== "VIEWS OF OTHER FAITHS" ==
Namaskar, For everyone's records, here is the original printing of the
"Views of Other Faiths" discourse which has been deleted from our AM
scriptures.
IMPORTANCE OF SCRIPTURE
As we all know each and every word given by Baba has deep import and
meaning. His word is mantra, eternal truth, and the guiding light for
the whole humanity.
Tragically some discourses are not getting printed or published in their
entirety. And one such discourse is the highly unqiue chapter known as
"Views of Other Faiths", where the entire multi-page section about the
three semetic religions-- Islam, Christianity, and Judaism-- was
completely taken away.
Means this very section about Semetic Faiths does not appear in the 1987
Prout Nutshell printing of the "Views of Other Faiths" discourse. Yet in
the Prout book the editors give the reference of that discourse as
"Tattvika Praveshika" book.
So Baba's original Tattvika Praveshika book (1957) contains a huge
section about the Semetic Faiths. Whereas the Prout Nutshell printing
does not contain any of that.
Nor does this discourse appear in any of the Electronic Editions of
Baba's Books. And they all say that the upcoming English printing of the
entire Prout series will also omit this important section.
THE PRESENT DISTORTED VERSION: HOW IT LOOKS
Here is the section from the Prout-3 discourse where they deleted the large section about Semetic Faiths.
--- PROUT NUTSHELL-3
In PNS-3 it says, "Besides these, the following three religious groups
belong to the Semetic faiths-- Muslims, Christians, and Jews". (PNS-3,
p. 41)
--- END OF PROUT NUTSHELL-3 PRINTING ---
So the above few words is all those editors of the Prout Book printed about the "Semeic Faiths" section of the discourse.
THE ORIGINAL DISCOURSE: KEEP FOR YOUR RECORDS
For everyone's records though, here following is how that same section
of the the "Views of Other Faiths" discourse got printed in Baba's
original Tattvika Praveshika book (1957).
The following is reprinted from the section "Part II", the "SEMITIC FAITH" chapter from the "TATTVIKA PRAVESHIKA" Book, pages 79 - 83.
--- TATTVIKA PRAVESHIKA PRINTING ---
Page 79.
S E M I T I C F A I T H.
The following three religions are of this faith :--
1. Muslim
2. Christian and
3. Jews
COMMON FEATURES
1. Social structure of Muslims and Jews is similar while that of the
Christians is slightly different.
2. Their scriptures are written in old Arabic and its sister language
Hebrew.
3. None of these religions have any tolerance for others.
---------
Page 80.
COMMON FEATURES (CONTINUED )
4. There is no philosophy in these and their way of thinking is only
theological.
5. Sciptures of these are claimed by their followers as God's own
words and hence are unquestionable.
6. Satan is a common fear in all the three.
7. The belief in Eternal Hell and Eternal Heaven is a common feature.
8. None of them believe in transmigration of soul. Only Protestants
are more liberal in this respect in their outlook.
9. They all believe that sins can be excused by the Prophet or Paigambar or Avataara.
10. All the three religions are based on faith that their scriptures
cannot be questioned. The supporters are fanatics and have no tolerance
for others.
11. The source of existence of all the three religions is
exploitation of the fear complex of Eternal Hell.
---------
Page 81.
DISCUSSION OF THE BELIEF OF THIS FAITH
1. It is said that the scriptures are God's own words. They also
believe that God is shapeless. If God is shapeless how could HE have a
vocal chord which has to have a particular shape and without which
speaking is not possible. Then, either the God is not shapeless and has
a shape or He could not speak and hence either their God is not
shapeless or their scriptures are not God's own words.
2. The reason and purpose for which God created the universe or world
is not clear in these religions. The only purpose which can be assigned
to creation of world according to these is that man should worship God.
But they also say that God is merciful. If God is merciful why should HE
want men to worship or praise HIM before giving HIS blessings. This is
only lowering God to the position of a common man and hence is not
desirable.
3. Christ is said to be son of God. How...
---------
Page 82.
...can God have a son when He is shapeless and formless. This lacks in
logical justification.
4. All these believe in the existence of Satan and that Satan tries
to undo whatever God creates. Thus Satan is something other than God and
is as powerful as God Himself. According to them there are two powers,
-- one that of God and the other that of Satan. Hence God is not all
powerful and has an equally powerful enemy in Satan and Ghosts or evil
spirits. Existence of separate Satan is illogical.
5. Satan's existence is admitted before the beginning of creation.
That is Satan is not created by God. Satan is a negative force and
hence there are two Gods -- one good and the other bad. They say that
God is omnipresent, but how could God be present where Satan is present?
Hence, the two beliefs are self-contradictory.
6. According to the scriptures of the faith one must pray and one who
does not pray goes to Eternal Hell i.e. he can never get out of the
hell. This is illogical as no...
---------
Page 83.
...where it can be admitted that an individual's fate is sealed for ever.
7. They believe that God created world but they have not explained
from what materials the world was created. Thus God and creation are two
different things. If world is not part of God then it could be part of
Satan but as it does not accept Satan as the nucleus of its physical,
psychic or spiritual orbit, it is clear that it is not a part of Satan.
Then there is a third thing out of which it was created. This means that
there were three Gods before creation. One the real God, the second
Satan and the third out of which the universe was created.
8. The source of their existence is the common belief in the Eternal
Hell and it is exploitation of this fear, that these religions are able
to exist.
Therefore, it is clear that Islam, Christianity and Xionism are
faiths and not Philosophies.
--- END OF THE SECTION FROM THE ORIGINAL TATTVIKA PRAVESHIKA BOOK--
So it is a tragedy that none of the above about the Semetic Faiths appears in the Prout Nutshell version of that discourse. That is why many say that it was "taken away" by the Publications Dept.
Everyone is invited to give their thoughts also.
Namaskar,
Bhavanath
Note 1: Here are more of the details about the printing of the discourse
from the original Tattvika Praveshika book.
Front Cover Page of the book, Ta'ttvika Praveshika':
TA'TTVIKA PRAVESHIKA'
Pravacana -- Shrii Shrii A'nanda Mu'rtijii
Compilation -- A'ca'rya Viirendra Kumar Ta'ttvika
---------
First Inside Cover Page of the book, Ta'ttvika Praveshika':
Price Rs. 1.50
First Edition -- Pha'lgunii Purnima' 1957
Copy right reserved by the central committee, A'nanda Ma'rga Praca'raka
Samgha (Registered under Act XXI of 1860)
Published by Shrii Vindeshvari Singh
Publication Manager
A'nanda Ma'rga Praca'raka Samgha
P.O. Jamalpur
Dist. Monghyr
Vikramshila Press
Bhagalpur, 1957.
---------
Second Inside Cover Page of the book, Ta'ttvika Praveshika':
CONTENTS
Part I
Part II
Part III
Part IV
---------
***************************************
Health Guideline
Baba says, "In order to digest starches and carbohydrates, the saliva of
the mouth must help at the preliminary stage. Chewing food brings an
adequate quantity of saliva into the mouth. No sooner does the food
mixed with saliva enter the stomach than the liver and the pancreas are
enabled to start secreting their bile and digestive fluids. So unless
food is chewed well, the liver can never function properly." (YT, p.1)
Note: In the fast-paced life of this 21st century, people no longer give
themselves proper time to attend to their basic life duties, such as
eating food. Instead people just rush off from one appointment to
another and "grab a bite to eat" along the way at any number of
drive-thru, fast-food places. In their hectic pace, instead of chewing
their food they just inhale their meal, nearly swallowing it whole. But
this way of "eating" is terribly hazardous to the health and invites
many diseases. As Ananda Margiis we should spread Baba's above teaching
to the members of the general society so that they may be benefited.
***************************************
