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Friday, July 30, 2010

Different types of theism?

In the previous post modus operandi I quoted from the Srimad Bhagavatam Canto 11 a description of the various qualities that influences material nature.

Later in the chapter Krishna even describes religion in the different modes of nature! Here it is:


Theism in Goodness: Any person, whether man or woman, who worships Me with loving devotion, offering his or her prescribed duties unto Me without material attachment, is understood to be situated in goodness.

Theism in Passion: When a person worships Me by his prescribed duties with the hope of gaining material benefit, his nature should be understood to be in passion

Theism in Ignorance: One who worships Me with the desire to commit violence against others is in ignorance.

Unfortunately, these days theism in the mode of ignorance is getting a great deal of press and attention. But, at least in the United States of America, the mood of passion seems to be the more popular conception of theism e.g. "Please God give us our daily bread". It is certainly the type of theism that Americans have been historically inclined to practice. As time progresses if the community can find other ways of getting "our daily bread" then theism is easily cast aside.

Srimad Bhagavatam states that theism exists in its purest and highest sense if the practitioner's approach to God is in the mood of a sincere desire to simply please God. The great saint Prahlad Maharaja has said that any other type of theism should be described as doing business with God or Krishna. Business relationships are by there very nature not based on love. Love is by nature selfless. Love of the supremely attractive Lord is the only thing that will really satisfy the self. The Srimad Bhagavatam explains that such relationship with the lord must be unmotivated to satisfy the self. The Srimad Bhagavatam explains this type of theism in more detail in this wonderful chapter. Give it a read!

Maybe we could try that out for a while!

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