(...Contd. from previous post...)
Did I tell you about the missionary who went to India to do some missionary work? On the way he wanted to take pictures so that he could produce a book on old cathedrals with all their stained glass windows and their chandeliers. It would be a wonderful book. There are lots of cathedrals in Southeast Asia. So he went to Peking and other places. In the Peking cathedral, he was taking pictures when he saw in the corner one huge golden telephone. He asked the priest, "Is it a real telephone?" The priest said, "Yes, it is a real telephone to God, a hot line. You can talk to God." "Really!? Can I talk to him now?" "You can talk to him for ten thousand dollars." He couldn't afford ten thousand dollars. He left and went to Indonesia where there again in one of the cathedrals he saw this golden telephone costing ten thousand dollars. Every church he went a golden telephone was there, and to place a call to God it was always ten thousand dollars. He couldn't talk to God for want of money. Then he came to India, Chennai. He told the taxi driver, "Take me around before you take me to St.Thomas church." He took him to Mylapore temple. He saw the temple and said, "What is this?" It is a Hindu temple!?" "Yes, it's a Hindu temple." This missionary was there to save the souls of Hindus because he thought these Hindus were godless people, but they have such huge temples. They must have some concept of God. Then he went inside with his camera to take pictures. There also he saw this telephone. That was a shock. Hindus can also talk to God!? He thought that Hindus couldn't talk to God. He asked the person standing there, "Is this a telephone?" "Yes, sir, you can talk to God." "What will be the cost?" "One rupee, sir." "One rupee? Those people said ten thousand dollars." "Sir, that is a long distance call; this is a local call."
People have to learn that God is not small. He is free. It is our mind that is small. According to us, all that is here is God. Even your false perceptions are because of the order that is here, the order of knowledge; and if you don't fulfill the criteria to gain knowledge, then in its place there will be wrong thinking. That is all within the order of Isvara. There is no wrong perception without Isvara, and that you can correct those perceptions is a blessing that you have. That you can commit an error is a possibility, and that you can correct that error is also a possibility, a blessing; and we invoke that blessing on this day when we again begin. Perhaps we can understand that the values are universal and that they are common for all and that they are another manifestation of Isvara. Therefore, there are no double standards.

(to be contd....)