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Why a Hindu Accepts Christ and Rejects Churchianity
by Swami Abhedananda
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A Hindu distinguishes the religion of the churches
from the religion of Jesus Christ. Speaking from the
Hindu standpoint, the religion that the churches
uphold and preach today, that has been built around
the personality of Jesus the Christ, and which is
popularly known as Christianity, should be called
'Churchianity', in contradistinction to that pure
religion of the heart that was taught by Jesus the
Christ and practised by his disciples. The religion
of Christ or true Christianity had no dogma, no creed,
no system, and no theology. It was a religion of the
heart, a religion without any ceremonies, without
ritual, without priest-craft. It was not based upon
any book, but upon
the feelings of the heart, upon direct communion of
the individual soul with the heavenly Father. On the
contrary, the religion of the church is based upon a
book, believes in dogmas, professes a creed, has an
organized system for preaching it, is backed up by
theologies, performs rituals, practises ceremonials,
and obeys the commands of a host of priests.
The religion of Christ was a religion of love,
renunciation and self-control; it was a religion of
God-consciousness. As these are the highest ideals
among the Hindus, they accept Christ and His true
religion in so far as it is one with their ideals; but
when they see that Churchianity does not preach
renunciation,
and that its advocates do not practise love for all,
nor show self-control, when they see that Christian
governments encourage vice by opium trade, liquor
trade, and introduce intoxicating things among
innocent and temperate people for the sake of gain,
they reject a religion which allows such things. They
believe
in Jesus the Christ as the Son of God, and know that
he did not teach such things.
The duty of true religion is to broaden the human
mind, to open the spiritual eyes, to lead humanity to
the realization of oneness with the supreme Father in
Heaven, and to repress all quarrels over dogmas and
creeds. As long as we are not spiritual, we fight and
quarrel, but when we realize that God dwells within
us, that we are all children of God, irrespective of
nationality, creed or
denomination, when we rise above all dogmas, above
beliefs, theories, and sectarianism, then, and then
alone, we are the true followers of the Christ. Then,
and then alone, are we able to say with Jesus, "I and
my Father are one". The Hindus leave aside the
disputed personality that dwells in each individual
soul and believes that each soul is a latent Christ.
They believe
that the voice of God tells this truth within each
soul, but we do not listen to it, through our
ignorance and selfishness. Krishna says: "Giving up
all the formalities of religion, come unto Me, take
refuge in Me, I shall make thee free from sins,
sorrows and sufferings".
Jesus says: "Come unto Me all ye that are weary and
heavy-laden and I will give you rest". Let us listen
to that voice, for it is one and the same, and let us
follow it. Let us realize the spirit of true
Christianity that was exhibited in the life of Jesus
of Nazareth. Let us live as he lived, and be living
Christs on
earth. The Hindu is not satisfied merely to accept
Christ in theory, but he strives hard to live the
life, which Jesus lived, to lead a life of
renunciation, of self-control and of love to all. Thus
he seeks to fulfil the mandates of that eternal
Religion which is taught by Christ-Krishna,
Christ-Buddha, and
Christ-Jesus.
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