Madhumangala in South Africa
One Saturday, waiting in the car park with the devotees who were having a swim at the beach after a long harinam downtown, I approached a tattooed surfer guy loading his surf board onto the back of his truck. I introduced myself and told him that I was a travelling monk.
"You're a monk, that right?"
I told him that I was based in San Diego, where surfing is part of the local culture, and that he should there one day. We began to talk about the environment and how no one really respects the sacredness of life. I showed him a selection of books, and he said they were very nice, until he looked at the book, Divine Nature.
I opened up the book and showed him the introduction, which he read with appreciation, that was until he turned back to the front cover. For a while he looked at the picture of Krsna.
Then he said, "Who is this? I am a Christian. Please do not be offended. I respect you and what you have told me, but this (he pointed to Krsna), well, I am sorry, this seems to be a bit demonic."
I told him it was Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. I began to explain that in our scriptures it is described what God looks like.
He stopped me and told me that it is not explained in the Bible what God looks like.
I ended my conversation as it was not going to go anywhere.
He told me that we need to have faith; it did not matter what God looked like.
I asked him how he knew everything he read in the Bible was true, and he replied again that he had faith. I told him that I also had faith in our scriptures. I thanked him and told him that it was a pleasure meeting him.
Five minutes later, I was approached by a young guy, whom I remembered was also loading his surfboard onto the same truck. He was holding up a ten rand note and said to me, "I'll have that book that you showed my friend."
Srila Prabhupada ki jay!
Your Servant,
Madhumangala Dasa
