As narrated by Swami Kriyananda :
In Los Angeles, Yogananda once went to a revival meeting. A women was leading it. During her haruenge she shouted: "God has no use for sinners! In his eyes they are an abomination."
Voices were raised everywhere in fervent response: "Hallelujah! Praise the Lord! Right on, Sister!"
"Unless you accept Jesus Christ, and live for his glory, you will end up in hell!".
Again the responses with few variations.
The women continued: "Man is naturally sinful. He can be redeemed only by faith in our Lord, Jesus Christ!."
Once more the congregation intoned heartfelt replies.
"You are all sinners! Get down on your knees!"
In all that crowd, only Yogananda remained standing. Later, he commented, "I wouldn't accept her statement that I was a sinner! Nobody should ever say that. To call yourself a sinner is the greatest of all sins before God! Don't identify yourself with your mistakes. When you know God, you will become aware of His Presence everywhere. And than you will never judge anyone."
On another occasion, in the Pacific Northwest, he stopped at a farmhouse hoping to buy some cherries, and got into a discussion on religion with the farmer. At a certain point this man, who proved to be a religious fanatic, shouted, "We are all sinners!-doomed to eternity in hell!"
The Master paused a moment before replying. Then he asked, as if irrelevantly, "You have a son, haven't you?"
The answered dolefully, "Yes. I have a son."
"He gives you trouble, doesn't he?"
"Oh, my God, what trouble!"
"He drinks, I think?"
"Like a whale! You can't imagine the grief I go through on his account."
Yogananda than announced confidently, "I have a cure for his problem."
"Oh, sir, if you can help me with that, I'll be grateful to you forever!"
"Well, here's what you do: The next time he comes home late at night, drunk........." He interrupted himself.
"Have you a large oven?"
The man glared suspiciously. "Say," he demanded, "what have you got in mind?"
"No, no, just wait." Yogananda spoke reassuringly. "I'm offering you a solution to your problem."
Hesitantly the man replied, "Yes, i have such an oven."
"Has it a large door?"
Suddenly again apprehensive, the man cried, "Just a minute! Where is this all heading?"
The master spoke soothingly. "Just be calm. I'm going to solve everything for you."
The other sat back, relaxing slightly.
"Now then, here's what you do: The next time your son comes home drunk......well, first have the oven good and hot......"
The man sat up again, horrified.
Yogananda was now speaking hurriedly: "Grab him; tie him up with a strong rope, and shove him into the oven!"
Furiously indignant, the man shouted, "Blasphemer! Evildoer! Whoever heard of a father throwing his own son into an oven! Get out of my house this minute!"
Yogananda than spoke appeasingly. "Don't you understand what I've just said to you? You said God wants to throw us all into hell. But He is our true Father! You, a mere human being, were horrified at the thought of throwing your own son into an oven despite all the trouble he's given you. Can you seriously believe that Godm who is Perfection Itself, has less love for you than you have for your own son?"
From panting fury the man grew gradually calm. "I see now?" he said. He reflected a moment. "Yes, you are right." He looked at his visitor with a grateful smile. "Oh, thank you! You've cured me of a serious error. God is Love. He can't wish our destruction! Thank you! Thank you!"
Excerpt from the book "The biography - Paramahansa Yogananda" by Swami Kriyananda
Voices were raised everywhere in fervent response: "Hallelujah! Praise the Lord! Right on, Sister!"
"Unless you accept Jesus Christ, and live for his glory, you will end up in hell!".
Again the responses with few variations.
The women continued: "Man is naturally sinful. He can be redeemed only by faith in our Lord, Jesus Christ!."
Once more the congregation intoned heartfelt replies.
"You are all sinners! Get down on your knees!"
In all that crowd, only Yogananda remained standing. Later, he commented, "I wouldn't accept her statement that I was a sinner! Nobody should ever say that. To call yourself a sinner is the greatest of all sins before God! Don't identify yourself with your mistakes. When you know God, you will become aware of His Presence everywhere. And than you will never judge anyone."
On another occasion, in the Pacific Northwest, he stopped at a farmhouse hoping to buy some cherries, and got into a discussion on religion with the farmer. At a certain point this man, who proved to be a religious fanatic, shouted, "We are all sinners!-doomed to eternity in hell!"
The Master paused a moment before replying. Then he asked, as if irrelevantly, "You have a son, haven't you?"
The answered dolefully, "Yes. I have a son."
"He gives you trouble, doesn't he?"
"Oh, my God, what trouble!"
"He drinks, I think?"
"Like a whale! You can't imagine the grief I go through on his account."
Yogananda than announced confidently, "I have a cure for his problem."
"Oh, sir, if you can help me with that, I'll be grateful to you forever!"
"Well, here's what you do: The next time he comes home late at night, drunk........." He interrupted himself.
"Have you a large oven?"
The man glared suspiciously. "Say," he demanded, "what have you got in mind?"
"No, no, just wait." Yogananda spoke reassuringly. "I'm offering you a solution to your problem."
Hesitantly the man replied, "Yes, i have such an oven."
"Has it a large door?"
Suddenly again apprehensive, the man cried, "Just a minute! Where is this all heading?"
The master spoke soothingly. "Just be calm. I'm going to solve everything for you."
The other sat back, relaxing slightly.
"Now then, here's what you do: The next time your son comes home drunk......well, first have the oven good and hot......"
The man sat up again, horrified.
Yogananda was now speaking hurriedly: "Grab him; tie him up with a strong rope, and shove him into the oven!"
Yogananda than spoke appeasingly. "Don't you understand what I've just said to you? You said God wants to throw us all into hell. But He is our true Father! You, a mere human being, were horrified at the thought of throwing your own son into an oven despite all the trouble he's given you. Can you seriously believe that Godm who is Perfection Itself, has less love for you than you have for your own son?"
From panting fury the man grew gradually calm. "I see now?" he said. He reflected a moment. "Yes, you are right." He looked at his visitor with a grateful smile. "Oh, thank you! You've cured me of a serious error. God is Love. He can't wish our destruction! Thank you! Thank you!"
Excerpt from the book "The biography - Paramahansa Yogananda" by Swami Kriyananda
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