Part II

FW 327-334. In the spring of 1977 Mr. David Rowe, Political Advisor, United States Mission to the U.N., submitted these questions to Sri Chinmoy.

Question: Bhaktivedanta referred to the United Nations as a "society for united animals" where people are not interested in religious things. Could you please comment on this?

Sri Chinmoy: Dear David, it will simply be impossible for me to see eye to eye with the statement that has been made by the spiritual leader in question. To say that the United Nations is a society for united animals, since people at the United Nations are not interested in religious things, is to criticise the United Nations not only mercilessly but almost unreasonably. First of all, we all know that in the name of religion and religious matters countless people have been killed since the dawn of so-called civilisation. Almost all the religions have fought at one time or another against one another unreservedly and, what is worse, at times without any rhyme or reason. Just to show its supremacy over other religions, each religion has swerved from the fundamental principles of truth. Why blame the United Nations? The wisest thing for the wise man is to first solve his own personal problems, illumine his own darkness and perfect his own nature. This is the only way that either the united or the divided human animals all over the world can climb to a higher rung of evolution, which we can unmistakably call proper human life.