CHRIS BUTLER - POLYTHEISTIC TEACHINGS BEHIND THE VENEER OF CHRISTIAN MONOTHEISM.
PARODYING THE FORMER SPIRITUAL MASTER.
With a self-given title of 'Jagud Guru',
soi-disant "Teacher of the whole world", one would expect Chris Butler to be at least
au fait with the world, and comfortable in it, rather than wrangling with Christians, particularly with his
pièce de résistance "so-called" prefix, on "Christians", "society" and 'this', 'that' and the 'other'. And given to aggressive proselytism, particularly through repetitive superimposing of the Hindu ( 'Sanâtana Dharma' (
q.v. )) doctrine of 'reincarnation' on to Christian doctrines. Butler evidently inherited this doctrine
et alii., from his former spiritual master, the late A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada ( 1896 - 1977 ), and continues parodying it with irritating and monotonous regularity.
THE DOCTRINAL PARADOX.
Reincarnation is a Hindu doctrine, and is incontrovertibly incongruous with Judaeo-Christian beliefs and doctrines. Butler claims: "Many so-called Christian teachers ... don't appreciate transmigration of the soul or the science of reincarnation ...". ( sic ). ( Jagad Guru, 'Understanding Karma', Science of Identity Foundation, 1995, p.4 ).
Why Butler believes that Christians should want to "appreciate transmigration" or the pseudo-"science of reincarnation"; I'm yet to discover. Butler himself, notwithstanding all his preposterous rhetoric, and his insistence that "the answer is quite simple" ( sic ) ( op. cit., p. 4; ) hasn't provided a rationale. Where indeed, is the 'simple answer' of which he boasts? Can Butler succeed where centuries of Hindu scholarship have failed?
Vis à vis, the Hindu doctrine of 'transmigration' is unambiguously incongruous with Judaeo-Christian beliefs and dogmas. They are as different as chalk from cheese. Consequently, one can only deduce from this, that Butler is advocating neither, but rather 'Butlerism'.
Reincarnation, and its associated doctrine of karma, has remained an unrationalized belief since its first inclusion ( in default of theological scrutiny ) in the Chândogya Upanishad between 900 - 800 BC (
q.v. ), followed by the Bhagavad-Gîtâ between 400 - 300 BC ( q.v. ). It is nowhere to be found in the oldest, and most venerated, document in Hinduism, i.e., the Vedas circa 1500 - 800 BC.
DOWNGRADING THE NEW TESTAMENT.
Butler audaciously attempts to diminish the sacred character of the New Testament by describing it merely as a "small little book", and invalidate its contents by adding "who can believe that!" Furthermore, he had the impertinence to undervalue its contents as "...extremely limited, partial," and make an analogy of it with one of his "two hour lectures." ( See 'Jagud Guru Speaks: Is God Really Lovable?' Oleo Public Access TV, 2004 ).
Would Butler have the same contemptuous irreverence to reduce the status of the Vedas to a mere "small little book", challenge its credibility by asking "who can believe that!" And diminish its contents as "...extremely limited, partial". And presumptuously compares it to one of his "two hour lectures." Would he disparage the Vedas as he did to the New Testament [ particularly in respect to the designated 18 'silent years' ( q.v. ) of Jesus' life between the year 1 or 2 (
q.v. ) ( Luke 2:41-52 ), and year 19 or 21 (
q.v. ) ( Luke 3:21,22 )]; by querying the 600 'silent years' of reincarnation's absence from the Vedas?
INTERPOSING HINDUISM INTO CHRISTIANITY.
In the same television programme (
vs., ) Butler accentuates the unknown factors, or rather the commonly designated 'silent years', of Jesus' "activities", "instructions", and 'teachings'; in the New Testament material. And assumes a presumptuous prerogative to embellish ( or saffronize! ) Jesus' teachings with "bhakti-yoga", "astanga-yoga", "kundalini-yoga", "mystic-yoga"; and "reincarnation" to boot. From where in the New Testament, can Butler quote from, to support these extravagant assumptions of Jesus having taught these schools of 'yoga', and reincarnation? He is, quite clearly, attempting to exploit the New Testament quietude, of the purported 'silent years', in which to interpolate his version of Hindu beliefs and doctrines into Christianity.
MASQUERADING POLYTHEISM AS MONOTHEISM.
Butler masquerades pantheism on the platform of Judaeo-Christian monotheism. His teachings are superficially based upon Hinduism which has a multitude of gods ( e.g., Vishnu, Shiva, Brahmâ
et alii (
q.v. )), whom he has not publicly denied. Notwithstanding his feigned Christian rhetoric, embellishments of Christian ethos and piety, he is advocating all that Jesus Christ, His followers, His Holy Church; and Sacred Scripture oppose;
viz., "You shall have no other gods before Me." ( Exodus, 20:3 ). Butler is not a Christian, nor was he born into the Hindu caste systems ( varna or jâti (
q.v. )). His writings and lectures are indicative of one not at all
au courant of either Hindu or Christian doctrines, but rather of one who oscillates between the two, confused by even the most fundamental theological, and doctrinal differences; particularly regarding 'pantheism' and 'monotheism'.
TRANSGRESSOR OF LITERARY CONVENTIONS.
Butler asserts that 'so-called Christians do not actually have answers', ( op. cit., p. 4 ). This, like many of his other assertions, is conspicuously unaccompanied with: names, places, dates; and reference sources; to validate the veracity of his assertions. This assertion (
et alii. ) are suppositional, and until Butler refrains from ignoring literary conventions ( and unfeigned open dialogue or debate ), and publish names, places etc., in support of his assertions; his writings and lectures will continue to remain unadulterated conjecture.
TIMOROUSLY RUNNING FROM REASONED ARGUMENTS.
I have been responding, with reasoned arguments and evidential supports, to this assertion (
i.e., 'so-called Christians do not actually have answers' ),
et alii., of Butler's numerous fallacies and disinformations. But when called into question, with truths and facts, [ e.g., 7 November, 2000, misrepresenting Jesus as saying: "As you sow, so shall you reap" ( op. cit., p.6 ) in support of his superinducing polytheistic Hindu beliefs of 'metempsychosis' and 'karma' into Christian text. ], Butler, the
soi-disant "Jagud Guru" - "Teacher of the whole world" - timorously runs to ground; abandoning his inept followers to take up the cudgels. Regrettably, postings on my own website, by his followers, reflect very little ( if anything at all! ) cerebral benefits from being under the tutorship of their "Teacher of the whole world".
MEAGRE PARROTINGS.
Butler is a pathetic caricature of Prabhupada, and a sardonic blasphemer ( See 'Jagud Guru Speaks: Is God Really Lovable?' Oleo Public Access TV, 2004 ), as well as a manipulator, with a panache for misquoting, and misemployment, of the New Testament text, and Christian doctrines; for the sole purpose of proselytizing the unwary to his cult. His comprehension of 'reality' is confined within the consensus of what he has taught his followers, not how to think; but rather what to think; most of which are meagre parrotings inherited from Prabhupada. Consequently, constructing a quasi, or rather, pseudo-reality, with very little, or no resemblance to the measurable physical world.
A CONFIRMED BLASPHEMER TEACHING CHRISTIANS TO BE CHRISTIANS.
Additional to Butler's assumed status of "Teacher of the whole world," he is evidently a self-appointed authority, critic, and judge on what Christians, in his opinion, are supposed to be taught. Will he censor the Pope ( Rome ), the Patriarchs ( Constantinople and Moscow ), and all the Protestant church leaders for: "teaching religiosity rather than real religion. Instead of teaching love for God," ( sic. ) ( Jagad Guru, 'Is God Your Servant?' November 2007 ), and advise them that "the only way to self-realization is to chant the Holy Name, chant the Holy Name, chant the Holy Name. Haribol Haribol" ( sic ) ( ibid ). What next!
Will his authority extend to teaching God how to ' chant Haribol! Haribol!' And teach God how to be God? Or even to teach God how to be a "...faceless big dude!", "...cold as ice OK!", "...hard as concrete", and a "... sadist"; as he so bumptiously and brazenly did on the Oleo Public Access TV, 2004. Those blasphemous descriptions of God would have earned Butler a standing ovation from Satan himself!
HARE KRISHNA RENEGADE.
Butler's spiritual master ( Prabhupada ) severely reprimanded him for "so many" "discrepancies" that he informed him: "I cannot allow you to do all these things which are completely detrimental to our line of disciplic succession." ( A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami, letter, 15 June, 1972. Los Angeles. ) Butler is a renegade from the Hare Krishna Movement, and his claim to be "a bona fides spiritual master coming in a long line of spiritual teachers that" ( According to Prabhupada ) "began with God Himself" ( sic ) op. cit., p. 30, is disputable. I believe that it is safe to assume that his disciplic succession ( paramparâ ) has, on the strength of Prabhupada's letter, been damaged and invalidated.
Rev. Father Maximiadis
[
www.fathershomepage.com]
Rev. Fr. A. Maximiadis