Rāmeśvara: Prabhupāda? Before, Richard (the reporter) asked me a question: What is the difference between our movement and, say, another religion like the Sikhs or some other religion?
Prabhupāda: Don't misunderstand. It is . . . religion means a kind of faith. Just like you are Christian, I am Hindu. So you have faith in Christian religion, I have faith in Hin . . . that is another thing. But this is . . . we understand religion in a different way according to English dictionary. But real religion means the law given by God. This is the shortcut definition of religion. And if you do not know what is God, and if you do not know what is His law, then what is the meaning of religion? There is no meaning of religion. If blindly, if I have some faith in some dogmas and ritualistic ceremonies, that is not religion. Religion means the science by which you can understand God and the law of God. That is religion. It is not a kind of faith. Just like state laws: you may have faith or no faith, the state law is law; you have to obey it. Just like I have come in America. In our country the street law is "Keep to the left." So I have come to America; you say: "Keep to the right." If I say: "No, I have no faith in this. Keep to the left . . ." No, I must obey. That is law. Similarly, religion means you may have faith or no faith, but you must obey. It is a must. It is not optional. That is religion. That, I explained it many times, that character . . . (indistinct) . . . means characteristic. Just like every one of us, we are servant. So, the living entity is servant. He may have faith or no faith, he must be a servant. And if you don't become servant of God, then you become servant of dog. That is your advancement of civilization. When there is no service for God—just like here we have got service for God; there is no question of serving dog. But when we forget service of God, then automatically we become service of dog. But service . . . I am servant, that's a fact. And voluntarily keep a dog and serve him. If I have no master, then I keep a master, dog, cat. You call it by the name "pet." What is a pet? I do service, that's all. So this is our advancement of civilization. We have refused to serve God, and you voluntarily accept to serve dog. Now in India, they are also learning. (chuckles) And formerly, dog keeping, dog there was in the neighborhood, but they were not allowed to enter the room or house. Now they are keeping dogs just like the Western people keep. They are making dog show and so on, so on.
Rāmeśvara: Dog show.
Prabhupāda: They are learning how to serve the dog. And they are giving up God.
Ambarīṣa: Yeah, there are a lot of people here that worship their pets.
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Ambarīṣa: Yes.
Rāmeśvara: The Russians served Lenin.
Prabhupāda: They are imitating. You understand people are very expert in this subject matter. They have come . . . learning everything.