Science and Spirituality 4/21/13 Prague

My dear devotees
First I would like to offer my respectful obeisances unto my spiritual master Srila Prabhupada.

Today I want to talk a little about "Science and Spirituality". This is an issue that has often been treated. "Science and Spirituality" is a very important point, because today we have been in the grip of secular liberation movement. This movement is always presented reasonably because truths are revealed refuting common sense, criticizing the violence that has been committed in the name of religion. But religious people are not blind defenders, they uphold justice. If someone attacks a person's children be they religious he is not going to blindly say: Yeah, go attack them! No, he will also defend, but he will not commit an injustice, or produce any kind of exploitation to anyone. As you know, history has been full of wars, then it would be a good question: Why does this happen? Who is doing these wars? Who is behind all this? Considering that war is the worst thing you can do.

We are enjoying the company of others, as now I am enjoying the company of you this morning, but in war there are sides, and the sides are trying to kill each other. It's a very strange situation. One wonders as you are,how can this happen in the world. There is a very good documentary called "Why We fight" (Why we fight) and analyzes the past 30 wars. And the evidence shows the worst; that everything is done to make money. People are prompted, wars are like a trap, because people do not want war. But when circumstances arise war is prompted and shown as if it is inevitable, then the people become involved. So the motivation for war is materialism, not spirituality. Even the Crusaders, (participants of the Crusades) would rob people and people thought that they would be liberated by them. They were gang of bandits.

We see the full history of wars, which often have been credited for religious purpose. Secular society then came and said that religions are nonsense.

"If they make wars, we do not want to have anything to do with them" Then everyone agreed to this. "Religion should not influence the schools, universities, politics, trade, and is was the beginning of secularism" So if there is no religion What are we to believe? Now we believe in science, scientific discoveries. We believe in the IQ (intelligence quotient) who is smarter here, he who can demonstrate he's smarter than the others, then he can have authority.

So these are the situations that have become very strong in modern thinking. Especially in communist countries, because they have removed religion even from the constitution. So they have no one, or nothing superior that they can obey. Then they give all the credit to science, and then from that derives a famous saying "Do not believe in anything that I can not see" Everyone has their own truth. Then they say: Do what you want, do not restrain yourself because of any imposition of morality or spiritual promises "That was the scenario of the 19th century. But the industrial revolution, and the revolution of information and technology, there is an amazing change that is occurring so quickly. This is fascinating. Kaliyuga is fascinating. We call it the iron age. But iron age is nothing, it is the age of the plastic. The era of digitalization, laser technology, communication of cell phones, one can see the ordinary iron. Sure iron is also used to make weapons, but even through a computer can someone kill another. They have so many ways to torture people. Then Srila Prabhupada came to save us from this confusion. The thing about materialism, through the secular system, they became very powerful. When they were absorbed in some religion at least there was interaction with some kind of call for peace, religious values ​​like forgiveness, charity, items like these. But materialism philosophy is survival of the fittest, they say charity begins at home, I have to make sure things are mine, no matter what I have to do. Added to this there is another phenomenon, secular society puts too much power in the hands of banks for example, and of course in the military.

Humility currently is suffering another war, the war for control of food and money, and is being motivated by greed, so there is not much respect for Mother Earth and for consumers, but the materialism justify this, saying: "This is the world of supply and demand" That's a world of open market, and they say in the material sense they are controlling everything through regulations, then they have many supposed, agencies regulating. But really only one regulation alone that is working, the rich get richer and the poor get poorer. That is the regulation that makes all resources, go only in one direction, so that today, people who hate religion for causing wars, should hate the banks, they are manipulating through materialistic society.

This is the time to revive the original spirit of true spirituality. This is an urgent matter, see the treasure which was lost in our process of secularization. This process does not come from any religion, it doesn't arise from manipulation of religion, it is indeed the original human need. To find the meaning of life, to find who is the source that gives me my life, and to find put how to engage their love. Because everyone has a lot of love, and if we do not know to whom to give this love, we are not happy. So the question of science and spirituality has become very popular.

My spiritual brother Svarup Damodar was a great scientist and a great devotee. He had contacts at international conferences, invited by Nobel prize winners so that he can give his opinion on spiritual subjects. He accumulated the happy and spiritual support of scientists. He was very successful, he was a representative of Srila Prabhupada, he was handling the truth. After him, Michael Cremo, Druta karma, investigated the archaeological records. He wrote the famous book, The Hidden and Forbidden Archaeology, he wrote many articles here and spoke of the information that is provided in schools about the origin of mankind which is not appropriate and is false. So everyone who goes to school, studying archeology, anthropology, history, all are systematically deceived. In other words, the world is being misled by telling us that humanity came from Africa. Darwin said the whale comes from the bear. He said they the ocean species came first, then mammals, but then why does the whale have a respiratory system like us? Then he said that bears liked fish so much that they went to the ocean and became a whale. What a great speculation. Only speculation. People liked this speculation, because it holds the principle that one must only enjoy there is nothing about a spiritual search.

So the idea that we come here just to enjoy, is a materialistic conception.You need a powerful philosophy if you want to teach people to be servants. In that they are servants. We always have the inner competition of wanting to be servants or wanting to be served. Sometimes even scientists say we are here to serve, but when it comes to science and spirituality they have to reevaluate the terminology of science, what is science really? What is really progress? Is progress in moving money within banks? Or is progress the happiness in people? The question of happiness is very important. Are people happier when they have worked all their lives? When you work in a factory? Are people happy when they celebrate the weekend with alcohol and drugs? This has to be defined. The oida therapy, for example, comes targeting spiritual intelligence that arises when you develop an attitude of gratitude and compassion towards others. Will you be able to do good things for others?
   
We are all very proud to be smart, I always thought in my life that I was intelligent, thankfully I never did the IQ test because perhaps I would of been depressed. Some people may say that when you take a test that test will supposedly tell you your worth. In a materialistic empire you will never have complete knowledge. Worship this is the question, Who are you going to worship? Who are you going to offer yourself to? When will you offer obeisances and say ki jay, who are you going to offer flowers and incense to? Krishna consciousness is very simple, you just have to say something from the bottom of your heart:

"O my lord, Please let me be an instrument of your love."

A prayer and everything changes. Pray, honoring prasadam, so everything changes. And because you have some faith you will have some joy, and you have a responsibility to this joy. Worshipping nature, paramatma or Krishna, Sita Rama, or worships Gauranga, but worship, worship! Give thanks and sing the glories of creation, thanks for everything, do not be sorry, do not get upset by what you have, appreciate what you have and take care of that.

This worship never ends, love the Lord with all your heart, mind and body and utilize for your worship, and from this worship have a beautiful festival. I congratulate the devotees who have made a beautiful center for Radha Gopinath and have decorated so lovingly. I can only congratulate you I know it was not easy, and tests have come and more will come. But by the mercy of our spiritual masters we can continue and we cannot be attached to the results.

A hug from my heart to all.
Your well-wisher
Swami B.A.Paramadvaiti