Vaisnava or Not Even Human?
BY: KSHAMABUDDHI DAS
May 20, HIGH SPRINGS, FLORIDA (SUN) — Lately, the issue of Christ’s authenticity as a genuine historical figure or not has been a topic on Sampradaya Sun. In response to the topic there were some alternative viewpoints presented and some references to Srila Prabhupada mentioned. In one article, Srila Prabhupada was quoted as saying that Christians are in fact Vaishnavas. However, we do know that Srila Prabhupada in fact said on a number of occasions that he was having trouble finding a true Christian who actually followed the instructions of Christ.
An idealized Christian who actually follows Christ, and specifically his teaching the commandment “Thou Shall Not Kill”, is a different person from the so-called Christians of the world who are callous to the suffering of innocent animals and are, in fact, supporting slaughterhouses under the pretext that it is allowed in Christianity. Srila Prabhupada did not consider that animal killing is allowed in true Christianity.
In regards to Christians who do not follow the teachings of Christ and obey the “Thou Shall Not Kill” commandment that Christ emphasized, as compared to a genuine Christian following the religious rule of “Thou shall not kill”, Srila Prabhupada did not even consider them as human, much less as religious people.
The following recorded and transcribed conversation with Srila Prabhupada illustrates the point quite definitively:
Prabhupada: "Now there are so many rascals in this dress of sannyasi, they are eating meat. That is going on. They say, "What is the wrong of eating meat?
Dhristadyumna: "The subject matter has already been discussed in the conversation between Lord Caitanya and Maulana Chand Kazi Shaheb. The animal sacrifice as stated in the Vedas is different from the unrestricted animal killing in the slaughterhouse."
Prabhupada:
Dhristadyumna: "Because the asuras or the so-called scholars of Vedic..."
Prabhupada: Now you are referring to the Vedic principle, but that does not mean you have to open slaughterhouse. But these rascals are opening slaughterhouse. You think it is Vedic principle? Suppose it is recommended that animals should be sacrificed in the Vedic ritualistic ceremony. Does it mean that you shall open regular slaughterhouse? Just as the Christians say that Jesus Christ ate fish, therefore they are right in opening big, big slaughterhouse? Maybe Lord Jesus Christ ate fish in some awkward circumstance, but that does not mean that he is recommending to open slaughterhouse. In the Ten Commandments he says, "Thou shall not kill." When there is absolute necessity, there is no other food, that is another thing, but if there is sufficient other foodstuff, why should you kill? They are not even human beings, those who are animal killers.
Vina pashughnat [Srimad-Bhagavatam 10.1.4].
Those who are animal killers, they are not even human being, what to speak of religious system.
Nivritta-tarshair upagiyamanad bhavaushadhach chrotra-mano-'bhiramat ka uttamashloka-guna [Srimad-Bhagavatam 10.1.4].
If you are animal killer, your God consciousness is finished. You'll never be able to understand what is God. Then your life is finished. This life is meant for understanding God, and if you are animal killer, then your God understanding is finished."
Therefore, those out there who are attempting to claim credibility as religious people for the pseudo-Christians who partake of meat-eating and the subsequent slaughterhouse culture that goes on in the world under the guise of being within the purview of a Christian lifestyle, need to stop and reflect upon actually what it is they are doing and how much disservice they are doing to the cause of Srila Prabhupada and the movement of Lord Caitanya all around the world.
To condone, justify, defend or sympathize with the pseudo-Christians in the world who support, condone and partake of animal slaughter is a heinous betrayal of Srila Prabhupada and the Vaishnava culture. These animal killing meat eaters are not Christians, according to Srila Prabhupada.
Devotees need to stop and think about the things Srila Prabhupada said about animal slaughter and pseudo-religionists before they go to the media trying to claim that Srila Prabhupada endorsed the animal killing pseudo-Christians in the world who are, in the words of Srila Prabhupada, “not even human” much less genuine devotees of God.
Maybe a true Christian who is non-violent, vegetarian and offering sincere prayers to God can be considered as within the beginning stages of Vaishnavism, but the callous, cruel and insensitive meat-eaters all over the world who are masquerading as Christians cannot be accepted as true Christians.
Do these devotees consider that “Christian” cattle ranchers of the world who are supplying innocent cows to the slaughterhouses are actually Christians?
Before a devotee of Krishna goes to endorse Christianity, he needs to himself understand the difference between a true Christian and the majority of pseudo-Christians in the world.
In fact, trying to find a true Christian is very difficult. Most vegetarian Christians are vegetarian because of beliefs they hold apart from what their religion teaches. The Christian traditions of the world have a long history of animal slaughter. What few vegetarian Christians we find in the world today have borrowed the vegetarian principles from outside influences because in fact Christianity has been non-vegetarian since it’s earliest days.
Meat-eaters and animal killers cannot, in fact, be Christians according to the guidelines given by Srila Prabhupada. For a Vaishnava devotee of Krishna to defend, support or sympathize with meat-eating animal killers posing as religious people is a travesty that should not be happening. In the opinion of Srila Prabhupada, those people are not even human, much less Vaisnava.
