Which is greater in the eyes of GOD?

[Guest guest]

 

I've seen from many temples the clothes of dieties and altars full of flowers and ornaments. Outside the temple are poverty and starving people begging for food, no clothing, no shelter, no medicine, nobody cares. Why not spending instead the money to help them? Aren't they not the part and parcel of God? We could worship God in our most humble way, and living in His examples. God does not sees us in our opulent way, but through our hearts. I heard from a Christian saying: "Whatever kindness you do to the least of my people, you are doing it for Me." Isn't it nice?

 

Please, don't think about the karma, I am talking about which is better and more acceptable to the eyes of God.

 

 

-The joy of the LORD, is my strength and inspiration-

 

[yasodanandana]

1)taking away garlands and clothes by the deities you will not make the money you need to solve the problem

2)especially in india temples and religious organizations are the only one who are helping people giving them food and shelter

3)there's another life after this.. if we do not learn to honour god the pain will continue

 

so thanks for your advice, let us do both things.. let's us show kindness to god and to the brothers, why only the father? why only the brothers?

 

both is the perfection

[cRimAl]

I used to think about that one also but like the previous person said, I don't think that saving money on that would make such a big difference. What could make a difference is the mentality of our world leaders, the big economic players, heck even certain moviestars could go a long way in saving the earth an the people on it.

 

But hey, there's no profit in doint that.

[Guest guest]

 

I've seen from many temples the clothes of dieties and altars full of flowers and ornaments. Outside the temple are poverty and starving people begging for food, no clothing, no shelter, no medicine, nobody cares. Why not spending instead the money to help them? Aren't they not the part and parcel of God? We could worship God in our most humble way, and living in His examples. God does not sees us in our opulent way, but through our hearts. I heard from a Christian saying: "Whatever kindness you do to the least of my people, you are doing it for Me." Isn't it nice?

 

 

 

Why specifically target temples? Instead of making the Deities give up Their clothing, why don't we instead ask the politicians, businessmen, and other ruling-class individuals to give up their $200 European made suits in favor of the simpler, Indian dhoti, and use the resulting savings to help the poor?

 

[Guest guest]

may i keep my jeans please?

[Govindaram]

 

Haribol!

 

You can wear your dhoti over your jeans np /images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Guest guest]

 

It may not have a big impact in the whole community but it surely will make a difference to the life of one soul that has been given such help. And why should we pattern our way of living, mood of spirituality, generousity of those of our world leaders? moviestars? Aren't we are more realized than them? I heard from the classes that one pure devotee can change the world; and charity (also means love) begins at home.

 

What do you mean "But hey, there's no profit in doint that."

 

[Guest guest]

"Why specifically target temples? Instead of making the Deities give up Their clothing, why don't we instead ask the politicians, businessmen, and other ruling-class individuals to give up their $200 European made suits in favor of the simpler, Indian dhoti, and use the resulting savings to help the poor?"

 

_______________________________

 

Why the temples? Because people who enters it are more realized. Politicians, businessmen, etc. are in the mood of ignorance, why rely on them? Also, maybe the money they will be feeding the poor are blood money, and the karma will continue to cycle. I am talking about the balance of faith and devotion, "Faith without action is Dead."

 

 

 

[moderator's note: edited to keep page from going off screen]

[cRimAl]

may i keep my jeans please?

 

 

I guess it depends in what sweatshop it was made. Personaly I wouldn't want to wear anything that has fancy labels on it cause you know for sure that people had to suffer to get that stuff on your body. The same goes for cellphones...if we really want to be consciouss people we should really try to avoid using/buying them...

 

And besides, why buy new stuff...there's so much waste in this world...I haven't bought new clothes in years and still I get to wear what I feel comfortable in. There's enough second hand stores and dumpster stores to provide us with all that we need.

 

We shouldn't support this system!

[cRimAl]

 

"What do you mean "But hey, there's no profit in doint that."

 

Just what I said.

There's enough people out there that could make a difference but they don't, simply because there's no profit in it for them.

[Guest guest]

Why not start by sacrificing your own possessions instead of the possessions of others (God). I bet if you went without cable T.V., renting movies, eating potato chips, buying Hindi cassettes, using the internet and the rest of the luxeries you live with you could help a lot of poor people.

 

Instead of talking uselessly, why not show us by your example. Every day post a list of what you sacrificed for the poor today, and how the poor benefited by it.

 

I will be waiting each day to read this thread and be inspired by your example, that is if you actually do anything and aren't all talk.

[cRimAl]

Why not start by sacrificing your own possessions instead of the possessions of others (God). I bet if you went without cable T.V., renting movies, eating potato chips, buying Hindi cassettes, using the internet and the rest of the luxeries you live with you could help a lot of poor people.

Instead of talking uselessly, why not show us by your example. Every day post a list of what you sacrificed for the poor today, and how the poor benefited by it.

I will be waiting each day to read this thread and be inspired by your example, that is if you actually do anything and aren't all talk.

 

 

Oh, you know me so well, do you ? For your information, I don't have a computer...I don't have a cellphone, I don't have a car (I had one for a year and then gave it away)

 

 

Second of all: we do give tons of clothes and other stuff to homeless people here in our town...

 

And for the rest: I'm poor myself. it's not because I'm living in the rich western world that this makes me rich...ever heard of the fourth world ?

 

So what are those other luxuries that I live with ?

 

And for the rest: we are opening our house in April so that people could come and drink tea and vegan shakes and other health drinks for very cheap prices...in fact, we just need enough money to pay some rent and buy some food. And we're also gonna do grocery shopping for people that can't leave their house, to no expense ofcourse and once in a week we'll be handing out free prasada to the people of our town that can't afford buying food.

 

And yes, i'm very sorry that I can't do more than that but these are all the means I have right now...if we can do more we surely will do so.

 

ANd just for the record: I think that the mentality in your post sucks.

[Guest guest]

 

ANd just for the record: I think that the mentality in your post sucks.

 

 

Good, but next time check if the post is a reply to you or the guest who started this thread. That would save you the time of replying to questions that werent asked to you.

 

Someone said we should stop having God worshipped with oppulent things. In reply I say those things aren't ours to renounce. We can renounce our own possessions, not those of others. So rather than removing the flower garlands from the temple, why don't we stop eating potato chips, watching cable TV, using the internet, renting Hindi movies, etc. All of these things can also be renounced to help the poor, but instead we like to point our fingers at temple worship and enviously ask why God is getting worshipped oppulently. First we need to renounce some of the luxeries in our life.

 

If you think you don't have a luxerious life you are in a big illusion. Simply not having a car, or not being able to pay the rent isn't enough to make one poor. You are still living a luxerious life by 99% of the worlds standards. Do you have paved roads to walk on? Do you have running water in your city? Do you have electricity in your city? Do you have access to medicines when you are sick? If you answer yes to any of these questions, then you are living a luxerious life.

[cRimAl]

Sorry my mistake.

 

And i think you're right (to a certain extent) in your last post.

That's exactly why I don't have a problem with not having all of these things, because i'm still leading a very luxurious life.

 

However, I can"t agree when you say that not being able to pay the rent doesn't make you poor. Like I said, there's also something like the fourth world. Take the manu homeless people for instance...they can't pay any rent even though they live in a city with electricity and water...to say that they would live a luxurious life really is like throwing stones right into their face. There's poverty in the west, I don't think that this can be denied.

 

But yeah, overal I pretty much agree with what you said.

[cRimAl]

...as far as medicines go: correct me if I'm wrong but I don't think that these are being provided for free.

In fact the pharmacuetical business (or the drug business to be more precise) is a VERY big business and it's not at all about helping people, it's about making profit.

So not everyone in the western world has acces to medicines just because they happen to live in a rich country.

 

 

[gokulkr]

Your thinking is correct , but not your view.

 

We dont have any right to grab whtever sacrified to Lord kesava. Instead of grabbing things alloted to Kesava seva (ie., things belonging to deity) we can minimize our requirements as we can and save the money & use it to help the poor.

 

Helping the poor should not made at cost of grabbing things allocated to Kesava Seva .

 

How can people think such a way to grab whtever adorning Lord Kesava. Its irritating to think.

 

Moreover, money of hundis (especilly in temples like Tirupathi) goes to poor brahmins, poor people, veda patachalas & kesava seva.

 

So putting money in a temple hundi goes to both.

 

[ancient_paztriot]

All our problems originate from stealing Krsna's wealth and property. Take care of Krsna and He'll take care of you.

 

Guest: Another question. ???

Hridy: Yes, of course you can pray anywhere. But you see, this question reaveals a certain conception which is very prevalent in the 20th century about religion. In other words you go to the temple, pray and toss a few pisa in the bowl and ask for this and that. But that’s not actually what our temples are. Our temples are centers of self-realization. Our temples are scientific institutions where self-realization is taking place. If the temple were simply a place to pray, give a donation and ask that your family be healthy and you get this and that, you can do that anywhere. You can just put a little picture on your wall and do it at home. Why don’t you just stay at home and become a doctor? Why do you come to this school? There’s obviously some advantage in coming to an institution where things are organized in a very concentrated way for the communication and assimilation of a particular science. So in the same way, if it is advantageous to study medicine in this institution more than home, then it must also be advantageous to practice self-realization (to some extent) within an institutional framework… In other words, in an organized concentrated fashion.

 

I can't find it, but Hridayananda was asked a similar question by an Indian gentleman. The answer is that humanitarianism activities are only temporary solutions. You can fix and eye or feed someone, but that will happen over and over again in the material world until this Krsna consciousness is understood.

 

So what is solution is your care when he'll relapse and suffer the same thing again and again until liberated? Therefore, we should concentrate on spiritual solutions.