Simply by saying that "I am in commune with God." No. There is test. The test means if he is always in touch with God, he'll become, in his characteristics, godly.
[Posted
October 24, 2007]Why "God told me to do it" and "God speaks through me" doesn't fly
A President converses with God - just who does he think he's kidding?
 "How y'all doin' up there, God? I got yer message about gittin' the devil out of Iran, and sure I will or my name ain't George Bush and his ain't Ahmad-uh-sumthin'." |
On the Eve of Destruction
The former intelligence officer and weapons inspector argues that the president's recent World War III comment offers some rare insight into the highly secretive world of George W. Bush's White House, where the leader of the free world gets advice from reckless neoconservatives, "war criminal" Dick Cheney and "God."
...President Bush's relationship with "God" (or that which he refers to as God) is a matter of public record. The president himself has stated that "God speaks through me" (he acknowledged this before a group of Amish in Pennsylvania in the summer of 2004). Exactly how God speaks through him, and what precisely God says, is not a matter of speculation. According to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, President Bush told him and others that "God told me to strike at al-Qaida and I struck them, and then he instructed me to strike at Saddam, which I did." go to story
Sri Guru and Gauranga
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Religion World Community - Government, Economy, Politics PRABHUPADA: You cannot separate God from any field of activities. And religion, they do not know what is the meaning of religion. Our definition of religion is to abide by the order of God. So does it mean the politicians they do not abide by the orders of God? Then why do they write, "In God we trust"?
KARANDHARA: Well before, traditionally...
PRABHUPADA: Not before or now. What we are speaking on the actual fact, that how they are writing, "In God we trust." As soon as you bring in God, that is religion. That is general meaning.
KARANDHARA: There is a movement to take that off the money.
PRABHUPADA: Therefore we have to start this movement seriously, not to take that. You cannot change it. Then you become demons. Therefore I am warning you that before they, these rascals change, you take the advantage of it, that "You cannot change. Then you become demons, you are animals. If you withdraw your trust from God, then you are animals. So we are not going to be governed by the animals." That should be the people's voice. Educate people to become Krishna conscious and they will yell, "No, we are not going to be governed by the animals. We want real men." more
"A tyrant must put on the appearance of uncommon devotion to religion. Subjects are less apprehensive of illegal treatment from a ruler whom they consider god-fearing and pious. On the other hand, they do less easily move against him, believing that he has the gods on his side." - Aristotle, Politics
Characteristics of a person in touch with God
excerpt from conversation with Reverend Gordon Powell, Head of Scots Church, Melbourne, June 28, 1974
PRABHUPADA: If one becomes Krishna conscious, then he becomes qualified with all godly attributes. That I have explained, that if you be in touch with God, then you become godly. That is the test. Simply by saying that "I am in commune with God." No. There is test. The test means if he is always in touch with God, he'll become, in his characteristics, godly. So they... One of the qualifications is serenity. Is one of the qualifications. There are twenty-five qualifications of a devotee.
REVEREND POWELL: Twenty-five?
PRABHUPADA: Yes.
REVEREND POWELL: What are some of the others?
PRABHUPADA: [to Satsvarupa:] Have you got the list?
SATSVARUPA: Friendly... Uh, it's in the Chaitanya-charitamrita. Right here, Teachings of...
PRABHUPADA: Yes.
REVEREND POWELL: I don't... I believe, obviously, you would have ways, methods of becoming God conscious, Krishna conscious. What...? Sort of a meditation? Chanting? Or...?
PRABHUPADA: No, it is practical. [to Satsvarupa:] What is it?
SATSVARUPA: [Reading] It says, "There are many such qualities. Lord Chaitanya described some of them. A devotee of the Lord is always kind to everyone. He does not..."
PRABHUPADA: First qualification. He is very kind to everyone. Yes. Then?
SATSVARUPA: "He does not pick a quarrel with anyone. He takes the essence of life, spiritual life. He is equal to everyone. No one can find fault in a devotee. His magnanimous mind is always fresh and clean, without material obsessions. He is a benefactor to all living entities. He is peaceful. He is always surrendered to Krishna. He has no material desire. He is very humble. He is fixed in his direction. He is victorious over the six material qualities, such as lust and anger. He does not eat more than what he needs. He is always sane. He is respectful to others, but for himself he does not require any respect. He is grave. He is merciful. He is friendly. He is a poet. He is an expert, and he is silent."
God is not so cheap
excerpt from lecture on Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.3.14, Los Angeles, September 19, 1972
So sinful civilization. Therefore our first restriction is no meat-eating. It is a most sinful act. Meat-eating, or intoxication, drinking, gambling, and illicit sex. These are the four pillars of sinful life. So unless you stop, you break these four pillars, how you can think of God? God is not so cheap. The rascal says, "You can do whatever you like. I give you... I push your eyes and you see God. You push your nose, you see God." You see? These nonsense things are going on. But God is not so cheap. He is cheap, very cheap. He is very kind. But we want to remain sinful. Therefore we cannot see God. Arjuna addressed Krishna, param dhama param brahma pavitram paramam bhavan. "You are the most pure." So how you can approach God with sinful life? That is not possible. That is simply bogus thing, that you keep your sinful life, at the same time you want to see God, you want to talk with God. That is not possible.
excerpt from Laws of Nature: An Infallible Justice
Another question we should ask when someone says "I want to see God" is, "What qualification do you have to see God?" God is not so cheap that He can be seen by anybody and everybody. No, the Krishna consciousness movement does not present any nonsense or cheap thing. If you want to see God face to face, then you must follow the rules and regulations. You must chant Hare Krishna and purify yourself. Then gradually the time will come when you are purified and you will see God.
Still, even though in your present contaminated condition you are not qualified to see God, He is so kind that He allows you to see Him in His Deity form in the temple. In that form He agrees to be seen by everyone, whether or not one knows He is God. The Deity is not an idol; it is not imagination. The knowledge of how to construct the Deity and install Him on the altar is received from the scripture and the superior acharyas, or spiritual masters. Therefore the authorized Deity in the temple is Krishna Himself and can fully reciprocate your love and service.
With your present blunt material senses, however, you cannot immediately perceive God's spiritual form, name, qualities, pastimes, and paraphernalia. And because people in the present civilization have no power to understand God, nor are they guided by some person who can help them understand God, they have become godless. But if you read Vedic scriptures like the Ishopanishad and Bhagavad-gita under superior guidance and follow the rules and regulations, eventually God will be revealed to you.
You cannot see God or understand God by your own endeavor. You have to surrender to the process by which God can be known. Then He will reveal Himself. He is the supreme controller; you are being controlled. So how can you control God? "O God, come here. I want to see You." God is not so cheap that by your order He will come and be seen by you. No, that is not possible. You must always remember, "God is the supreme controller and I am controlled. So if I can please God by my service, then He will reveal Himself to me." That is the process of knowing God.
Ultimately, this process leads to love of God. That is real religion. It doesn't matter whether you follow the Hindu, Muslim, or Christian religion: if you are developing love of God, then you are perfect in your religion. And what kind of love should we develop for God? It must be without any selfish motivation–"O Lord, I love you because You supply me so many nice things. You are my order supplier." No, we should not have this sort of love for God. It should not depend on any exchange.
Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu taught, "O Lord! Whether You trample me under Your feet or embrace me or leave me brokenhearted by not being present before me, that does not matter. You are completely free to do anything, for You are my worshipable Lord unconditionally." That is love. We should think, "God may do whatever He likes, yet I will still love Him. I don't want anything in exchange." That is the sort of love Krishna wants. That is why He is so fond of the gopis [the cowherd maidens of Vrindaban]. In the gopis' love there is no question of business exchanges–"Give me this, then I will love You." Their love was pure, unalloyed, without any impediment. If you try to love God in this way, nothing in the whole world can check you. You only have to develop your eagerness–"Krishna! I want You." That's all. Then there is no question of being stopped. In any condition your love will increase. If you attain that state, you will feel fully satisfied. It is not that God wants you to love Him for His benefit. It is for your benefit. If you do otherwise, you will never be happy.
The pure devotee is in direct contact with God; others have to consult God's representative
excerpt from interview with Newsday newspaper reporter, Kevin Lahart, New York, July 14, 1976
KEVIN LAHART: Okay, is it a mediated choice or is it a direct communication from Krishna, that's my question.
PRABHUPADA: No.
RAMESVAR: He's asking whether we claim that God speaks to us directly.
PRABHUPADA: Yes, God speaks to you when you are qualified. You cannot expect God as order supplier. When he sees that you are qualified, he will speak to you.
BALI-MARDAN: The spiritual master is the representative of God to the disciple because he is in direct contact with God.
PRABHUPADA: My spiritual master appointed me that "You do this." Similarly I shall appoint somebody else, this is the way.
RAMESVAR: It's difficult for people to understand that God can speak to a man. They question, "How can God speak to some man?"
PRABHUPADA: That is, anything, that, the radio message is coming, a foolish man cannot understand how it is coming. He'll think "How it is that, speaking?" So any foolish man will be astonished how things are happening. That is foolishness. But God says... [to Hari-sauri:] find out this verse...
HARI-SAURI: Sa evayam maya te 'dya [Bhagavad-gita 4.3]?
PRABHUPADA: Huh? No no. Buddhi-yogam dadami tam yena mam upayanti te.
RAMESVAR: Tesham satata-yuktanam [Bg. 10.10].
PRABHUPADA: Ah, tesham satata-yuktanam bhajatam priti-purvakam [Bg. 10.10].
HARI-SAURI: Dadami buddhi-yogam tam yena mam upayanti te.
PRABHUPADA: Ah, yes.
HARI-SAURI: "To those who are constantly devoted and worship Me with love, I give them the understanding by which they can come to Me."
PRABHUPADA: God is situated in everyone's heart. As soon as He sees that "Here is a qualified person," then He gives him instruction.
KEVIN LAHART: But in the same way that Krishna says He'll provide for your needs you still must work to achieve whatever Krishna is giving you.
PRABHUPADA: Yes. You work for Krishna. You have to work to get your necessities.
KEVIN LAHART: In the same way I'm curious with respect to the way Krishna communicates with you, whether it's in a similar kind of way that He gives you your necessities.
BALI-MARDAN: In other words, when you decide that someone is to be in charge of a particular temple does Krishna tell you that this person should be in charge?
KEVIN LAHART: Or do you by judging him say this person is qualified.
PRABHUPADA: Yes, because a devotee always consults Krishna and He gives order.
KEVIN LAHART: It's a more direct communication.
PRABHUPADA: Yes. And He gives order.
RAMESVAR: Because intelligence, our philosophy is that intelligence comes from Krishna. So if I have some...
KEVIN LAHART: And your philosophy is that your daily necessities come from Krishna as well?
RAMESVAR: Yes, try to understand. Suppose my intelligence sees that this person is qualified, that means Krishna has told me.
PRABHUPADA: No, not necessarily, Krishna will tell directly. A devotee always consults Krishna and Krishna tells him, "Do like this." Not figuratively.
KEVIN LAHART: Does that apply then to other kinds of decisions and other kinds of activities as well?
PRABHUPADA: Everything. Because a devotee does not do anything without consulting Krishna.
BALI-MARDAN: But that applies to a very greatly elevated soul, that is not an ordinary person.
PRABHUPADA: That is, therefore the minor devotees, they consult the spiritual master. That is our process. Yasya prasadad bhagavat-prasadah ["By the mercy of the spiritual master one receives the benediction of Krishna. Without the grace of the spiritual master, one cannot make any advancement." (Sri Sri Gurv-ashtaka )].