Question:
Can we honestly believe that every faith, based upon logical and acceptable values, is authentic and not contrived? For example, how should we understand the 10 Commandments in relation to Krishna consciousness?

Answer by H.D. Goswami:
Jaya Prabhupada! Yes, we can say that the 10 Commandments are objective and valid moral- religious principles. These commandments are originally from the Jewish Old Testament and were accepted by all Christian groups.

Krishna explains in the Bhagavad-gita that knowledge and morality come from goodness (sattva-guna). Obviously, in every part of the world, throughout history, some people were in goodness. For that reason, they understood objective moral principles and something about God’s preeminence and glory.

In every religion, we observe that some believers are in goodness and others in passion or ignorance. Believers in goodness, of all religions, share a common knowledge, goodness, and piety.

Krishna consciousness surely has that goodness, but it also offers the more advanced knowledge about God and soul. Our purpose is not to refute or to beat other religions, but to complete and enrich the spirituality of everyone.

With best wishes,
Hridayananda das Goswami
April 8, 2015