CAN FAITH BE REASONABLE?

A Workshop to wed Science & Spirituality

Name: ____________________

College: ___________________

Activity 1: Why is our faith in a Supreme God Reasonable?

Please pair up with your friend, read the following passage and answer the Quiz given below:
In the material concept of life, from atop
Executive Manager to a coolie in the street,
everyone is busy in asking, Where is my
job and food? Where is my accommodation?
Where is my partner? How can I compete and
survive? How can I increase
my comforts, prolong and
enjoy life? Dharma starts
when a human enquires
about how can one put a fullstop to all sufferings by asking about the supreme
Cause of all Causes and inquiry on the purpose of the creation.
Let us consider the hypothetical case of an Aboriginal
man landing in New York City. On first examining the huge, complex
metropolis, the aboriginal man will naturally marvel at how it has come to
be. But he will hardly be able to answer this question through direct sensory
perception. He may well believe that such a place has always been there, like
some mountain range. Or he may simply become bewildered.
On the other hand, a European man landing in New York on a first visit
will have no difficulty in understanding that the city was constructed over
several hundred years by countless architects and craftsmen. Although our
cultured visitor did not see the city being constructed and has not met any of
the architects or craftsmen involved, no one will be able to convince him that
the city has come about in any other way.
His belief will be entirely reasonable, but he will have to admit that, strictly speaking, it is a
type of faith, albeit an entirely reasonable faith.
The conclusion of the aborigine, however, must
be termed unreasonable faith.
We may be safe in having reasonable faiths,
such as the faith that New York City has been
built by intelligent craftsmen, but we must be
wary of unreasonable faiths or faiths based only
on superstitions.
Now let us suppose further that upon landing
at John F. Kennedy Airport, our European
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meets a wild-eyed man who hands him a book propounding the doctrine that New York City was
not constructed in any of the aforementioned ways; rather, some one hundred years ago there was
an explosion in the Hudson Bay region, and after the smoke cleared, the entire city (complete
with skyscrapers, subways, and telephone system) was standing in place.
Although by direct sensory
perception the European will
not be able to prove this doctrine
false (since he has not personally
observed the construction of
the city), nonetheless he will
conclude that the young wildeyed man is a nut.
Now,
from
scientific
observation we learn that the
physical structure of a living cell
is more complex than that of the
entire city of New York (complete
with telephone lines, electrical
circuits, and plumbing etc) and that the human body has more than thirty trillion of these cells.
Furthermore, the human body works smoothly and with amazing precision. Even more amazing,
these complex cells have the ability to regenerate themselvesa concept that the citys planning
commissioners could not even begin to conceive of (though understandably they could envy it).
Now, if we were to conclude that the human body has also been planned and constructed by
some highly intelligent person or persons, then it is called reasonable faith. But the atheistic
theory that the human body and the universe we live in, arose from a chance by some tremendous
explosionthese people can only be compared to the wild-eyed fanatic claiming that New York
City came from an explosion in Hudson Bay. It is nothing short of insanity.
Since we can have reasonable faith that this universe and its contents, including ourselves, are
the creation of an eminently intelligent, powerful, and expert Supreme Being.
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QUIZ 1:
Match the following and encircle the appropriate ones on right side (a b c d e f g h)
One item on left side can have more than one match on the right side: (5 x 6 = 30 marks)

Left Side Right Side

1. Wild eyed man
2. European man
3. Aborigine man
4. Cells in human body
5. Dharma

(a) Must be nut, due to his unreasonable faith in Hudson bay explosion
(b) thought that city must have been constructed by Architects
(c) compared to New York city with telephone, electric circuits
(d) thought that city must have existed like mountain range
(e) Has Blind faith, due to his naive conclusion
(f) Enquiries on God, purpose of Creation & how to stop suffering
(g) Has reasonable faith even without direct perception
(h) Has Unreasonable faith, for claiming citys origin from explosion
(i) did not see city being constructed, did not meet Architects or Craftsmen who might have constructed, still he is reasonable in faith

Left Side

Right Side

1.

2.

3.

4.

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Activity 2: Matter, Spirit and

GodSupreme Controller of both
Please pair up with your friend, read the following passage and answer the Quiz given below:
Is this universe a place for collision of dead atoms
and molecules with no higher meaning? Are our
mother, father and friends whom we love nothing
more than a chemical bundle? Is exchange of love
nothing more than some secretion of chemicals in
our body?
The answer is yes if we see only from a
mechanistic worldview, considering only matter.
Once a Scientist who never knew what a gulab
jamun is was asked to explain about it. He said, A
gulab jamun is spherical in shape, golden brown in color, soft and porous and juicy with a crispy
cover and softer core, diameter of two inches, floating in a liquid of viscosity this much etc. You
would never understand what a gulab jamun is
unless you pop one into your mouth and taste
it for yourself!
Similarly love, joy, integrity, honesty,
humility,
shyness,
courage,
tolerance,
enthusiasm, patience
etc and many more similar qualities are exhibited by living bodies due to
presence of atma or spirit encaged in the material body. Thus material
body is made up of matter and atma is spirit. And both matter and
spirit are controlled by God, who is the Supreme spirit.
A computer can tell you about the exact color composition in a
painting, but it cant tell if the painting is beautiful or not. Aesthetics, like subjective conscious
experience is beyond the reach of science.
Thomas Huxley rightly said, There is a third thing in the universe, to wit,
consciousness, which I cant see to be matter or force. Since scientists resort to
mechanistic world view, they find the subject of consciousness like an unsolvable
riddle. Max Plank said, Science cant solve the ultimate mystery in nature because,
in the last analysis, we ourselves are the part of mystery, we are trying to solve.
The world is not just made up of matter. We can see that there is matter, spirit
and Controller of both, Ishwar, God. When we switch on or switch off an electric switch, the light
gets on and off and hence we think, I am the controller of the light bulb. It is partially true. Yes,
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we are minute controller with limited freedom. When there is a power

cut from Electricity board and when we switch on the button, light will
not glow. In a similar manner, we are tiny controllers and God is the
Supreme Controller of everyone and everything. Thus a true Master of
Science (M.Sc) is one who knows, Matter, Spirit and Controller of both,
not one who knows only matter alone.
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QUIZ 2:
Encircle the right answer from the multiple choices given below : (4 x 5 = 20)
1. Thomas Huxleys statement.
(a) proves the presence of soul, a non-material entity in this universe
(b) proves that the third thing in the universe is spirit which has arisen from matter
(c) proves that matter and force give rise to consciousness
(d) proves that there is a third thing in the universe, spirit, beyond matter and force
2. Find the odd man out -- A Camera can click the picture of a beauty Queen or a poor beggar,
but not comment about her beauty or feel compassion in heart for the beggar, like a boy can do.
Similarly.
(a) a machine can estimate the sound in decibels, but not tell you the sweetness of a raga
(b) a scientist can describe shape, size, quantity of sugar etc about a gulab jamun, but not how
sweet and pleasurable it is without tasting it.
(c) a device can measure the temperature of a AC room, but it can never tell you the joy of being in an AC room after returning from a hot sunny day
(d) a photo sensor can exactly tell you the color of light observed and give you a print out, but
cannot tell you the intensity of light bulb.
3. Who is a true M.SC, Master of Science?
(a) One who has graduated M.Sc degree from the College
(b) One who knows Matter and Spirit, both, not just matter alone
(c) One who knows Matter, Spirit and Controller of both, not just matter alone.
(d) Only one who has mastered Science by conducting Research
4. Give an example of how we are tiny Controller and God is Supreme Controller?
(a) Light bulb turns on and off by our switching, but when there is power cut, weve no control
(b) Light bulb turns on & off by a switch, proving that God also turns sun on and off everyday.
(c) Light bulb is switched on and off by us; similarly God controls our Karma and destroys it.
(d) Dome Light bulb is controlled by us; were tiny. Moon is controlled by God; He is Supreme.
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Activity 3: The Cosmic Machine

Please pair up with your friend, read the following passage and answer the Quiz given below:
rlaPrabhupda: Scientists do not know that there
are two types of energyinferior and superior
although they are actually working with these two
energies every day. Material energy can never work
independently; it must first come in contact with
spiritual energy. So how can people accept that the
entire cosmic manifestation, which is nothing but
matter, has come about automatically? A competent
machine does not work unless a man who knows how
to work it pushes a button. A Cadillac is a nice car,
but if it has no driver, what is the use of it? So the
material universe is also a machine.
People are amazed at seeing a big
machine with many, many parts, but an
intelligent person knows that however
wonderful a machine may be, it does
not work unless an operator comes and
pushes the proper button. Therefore,
who is more importantthe operator or
the machine? So we are concerned not
with the material machinethis cosmic
manifestationbut with its operator,
Ka. Now you may say, Well, how do
I know that He is the operator? Ka
says, maydhyakea prakti syate
sa carcaram: [Bg. 9.10] Under My
direction the whole cosmic manifestation
is working. If you say, No, Ka is not
the operator behind the cosmos, then you have to accept another operator, and you must present
him. But this you cannot do. Therefore, in the absence of your proof, you should accept mine.
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QUIZ 3:
Based on the above conversation, write in one sentence what you understood from the following:
(5 x 5 = 25 marks)
1. Which energy cannot work independently?

2. Give two examples (based on conversation above) to prove that there must be a great operator
for this cosmic machine.

3. Out of the two who is more important machine or the operator? What do we infer when we
apply this machine-operator analogy to the universe?

4. When you ask about how sun is going on giving out heat and light for so many long years,
some scientists say that it is due to nuclear fusion that has brought about chain reaction leading to nonstop generation of heat and light. Such people feel there is no need for God to start
and keep such a mechanism going. What would you say about it?

5. What is the essential point being emphasized under discussion in the above topic, Cosmic
machine.

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Activity 4: The Remote Cause and the Immediate Cause

Please pair up with your friend, read the following passage and answer the Quiz given below :
rlaPrabhupda:
Inferior
energy
has no power unless superior energy is
involved. This sea [indicating the Pacific
Ocean] is calm and quiet. But when the
superior force, air, pushes it, it manifests
high waves. The ocean has no power to
move without the superior force of the air.
Similarly, there is another force superior
to the air, and another and another,
until ultimately we arrive at Ka. This
is real research. Ka controls nature
just as an engineer controls a train. The
engineer controls the locomotive, which
pulls one car, and that car in turn pulls
another, which pulls another, and so the
whole train is moving. Similarly, with the
creation, Ka gives the first push, and
then, by means of successive pushes, the
entire cosmic manifestation comes into
being and is maintained. This is explained
in Bhagavad-gt (9.10). Maydhyakena
prakti syate sa carcaram This material
nature is working under My direction and
is producing all moving and unmoving beings. And in the Fourteenth Chapter [Bg. 14.4] Ka
says:
sarva-yoniukaunteyamrtayasambhavantiy
ts brahma mahadyonirahabja-pradapit
All species of life are made possible by birth in this material nature,
O son of Kunt, and I am the seed-giving father. For example, if we
sow a banyan seed, a huge tree eventually comes up and, along with it,
millions of new seeds. Each of these seeds can in turn produce another
tree with millions of new seeds, and so on. This is how Ka, the
original seed-giving father, is the primary cause of everything we see.
Unfortunately, the scientists observe only the immediate cause;
they cannot perceive the remote cause. Ka is described in the
Vedas as sarva-kraa-kraam [Bs. 5.1], the cause of all causes. If one
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understands the cause of all causes, then he understands everything. Yasmin vijte sarvam eva
vijta bhavati (MuakaUpaniad 1.3): If one knows the original cause, the subordinate causes
are automatically known. Although the scientists are searching after the original cause, when the
Vedas, perfect knowledge, declare the original cause to be the Supreme Personality of Godhead,
the scientists wont accept it. They keep to their partial, imperfect knowledge. This is their disease.
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QUIZ 4:
Based on the above conversation, write in one sentence what you understood from the following:
(5 x 5 = 25 marks)
a) Example for Immediate, Remote and Ultimate Cause

b) _________________ energy has no power, unless ________________ energy is involved.

c) Give an example to show how Krishna is the seed-giving father?

d) What is the Unfortunate observation of scientists?

e) What is the Disease of atheistic scientists?

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Activity 5: Krishna is Yogesvara, the Origin of all Mystic Powers

Please pair up with your friend, read the following passage and answer the Quiz given below :
Post-Lunch Time, Pair-up and solve QUIZ
rlaPrabhupda is accompanied by Dr. Singh, BrahmnandaSvm and other students.
Recorded on May 7, 1973, On the shores of the Pacific Ocean, Near Los Angeles

Chemicals from Mystic Power

rlaPrabhupda: The scientists say that life begins from chemicals. But the real question is, Where have the chemicals come
from? The chemicals come from life, and this means that life
has mystic powers. For example, an orange tree contains many
oranges, and each orange contains chemicalscitric acid and
others. So where have these chemicals come from? Obviously
they have come from the life within the tree. The scientists are
missing the origin of the chemicals. They have started their
investigation from the chemicals, but they cannot identify the
origin of the chemicals. Chemicals come from the supreme
lifeGod. Just as the living body of a man produces many
chemicals, the supreme life (the Supreme Lord) is producing
all the chemicals found in the atmosphere, in the water, in
humans, in animals and in the earth. And that is called mystic
power. Unless the mystic power of the Lord is accepted, there
is no solution to the problem of the origin of life.
Dr. Singh. The scientists will reply that they cannot believe in
mystic power.
rlaPrabhupda: But they must explain the origin of the chemicals. Anyone can see that an ordinary tree is producing many
chemicals. But how does it produce them? Since the scientists
cannot answer this, they must accept that the living force has mystic
power. I cannot even explain how
my fingernail is growing out of my finger; it is beyond the power of
my brain. In other words, my fingernail is growing by inconceivable
potency, acintya-akti. So if acintya-akti exists in an ordinary human
being, imagine how much acintya-akti God possesses. The difference
between God and me is that although I have the same potencies as
God, I can produce only a small quantity of chemicals, whereas He
can produce enormous quantities. I can produce a little water in the
form of perspiration, but God can produce the seas. Analysis of one
drop of seawater gives you the qualitative analysis of the sea, without
any mistake. Similarly, the ordinary living being is part and parcel of
God, so by analyzing the living beings we can begin to understand
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God. In God there is great mystic potency. Gods mystic potency is working swiftly, exactly like
an electric machine. Some machines operate by electrical energy, and they are so nicely made
that all the work is done simply by pushing a button. Similarly, God said, Let there be creation,
and there was creation. Considered in this way, the workings of nature are not very difficult to
understand. God has such wonderful potencies that the creation, on His order alone, immediately
takes place.
Brahmnanda Swami: Some scientists dont accept God or acintya-akti.
rlaPrabhupda: .God exists, and His acintya-akti also exists. Where does a birds power
to fly come from? Both you and the bird are living entities, but the bird can fly because of its
acintya-akti, and you cannot. To give another example, semen is produced from blood. A man
has mystic power in his body so that because he is sexually inclined, blood is transformed into semen. How is
this done unless there is some mystic power involved?
There are many mystic powers in the living entities.
The cow eats grass and produces milk. Everyone knows
this, but can you take some grass and produce milk?
Can you? Therefore there is mystic power within the
cow. As soon as the cow eats grass, she can transform
it into milk. Men and women are basically the same,
but as a man you cannot eat food and produce milk,
although a woman can. These are mystic powers.
Dr. Singh: Scientists would say that there are different enzymes or chemicals inside different
types of bodies and that these account for the cows producing milk.
rlaPrabhupda: Yes, but who produced those enzymes and that arrangement? That was done
by mystic power. You cannot make these enzymes or that arrangement. You cannot produce milk
from dry grass in your laboratory. Within your body, by mystic power, you can transform food into
blood and tissue, but in your laboratory, without mystic power, you cannot even transform grass
into milk. Therefore you must accept the existence of mystic power.
The Origin of Mystic Power
rlaPrabhupda: Yogs are mainly concerned with developing different mystic powers. A yog
can walk on the water without drowning. The law of gravity does not operate on him. That is a
mystic power called laghim. Laghim means that a person can become lighter than cotton and
counteract the law of gravity. The yoga system simply develops the inconceivable potency already
present in the practitioner. These boys are swimming [gesturing to surf bathers], but I cannot swim.
Yet that swimming power is potential within me; I
simply have to practice it. So, if yogic power is so
potent in the human being, think how much more
yogic power God has. Therefore, in the Vedas He is
called Yogevara, which means master of all mystic power. In the Bhagavad-gt (10.8) Ka says,
aha sarvasya prabhavo matta sarva pravartate:
I am the source of all spiritual and material worlds.
Everything emanates from Me. Unless we accept
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this statement from God, there is no conclusive explanation to the origin of material nature. God
cannot be understood without accepting the existence of mystic power, but if you understand
God scientifically, then you will understand everything.
Dr. Singh: So do you mean to say that science has started from an intermediate pointnot from
the original point?
rlaPrabhupda: Yes, that is it exactly. They are ignorant of the origin. The scientists start from
one pointbut where does that point come from? That they do not know, in spite of vast research. One has to accept that the original source is God, who is full of all mystic powers and
from whom everything emanates. He Himself says in the Bhagavad-gt, ahasarvasyaprabhavomattasarvapravartate: I
am the source of all spiritual and material
worlds. Everything emanates from Me.
[Bg. 10.8] Our conclusions are not based on
blind faith; they are most scientific. Matter
comes from life. In lifein the origin
there are unlimited material resources; that
is the great mystery of creation. If you drop
a needle, it will fall immediately, but a bird
weighing several pounds can float in the air.
We must establish the origin of this floating. If we study nature, we find that every
living entity has some mystic power. A man
cannot live within the water for more than
a few hours, yet a fish lives there continuously. is that not mystic power?
Dr. Singh: It is mystic power for me, but not for the fish.
rlaPrabhupda: Yes. That is because mystic power is not uniformly distributed. But all the mystic
powers exist in God, the origin of everything. I derive some of His mystic power, you derive some,
and the birds derive some. But the storehouse of mystic power is God.
There are eight basic types of mystic powers. Some of them are laghim (by which one can become lighter than a feather), mahim (by which one can become bigger than a mountain), prpti
(which enables one to capture anything he likes) and itva (by which one can completely subdue
and control another being). Another type of mystic power can be seen in the sun, because from
the sunshine innumerable things are inexplicably produced. Unless the scientists accept the existence of mystic power, they cannot explain these phenomena. They are simply beating around
the bush.
Dr. Singh: A clever scientist may say anything to prove his point, without actually proving it. A
real scientist must reach the ultimate, original causethe final analysis.
rlaPrabhupda: Yes, unless he finds the ultimate source, he is not actually practicing science.
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ACINTYA SHAKTI QUIZ 5 (total 50 marks)

Answer the following Questions based on the above conversation:
1. How does Prabhupada argue with the athiests? Fill in missing questions : (2 x 3 = 6 marks)
Scientist : Life begins from chemicals.
Prabhupada : But the real question is : _________________________ ?
Scientist : Cow produces milk because it has enzymes in its body.
Prabhupada : But ____________________________________________
2. Fill up the blanks: (8 x 2 = 16 marks)
a) Matter comes from ________. In lifein the originthere are unlimited__________________;
that is the great mystery of creation.
b) A yog can walk on the water without drowning. The _______________ does not operate on
him. That is a mystic power called laghim. Laghim means that a person can become lighter
than cotton and counteract the law of gravity. The yoga system simply develops the inconceivable
potency ________ _________ in the practitioner.
c) So, if yogic power is so potent in the human being, think how much more yogic power God has.
Therefore, in the Vedas He is called Yogevara, which means master of all mystic power. In the
Bhagavad-gt (10.8) Ka says, aha sarvasya prabhavo matta sarva pravartate: I am the
source of all spiritual and material worlds. Everything emanates from Me. Unless we accept this
statement from God, there is no ____________ _____________ to the origin of material nature.
3. Write in one sentence on each of the words given below, what you learnt from the
conversation of SrilaPrabhupada with the scientist. (5 x 2 = 10 marks)
a) fingernail
b) perspiration and sea
c) electric machine and creation
d) swimming vsYogeshvara
e) A clever scientist and a real scientist

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4. Give six examples from the conversation to prove the existence of acintyashakti
(6 x 3 = 18 marks)

- ADDITIONAL NOTES -

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