Krsna Christ

So I recently checked out a nearby temple of th International Society for Krishna Consciousness, a.k.a. th Hare Krishnas. I had met a kind fellow on th street who offered me a book, Sri Isopanisad, which I took home & read with interest. Sunday I went to an open house promising:

* Musical Performance & Mantra Meditation
* Transcendental Philosophy
* FREE delicious vegetarian Feast

(I do enjoy feasts.)

I have found many things about th Hare Krishnas that I like a whole bunch. They advocate living a natural, simple life devoted to peace, love, & appreciation for th universe. They sing songs & chant, welcome people with open arms, & work to expand their consciousness. They consider all things Godly.

I have found a few things about them that irk me, also. Altho I can think of few more open-minded organized religions (they accept Jesus & th Buddha as holy men, even tho they don't connect directly with their movement, & they acknowledge that their path is one of many), they believe in Krishna as th Absolute Personality of Godhead, rather than one of many possible metaphors for an otherwise nearly unknowable God. They consider their path Supreme or Best & their holy books (particularly th Bhagavad Gita) Absolutely Perfect.

I don't accept Absolutes, but Relatives. I acknowledge Einstein & th Quantum Physicists & what they have taught us about th limitations inherent in every model.

For example, Hare Krishnas say that all forms of God emanate from th supreme, Krishna. Krishna has th attributes of a blue-skinned four-armed male anthropomorphic deity, who, while omnipotent & able to change forms, reduces absolutely to a blue-skinned four-armed male anthropomorphic deity. As soon as we accept this as th perfect image of God, we say that God cannot truly be black-skinned, twelve-armed, female & feline. But of course, ideas of God have emerged of so many different types that it makes no sense to me to limit our concept to one Absolute image.

Th idea of Krishna, like that of Isis, Yahweh, Tlaloc & Prometheus, can help us make sense of th universe & become more spiritual human beings. I find Krishna a beautiful metaphor, but not one that I choose to take literally.

That said, I intend to continue my exploration of th Krishna Consciousness Movement, thru reading, chanting, meditating, conversing with th very friendly monks, & trying to experience th Absolute Personality of Godhead as best I can while remaining agnostic.