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Believe in the scriptures

Bhagavad-gita As It Is

BG Chapters 13 - 18

A demoniac person, being always against God's supremacy, does not like to believe in the scriptures.
BG 16.18, Translation and Purport: Bewildered by false ego, strength, pride, lust and anger, the demons become envious of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is situated in their own bodies and in the bodies of others, and blaspheme against the real religion. A demoniac person, being always against God's supremacy, does not like to believe in the scriptures. He is envious of both the scriptures and the existence of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This is caused by his so-called prestige and his accumulation of wealth and strength. He does not know that the present life is a preparation for the next life. Not knowing this, he is actually envious of his own self, as well as of others. He commits violence on other bodies and on his own. He does not care for the supreme control of the Personality of Godhead, because he has no knowledge. Being envious of the scriptures and the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he puts forward false arguments against the existence of God and denies the scriptural authority. He thinks himself independent and powerful in every action. He thinks that since no one can equal him in strength, power or wealth, he can act in any way and no one can stop him. If he has an enemy who might check the advancement of his sensual activities, he makes plans to cut him down by his own power.

Srimad-Bhagavatam

SB Canto 3

If we do not believe in the scriptures, that is a different question, but if we have faith in the authority of such descriptions, then we must prepare for our freedom in the next life.
SB 3.31.9, Purport: After birth the child may forget about the difficulties of his past lives, but when we are grown-up we can at least understand the grievous tortures undergone at birth and death by reading the authorized scriptures like Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. If we do not believe in the scriptures, that is a different question, but if we have faith in the authority of such descriptions, then we must prepare for our freedom in the next life; that is possible in this human form of life. One who does not take heed of these indications of suffering in human existence is said to be undoubtedly committing suicide. It is said that this human form of life is the only means for crossing over the nescience of māyā, or material existence. We have a very efficient boat in this human form of body, and there is a very expert captain, the spiritual master; the scriptural injunctions are like favorable winds. If we do not cross over the ocean of the nescience of material existence in spite of all these facilities, then certainly we are all intentionally committing suicide.

Other Books by Srila Prabhupada

Teachings of Lord Caitanya

It is very difficult to find a few human beings who believe in the scriptures and the existence of God, or, for that matter, in proper behavior.
Teachings of Lord Caitanya, Chapter 1: Out of the many millions and trillions of living entities on land, human beings comprise only a small portion. Out of that small number of human beings, most are totally ignorant of spiritual life, are unclean in their habits and have no faith in the existence of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. In short, most human beings live like animals. These can actually be deducted from the number of human beings that comprise human or civilized life. It is very difficult to find a few human beings who believe in the scriptures and the existence of God, or, for that matter, in proper behavior. Those who do believe in the value of these things are known as ārya, a word denoting those who believe in advancing in spiritual life.

Lectures

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Civilized persons, who are actually devoted to the scriptures, they agree that "I belong to Christian religion," "I belong to Hindu religion," or "I belong to Muhammadan religion," but at the present age, mostly they simply claim that "I belong to this religion" but do not believe in the scriptures.
Lecture on BG 9.2 -- New York, November 22, 1966: So Lord Caitanya says, "Out of these 400,000 species of life, some of them are civilized. And out of many civilized persons, they are actually devoted to the scriptures, not all." Some of them, they agree that "I belong to Christian religion," "I belong to Hindu religion," or "I belong to Muhammadan religion," but at the present age, mostly they simply claim that "I belong to this religion" but do not believe in the scripture, mostly. So those who are believing in the scriptures, they are mostly attracted by pious, philanthropic activities.
So those who believe in scriptures, they adopt, not all. Just like I explained that mostly people, they simply accept a certain faith, in mouth only. Actually, they do not do anything.
Lecture on BG 9.2 -- New York, November 22, 1966: So we have no idea what is yajña. But this yajña is the performance of kings or the heads of the state, and dāna of the general householders, and tapasya for brahmacārī, sannyāsī, vānaprastha. So these are different kinds of rules in religious life. So those who believe in scriptures, they adopt, not all. Just like I explained that mostly people, they simply accept a certain faith. Mouth, in mouth only. Actually, they do not do anything. Do not do anything. So out of that many, millions of people like that, somebody are religious, really religious, who perform this sacrifice, charity, and penances. So Lord Caitanya says, "Out of many millions of persons who are actually engaged in charity, and," I mean to say, "penance and sacrifice, some of them become in perfect knowledge what he is." So this knowledge is... Just see how He's making analytical study of the living entities. Beginning from eighty-eight, er, eight hundred, 8,400,000 species of life, He's selecting only few human civilized life; then addicted to the, I mean to say, certain kind of faith; then extracting them who are actually believing; and then those who are actually believing. Out of them, those who are sacrificing, making charities and adopting penances, out of many millions of like, persons like that, some of them are actually in knowledge what he is.

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures

Atheism means anyone who does not believe in scriptures, standard scriptures. That is called atheism.
Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.109-114 -- San Francisco, February 20, 1967: Lord Buddha, he denied, that "I don't care for the Vedas. I have got my this own proposition, that ahiṁsā. Nonviolence is the religion. That's all." So he did not accept Vedas. Therefore, those who are Vedantists, those who are followers of Vedas, they called Buddhist religion atheism. Atheism means anyone who does not believe in scriptures, standard scriptures. That is called atheism.
One who does not believe in scriptures, they are meant for going to hell.
Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.109-114 -- San Francisco, February 20, 1967:

Woman: If someone who does not believe in scriptures, um, what is his duty, and...?

Prabhupāda: His duty is to go to hell. One who does not believe in scriptures, they are meant for going to hell.

Woman: What can one do to rectify his offenses? (?)

Prabhupāda: Well, just come... [break] That will help you.

Woman: But if a person is not willing to do that, is there any way... (static)

Prabhupāda: Oh, how can you do that? If a person is not willing to take medicine, how he can be cured? He'll go to death. He must be willing to. That is a, I mean to say, explained in the Bhagavad-gītā. So that is very dangerous position, one who does not take care. Suppose if one wants to be educated without going to school. How it is possible? If somebody says, "Oh, I don't care for any school, colleges. I'll be educated at home," this is nonsense. Is it possible? Or will anybody recognize you? Then what is the use? Waste of time. That is the disease. Everyone thinks, "Oh, I am everything. I am perfect." That is the disease, material disease. Everyone is thinking, "I am independent. I am perfect. Whatever I think, oh, that is all right." This is going on. First of all, if anyone wants advancement, he must first of all think just like Caitanya Mahāprabhu is pretending, that "My spiritual master found Me a great fool [Cc. Adi 7.71]." So one must agree to become a great fool and study these scriptures from bona fide spiritual master. Then there is hope of advancement.
Page Title:Believe in the scriptures
Compiler:MadhuGopaldas
Created:05 of Aug, 2009
Totals by Section:BG=1, SB=1, CC=0, OB=1, Lec=4, Con=0, Let=0
No. of Quotes:7