Replies

re: “Around the same period, Europe was hardly any less barbaric, with the soon-to-come slaughters of the members of the new religion of Protestantism by the Catholic incumbents, reprisal killings in revenge going vice-versa, the witch hunts, the Inquisition, all of which saw unparalleled bloodshed.”

I agree that barbarism exists everywhere. Barbarity is barbarity regardless of the place it occurs. We recognize that acts are barbaric based on our moral beliefs.

The brutal acts committed by so-called “Christian” Western European nations on each other are somewhat different from the Aztec culture in that every single act of violence was committed in violation of the very New Testament moral code they professed to believe in. While the barbaric acts of the Aztecs were not in violation of their religious beliefs at all - it was a part of their ritual.

Forcing conversion or torturing those who disagreed with one’s particular brand of Christianity is not taught EVER in the New Testament. The message of the Gospel was to be spread by going to all people and telling the story of Christ and His teachings, His death, burial, and resurrection - it was by speaking/preaching and living a moral Christian life before non-believers that was to hopefully bring them to conversion - not violence, torture, or other forms of intimidation.

The truth is, many of the so-called “religious” wars of Europe were clearly politically motivated. Religion was often used to motivate the common people, but the motives of the kings was usually merely ambition, pride, and greed.

The Inquisition is in direct opposition to Jesus’s and the Apostles teachings. It was pure evil used in Jesus’s name and I would hate to face God having committed such things using the Gospel as my “cover”. It won’t fly.

If we are going to judge western Christian nation’s culture’s barbarism, then the same should be done with ALL cultures. Wrong is wrong and right is right, but the moral relativist and the multiculturalist deny that (except, as I mentioned, when it comes to Christianity and western society).

By their fruits, you shall know them. And Europe has always been a killing field, with more deaths per square mile of settled territory than any other place on Earth. Violence and bloodshed has been intimate with Europe for aeons, as its history reveals.

Hindus could make the same defense, based on their scriptures:

"Religion shown in act of proud display

To win good entertainment, worship, fame,

Such—say I—is of Rajas, rash and vain.

Religion followed by a witless will

To torture self, or come at power to hurt

Another,—’tis of Tamas, dark and ill.

The gift lovingly given, when one shall say

“Now must I gladly give!” when he who takes

Can render nothing back; made in due place,

Due time, and to a meet recipient,

Is gift of Sattwan, fair and profitable.

The gift selfishly given, where to receive

Is hoped again, or when some end is sought,

Or where the gift is proffered with a grudge,

This is of Rajas, stained with impulse, ill.

The gift churlishly flung, at evil time,

In wrongful place, to base recipient,

Made in disdain or harsh unkindliness,

Is gift of Tamas, dark; it doth not bless!"

Bhagavad-Gita, Ch: XVII, Lines 69-87.

"Four sorts of mortals know me: he who weeps,

Arjuna! and the man who yearns to know;

And he who toils to help; and he who sits

Certain of me, enlightened."

- Bhagavad-Gita, Ch: VII, L: 53-56.

"Yet not by Vedas, nor from sacrifice,

Nor penance, nor gift-giving, nor with prayer

Shall any so behold, as thou hast seen!

Only by fullest service, perfect faith,

And uttermost surrender am I known

And seen, and entered into, Indian Prince!

Who doeth all for Me; who findeth Me

In all; adoreth always; loveth all

Which I have made, and Me, for Love’s sole end,

That man, Arjuna! unto Me doth wend."

- Bhagavad-Gita, Ch: XI, L: 335-344.

"Cling thou to Me!

Clasp Me with heart and mind! so shalt thou dwell

Surely with Me on high. But if thy thought

Droops from such height; if thou be’st weak to set

Body and soul upon Me constantly,

Despair not! give Me lower service! seek

To read Me, worshipping with steadfast will;

And, if thou canst not worship steadfastly,

Work for Me, toil in works pleasing to Me!

For he that laboreth right for love of Me

Shall finally attain! But, if in this

Thy faint heart fails, bring Me thy failure!"

- Bhagavad-Gita, Ch: XII, L: 23-34.

"There is right Action: that which—being enjoined—

Is wrought without attachment, passionlessly,

For duty, not for love, nor hate, nor gain.

There is vain Action: that which men pursue

Aching to satisfy desires, impelled

By sense of self, with all-absorbing stress:

This is of Rajas—passionate and vain.

There is dark Action: when one doth a thing

Heedless of issues, heedless of the hurt

Or wrong for others, heedless if he harm

His own soul—’tis of Tamas, black and bad!

There is the rightful doer. He who acts

Free from selfseeking, humble, resolute,

Steadfast, in good or evil hap the same,

Content to do aright—he truly acts.

There is th’ impassioned doer. He that works

From impulse seeking profit, rude and bold

To overcome, unchastened; slave by turns

Of sorrow and of joy: of Rajas he!

And there be evil doers; loose of heart,

Low-minded, stubborn, fraudulent, remiss,

Dull, slow, despondent—children of the Dark."

- Bhagavad-Gita, Ch: XVIII, L: 75-96.

ARJUNA: LORD! of the men who serve Thee—true in heart—
As God revealed; and of the men who serve,
Worshipping Thee Unrevealed, Unbodied, far,
Which take the better way of faith and life?

KRISHNA: Whoever serve Me—as I show Myself—	5
Constantly true, in full devotion fixed,
These hold I very holy. But who serve—
Worshipping Me The One, The Invisible,
The Unrevealed, Unnamed, Unthinkable,
Uttermost, All-pervading, Highest, Sure—	10
Who thus adore Me, mastering their sense,
Of one set mind to all, glad in all good,
These blessed souls come unto Me.
Yet, hard
The travail is for whoso bend their minds	15
To reach th’ Unmanifest. That viewless path
Shall scarce be trod by man bearing his flesh!
But whereso any doeth all his deeds,
Renouncing self in Me, full of Me, fixed
To serve only the Highest, night and day	20
Musing on Me—him will I swiftly lift
Forth from life’s ocean of distress and death
Whose soul clings fast to Me. Cling thou to Me!
Clasp Me with heart and mind! so shalt thou dwell
Surely with Me on high. But if thy thought	25
Droops from such height; if thou be’st weak to set
Body and soul upon Me constantly,
Despair not! give Me lower service! seek
To read Me, worshipping with steadfast will;
And, if thou canst not worship steadfastly,	30
Work for Me, toil in works pleasing to Me!
For he that laboreth right for love of Me
Shall finally attain! But, if in this
Thy faint heart fails, bring Me thy failure! find
Refuge in Me! let fruits of labor go,	35
Renouncing all for Me, with lowliest heart,
So shalt thou come; for, though to know is more
Than diligence, yet worship better is
Than knowing, and renouncing better still
Near to renunciation—very near—	40
Dwelleth Eternal Peace!
Who hateth nought
Of all which lives, living himself benign,
Compassionate, from arrogance exempt,
Exempt from love of self, unchangeable	45
By good or ill; patient, contented, firm
In faith, mastering himself, true to his word,
Seeking Me, heart and soul; vowed unto Me,—
That man I love! Who troubleth not his kind,
And is not troubled by them; clear of wrath,	50
Living too high for gladness, grief, or fear,
That man I love! Who, dwelling quiet-eyed,
Stainless, serene, well-balanced, unperplexed,
Working with Me, yet from all works detached,
That man I love! Who, fixed in faith on Me,	55
Dotes upon none, scorns none; rejoices not,
And grieves not, letting good and evil hap
Light when it will, and when it will depart,
That man I love! Who, unto friend and foe
Keeping an equal heart, with equal mind	60
Bears shame and glory, with an equal peace
Takes heat and cold, pleasure and pain; abides
Quit of desires, hears praise or calumny
In passionless restraint, unmoved by each,
Linked by no ties to earth, steadfast in Me,	65
That man I love! But most of all I love
Those happy ones to whom ’tis life to live
In single fervid faith and love unseeing,
Eating the blessèd Amrit of my Being!

Here endeth Chapter XII. of the Bhagavad-Gîtâ,	70
entitled “Bhakityôgô,” or “The Book of
the Religion of Faith.”