Bonafide Religions

At present, many Jews exist who are not spiritually connected in a tangible way, as well as many Christians who are not bona fide Christians, many Muslims who are not authentic Muslims, many Buddhists who are not true Buddhists, and a large number of Vaisnavas who are not genuine Vaisnavas. Therefore, we are encountering both intra- group and inter- group problems. So much dissent has arisen as the result of the misuse of religion that many people now think, “Do away with all this religious stuff because it just brings confusion.” There is nothing wrong with spirituality and deep religion, per se. There is something wrong with devious people who try to hijack religious teachings. Since time immemorial, peo ple have existed who will exploit anything for ulterior motives, including religion. However, applied properly, bona fide religion is extremely powerful.

..from Reflections on Sacred Teachings, Volume Four: Sri Isopanisad, Mantra Twelve