God consciousness should engender respect for all living beings
Since the individual soul is part
and parcel of the Supreme Lord, in that sense the Lord is living in every
body, and, as Supersoul, the Lord is also present as a witness. In both
cases the presence of God in every living entity is essential. Therefore
persons who profess to belong to some religious sect but who do not feel
the presence of the Supreme Personality of Godhead in every living
entity, and everywhere else, are in the mode of ignorance.
If, without this preliminary knowledge of the Lord’s omnipresence, one
simply attaches himself to the rituals in a temple, church or mosque, it
is as if he were offering butter into ashes rather than into the fire.
One offers sacrifices by pouring clarified butter into a fire and
chanting Vedic mantras, but even if there are Vedic mantras and all
conditions are favorable, if the clarified butter is poured on ashes,
then such a sacrifice will be useless. In other words, a devotee should
not ignore any living entity.