[Posted October 12, 2007]

Separation of Church and State Doesn't Mean Abolishing God

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

Is that our government's job, to get rid of God?

YAHOO! NewsOctober 11, 2007 - JIM ABRAMS

'God' back on flag documents

Last week Rep. Michael Turner, R-Ohio, protested upon learning that the Architect's office had removed the word "God" from the certificate of authenticity accompanying a flag 17-year-old Andrew Larochelle of Dayton wanted to give his grandfather.

The boy had asked that the certificate read: "This flag was flown in honor of Marcel Larochelle, my grandfather, for his dedication and love of God, country and family."

...The practice, House Republican leader John Boehner, R-Ohio, wrote in a letter Wednesday to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., "has rightly drawn outrage from the American people, who have grown weary of endless attempts by politicians and bureaucrats to bar the word God and even the most tacit references to faith from our public institutions." go to story

Sri Guru and Gauranga

What does it mean "In God we trust"?

excerpt from conversation with disciples, Los Angeles, December 11, 1973

PRABHUPADA: I want to begin one revolution. Their godless civilization..., against godless civilization. That is my ambition. The America will be the best person to be educated in this line and to lead, to become the leaders. They're already leader, but they must be real leader now, so that the whole world may be happy. That I can give direction. If the topmost American gentlemen come to me, I can give them direction how they can become the world leader. Actual leader. Actual leader, not bogus leader. Because God has favored them, so many things. And this movement has been started from America. I started this movement from New York. So it should be taken very seriously by the government.

HRDAYANANDA: Is America the most important?

PRABHUPADA: Ah?

HRDAYANANDA: You're saying that America is the most important?

PRABHUPADA: Yes.

HRDAYANANDA: You think...

PRABHUPADA: Therefore I come to your country...

HRDAYANANDA: So perhaps...

PRABHUPADA: ...because you're most important. Now you must... Under my guidance you must be real important, not false important.

HRDAYANANDA: So perhaps I should stay here then and preach.

PRABHUPADA: Ah?

HRDAYANANDA: If it is so important, I think perhaps I should stay here and help Rupanuga.

PRABHUPADA: Yes. Turn your whole nation, turn into God consciousness, because they've declared in the Constitution, "In God we trust." Now they must take it very seriously. What does it mean by "God"? What does it mean by "trust"? You take this propaganda. We are doing, actually. We trust in God; therefore we have sacrificed our whole life for God. This is trust in God. Not that smoking in the parlor, and you trust in God. Not that kind of trust. Real trust. Trust means first of all you know what is God. Suppose that if you say "Trust this man." But I must know what is this man. Then my trust will be convinced, that "He is very respectful man, he's rich man, he's able man..." Yes, I can trust. But simply "Trust in God", you do not know what is God, what is trust, and it is going on. Why this bluff? Ah? What you say?

PRAJAPATI: That that's right, Srila Prabhupada.

PRABHUPADA: Yes. So you must take this cue, that we Americans, we say "In God we trust." Now, every American should know what is God, what is trust. This is propaganda, Krishna consciousness. The government must come forward to patronize this. This is my proposition. So you write articles, you are theologicians. The America must rise up to the occasion. They have pledged themselves, "In God we trust." Every human nation or every human being should be like that. In God they must trust. So America, especially taken up the slogan as part of Constitution. Now there should be regular educational program, that every child, every man, every woman will trust in God. And this is Krishna consciousness. So? Am I wrong in my arguments?

DEVOTEE: No, correct.

PRABHUPADA: So why don't you take it seriously, you American boys?

PRAJAPATI: Also in the Constitution, Srila Prabhupada, there is a thing called separation of Church and state, that they would have...

PRABHUPADA: Yes, that is all right. We want to educate, we don't want to take part in administration. But the administration should be under our guidance; they should take advice from us, how to do it. That is required. We are not going to be president. We are satisfied in our humble temple.

KARANDHARA: According to traditional American values, though, the government should not take instruction from the Church.

PRABHUPADA: That is their... But Church means... Because they've seen Church is useless.

KARANDHARA: Yes.

PRABHUPADA: Now here is scientific Church. They refuse to take advice from the Church because at the present moment Church is a bogus thing. So what is the use of taking advice from them?

HRDAYANANDA: That was actually... That was actually the reason they made that separation.

PRABHUPADA: Yes.

HRDAYANANDA: They became disgusted with the...

PRABHUPADA: Yes. It's simply, we can say, what is called? Stereotype, the Church. Just like you said they want more pay. Payment... They have no knowledge, so what is the use of taking advice from such rascals? What is the use? But here it is not like that. We know the science of God. We know who is God. It is not a vague thing. Now you try to understand. Let there be educational institution. America has got so many universities. Let there be a department. There is already a religious department. So let the students learn the science of God. We have got so many books. Why they will not? They are actually appreciating. So this should be introduced in the university, in colleges, in schools. Why they should neglect such a, such an important scientific knowledge?

DEVOTEE (1): When we try to introduce it sometimes, they very often say that it is sectarian.

PRABHUPADA: Not sectarian. You do not know. Why do you say sectarian? How it is sectarian?

DEVOTEE (1): They say that it represents...

PRABHUPADA: We are preaching God consciousness. So is it not for everyone? God consciousness is sectarian? Is it meant for certain sect? Or it is meant for human beings?

HRDAYANANDA: The difficulty is that nowadays every common man has his own God..., theory of God consciousness.

PRABHUPADA: No, no, every common man he says "I got my mathematics." Will he be accepted?

HRDAYANANDA: No.

PRABHUPADA: So why these things should be allowed? That is our proposition. Every man will say, "No, I've got my own mathematics." Will he be allowed? So we have to fight, otherwise what is the meaning of preaching?

HRDAYANANDA: Fight.

PRABHUPADA: If you think that everything will be accepted very easily, then what is the necessity of preaching?

HRDAYANANDA: Jaya!

PRABHUPADA: And propaganda.

HRDAYANANDA: You have to fight.

PRABHUPADA: You must know that they are all rascals. That I said, rascals, unbelievers. You have to convert them to be sane man. That is preaching.

HRDAYANANDA: Yes.

PRABHUPADA: That is preaching. What do you expect that every man will immediately go and he'll agree with you? Why do you expect like that? That is foolishness.

HRDAYANANDA: Yes.

PRABHUPADA: You must know that everybody will disagree with you, and it is your preaching work that you will make him agree with you. That is your preaching work.

HRDAYANANDA: Yes, Prabhupada! As your example.

PRABHUPADA: Yes. We do not expect that everyone will agree. Everybody will disagree. Just like our book. Say, four, five years ago, nobody knew these books. So there was no market. But we have created our market. That is preaching. We have created our market. Nobody was dying for want of these books. So that is preaching. Preaching does not mean everyone is ready to accept your theories. You must expect that everyone will not accept it. Now it is your power to convince him, "Yes, you must accept." That is preaching.

HRDAYANANDA: Jaya, Prabhupada.

PRABHUPADA: They must know what is God, how to trust Him, why we shall trust God, what is the benefit. These things should be known, properly educated. And we have got the science. We are not speaking blindly or, what is called, sentimentally.

PRAJAPATI: There is a movement for the Church today, Srila Prabhupada, it's called the ecumenical movement. Ecumenical movement means all the different divergent groups are trying to get together to understand..., you know, make a common ground. Now we have the perfect platform...

PRABHUPADA: Yes.

PRAJAPATI: ...for giving them that common ground.

PRABHUPADA: Yes, that is your duty. You do it as theologicians. Bring them on the platform. This so-called church is going on. They're doing all sorts of sinful activities, and it is going on Church and religion. Therefore the importance of Christian religion is diminishing. How they can bluff all the time?