Intellectual Debate
So the big debate featuring Hridayananda Maharaja happened at Soho St yesterday. It was really exciting to go and see Shri Shri Radha-Londonishvara for the first time in over three months and it was nice to get the association of Sandeep prabhu on the way there. The good thing is when we're travelling somewhere there is nothing else to do, so I managed to get some extra rounds done which will help make up for the days I lazed about when I was at home.
A Brazilian devotee who came with us had long been worshipping a photo of ISKCON London's Jagannath-Baladev-Subhadra deities in Brazil, and so was excited at being able to see them face to face for the first time. When we got to the temple, Maharaja was giving Bhagavad-gita class, so I feared the debate would not happen. The entire temple room and corridor was packed. At 7pm there was an ecstatic Gaura-Arati, before the actual debate happened.
The audience were to give Maharaja atheistic challenges, starting off with arguments from 'The God Delusion', a book by the atheist scientist Richard Dawkins. One assertion was that the Design argument doesn't work because it begs the question of "Who designed the designer?" An interesting response from Maharaja was that since the designer is God and all-powerful, He can Himself explain how He was designed - it is not for us to worry about.
We got back to the temple late and slept by 23:40 - woke up today at 3am so hardly got any sleep. Just managed to finish my rounds before Guru-puja, and was really tired so on the verge of going back to sleep, when Jiva Doya prabhu suggested that I wait till the end of morning programme and service before sleeping. Somehow it filled me with the strength to fight my mind and attend Guru-puja and class. Then had prasadam and did service. It was a nice opportunity because I got to dust the gates directly in front of the deities, so I was dusting right in front of the gaze of Radha-Gokulananda and Sita-Rama-Lakshmana-Hanuman. For once I was enjoying the service, so hopefully my service attitude is getting better. Also before that, Shrinivasa prabhu gave me the opportunity to clean the area around Shrila Prabhupada's murti. I just pray that Prabhupada and Krishna may forgive me for the countless offences I must have caused while cleaning there. After that I was due to clean the windows but I couldn't find Prayojana prabhu so I went to put my clothes for washing.
A Brazilian devotee who came with us had long been worshipping a photo of ISKCON London's Jagannath-Baladev-Subhadra deities in Brazil, and so was excited at being able to see them face to face for the first time. When we got to the temple, Maharaja was giving Bhagavad-gita class, so I feared the debate would not happen. The entire temple room and corridor was packed. At 7pm there was an ecstatic Gaura-Arati, before the actual debate happened.
The audience were to give Maharaja atheistic challenges, starting off with arguments from 'The God Delusion', a book by the atheist scientist Richard Dawkins. One assertion was that the Design argument doesn't work because it begs the question of "Who designed the designer?" An interesting response from Maharaja was that since the designer is God and all-powerful, He can Himself explain how He was designed - it is not for us to worry about.
We got back to the temple late and slept by 23:40 - woke up today at 3am so hardly got any sleep. Just managed to finish my rounds before Guru-puja, and was really tired so on the verge of going back to sleep, when Jiva Doya prabhu suggested that I wait till the end of morning programme and service before sleeping. Somehow it filled me with the strength to fight my mind and attend Guru-puja and class. Then had prasadam and did service. It was a nice opportunity because I got to dust the gates directly in front of the deities, so I was dusting right in front of the gaze of Radha-Gokulananda and Sita-Rama-Lakshmana-Hanuman. For once I was enjoying the service, so hopefully my service attitude is getting better. Also before that, Shrinivasa prabhu gave me the opportunity to clean the area around Shrila Prabhupada's murti. I just pray that Prabhupada and Krishna may forgive me for the countless offences I must have caused while cleaning there. After that I was due to clean the windows but I couldn't find Prayojana prabhu so I went to put my clothes for washing.
posted by Muser at 4:18 AM
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