Obama is Not Evil
BY: MARK PTULNEY
Jul 30, USA (SUN) — It really is appalling that so many people who proclaim "I am a devotee of Krishna" think that the political ideology of America's Republican Party is somehow connected to Krishna and Bhakti.
In his recent article, "The Charlatan Obama", Syamakunda dasa opposes Barack Obama. He sees Obama as a politician who is pro-abortion, left-wing, anti-intelligent design, pro-homosexual, pro-Big-Government, etc.
Lets think about this, then. And let's consider also whether the promotion of "American Republicanism" is ever going to be helpful for the promotion of Krishna Bhakti in this world. Maybe we shouldn't support Obama but should we support the Republicans?
The Republican base claims to support the principle of "right to life". But when the Republican controlled American armed forces invaded Iraq to get control of Iraq's oil they didn't show much respect for the right to life of Iraq's citizens. Women and children and men living in their own homeland were killed in tens of thousands. The war the American forces waged from the sky was like the merciless fighting of "un-kshatriya-like" fighters in the Israelite armies that invaded Palestine long ago, when the invaders exterminated its residents, killing babies, mothers and men - everyone. Even the cows and goats (1 Samuel 15:2-3). Estimates of the number of people killed in this pointless war in Iraq do vary greatly. But let's just agree that a lot of innocent people have been killed by the Christian-led invaders that have waged a futile war on the false premise that Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction. Why hasn't Bush been imprisoned for sending his army into a war on the basis of false "intelligence" and lies? Mr. Syamakunda, please answer that question if you will.
This war America is losing or has lost has been a disaster for nearly everyone involved. Except of course the oil companies, the American weapons manufacturers, and Al Queda and its leader, the reclusive Bin Laden. Bin Laden is living a quiet life these days. But we may think he is enjoying his life immensely. All the things he wanted to achieve in life are being gradually achieved, day by day. After Bin Laden finished his previous American sponsored business fighting the godless Russians in Afghanistan, he began his next project called Al Queda. This Al Queda really prospered! It is like an American multi-level franchise business - especially in Iraq. This venture has become a focal point for Muslims opposed to what many Muslims see as the "invader crusaders", the foreigners who are plundering the wealth of their lands. Indeed, it needs to be pointed out that the President of Iraq approves of Obama's withdrawal timetable! Even the puppets and stooges are looking ahead to the time when the Americans withdraw - they want the Americans out of their country.
Left-wing is bad? Maybe. But is right-wing good? Bush's big oil connections and Cheney's military industry cronies have made millions since the war began. Meanwhile the little people are paying more of their money every time they go to the gas station. To deny that the war against Islamists is the cause of high fuel prices is simply stupid. Bush was/is an oilman and he went after more oil. You are stupid if you don't recognize that fact.
Freedom? Does America promote freedom of thought and freedom of religion? Numerous court cases are running right now, where men and women in uniform are saying the US Army is controlled by Evangelical Christians who are believers in the doomsday philosophy of Armageddon. Many people are concerned that the US armed forces are a danger to true democracy.
What is more, if a few individuals in American uniforms in Iraq are telling people about Krishna is that really the sort of preaching that Nityananda Prabhu and Mahaprabhu would approve of? Read the Caitanya Caritamrta to see what Sri Caitanya felt about Islam. It is very clear. Don't fight Islam. Be humble, tolerant, offer respects to others. This is Sri Caitanya's teachings.
It is dishonest and deceptive to say that the Gaudiya Vaisnava Acaryas support any sort of militarism. The armies of radical Islamism have already done their worst work in India hundreds of years ago (yes the Islamists are evil, demonic!). But India and Vaisnavism survived. Nothing can kill the soul of pure religion, for the soul is everlasting and immortal. When Kamsa's demons are roaming about they are not killed by the devotees - God kills all the sinners who persecute his devotees. And by the way, contrary to the popular belief that the "kshatriya mentality" is a mindset that is somehow included in the "Bhakti religion", if we read Caitanya Caritamrta and the discussion of Sri Caitanya with Ramananda Raya we see that Sri Caitanya himself said that devotees need to leave all the varna-ashrama mentalities behind and become REAL DEVOTEES. Materialistic people who enjoy power, playing with weapons and obedience to "Caeser" or Mammon may think they are devotees but real Bhakti is something that a gun lover remains totally unconscious of.
Intelligent design? For the benefit of Iskcon devotees and related groups of individuals who think this Intelligent Design theory is somehow related to Vaisnavism, may I point out that most Vaisnavas in the world today do not believe in Intelligent Design. Indeed most Vaisnavas in the world today are Srivaisnavas and according to the greatest Srivaisnava Acarya, Sri Ramanuja Acarya, who is most certainly a Vaisnava and an Acarya (not an atheist), it is useless to try and argue with materialists and proclaim "God Exists", using logic or science or "physical evidence" or Intelligent Design theories. Ramanuja stated that even if it were possible to prove a god had created the universe, it is also possible that there are other universes created by other gods. Indeed the Srimad Bhagavatam says that there are many universes created by many gods (brahmas) and not all of these "universe creator gods" are actually favourable and devoted to Krishna. Thakura Bhaktivinode prayed, "kita-janma hau jatha tuwa dasa, bahir-mukha brahma janme nahi asa", i.e. "I want to be born as a worm in the home of a bhakta, rather than be born as a Brahma looking outwards at the world he has made". Is my point clear? The creator is an instrument of God and the creator of a universe may not necessarily be a totally divine person.
Obama has spoken about religion, and expressed his view of the Christian tradition, a tradition that is the base ideology of American society. Americans in general believe in a Creator God and follow along in the Judeo/Christian tradition. But this tradition is far from divine. It is a much lower layer of spirituality than the religion of pure love that Caitanya Mahaprabhu taught. In many ways, it will be good if deep thinking people challenge the basic assumptions of Judeo/Christian beliefs. Those ancient beliefs are in many ways opposed to the teachings of the Vedas, and Sri Caitanya.
Let us consider Barack Obama. Barack Obama asked, which passages of scripture should guide American public policy? Obama asked, "Should we go with Leviticus, which suggests slavery is OK and that eating shellfish is an abomination? Or we could go with Deuteronomy, which suggests stoning your child if he strays from the faith? Or should we just stick to the Sermon on the Mount?"
Obama also said, Jesus' Sermon on the Mount was "a passage that is so radical that it's doubtful that our Defense Department would survive its application."
I myself think Jesus was right when he said, "Blessed are the peacemakers". But will America's people and its leaders at the Defense Department ever be able to accommodate the radicalism Obama is promoting?
God only knows!
In conclusion:
1 And seeing the multitudes, He went up on a mountain, and when He was seated His disciples came to Him.
2 Then He opened His mouth and taught them, saying:
3 "Blessed are the poor in spirit,
For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4 Blessed are those who mourn,
For they shall be comforted.
5 Blessed are the meek,
For they shall inherit the earth.
6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
For they shall be filled.
7 Blessed are the merciful,
For they shall obtain mercy.
8 Blessed are the pure in heart,
For they shall see God.
9 Blessed are the peacemakers,
For they shall be called sons of God.
10 Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake,
For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
