24.

Sectarian and Fanatic Tendencies:

We often find people in this world that assure to have the truth. They also assure that all
of those who don’t adopt their doctrine, to its master, won’t have a slight chance of
salvation, and that only hell is waiting for them. This type of announcements which
describe God as a horrifying person that will send to hell the majority of people of this
planet, are little consistent, without even a chance of reflect. These sectarian subjects try
to say that they are God representatives, when what they are really showing is their great
ego: To be the best one in this world, to have the best house, the best car, the best
woman, and no wonder, to be the best master, and to have the best religion. A person’s
ego always wants to be the best, and show the inferiority of others at any cost. This type
of mentality of the great egos, and the great competence in this world only indicates that
people who promote these doctrines don’t know anything about the truth, and don’t have
love. They don’t know the meaning of universal love, they don’t have compassion, and
they are far away from what realized spiritual life means. BhaktiVinoda Thakur said that
there is nothing more contradictory in this world than a missioner of the divine love
practicing or promoting sectarian tendencies.

We want the world to see that God manifests Himself in many ways to correspond all
those who seek Him, whether they are from an ethnic, social, or religious group. God is
for everyone, including the sophisticated men of modern society who pray for a desperate
way out from the ignorance of this material world.

God has permitted that humans discover the truth in several forms; some through
revelations either of Himself or other great Masters, that have approached Him in a
humbling way. We can see the same teachings in all religions from time to time again.
Love everybody, forgive everybody, show the path through your own example, be kind
and loving, be humble and thankful about all God has done for you, and sympathize with
the ones that have the least comprehension, helping them to awake and develop their
spiritual force. Nevertheless, how sad it is that many powerful religious groups still
inspire sectarian tendencies in their followers. The underestimation to others and the
arrogance simply try to show they are the only saved, and nobody else.

The Supreme truth is the only one that really knows each one of us, and what position we
are. What we can impartially understand is that God loves everyone he has created; that
He is an unconditional wellbeing lover, and that what he does announce is universal love,
from which we shall not exclude anyone, not even animals. In all deep and orthodox
religions spiritual wise, we see a strong representation of animals, and vegetarianism as
one of its principles. It is true that every man has the will to do as much as the will not to
do, to be pure or not to do so, but it is also true that everybody have to accept the
consequence of their acts. Nobody can say that is not responsible for their acts, and it has
been confirmed by all religions through their laws or quotes; which say: “Eye by eye,
tooth by tooth, the “Talion Law”; if you do the right, it will do right for you, if do the
wrong, it will do wrong for you; because everything comes back to you as the Bhagavad-
Gita teaches in detail on its chapters of the karma and reincarnation science. All of the
above takes us to the conclusion that God is a merciful being, but if we abuse of
everything he has created, we will have to pay the consequences ourselves. That’s why it
is very important to quit sectarian tendencies, and appreciate God in all tendencies that
really seek Him.

No matter how a person gets to love God, the important thing is that they love Him.
When a generous person sees a temple, a church, a mesquite, or a synagogue thinks with
great appreciation how people make their Father and Lord so many beautiful architectural
things, compose many beautiful songs, paint so many landscapes, and make many other
things to praise Him; I’m so impressed with all these; and I’m also happy because my
movement and my Master give me great inspiration for my personal spiritual growth, and
help me give a testimony of my faith with complete certainty. Dangerous are those
politicians who aren’t religious at all, but they use fanatic tendencies and the prejudices
of their towns simply to obtain their selfish purposes, and their shadowed agendas. They
are the lowest type of people out there because they create a disencouraging and atheistic
state that make people think this way: “Why should we follow religions that only produce
wars and conflicts at the sake of God?” Lies! No saint person, spiritually consecrated,
will support or favor the unnecessary blood spill, or the maltreatment of other people.
Spiritual people always have the same symptoms: compassion, justice, forgiveness, and
the desire of favoring the others. Let this spirit spread everywhere, so that the praise of
God in all languages or movements will be one, so that the force of darkness and
ignorance can be undertaken by this great diverse unity, and this great growth in
humanity. And if this could be possible, at least you, dear reader, will be illuminated.

_____________________________________________________

* “When the non-religiosity prevails among the family, its women are contaminated, and
the undesired children suffer from this degradation of the women.” (Bhagavad-Gita 1,40)

* “How sad it is that many powerful religious groups still inspire sectarian tendencies in
their followers. The underestimation to others and the arrogance simply try to show they
are the only saved, and nobody else.”

* “When individuals from other ethnic, religious, or cultural groups are not known; it’s
very easy to believe horrible things from them and even fear them. The misunderstood
religion is a type of fever that could end up in delirious.”

* “Love everybody, forgive everybody, show the path through your own example, be
kind and loving, and be humble.”

HIGHLIGHTS:

* “Before God, you will never damage a brother, for this reason, the one who believes in
God becomes a very nice person.”

* “Religion without philosophical knowledge show sentimentalism and sometimes

fanatic tendencies; while philosophy without religious principles is mental speculation.”
-Swami B.A. Paramadvaiti-