Christ’s Crucifixion: The Ultimate Offense

[Gauracandra]

This week's Srila Siddhaswarupananda television program is a repeat concerning one aspect of Christian philosophy.

 

Srila Siddhasvarupananda: There are many so-called Christians who say that God came down as Jesus and bled in order to cleanse us of our sins. In the old Jewish tradition the blood-letting of an animal was used as a purifying sacrifice. We aren’t going to go into whether this is bonafide or not. But this process was laid down in the old Jewish scriptures. Now within Christianity it is said that we all became dirty due to the actions of our great, great, great, great… grandparents Adam and Eve. As such all of mankind has become impure. The whole mystery about the incarnation of Jesus Christ is that God became man and ended up being the lamb/blood sacrifice to cleanse mankind. So these Christians are promoting the idea that there is no other way for man to become purified except to sacrifice God on an altar. God became man to be sacrificed like an animal.

 

Audience Member: I remember growing up Catholic we used to say “Lamb of God take on the sins of the world.”

 

Srila Siddhaswarupananda: It is true to call him a lamb as he did not fight back. He was humble. But the problem with this philosophy is that it says that God had to come under the laws of material nature. God does not have to follow the Ten Commandments. The Ten Commandments are for those who aren’t God. It is nonsense to think that God has to follow certain laws in order for man to be purified. Why is it necessary for God to come into the material world in order to experience it? They are saying that the most offensive activity, the crucifixion of a loving servant of God was the sacrifice needed. A real sacrifice is out of love.

 

Audience Member: Some would say that it is an act of love on the part of Jesus.

 

Srila Siddhaswarupananda: It is an act of love on Jesus’ part but it is the priest who slits the throat of the animal. Those who crucified Jesus Christ committed a sin cast upon all of man. This act was so offensive to the Supreme Person that it would not be hard to see God rejecting the whole of the world.

 

[intermission]

 

Audience Member: … they call it Good Friday.

 

Srila Siddhaswarupananda: Why is it good that on this day the pure loving servant of God was murdered and tortured? This is not good, it is the ultimate bad. On this day one should cry. This is what the servants of God feel. Whoever sees or hears about this, it must tear their heart out. If it does not then they are not my friend, they are not lovers of Jesus.

 

It is true that if I become his devotee and give my life to him, make his commandments my very life, then indeed you will be purified of your sinful reactions. But to say that God is obligated to be tortured in order for mankind to be purified is nonsense. God does not need to be tortured by animals/demons. This isn’t necessary. This is mayavadi philosophy. Maya means illusion. It means that God comes under the laws of material nature and comes under ignorance. Because of this they deny God’s power to purify.

 

They are trying to understand the big picture but really they are doubters of God’s power. As such they put Him in a powerless position. He had to go through this lila – pastime. Any sacrifice done in lust, anger, or hate is not a real sacrifice.

 

They say that God the father sacrificed His son on the cross. God so much loved the world that He sacrificed His son. So they make God the priest to bring on a higher power. Who the hell is God sacrificing for? SACRIFICES ARE NOT FOR GOD!!! YOU IDIOTS!!! They are saying there is a law above God that God must follow. This is Mormon philosophy. That you can become a God and have your own universe. A God has a God. God does not worship anyone. They think God is like us… like Michelangelo speculating that God is old with a white beard. Thus if God must make a sacrifice it must be something very valuable to Him. The most valuable thing to God is His pure devotee. In the Bhagavad-Gita the Lord says that “No one is more dear to me than my pure devotee.”

 

Audience Member: Why did God allow His son to be crucified?

 

Srila Siddhaswarupananda: To ask why does God allow bad things to happen means we want God to take away our freedom. We have within us the ability to do harm to a devotee of God. In the 15th Century in India Haridas Thakur was beaten in one market place after another. He was immersed in samadhi – love for God. So these pure devotees take on all hardships in service for the Lord. If a burden comes they are willing to take it on and if you take away these hardships in fact you take away their life. God will never take away your freedom to reject Him. You have this freedom but watch out what you do with it.