From: kalki33!system@lakes.trenton.sc.us
Newsgroups: talk.religion.misc
Subject: Re: What is the soul?
Date: Sun, 08 Nov 92 21:01:51 EST
Reply-To: kalki33!system@lakes.trenton.sc.us
Organization: Kalki's Infoline BBS, Aiken, SC, USA

pharvey@mipos3.intel.com (Paul Harvey) writes:

> >No one but God can set up religious standards for others.
> 
> And God is a metaphor left to the student to decipher.

Where do you get the information that God is a metaphor?

> >That is why we follow God's scriptures rather than our own opinions.
> 
> If you ever find yourself to be failing, I think this is why. Metaphors don't
> write. Now again, what is TRUE hypocrisy?
> 
> >In the scriptures, the soul is defined and the purpose of
> >human life is given.
> 
> That is not the Krishna I know. Do we read the same texts?

In Bhagavad-gita, Lord Krishna defines the soul:

"For the soul there is neither birth nor death at any time. He has not
come into being, does not come into being, and will not come into being.
He is unborn, eternal, ever-existing and primeval. He is not slain when
the body is slain"    (BG 2.20)

"As a person puts on new garments, giving up old ones, the soul
similarly accepts new material bodies, giving up the old and useless
ones."  (BG 2.22)

"Some look on the soul as amazing, some describe him as amazing, and
some hear of him as amazing, while others, even after hearing about him,
cannot understand him at all."  (BG 2.29)

Krishna gives the purpose of human life in Bhagavad-gita:

 "The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: It is said that there is
an imperishable banyan tree that has its roots upward and its branches
down and whose leaves are the Vedic hymns. One who knows this tree is
the knower of the Vedas.
  The branches of this tree extend downward and upward, nourished by
the three modes of material nature. The twigs are the objects of the
senses. This tree also has roots going down, and these are bound to the
fruitive actions of human society.
  The real form of this tree cannot be perceived in this world. No
one can understand where it ends, where it begins, or where its
foundation is. But with determination one MUST cut down this strongly
rooted tree with the weapon of detachment. Thereafter, one MUST seek
that place from which, having gone, one never returns, and there
SURRENDER to that Supreme Personality of Godhead from whom everything
began and from whom everything has extended since time immemorial."
  (BG 15.1-4)

> >We cannot concoct whatever definition we like, nor
> >can we manufacture a purpose for life. These things are already
> >established by the Lord.

> The best have all been humbled. I am not as enlightened as the best. I am
> not the one. Worlds above and worlds below, no one in the world like me.

This is correct, but what is your point?

> >In your post, we see a reference to "Hinduism", but the Mahabharata is
> >not a "Hindu" book, it is a compiled history of this planet from very
> >ancient times. The Mahabharata includes the Bhagavad-gita, which is a
> >verbatim transcript of a conversation between Krishna, who is God, and
> >Arjuna, who is Krishna's devotee. In this conversation, Krishna sets up
> >religious standards for all human beings.

> I doubt that. Perhaps you should study more. As for me, my Father is Dharma,
> doing the right Spike Lee thang.

Where do you get the information that your father is Dharma? We should
like to see some credentials. Then we will accept your claim. If you are
really the son of Dharma, then you should know that Dharma, or Yamaraja,
is a great devotee of Krishna, and that he is constantly glorifying the
holy name of the Lord. He is considered one of the twelve mahajanas
(authorities on devotional service), and he has been preaching Krishna
consciousness for millions of years. The situation of Dharma is
described in the Bhagavat Purana, sixth canto, in the episode concerning
the salvation of the brahmana Ajamila from the hands of the Yamadutas
(servants of Yamaraja).

Perhaps you should withdraw your foolish claim to be the son of Dharma.

> >He can do so, for He is the
> >Lord. We are not the Lord, and so we simply follow what He has said.
> 
> I don't believe Krishna would be very pleased with what you say.

Since you claim to know Krishna, why don't you ask Him?

> >      |  Don't forget to chant:   Hare Krishna Hare Krishna   |
> >      |                           Krishna Krishna Hare Hare   |
> >      |                           Hare Rama Hare Rama         |
> >      |                           Rama Rama Hare Hare         |

> Don't forget to think! Krishna is not the first Krishna nor the last. Krishna
> come amd Krishnas go like ants living in summer, oblivious of the coming deat
> of winter. Shiva's drum beats, ta-ta-da! ta-ta-da! ta-ta-da-ta-da-ta-da!

Again, where do you get this information?

Sincerely,
Kalki Dasa



       -------------------------------------------------------
      |  Don't forget to chant:   Hare Krishna Hare Krishna   |
      |                           Krishna Krishna Hare Hare   |
      |                           Hare Rama Hare Rama         |
      |                           Rama Rama Hare Hare         |
      |                                                       |
      |   Kalki's Infoline BBS Aiken, South Carolina, USA     |
      |        (kalki33!kalki@lakes.trenton.sc.us)            |
       -------------------------------------------------------
Newsgroups: talk.religion.misc,talk.origins,alt.atheism