[Posted August 27, 2009]

Avoiding Questions and Answers

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

They can neither ask nor answer the questions that need asking

Corbett Report Aug 25, 2009 - JAMES CORBETT

Geithner: Auditing the Fed is a "line that we don't want to cross"

In an interview released today by Digg and the Wall Street Journal, Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner was pressured about the growing popular movement to Audit the Fed spearheaded by Texas Congressman Ron Paul. A visibly uncomfortable Geithner attempts to dismiss the question by stating "I'm sure people understand that you want to keep politics out of monetary policy." When Geithner is again pressed on the issue, he makes the stunning assertion that conducting an audit of the Federal Reserve—something never before done in its 96 year history—is a "line that we don't want to cross," proclaiming that such a move would be "problematic for the country." go to story

Related:
Bloomberg - Aug 25, 2009 - MARK PITTMAN

Court Orders Fed to Disclose Emergency Bank Loans

The Fed has refused to name the financial firms it lent to or disclose the amounts or the assets put up as collateral under 11 programs...

Market Watch - Aug 21, 2009 - REX NUTTING

We saved the world from disaster, Fed's Bernanke says

He said nothing about how the Fed would unwind its support for the banking system.

Daily Motion - 5 May, 2009

9.7 Trillion Dollars missing from the Federal Reserve

9.7 trillion dollars have disappeared. Where did it go? Who are the recipients?

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Does your government know what to do?

Passing the Buck A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

The common man supposes the unequal distribution of rain to represent nature's wrath for our sinful acts. There is truth in this. Thus to have an equal distribution of state-raised taxes, the citizens need to be scrupulously honest and virtuous. They should be honest in the payment of taxes to the state and should have honest representatives to look over the administration. In the modern setup of democratic states the citizens can have no cause for grievances, because the whole administration is conducted by the people themselves. If the people themselves are dishonest, the administrative machinery must be corrupt. Although a damned government of the people may be given a good or fancy name, if the people are not good they cannot have good government, regardless of which party governs the administration. Therefore good character in the consciousness of the mass of people is the first principle necessary for a good government and equal distribution of wealth. more

Serious about solving the real problems

excerpt from Lecture on Chaitanya-charitamrita Madhya-lila 20.102, Baltimore, July 7, 1976

So we are after knowledge, but so many things are unknown to us. Therefore Sanatana Gosvami is teaching us by his practical behavior to approach the spiritual master, and putting his case that "I am suffering in this way." He was minister, there was no question of suffering. He was very well situated. That he has already explained, that gramya-vyavahare pandita, tai satya kari mani. "There are so many questions I cannot answer. There is no solution. Still, people say that I am very learned man—I accept it foolishly."

Nobody is learned man unless he goes to the guru. Tad-vijñanartham sa gurum evabhigacchet [Mundaka Upanishad 1.2.12]. Therefore Vedic injunction is that if you want to be learned, then go to guru, bona fide guru, not the so-called guru.

tad viddhi pranipatena
pariprashnena sevaya
upadekshyanti te jñanam
jñaninas tattva-darshinah

"Just try to learn the truth by approaching a spiritual master. Inquire from him submissively and render service unto him. The self-realized soul can impart knowledge unto you because he has seen the truth." [Bhagavad-gita 4.34]

Guru means one who has seen the Absolute Truth. That is guru. Tattva-darshinah, tattva means the Absolute Truth, and darshinah, one who has seen. So this movement, our Krishna consciousness movement, is for this purpose, to see the Absolute Truth, to understand the Absolute Truth, to know the problems of life and how to make a solution. These things are our subject matter. Our subject matter is not material things, that somehow or other you get a car and a good apartment and a good wife, then all your problems solved. No. That is not solution of problems. The real problem is how to stop your death. That is the real problem. But because it is very difficult subject matter, nobody touches it. "Oh, death—we shall peacefully die." But nobody peacefully dies. If I take a dagger and I say, "Now die peacefully," the whole peaceful condition finished immediately. He will cry. So these are nonsense, if somebody says, "I will die peacefully." Nobody dies peacefully, that is not possible. Therefore death is a problem. Birth is also a problem. Nobody is peaceful while within the womb of the mother. It is packed-up, airtight condition, and nowadays there is risk of being killed also. So there is no question of peacefulness, birth and death. And then old age. Just like I am old man, so many troubles I have got. So old age. And disease, everyone has got experience, even headache is sufficient to give you trouble. The real problem is this: birth, death, old age and disease. That is the statement given by Krishna, that janma-mrityu-jara-vyadhi duhkha-doshanudarshanam [Bg. 13.9: perception of birth, death, old age and disease as knowledge]. If you are intelligent, you should take up these four problems of life as very dangerous.

So they have no knowledge; therefore they avoid these questions. But we take up these questions very seriously. That is the difference between other movement and Krishna consciousness movement. Our movement is how to solve these problems.

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