The so-called Sports (including soccer) are GAMBLING

[Guest guest]

In text 2867920 from COM Bhakta Didzis wrote:

 

> here comes a practical example - last year during his preaching tour in

> russia Bhaktivaibhava Swami used to play soccer. this was confirmed by

his

> personal servant, and he told me that it was a lot of fun.

 

>From a reliable source I learned that Hrdayananda Goswami plays a game

called "Acarya-ball" which involves taking out all the furniture of a room

and then hitting a ball against the walls with the hand, similar to

racketball. When I asked my source about the time spent playing, he said

"Hours." Who wants to play "Prabhu-ball"?

 

YS RK Mex

[Guest guest]

On 18 Dec 1999, Sthita-dhi-muni Dasa wrote:

 

> On 18 Dec 1999, Guru-Krsna Dasa wrote:

>

>

> > Maybe it's best to ask Srila Prabhupada directly why he has told his

> >disciples and also written in his books that a devotee doesn't engage > >in

mundane sports.

> >

 

> Yep, they're all gonna burn in hell for that. I am glad we got this >cleared

up know, knowing who we are better than and all. Yes along with > women, no

soccer players can do this and that.

 

You're right, prabhu. I temporarily forgot our philosophy: Simply accept Srila

Prabhupada in your heart and be guaranteed eternal life in Goloka!

 

Hallelujah!

 

> Geesh, who cares, considering all the problems in life, and ISKCON, if >

someone in a fit of weakness decides to kick a soccer ball?

 

You're probably right. After all, Nero fiddled while Rome burned, so I guess

we can play soccer while the rest of the world goes to hell.

 

&gt

[Guest guest]

>

>

> > Yes, I am meditating on Supersoul in my opponent's heart everytime I play.

> >

>

> I hope so.

>

> Or perhaps did you actually mean to write "Supersole" ("best brand athletic

> footwear the world over")?

 

LOL Good one.

[Guest guest]

>

>

> my opinion is that we should lead a balanced life, and that means there has

> to be some physical excercise. soccer, especially if played with devotees,

> is not the worst choice. somebody who is a pure devotee of course doesn't

> need such things. those who are not can become, but it's a gradual process.

>

> ys bh. didzis

 

If excercise were a drug, it would be consiidered a breakthrough. Of course,

a good rocking kirtan has the side benefit of being good excercise.

 

My own experience is that when I coach kids in the local recreational league,

I

usually have a few devotee kids I bring along with me. Hearing the karmis

cheering them on "Go Tulasi" "Kick it Tilok" is an experience that is ever

fresh for me.

 

I have heard that wrestling and swimming are vaisnava sports. One thing is,

that they don't need a lot of paraphanelia. Soccer does at a minimum require a

ball, but of all the organised team sports, it requires the least.

[Guest guest]

> :

>

> > So after reading all of the following, why did Abhay Charan De play soccer?

> > Why would his Vaisnava father "allow" him to play?

>

> Well, I gave an answer to that already. Srila Prabhupada told us to follow,

> not imitate, the acaryas.

 

Ooh, good point. Actually, the quote is

 

Those who are neophytes or even a little progressed in devotional service

should

not try to imitate the maha-bhagavata. Rather, they should only follow in his

footsteps. The word anukara means "imitating," and anusara means "trying to

follow

in the footsteps." We should not try to imitate the activities of a

maha-bhagavata

or Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

 

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Madhya 17.31

 

The point being don't try to artificially act like the great devotees, but

follow

the path that eventually lead them to the high platform they were on. For

example, desiring to be a sannyasa and have a lot of followers may (or, of

course, may not) be simple imitation of Srila Prabhupada, whereas getting

married, raising children, providing for a family, and experiencing the

range

of normal experiences may (or may not) be following in the footsteps.

 

I personally know I am not on the platform that Srila Prabhupada showed to us

during the times we usually think of him, which is to say, after he was 62

and

took sanyasa, so for me to try to live like he did would be imitation. I have

to

look back at his earlier life and try to follow his footsteps. And we know

those

footsteps trod the soccer field.

 

 

 

 

>

>

> Maybe it's best to ask Srila Prabhupada directly why he has told his

disciples

> and also written in his books that a devotee doesn't engage in mundane

sports.

 

Actually, I found no hits on "mundane sport*" in VedaBase.

[Guest guest]

> If excercise were a drug, it would be consiidered a breakthrough. Of

> course, a good rocking kirtan has the side benefit of being good

> excercise.

>

> My own experience is that when I coach kids in the local recreational

> league, I usually have a few devotee kids I bring along with me. Hearing

> the karmis cheering them on "Go Tulasi" "Kick it Tilok" is an experience

> that is ever fresh for me.

>

> I have heard that wrestling and swimming are vaisnava sports. One thing

> is, that they don't need a lot of paraphanelia. Soccer does at a minimum

> require a ball, but of all the organised team sports, it requires the

> least.

 

 

I suppose I could raise a huge stink if I were to bring up the sport of

hunting, huh?

[Guest guest]

>

> >

> > from the very beginning, they are trained to refrain from the following

> > four principles of degradation: 1) sex life outside marriage, 2)

> > intoxication, 3) meat eating, and 4) gambling and IDLE SPORTS*. (Letter

> > to: Archbishop of Canterbury, Los Angeles 1969)

>

> I'm assuming this letter is in folio. Does anyone have the complete letter?

>

> Ys,

> Madhusudani dasi

 

Letter to: Archbishop of Canterbury

--

Los Angeles

1969

69-00-00

His Divine Grace the Archbishop of Canterbury

London, England

Your Holiness,

Please accept my respectful and humble obeisances. I beg to introduce myself as

an Indian monk, following the Vedic principles of religious life. At present, I

am in the renounced order of sannyasa (age 73) and preaching God Consciousness

all over the world. I came to America in 1965, and since then, I have many

followers belonging to both Christian and Jewish faiths. Thus far I have

established 17 centers for Krishna Conscious temples throughout the United

States, Canada, Germany, London, and France.

My mission is in the line of Lord Caitanya, Who advented Himself 482 years ago

in India, and Who preached God consciousness all over the country. His mission

is to revive God consciousness throughout the world, on the basis of

Srimad-Bhagavatam (Science of God). The basic principle of Srimad-Bhagavatam is

that any religious faith which helps a man to develop Love of God, without any

other motive, is transcendental religion. And the easiest process for this age

is to chant the Holy Names of God. From this definition of religion as we find

in the Srimad-Bhagavatam, the criterion test of religion is how it helps people

to develop their dormant Love of God. This love is not artificially invoked,

but it is aroused by association with devotees of the Lord and by hearing from

the authorized scriptures.

The human form of life is especially meant for this purpose of reviving our God

consciousness because the better development of consciousness is found only in

the human body. Animal propensities are found both in animal life and human

life, and unfortunately, people are nowadays more concerned with the principles

of sense gratification, or the animalistic part of life. Thus, the world is

gradually declining in God consciousness. This tendency is very much

deteriorating, and because Your Holiness is the Head of a great religious sect,

I would be very pleased to meet with you, and perhaps chalk out some program

for helping to alleviate the present Godless situation.

The human society should not be allowed to continue in its present path at the

risk of decreasing truthfulness, hygienic principles, forgiveness, and

mercifulness. Without proper instruction on these principles, the human society

is gradually degrading in the matter of religiosity and justice. At present,

"Might makes right" is gradually taking the place of morality and justice.

There is practically no more family life, and the union of man and woman is

gradually degrading to the standard of mere sexuality. Our Krishna

Consciousness Movement is meant for overhauling the whole situation. We are

creating man of character, and we are training our disciples to become lovers

of God, or Krishna. From the very beginning, they are trained to refrain from

the following four principles of degradation: 1) sex life outside marriage, 2)

intoxication, 3) meat eating, and 4) gambling and idle sports. Our teaching are

based on the authorized movement of Lord Caitanya, the teaching of the

Bhagavad-gita as the beginning, and the teaching of Srimad-Bhagavatam as the

graduate study.

I do not wish to prolong the body of this note further, but if you think that a

meeting with you will be beneficial for the human society at large, I shall be

very much pleased if You Holiness will grant me an interview. Thanking you in

anticipation for an early reply.

Yours in the service of the Lord.

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

 

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Letter to: Archbishop of Canterbury -- Los Angeles 1969

[Guest guest]

>

> You're probably right. After all, Nero fiddled while Rome burned, so I guess

> we can play soccer while the rest of the world goes to hell.

>

> &gt

 

You're probably right. After all, Nero fiddled while Rome burned, so I guess

we discuss the idealized socities of previous yugas while the rest of the world

goes to hell.