[Posted January 3, 2008]

One Nation Under God

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

For separation of church and state but not God and state

Lew Rockwell Jan 1, 2008 - REP RON PAUL, MD

The War on Religion

The notion of a rigid separation between church and state has no basis in either the text of the Constitution or the writings of our Founding Fathers. On the contrary, our Founders' political views were strongly informed by their religious beliefs. Certainly the drafters of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, both replete with references to God, would be aghast at the federal government's hostility to religion. The establishment clause of the First Amendment was simply intended to forbid the creation of an official state church like the Church of England, not to drive religion out of public life. go to story

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In God We Trust

God and Politics A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami
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

Rx: Spiritual guidance for government

excerpt from Science of Self Realization, Finding Spiritual Solutions to Material Problems - from an interview with Srila Prabhupada by Back to Godhead magazine

BACK TO GODHEAD: What is the actual duty of the government?

PRABHUPADA: To understand what God wants and to see that society works toward that aim. Then people will be happy. But if the people work in the wrong direction, how can they be happy? The government's duty is to see that they are working in the right direction. The right direction is to know God and to act according to His instructions. But if the leaders themselves do not believe in the supremacy of God, and if they do not know what God wants to do, or what He wants us to do, then how can there be good government? The leaders are misled, and they are misleading others. That is the chaotic condition in the world today.

BTG: In the United States there has traditionally been the separation of church and state.

PRABHUPADA: I am not talking about the church. Church or no church—that is not the point. The main thing is that the leaders have to accept that there is a supreme controller. How can they deny it? Everything in nature is going on under the Supreme Lord's control. The leaders cannot control nature, so why don't they accept a supreme controller? That is the defect in society. In every respect, the leaders are feeling that there must be a supreme controller, and yet they are still denying Him.

BTG: But suppose the government is atheistic...

PRABHUPADA: Then there cannot be good government. The Americans say they trust in God. But without the science of God, that trust is simply fictitious. First take the science of God very seriously, then put your trust in Him. They do not know what God is, but we do. We actually trust in God.

They're manufacturing their own way of governing. And that is their defect. They will never be successful. They are imperfect, and if they go on manufacturing their own ways and means, they will remain imperfect. There will always be revolutions—one after another. There will be no peace.

BTG: Who determines the regulative principles of religion that people should follow?

PRABHUPADA: God. God is perfect. He does that. According to the Vedic version, God is the leader of all living entities (nityo nityanam chetanash chetananam [Katha Upanishad 2.2.13]). We are different from Him because He is all-perfect and we are not. We are very small. We have the qualities of God, but in very small quantity. Therefore we have only a little knowledge—that's airplane, but you cannot manufacture a mosquito. God has created the mosquito's body, which is also an "airplane." And that is the difference between God and us: we have knowledge, but it is not as perfect as God's. So the leaders of the government have to consult God; then they will rule perfectly.

BTG: Has God also devised the most perfect government?

PRABHUPADA: Oh, yes. The kshatriyas ruled the government in Vedic times. When there was a war, the king was the first to fight. Just like your George Washington: he fought when there was a war. But what kind of president is ruling now? When there is a war, he sits very securely and telephones orders. He's not fit to be president. When there is war, the president should be the first to come forward and lead the battle.

BTG: But if man is small and imperfect, how can he execute God's perfect orders for a perfect government?

PRABHUPADA: Although you may be imperfect, because you are carrying out my order, you're becoming perfect. You have accepted me as your leader, and I accept God as my leader. In this way society can be governed perfectly.

BTG: So good government means first of all to accept the Supreme Being as the real ruler of the government?

PRABHUPADA: You cannot directly accept the Supreme Being. You must accept the servants of the Supreme Being—the brahmanas or Vaishnavas [devotees of the Lord]—as your guides. The government men are kshatriyas—the second class. The kshatriyas should take advice from the brahmanas or Vaishnavas and make laws accordingly. The vaishyas should carry out the kshatriyas' orders in practice. And the shudras should work under these three orders. Then society will be perfect.

Sri Guru and Gauranga