Then what to speak of the social
implications of such an intoxicated society.
Who can follow it's judgement? The amount of domestic violence, poverty,
addiction and personal abuse, including abortion
and misuse of rights and criminals maintaining their habits is phenomenal.
What to speak of responsibility of life by intoxicated persons using machinery,
such as cars, trucks, buses, or even air-craft - is such irresponsibility
not sinful???
..
However, in today's advanced human
civilisation people do many or even all of these sins without even thinking
them wrong. Society has created an uncaring population, only interested
in enjoying themselves at any cost. Such insensitive impersonalism in former
times was considered the behaviour of the lowest classes of people, barely
human. Yet today, modern advanced civilisation propagates such ideals as
the normal way of life to pursue. If one doesn't pursue these sinful paths
one is looked upon as something possibly wrong with them.
...
In this modern age practically
most if not all of the above are accepted and endorsed by the majority
of the population. To change the flow of the tide is not merely a task
of legislation, rather one has to be open, honest and reflectively humble
to accept that which seems to go against the flow.
..
There is more to a Salmon than
being a fish. It has the amazing ability to keep it's focus against all
opposition, and swim up-stream against the strongest of currents. That
for a fish, in the watery environment is no easy task.
..
However, consider this. If a population,
uncultured and without direction, as lemmings are noted to be, charged
for added excitement off of a cliff, would you? Then why do we defiantly
stand looking into the eyes of death, thinking we will not be consumed.
.
A very dear friend, who used to
encourage me in Krishna consciousness told a story to depict this scenario
in a class given in Vrindavana (1984).
".....at the time of the
French revolution ( all of the aristocracy was rounded up and systematically
executed by the guillotine. The first few beheadings were quite exciting
for the crowd to see. But as the entire aristocratic population fell prey
to the sharp blade of the guillotine the novelty wore off. In fact it was
such a common occurrence that within the crowd that it was boring.
.
Some observant member of
the crown noticed that the only way out from the execution was a Royal
reprieve, for which all, right up to the very last moment were waiting.
The tension in their bodies was so strong as they knelt there in position
that, the breath of a reprieve made a powerful motion to leave the executioners
block. Their freedom to enjoy.
.
The crowd found some excitement
in this too! But it was the macabre, which really excited them, to the
point that a betting pool was set up.
.
Just as the guillotine's
blade was about to drop and behead the victim of political circumstance,
there was a person who would tap the prisoner on the back, and say the
words they longed to hear, "Vous et libre pourpartyr" (you are free to
go). But alas, then the blade would fall sending the head into the basket.
However, the momentum of the tensely strung prisoner caught in the thought
of reprieve sent the body in motion. On the betting board they would gamble
how far the headless corpse(s) would go.
.
The winning corpse, a young aristocratic
lady's bloody body is reputed to have gone several blocks before colliding
with a brick wall."
.
The moral to this story is that
we are also wondering how long a headless society can continue in motion
before hitting the proverbial brick wall? Especially as we see so many
symptoms of a finale in sight.
.
All of the Ancient
Prophecies will in due course of time be fulfilled.
loke vyavaayaamiShamadyasevaa nityaa
hi jantorna hi tatra chodanaa |
vyavasthitisteShu vivaahayaj~na
suraagrahairaasu nivR^ittiriShtaa ||
Bhaagavata PuraaNa 11.5.11 ||
loke - in the material world; vyavaaya - sex indulgence; aamiSha - of meat; madya - and liquor; sevaaH - the taking; nityaaH - always found; hi - indeed; jantoH - in the conditioned living being; na - not; hi - indeed; tatra - in regard to them; chodanaa - any command of scripture; vyavasthitiH - the prescribed arrangement; teShu - in these; vivaaha - by sacred marriage; yaj~na - the offering of sacrifice; suraa-grahaiH - and the acceptance of ritual cups of wine; aasu - of these; nivR^ittiH - cessation; iShTaa - is the desired end.
In this material world the conditioned soul is always inclined to sex, meat-eating and intoxication.
Therefore religious scriptures never actually encourage such activities. Although the scriptural injunctions provide for sex through sacred marriage, for meat-eating through sacrifical offerings and for intoxication through the acceptance of ritual cups of wine, such ceremonies are meant for the ultimate purpose of renunciation. (Bhaagavata PuraaNa 11.5.11)
yad ghraaNabhakSho vihitaH suraayaastathaa
pashoraalabhana.m na hi.msaa |
eva.m vyavaayaH prajayaa na ratyaa
ima.m vishuddha.m na viduH svadharmam ||
Bhaagavata PuraaNa 11.5.13 ||
yat - because; ghraaNa - by smell; bhakShaH - the taking; vihitaH - is enjoined; suraayaaH - of wine; tathaa - similarly; pashoH - of a sacrificial animal; aalabhanam - prescribed killing; na - not; hi.msaa - wanton violence; evam - in the same way; vyavaayaH - sex; prajayaa - for the purpose of begetting children; na - not; ratyai - for the sake of sense enjoyment; imam - this (as pointed out in the previous verse); vishuddham - most pure; na viduH - they do not understand; sva-dharmam - their own proper duty.
According to the Vedic injunctions, when wine is offered in sacrifical ceremonies it is later to be consumed by smelling, and not by drinking. Similarly, the sacrificial offering of animals is permitted, but there is not provision for wide-scale animal slaughter. Religious sex life is also permitted, but only in marriage for begetting children, and not for sensuous exploitation of the body. Unfortunately, however, the less intelligent materialists cannot understand that their duties in life should be performed purely on the spiritual platform. (Bhaagavata PuraaNa 11.5.13)
ye tvaneva.mvido'santaH stabdhaaH
sadabhimaaninaH |
pashuun druhyanti vishrabdhaaH
pretya khaadanti te cha taan ||
Bhaagavata PuraaNa 11.5.14 ||
ye - those who; tu - but; anevam-vidaH - not knowing these facts; asantaH - very impious; stabdhaaH - presumptuous; sat-abhimaaninaH - considering themselves saintly; pashuun - animals; druhyanti - they harm; vishrabdhaaH - being innocently trusted; pretya - after leaving this present body; khaadanti - they eat; te - those animals; cha - and; taan - them.
Those sinful persons who are ignorant of actual religious principles, yet consider themselves to be completely pious, without compunction commit violence against innocent animals who are fully trusting in them. In their next lives, such sinful persons will be eaten by the same creatures they have killed in this world. (Bhaagavata PuraaNa 11.5.14)
What evidence do you have to show that animal killing is sanctioned by the Vedas? As the above verse state, any animal sacrifices prescribed in the karma kaaNDa portion of the shrutis is meant ultimately for renunciation of the act. Furthermore, Lord Chaitanya quotes a verse from the puraaNa which states:
ashvamedha.m gavaalambha.m sannyaasa.m
palapaitR^ikam |
devareNa sutotpatti.m kalau pa~ncha
vivarjayet ||
In this age of Kali, five acts are forbidden: the offering of a horse in sacrifice, the offering of a cow in sacrifice, the acceptance of the order of sannyaasa, the offering of oblations of flesh to the forefathers, and a man's begetting children in his brother's wife (Brahma-vaivarta PuraaNa).
So even sacrifices like ashvamedha yagna are clearly forbidden for the Kali Yuga.
As many of you would know basic moral issues have changed dramatically over the past fifty years, especially. From where there used to be values of common decency, now anything goes - it's all on the InterNet.
In their modern liberalistic so-called freedom the user/abuser have become near indistinguishable. In most cases mutual abuse of the body to gain sensual please has become the accepted norm. then to accentuate the feeling further the use of drugs, excitable clothing, or even contraptions formally used to restrain or torture by oppressors, has been incorporated into their game of darkness.
Do anything, but feel pleasure, even if it harms the body, or harms others. In many places the pornographic industry has supported these ideals. Some have taken it to the furthest extreme to accentuate the sexual act by creating Snuff Movies where at the highest point of sexual climax they kill their partner as the Black Widow spider does. Not exactly human ethics, eh?
If people had some idea that they
are not that body, and then didn't exploit their bodies even through
this liberalistic idea of mutual consent as a means of sexual-social interaction
- using each other's body as a primary source of pleasure as depicted and
marketed by the whole sex industry. The exploitation,
misuse and abuse would be so much less. The whole thing is based on
that basic misconception of who we really are, and then from there take
it that they have an exclusive right to use, abuse, or misuse their body
as they like.
.
If their sexual activity were focused
on the purpose of the progenitive function
their fulfillment/satisfaction
with sex, as well as the quality of the nature of their relationships would
be much more full.
.
When we talk of Spiritual Sex we
are not talking of some Tantrik sexual gratificational exercise that has
become popularised by some lusty people. We are talking of sex-life that
is ordained by the Lord in the scriptures, that is empowered and embellished
by the loving functionary aspect of Godhead called Kandarpa (Bhagavad Gita
As It Is, 10:28. and purport) or Kaamadev (Cupid) (Srimad Bhagavatam 10:55:1
purport.) one of the eternal associates of the Lord (Srimad Bhagavatam
3:1:28., purport). Thus according to the revealed scriptures, and our experience
"Lord Viñëu lives in the form of Kämadeva,
only for the satisfaction of His devotees" as kämadeva-svarüpeëa
(Srimad Bhagavatam 5:18:5.) Although this Kämadeva
is viñëu-tattva, His body is not spiritual but material
like ours (Brahmäëòa puräëa:
kämadeva-sthitaà viñëum upäste).
.
The people of today want Safe-Sex.
Safe from what? Safe from bad reaction - coming in the form of diseases.
But actually the only Safe Sex in that case is that sex which is bound
and endorsed with love that follows religious principles. All other sex-life
one is bound to the actions and reactions of the material world in the
form of karma. So if you want not only Safe-Sex, but Super Spiritual Sex
then do it according to the Lord's direction. We are not against sex, but
we are against sex that brings from it unwanted, neglected, diseased and
or insipid children (varnasankara), who end up as a burden to not only
the parents but the entire society.
.
We are also against the loose casual
sex that aides the spread of so much STD (Sexually
Transmitted Diseases). Diseases which come
not only because of the nature of the sex, but also because of the quality
of the sex as far as it being the sinful reactions for it.
However, anything that is done in
a healthy - in union with the desire of the Lord. When anything is done
under the sanction of the Lord all of his energies pervade it. From all
of His administrative heads they give their blessings - this is the REAL
Wholistic Approach that is so much desired and required, but so many are
ignorant of.
.
"Lakñmédevé
(the Goddess of Fortune) advises all devotees who approach the Lord with
material desires that according to her practical experience, the Lord is
Kämadeva, and thus there is no need to ask Him for anything material.
She says that everyone should simply serve the Lord without any motive.
Since the Supreme personality of Godhead is sitting in everyone's heart,
He knows everyone's thoughts, and in due course of time He will fulfil
all desires. Therefore let us completely depend on the service of the Lord
without bothering Him with our material requests".(A.C.Bhaktivedanta
Swami Prabhupada. Srimad Bhagavatam 5:18:21. purport.)
Religious sex is specifically for bringing into the world good progeny, for the benefit of all of us. Furthermore intelligent persons who can control their senses and desires opt for abstinence rather than wanton fulfilment of lusty desires, and the reactions that come from it. Likened to an honest citizen who honours others rights, and a criminal who only thinks of him/herself.
Then what to speak of Gambling
away all that one has been given. According to our individual karma we
are each given an allotted amount of everything. But Gambling, much like
intoxication
(alcohol, tobaco,
marijuana,
LSD, heroine, meth-anphetamine, etc) becomes an addiction that devours
one like a savage beast. The Gambler in denial of their addiction thinks
to him/herself that "I'll just give it another try...... I must win next
time." Yet they forget the thousands of times that they lost before, and
how much the Gambling houses collect in revenue each year off such suckers.
.
With all the above Material
Problems, Spiritual Solutions are not far away, there just has to be
some positive direction by the leaders of Society.
....if any of these links are not working please let us know so we can
fix the problem,
but in an emergency situation use local resources in the yellow pages,
Help lines etc
..The
STD Home page
.
A Hindu
perspective on Abortion, Karma, and Reincarnation with links to mundane
Feminist Issues
.
..
......
Parents
Resource Institute and Youth Drug Education (PRYDE
in New Zealand)
...Who
Controls You?......
.
.Methamphetamines!!!
......
Domestic
Violence - Rape - Abuse
More of the
- with positive solutions