class="heading">Simply by rubber-stamping religion... That has happened at the present moment. Nobody knows what is meant by religion. And this is the essence of religion, to surrender to God.</div>

<div class="text">'''[[Vanisource:Lecture on BG 4.13 -- Johannesburg, October 19, 1975|Lecture on BG 4.13 -- Johannesburg, October 19, 1975]]:'''

Devotee (1): Prabhupāda? If you follow the essence of any religion, is that the law of God?

Prabhupāda: The essence I have already given: to surrender to God. What else, essence? What is else? The essence is that you surrender to God. You may follow any religious system, it doesn't matter, but whether you know God and whether you have surrendered to Him, that is essence. If you do not know God then what is the meaning of your religion? And if you do not surrender to God, if you surrender to your senses only, then what is religion? Simply by rubber-stamping religion... That has happened at the present moment. Nobody knows what is meant by religion. And this is the essence of religion, to surrender to God. So if you do not know who is God where you are going to surrender? You cannot surrender to the air. You must know what is God and what is surrender meaning gradually. But this is the essence of religion, to surrender to God.
:sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo
:yato bhaktir adhokṣaje
:ahaituky apratihatā
:yayātmā suprasīdati
:[SB 1.2.6]
If you want to be happy, ātmā, suprasanna, then you should be a lover, bhakti, devotee of God. This is the essence.</div>
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<div class="sub_section" id="Srimad-Bhagavatam_Lectures" text="Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures"><h3>Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures</h3></div>

<div class="quote" book="Lec" link="Lecture on SB 1.1.2 -- London, August 17, 1971" link_text="Lecture on SB 1.1.2 -- London, August 17, 1971">
<div class="heading">Simply stamping myself with some rubber stamp that "I belong to this religion, I belong to that religion," that will not help.</div>

<div class="text">'''[[Vanisource:Lecture on SB 1.1.2 -- London, August 17, 1971|Lecture on SB 1.1.2 -- London, August 17, 1971]]:''' Therefore it is said here... Any religion which does not teach about God, which does not know what is God, that is cheating religion. That's all. Dharmaḥ projjhita-kaitavo 'tra [SB 1.1.2]. Cheating, religion. And the Vṛndāvana dāsa Ṭhākura has said, pṛthivīte yāhā kichu dharma-nāme cale, bhagavat prahe tāhāṅ paripūrṇa chale. "In the all over the world, what is going on..." It is a strong criticism. In the name of religion, the Bhāgavata says, "They're all cheating." That's all. Because they have no idea what is God. Neither in their principles there is service of God, there is dedication to God. Simply official in the so-called religion. Therefore Vṛndāvana dāsa Ṭhākura said, "These are all cheating religions." Religion means when one accepts some religion, he must know, "What is God, what I am, what is my relationship with God, what are the laws of God, how I am to act." So many things you have to learn. That is religion. Simply stamping myself with some rubber stamp that "I belong to this religion, I belong to that religion," that will not help. That is cheating. You are cheating yourself.</div>
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<div class="quote" book="Lec" link="Lecture on SB 1.2.6 -- London, July 23, 1973" link_text="Lecture on SB 1.2.6 -- London, July 23, 1973">
<div class="heading">Simply by his changing the rubber stamp, "I am Hindu," "I am Muslim," "I am Christian," that does not make any benefit. Therefore our movement is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. We don't talk of any religion. The consciousness should be changed.</div>

<div class="text">'''[[Vanisource:Lecture on SB 1.2.6 -- London, July 23, 1973|Lecture on SB 1.2.6 -- London, July 23, 1973]]:''' Sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmaḥ. That is first-class religion. It doesn't matter whether you are following Christian religion or Hindu religion or Muslim religion or any religion. It doesn't matter. Dharma means religion. That is English translation. But actually dharma means which you cannot change. Religion, the so-called religion, is a sentiment. Today you are Hindu; tomorrow you become Muslim. Or today you are Muslim; tomorrow you become Christian. That kind of conversion, change, is not religion. Because the man remains the same. Simply by his changing the rubber stamp, "I am Hindu," "I am Muslim," "I am Christian," that does not make any benefit. Therefore our movement is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. We don't talk of any religion. The consciousness should be changed. The material consciousness should be changed into spiritual consciousness. That is our propaganda. It is meant for Hindu, Muslim, Christian, anyone. White, black, yellow, everything. Because it is the function of the soul. Soul is not black, white, yellow. Soul is spirit. So one has to realize that "I am spirit soul. I am not Indian nor American nor Englishman nor German nor white nor black. This is my bodily description. I am not this body." This is the beginning of spiritual understanding.</div>
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<div class="quote" book="Lec" link="Lecture on SB 2.1.3 -- Paris, June 12, 1974" link_text="Lecture on SB 2.1.3 -- Paris, June 12, 1974">
<div class="heading">Similarly, every religion, simply by rubber stamp, "I am Hindu," "I am Muslim," "I am Christian," but they do not know what is religion.</div>

<div class="text">'''[[Vanisource:Lecture on SB 2.1.3 -- Paris, June 12, 1974|Lecture on SB 2.1.3 -- Paris, June 12, 1974]]:''' Therefore Prahlāda Mahārāja advising, kaumāra ācaret prājño dharmān bhāgavatān iha. Dharma... "So we are, we are pursuing some kind of dharma, Hindu, Muslim or Christian." No, dharmān bhāgavatān. That dharma which teaches you how to love God. That dharma. That is first-class dharma. Otherwise, you stamp over "I am Christian," and do all nonsense; "I am Hindu," and do all nonsense. This will not help, simply by stamping. So many Christian gentlemen I meet. They cannot understand even Christianity that Lord Jesus Christ said, "Thou shalt not kill," and they are very busy simply in killing business. And still, they're Christians. First of all, let us see who is a Christian. Similarly, every religion, simply by rubber stamp, "I am Hindu," "I am Muslim," "I am Christian," but they do not know what is religion. They do not know. Therefore (in) the Bhāgavatam you'll find religion, religious person, who is a religious person first-class religion? Religious person means who has learned to love God. That is religious person. Sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhokṣaje, ahaituky aprati... [SB 1.2.6]. And this religion is universal. To love God, you don't require any education, don't require any rubber stamp.</div>
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<div class="section" id="Conversations_and_Morning_Walks" text="Conversations and Morning Walks"><h2>Conversations and Morning Walks</h2></div>

<div class="sub_section" id="1973_Conversations_and_Morning_Walks" text="1973 Conversations and Morning Walks"><h3>1973 Conversations and Morning Walks</h3></div>

<div class="quote" book="Con" link="Room Conversation with Reporter from Researchers Magazine -- July 24, 1973, London" link_text="Room Conversation with Reporter from Researchers Magazine -- July 24, 1973, London">
<div class="heading">Where is your Christianity? Simply rubber-stamping "I'm Christian" you become a Christian, without following the tenets?</div>

<div class="text">'''[[Vanisource:Room Conversation with Reporter from Researchers Magazine -- July 24, 1973, London|Room Conversation with Reporter from Researchers Magazine -- July 24, 1973, London]]:'''

Prabhupāda: Just see Arjuna—you are talking of Arjuna—before fighting, before killing so many things, he getting clarified. Ah? (Sanskrit) Just see, "Why shall I kill?" So you have to understand why you should kill, why you should not kill. (aside:) Hm. Read that.

Pradyumna:
:yady apy ete na paśyanti
:lobhopahata-cetasaḥ
:kula-kṣaya-kṛtaṁ doṣaṁ
:mitra-drohe ca pātakam
:kathaṁ na jñeyam asmābhiḥ
:pāpād asmān nivartitum
:kula-kṣaya-kṛtaṁ doṣaṁ
:prapaśyadbhir janārdana
:[Bg. 1.37-38]
"O Janārdana, although these men, overtaken by greed, see no fault in killing one's family or quarreling with friends, why should we, with knowledge of the sin, engage in these acts?"

Prabhupāda: He's thoroughly understanding-before killing. Not that "We have (indistinct) reason to kill." No. So we are rather unhappy that in London I've seen thousands of churches practically closed. Nobody is going there. We are not happy to see. This is happening. But why people are abstaining from going to the church? Although there is Pope, and so many priests and other things. Why?

Reporter: It has become an institution, and there is no more religious...

Prabhupāda: Life.

Reporter: ...experience in life.

Prabhupāda: There is no life. A simple thing, that if you disobey the orders of Lord Christ, how will you become a Christian, first of all? Where is your Christianity? Simply rubber-stamping "I'm Christian" you become a Christian, without following the tenets?</div>
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<div class="sub_section" id="1975_Conversations_and_Morning_Walks" text="1975 Conversations and Morning Walks"><h3>1975 Conversations and Morning Walks</h3></div>

<div class="quote" book="Con" link="Room Conversation with writer, Sandy Nixon -- July 13, 1975, Philadelphia" link_text="Room Conversation with writer, Sandy Nixon -- July 13, 1975, Philadelphia">
<div class="heading">Every religion, it is going on. It is simply rubber stamp. "I am Hindu," "I am Muslim," "I am Christian." And none of them do know what is God and how to love Him.</div>

<div class="text">'''[[Vanisource:Room Conversation with writer, Sandy Nixon -- July 13, 1975, Philadelphia|Room Conversation with writer, Sandy Nixon -- July 13, 1975, Philadelphia]]:'''

Sandy Nixon: What is unique about Kṛṣṇa consciousness that separates it from other religions? If it's a religion.

Prabhupāda: Religion means primarily to know God and love Him. That is religion. And nobody knows God, and what to speak of loving Him? Nobody is trained up how to know God and how to love Him. They are satisfied by going to the church: "O God, give us our daily bread." That also not everyone goes. So the Communist says that "You don't go to the church. Bread we shall supply." So poor innocent persons, they get bread elsewhere, so they do not go to church. But nobody is serious to understand what is God and how to love Him. Nobody is serious. Therefore in Bhāgavatam, it is said, it is cheating religion. I profess some religion, but I do not know what is God and how to love Him. That's all. So that type of religion is cheating religion. Religion means to know God and love Him. But generally, a man does not know what is God and what to speak of loving Him? So therefore that is cheating religion. That is not religion. But so far Christian religion is concerned, there is ample chance of understanding God. But they do not care for it. Take for example, the commandment is "Thou shall not kill." But in the Christian world, best slaughterhouses are maintained. So how they can become God conscious? They disobey the commandments, do not care for Lord Jesus Christ's order. So this is not only in Christian religion. Every religion, it is going on. It is simply rubber stamp. "I am Hindu," "I am Muslim," "I am Christian." And none of them do know what is God and how to love Him.</div>
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<div class="sub_section" id="1976_Conversations_and_Morning_Walks" text="1976 Conversations and Morning Walks"><h3>1976 Conversations and Morning Walks</h3></div>

<div class="quote" book="Con" link="Room Conversation -- Honolulu, May 20, 1976 (New-2003)" link_text="Room Conversation -- Honolulu, May 20, 1976 (New-2003)">
<div class="heading">They do not know what is God, they do not know (indistinct) what is the meaning of love. Simply rubber-stamp: "I am Christian," "I am Hindu," "I am Muslim."</div>

<div class="text">'''[[Vanisource:Room Conversation -- Honolulu, May 20, 1976 (New-2003)|Room Conversation -- Honolulu, May 20, 1976 (New-2003)]]:'''

All rascal. Sinful. They do not know what is God, they do not know (indistinct) what is the meaning of love. Simply rubber-stamp: "I am Christian," "I am Hindu," "I am Muslim." They are interested only in sense ratification. There cannot be any religion. So this cheating type of religion is rejected. Dharmaḥ projjhita kaitavaḥ. All cheating type of religion is kicked out. This is no religion at all. All bogus. Is that religion, (indistinct) the instruction of Christ, (indistinct) kill Him. Is that religion? And they are showing how He was killed.</div>
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<div class="sub_section" id="1977_Conversations_and_Morning_Walks" text="1977 Conversations and Morning Walks"><h3>1977 Conversations and Morning Walks</h3></div>

<div class="quote" book="Con" link="Conversation on Train to Allahabad -- January 11, 1977, India" link_text="Conversation on Train to Allahabad -- January 11, 1977, India">
<div class="heading">By your ideal life, ideal teaching, you'll get. This Christian or any religion, what is the use of that? It's simply rubber-stamp.</div>

<div class="text">'''[[Vanisource:Conversation on Train to Allahabad -- January 11, 1977, India|Conversation on Train to Allahabad -- January 11, 1977, India]]:'''

Rāmeśvara: Say, the Christian religion... The Christian religion has millions of followers.

Prabhupāda: But what is the meaning of these followers? They do not understand anything. Simply by rubber-stamp they are follower.

Rāmeśvara: But if we can get a mass following, it is only possible by preaching to them little bit at a time.

Prabhupāda: Yes. By your ideal life, ideal teaching, you'll get. This Christian or any religion, what is the use of that? It's not at all religion. It's simply rubber-stamp.</div>
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