If all the world were Hare Krishna... (Jesus, ritual, Messiah)

[krishnano]

I was just thinking; would you as religionists do it?

I mean, Gaudiya Vaishnava philosophy aims to be nonsectarian in that it allows a person to keep one's own religion if it teaches them love of God and to glorify Him, especially through His Holy Names.

Anyone from any religion can practice Gaudiya philosophy and be a 'Gaudiya Christian' 'Gaudiya Muslim' 'Gaudiya Sikh' etc. even if they do not want to chant Hare Krishna.

The only requirement is the understanding that one is a servant of God (never was God and never will become or merge into God) and that the best way to remember Him is through chanting His Name revealed in Scripture, such as Jehovah or YHWH, Allah, Krishna, Waheguru, Abha, etc. And even further when following certain ethical standards of living, such as vegetarianism, no gambling, no drugs, alcohol or caffeine, and regulated sex life within marriage.

The actual Four Regulative Principles are as follows:

1) No meat eating (including meat, fish, eggs, onions, garlic, and mushrooms) - encourages mercy and compassion
2) No gambling - encourages truthfulness
3) No intoxication (includes drugs, alcohol, smoking, and caffeinated substances) - encourages cleanliness
4) No illicit sex - regulated sex life, best within marriage and as much as possible, only for children, once a month (but that's more of a Vaishnava rule; basic is sex within marriage) - encourages chastity

So would you be able to take up these ethical and spiritual practices? If you chanted the Name of God, and followed these ethical standards to the best of your ability, it paves a life conducive to the practice of any form of yoga. It is why we also tout it 'nonsectarian' because we do not seek to convert other religionists; we simply are here to inform that the glorification of God and His Names are essential to a bhakti-influenced lifestyle.

Are you following these things, some of these things, none of these things, or are already following these things?

I'm just curious to see if I will ever see Christians, Muslims, Hindus, Zoroastrians, Wiccans and other Neo-Pagans, Buddhists, Baha'is, Unitarian Universalists, Native Spiritualists, Cao Daiists, Bayanis, New Agers, Jains, Sikhs, Daoists, Confucianists, Satanists, Scientologists, Jews (and even atheists) etc. take up such a lifestyle.

Hare Krishna!

[Heneni]

Originally Posted by krishnano

I
The actual Four Regulative Principles are as follows:

1) No meat eating (including meat, fish, eggs, onions, garlic, and mushrooms) - encourages mercy and compassion
2) No gambling - encourages truthfulness
3) No intoxication (includes drugs, alcohol, smoking, and caffeinated substances) - encourages cleanliness
4) No illicit sex - regulated sex life, best within marriage and as much as possible, only for children, once a month (but that's more of a Vaishnava rule; basic is sex within marriage) - encourages chastity

I wish I knew what jesus's diet was then I could comment on number 1).

But i have a suspicion...he ate fish, or that he didnt mind others eating it.

[Father Heathen]

Originally Posted by krishnano

1) No meat eating (including meat, fish, eggs, onions, garlic, and mushrooms) - encourages mercy and compassion
2) No gambling - encourages truthfulness
3) No intoxication (includes drugs, alcohol, smoking, and caffeinated substances) - encourages cleanliness
4) No illicit sex - regulated sex life, best within marriage and as much as possible, only for children, once a month (but that's more of a Vaishnava rule; basic is sex within marriage) - encourages chastity

I think I'll pass..

..and what exactly is wrong with onions, garlic and mushrooms?

[methylatedghosts]

But I LOVE garlic! and onions. and mushrooms. I'm slightly confused as to why those are there.

And as for sex, I'll have to say I'm not for what you propose here.

I can cope with no intoxication, but I do like beer, weed and coffee...
And I only gamble with a scratchie from the lotto about once a month or so.

[Heneni]

Originally Posted by krishnano

I'm just curious to see if I will ever see Christians, Muslims, Hindus, etc. take up such a lifestyle.

Hare Krishna!

Add to that....the atheist please...(and everything in between) our dear friends dont appreciate being excluded from such discussions even though they dont think hare krishna is real. But we cant discirminate you know...Just because they dont have any hair, doesnt mean we shouldnt show them our shampoo to comment on its effectiveness and usefullness.

Just be ready to hear...your shampoo is 'crap' anytime soon.

[krishnano]

The reason why garlic and onions are exluded is that traditionally, for one to practice yoga, garlic and onions are considered overstimulating to the senses and promote passionate feelings.

Everything material is considered part of the three modes of material nature (gunas): the mode of goodness (sattva), the mode of passion (rajas) and the mode of ignorance (tamas). Foods not only affect the body, but they also affect the mind and consciousness as well. Vegetables, fruits, grains, nuts, seeds, legumes, and milk products are considered in the mode of goodness. Onions and garlic are traditionally considered in the mode of passion, and mushrooms are considered in the mode of ignorance because they grow in dark places and are a fungus.

It's also why you'll see Buddhists and Jains who choose to be vegetarian will also eschew onions, garlics, chives, shallots and leeks for the very same reason!

Haribol!

[krishnano]

Originally Posted by Heneni

Add to that....the atheist please...(and everything in between) our dear friends dont appreciate being excluded from such discussions even though they dont think hare krishna is real. But we cant discirminate you know...Just because they dont have any hair, doesnt mean we shouldnt show them our shampoo to comment on its effectiveness and usefullness.

Just be ready to hear...your shampoo is 'crap' anytime soon.

I could never shave my head personally. I love my hair too much!

[krishnano]

Originally Posted by Heneni

I wish I knew what jesus's diet was then I could comment on number 1).

But i have a suspicion...he ate fish, or that he didnt mind others eating it.

Well, there existed the Ebionites, Essenes, and I believe the Nazarenes; these were early Christians, of whom many took to vegetarianism as a Christian way of life (before they were extinguished by the Pauline Christians and labelled as heretics).

There is also another manuscript in existence that claims that Jesus was actually a vegetarian, and (for example) the food that John the Baptist ate was not locusts, but carob bean! It would make sense with the Isaiah-ic prophecy saying how the Messiah would eat butter and honey - indicative of a vegetarian diet.

But if you need to eat meat, fish is the leanest, healthiest, and least karmically bound meat to eat.

[Suraj]

I would be creeped out

I could not live a Hare Krishna way of life. I have got nothing against the principles,
I am vegetarian myself, I do not gamble, and I went through a phase of not eating
onions and garlic, but I have stopped now. I don't see the wisdom in not eating
onions and garlic, perhaps when I am more sensitive spiritually. But shaving the head
chanting the Mantra all the time, the utter devotion and dancing with the cymbals out
in public is not for me

[krishnano]

Originally Posted by Suraj

I would be creeped out

I think the title of my thread is a little misleading, lol... I was referring to our bhakti practices and ethical standards as opposed to nominational adherence. XD The monks shave their heads out of cleanliness... and my head is full of black, Filipino hair. :P Not all of us necessarily take to saffron...

And you don't have to chant in public with kartals (cymbals)... just chant the Name of God (Vishnu, Ishvara, Krishna, Narayana, Govinda, Rama, etc.) and be vegetarian. That's all we want! We don't preach religion as much as we want people to become bhakti-yogis (I know... we're terrible, terrible people... )