When science is being misused to propagate atheism, isn’t it the responsibility of devotees to counter that by scientific outreach?

Transcript

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the question is that if science is not atheistic it seems to create atheism is it the responsibility of devotees to counter that now we have to understand that we are an international society for Krishna Consciousness the primary purpose is to promote Krishna Consciousness and we primarily do not know if we are for science or against science we are for Krishna and if science can be used for Krishna we will use science and if science is used against Krishna we will come out of it but our primary purpose is to glorify Krishna to ourselves can love our Krishna and my father will love Krishna and that can be done in various ways so from a philosophical perspective science is not the defining decider for most people’s conception of life for example even in India or in the western world people may use technological gadgets but does that necessarily make our life atheistic not necessarily some people may get enamored and they become atheistic some others can use science also for searching for God for example a prominent survey done by I think the Pew Research Institute they said that now currently 30-50% of all spiritual seekers in today’s world see their spirituality through the internet so what is happening is you may say that oh internet is a big distraction, it’s true but then the internet is the social media is the language for people that’s the way people talk and then the existential search for God is not obscured by that for long for some people it may get obscured for some people it is through that to be expressed so the point which I am making here is that if you consider the circle of loving Krishna becoming devoted to Krishna in that science will be one circle which is partially inside and partially outside in the sense partially inside means science can be used to search for Krishna science can be used to spread the message of Krishna and similarly science can be used to oppose Krishna so now within the broader circle of the means to love Krishna and serve Krishna science will form one sector so those devotees whose inclinations whose talents whose aspirations fall in that circle will take that responsibility we can’t expect all devotees to do that they will neither be inspired nor be eager to do that so there may be other devotees also who are very devoted to Krishna they may address the deity, they may sing kirtans, they may give shastric seminars, shastric expositions they may do there are so many other things we can do to Krishna so we can’t impose one definition of devotion on all devotees so it can work both ways, we can’t expect devotees who love to do deity worship to do scientific research nor can we expect those devotees who like to do scientific research to do deity worship so we have to understand that there are varieties of engagements possible in devotional service and if whichever definition of success in devotion inspires us we take up that definition and we associate with those devotees who also cherish that definition then we will grow in that if I have a desire for scientific preaching and nobody around me is interested in scientific outreach then two things will be possible either I will go to my zeal for scientific preaching or I will lose my friendship with those who are around me so you don’t care or you don’t understand how important it is yes, but that is not their definition of success in devotion so that is what inspires us to do because that is a very important part of the legacy of Srila Prabhupada and that definitely needs to be fulfilled but then we have to find out like-minded devotees and associate with them, learn from them and take that forward so we don’t have to mandate something as important for all of us but we know that something is a responsibility so we take up the responsibility and find out other people taking up the responsibility and do that so for example now I like to write a number of devotees who write are not there so I spend hours and hours writing one article at the end of it if somebody asks you how many devotees did you make? how many books did you distribute? how much funds did you raise for the temple? that is not my definition of success my definition is how well I have written and the clarity the conviction the coherence with which I have conveyed the message so then those who appreciate quality writing I have to associate with them and not just I am talking about devotees there will be the outside world also people who appreciate and so for example there are some people who come to the temple they appreciate a very beautifully constructed temple that’s why they come to the temple there are others who come to Krishna because they see the books about Krishna are so well written and there are others who come to Krishna Krishna has given to the scientists I don’t know how they come to Krishna so we rather than expecting or mandating a particular definition of success in devotional writing we find a particular definition in style we associate with that kind of devotees and pursue that definition of success and the guidance and that way we will advance ourselves in our devotional life we will be inspired and we will also take forward the cause of Krishna Chetan Chetan has said that we should not just have Sangha of devotees but we should have Sajatiya Asha Sajatiya Asha means Sajatiya Jatiya can mean caste but actually means category though Asha is desire those devotees who have the same category of desire that way that devotional association of devotees will inspire us will move forward ambitiously and enthusiastically in our devotional life one last question