False Claims to Justify Encroaching on Others

Kommersant Moscow, Friday, July 21, 2006 - 23 Tons of Bombs Dropped on Hezbollah Leader’s Bunker

The Israeli Air Force dropped 23 tons of explosives on Beirut’s neighborhood Thursday night. Hassan Nasrallah, leader of the Shiite radical movement, Hezbollah, was reportedly hiding in a bunker in Bourj al-Barajneh. The militants said no one was hurt in the bombing. Meanwhile, the Israelis have started operations involving ground troops in Lebanon. Beirut promised that the Lebanese army will act against Israel if the operation turns into a large-scale invasion.

More criticism is heard against Israel. The Russian Foreign Ministry, for example, lambasted Israel yesterday urging to cease fire. Russian diplomats said that the scale of the operation is inconsistent with the goal – releasing the hostages and destroying Hezbollah’s infrastructure. “The unprecedented number of casualties and the scale of destruction [in Lebanon] show that the actions to reach these goals are far beyond the boundaries of an anti-terrorist operation,” the Russian Foreign Ministry stated. Meanwhile, Lebanese authorities are trying to prevent the land operation. Prime Minister Fouad Siniora warned yesterday that the Lebanese army “would not remain passive” if Israel sends ground troops to the country. Lebanese officials put the death toll from Israeli air raids at 350 people. Financial losses come to $2 billion and keep on growing. “It is a real massacre. Israel hits everything: small streets, ambulances or trucks,” Lebanese President Emile Lahoud said in an interview with France Inter yesterday and called on the international community to step in.

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Dayananda: If God is meant to be propitiated, then why is it that we have so many things for our enjoyment? You say that everything is for God's enjoyment.

Prabhupada: Yes, God has given you enjoyment, but you cannot enjoy yourself, alone. There are other sons, they will also enjoy. If you interfere with other sons, then you'll be punished. God's son is the lamb, and you let him enjoy, you also enjoy. But if you interfere with his right, then you'll be punished. That is God's law. Sarva-yonishu, God is not only your father, he's father of the lamb also. So if by your brute force you want to kill the poor lamb, then you'll be punished. This is natural. You have got your food, you produce your food grain and you eat. Why should you eat another animal? God says that annad bhavanti bhutani [Bhagavad-gita 3.14], you must eat to become strong. But that does not mean you'll eat another brother. Tena tyaktena bhunjitha [Ishopanishad mantra 1], whatever He has designated, you eat like that. You are human being, you can produce food. You grow foodstuffs, rice, wheat, fruit, flowers, vegetables. That is allowed. Annad bhavanti bhutani, you produce anna, why should you kill an animal? And offer it to Krishna, patram pushpam phalam toyam [Bg. 9.26 ]. He never says that "You give Me an animal." Patram pushpam phalam toyam. So you produce patram pushpam phalam, and offer to Krishna, and then take.

Dayananda: In our experience we have no understanding how this can be practical, because we think that meat is good for our strength. How can we be strong?

Prabhupada: No. Therefore you are not human being, you are animal. If you cannot produce your food, uncivilized animals, they cannot produce their food. But you are given the chance of becoming human being, if you cannot produce your food, if you do not know how to cook food, how to offer it, then you are not human being. You are animal. When the uncivilized man in the jungle, they did not know how to produce food, they used to kill animals. So if you want to remain in the same uncivilized status of life, then where you are human being? You have got greater intelligence, you produce your food. Why should you kill animal like the uncivilized jungle men? Your action is just like jungle man, and you are claiming to be civilized man.

Nava-yauvana: They are thinking that they are the proprietor.

Prabhupada: That is their folly, they are not proprietor. They are not proprietor. That is already discussed. Proprietor is the Supreme Lord; you are not proprietor. That is another point. Falsely you are claiming proprietor. How you are proprietor? Everyone can claim proprietor, that is going on. Everyone is claiming proprietor and they are fighting. That is going on. And if you accept God is proprietor and we are dependent on Him, then there is no fight. Tena tyaktena bhunjitha, this isha, ishavasyam verse is perfectly describing, tena tyaktena, you are not proprietor. You accept things what the proprietor has given you, allotted for you. You are not proprietor. Tena tyaktena bhunjitha. Do not encroach upon others. Then how you become proprietor? We are falsely claiming proprietorship, we are encroaching upon others' independence. This is our business. How there can be peace? It is not possible. This property is walled, that property is walled. You cannot encroach on the other side of the wall. Then it is criminal, trespassing. The government's duty is to see that nobody's encroaching on others. Similarly, God's duty is that. That everyone is God's son, you don't encroach upon other son's right, then you'll be punished. You have got right to live and the lamb has got right to live. Why should you encroach upon his living right? Because you are strong. That is not humanity. The animal is therefore benefit. Let him live and you take the fur. You can use it for your coat, but why should you kill it? The cow is giving milk like mother, why should you kill it? This is humanity, to kill the mother? So in this way we are encroaching the rights of others, and we are becoming subject to be punished by God. This is going on. You may say there is no God, but God is there, you'll be punished. The outlaw they will say, "We don't care for government." You may say so, but government will take action. You cannot avoid it. This is humanity. Good citizenship means one who knows the laws of the state, that is good citizen. If one does not know the laws of the state, he's a fool. He's not a good citizen. One who knows the law, he keeps right and left, he knows this is the order of the government, cars should be driven on the right side or left side. He is good citizen. One who does not know the law of the state, he's not a good citizen. He's a fool, rascal. What to speak of humanity.

Dayananda: Some people say, so we will even say, "I don't care for your rational arguments." Some people say "I don't care for your..."

Prabhupada: Then you are animal, because animal has no rationality. Then you are animal. Better not to talk with you. What is the use of talking with you? You are animal. You have no rationality. Man is rational animal, this is the definition. You have no rationality, therefore you are animal. What is the use of talking with you? Waste time. If you have no rationality, then you are animal. That is the difficulty. People are kept in the status of animal and they are expected human behavior. How it is possible? It is not possible. So therefore our endeavor is to bring them to the standard of humanity, real humanity. Then there will be peace, prosperity, everything all right. That is our Krishna consciousness. You don't care for rationality, that means you are animal. Man is rational animal, that is the definition. If you have no rationality... Dharmena hina pashubhih... This is Vedic injunction. Dharmena hina pashubhih samana. Anyone who has no religious principles, he's animal. Therefore you'll find in human society, it doesn't matter whether it is Iran or India or Europe, there is some religion. Because without religion they are animals. Animal has no religion. The animal is... Dog is dog. It is not a Christian dog or a Hindu dog. Hindu, Christian comes when they are human being. So a civilized society must be the rationality, religion. Religion is rationality, to accept God. What is religion? Religion means to accept God.

Dayananda: They say that "You may have so many wonderful philosophies, but our desire is just to enjoy life."

Prabhupada: That means animal. That means animal. Animal has no philosophy.

Nava-yauvana: Also they say that religions are the causes of war. In Lebanon now the Christians are killing the Muslims and the Muslims are killing the Christians in the name of...

Prabhupada: And the Communists are killing capitalists and capitalists are killing Communists. What is that? Is that religion? Then? How you can stop war? Because you are animal, you fight, you can give some name, either on religious ground or this philosophical ground. But because you are animal you will fight. You can give a different name. That is different thing. But because you are dogs, you'll fight. The real religion is why they will fight? Religion means to accept God. So if you are Muslim, I am Hindu, if I accept God, if You accept God, then where is fight? If we accept that God is the proprietor, God is the father, then where is the question of fight? Because we are not religious, therefore fight. Otherwise, if you accept God is the supreme father, if I accept God is the supreme, why fight?