"For our sinful reaction Christ has taken contract, so let him suffer being killed."

Not the way to honor a Saint or Son of God

The ritual has taken place for the last 33 years

Cashing in on the Super Save

The Srimad-Bhagavatam states that any bona fide preacher of God consciousness must have the qualities of titiksha (tolerance) and karuna (compassion). In the character of Lord Jesus Christ we find both these qualities. He was so tolerant that even while he was being crucified, he didn't condemn anyone. And he was so compassionate that he prayed to God to forgive the very persons who were trying to kill him. A Vaishnava is unhappy to see the sufferings of others. Therefore, Lord Jesus Christ agreed to be crucified – to free others from their suffering. But his followers are so unfaithful that they have decided, "Let Christ suffer for us, and we'll go on committing sin." They love Christ so much that they think, "My dear Christ, we are very weak. We cannot give up our sinful activities. So you please suffer for us."

Jesus Christ taught, "Thou shalt not kill." But his followers have now decided, "Let us kill anyway," and they open big, modern, scientific slaughterhouses. "If there is any sin, Christ will suffer for us." This is a most abominable conclusion.

Christ can take the sufferings for the previous sins of his devotees. But first they have to be sane: "Why should I put Jesus Christ into suffering for my sins? Let me stop my sinful activities."

Jesus Christ was such a great personality – the son of God, the representative of God. He had no fault. Still, he was crucified. He wanted to deliver God consciousness, but in return they crucified him – they were so thankless. They could not appreciate his preaching. But we appreciate him and give him all honor as the representative of God.

Of course, the message that Christ preached was just according to his particular time, place, and country, and just suited for a particular group of people. But certainly he is the representative of God. Therefore we adore Lord Jesus Christ and offer our obeisances to him.

Once, in Melbourne, a group of Christian ministers came to visit me. They asked, "What is your idea of Jesus Christ?" I told them, "He is our guru. He is preaching God consciousness, so he is our spiritual master." The ministers very much appreciated that.

Actually, anyone who is preaching God's glories must be accepted as a guru. Jesus Christ is one such great personality. We should not think of him as an ordinary human being. The scriptures say that anyone who considers the spiritual master to be an ordinary man has a hellish mentality. If Jesus Christ were an ordinary man, then he could not have delivered God consciousness.

Bizarre commemoration

PRABHUPADA: "For our sinful reaction Christ has taken contract, so let him suffer being killed." Cow-killing is very, very sinful, but "That's all right; don't mind. Christ will suffer." How easy understanding they have.... DEVOTEE (2): They like to keep the, Christ, the deity of Christ, they keep him nailed on the cross. They think that's very...

PRABHUPADA: Therefore you see all the pictures in the Church, he is carrying the cross, and he is pushed by the government men. How miserable condition they show.

DEVOTEE (2): They don't have any...

PRABHUPADA: They do not have picture just like we show Krishna is enjoying. Such rotten things that are going on in religion. They "love Christ"... they love means they want to see their lovable suffering so much, you see. We want to see our lovable object that He is enjoying. Young boy, beautiful gopis, and late night, playing flute, He's enjoying. That we want to see. And they want to see their lovable object how he is suffering. How they can see it, if there is love?

DEVOTEE (2): If they loved him they would not be able to stand to look at that.

PRABHUPADA: That is going on in the name of religion. Therefore so many rogues, rascals. Rascals. We say clearly that they are simply rogues.

DEVOTEE (3): That is the symptom. Then, if they loved him, they would not be able to see that and glorify that.

PRABHUPADA: All carrying on their sinful activities in the name of religion. All rascals. All rascal. Sinful. They do not know what is God, they do not know first thing what is the meaning of love. Simply rubber-stamp: "I am Christian," "I am Hindu," "I am Muslim." They are interested only in sense gratification. There cannot be any religion. So this cheating type of religion is rejected. Dharmah projjhita kaitavah. All cheating type of religion is kicked out. This is no religion at all. All bogus. Is that religion, rejecting the instruction of Christ, mercilessly kill him? Is that religion? And they are showing how He was killed.

DEVOTEE (3): One, one man once said that to carry, to glorify the cross is like glorifying the revolver.

PRABHUPADA: Yes.

DEVOTEE (3): If the husband is shot, then you take the gun, and you worship the gun.

PRABHUPADA: That is.... Yes. Very good example.