Los Angeles: July 21–25

During His Morning Walks in Los Angeles, Srila Prabhupada took pleasure verbally sparring with his disciples by refuting their various atheistic arguments. As he spoke, the devotees would gather around him, straining to hear his soft voice over the ocean waves.

Prabhupada: Everywhere the spiritual touch is required before matter will work. (A computer needs a person to push the buttons, a watch requires someone to wind it or put the batteries in it, etc.) In the same way, there is a brain behind nature, but because material scientists cannot imagine this brain, they say creation takes place by chance. Is it a very good explanation that by chance certain chemicals came together and there is life? The whole problem is they cannot distinguish between matter and spirit.

Devotee: But scientists can point to so much progress they have made-time and labor-saving machines.

Prabhupada: The real progress they do not know. The real progress is to check death. We are simply trying to serve Krsna. And Krsna says, He promises, "One who understands Me need never return to this material world of birth and death but comes to My eternal abode." (Bg. 4.9)

Devotee: How do we know Krsna's words are true? Is it simply blind faith?

Prabhupada: No, not blind. Just as I know that on the other side of this ocean is Japan. I may never have been there, but I believe the authorities. Everyone without exception must have faith in something. You have faith that when you give your money for an airline ticket, you will get to your destination. Similarly, I am walking, I do not know the way, but someone I trust tells me, "Now go this way..." I have faith that this person will direct me properly. According to our purity we have faith in different authorities. Faith in the scriptural authority will grow with good association. You don't need to have knowledge to have faith in God. Simply by having such faith knowledge will come. Krsna will give you knowledge. And how to begin this whole process? By hearing from a self realized soul, by chanting Hare Krsna, and by taking Krsna prasada [food which has been offered to Krsna with devotion]. It has nothing to do with the mind or intelligence or any other material condition. But if one has no faith, not even enough to hear and chant, then he must remain in this world of birth and death.