Amma

While I was at Starbucks yesterday, I put some tracts up on the community “bulletin” board with a magnet that was there. As I did I noticed a card on the board that said AMMA on top and had a picture of what I guess is a Hindu “spiritual advisor”. The front of the card at the bottom says, “May all beings everywhere be happy.”
On the back of the card, was an invitation to a “free program” (which took place two months ago) where “numbered tokens for individual blessings are distributed one hour before the program.” I took a quick look at the web site that was listed on the card. On of the pages of her web site says:

Amma always points out that the purpose of one’s life is to realize who we really are. She says, “By realizing our own Self we become full, with nothing more to gain in life. Life becomes perfect.”

To attain this goal, Amma says that no particular path or spiritual practice can be recommended for all. “Just as a doctor gives different dosages or even different medications to patients with the same ailment according to their constitution, so does a Spiritual Master prescribe different methods to different people to reach the same goal. Spirituality is the practical science of life. Apart from taking us to the ultimate goal of Self-realization it also teaches us the nature of the world, and how to understand life and live fully in the best way possible.”

However, Amma says that the path of devotion and selfless-service is the safest and most conducive path for many people.

This really struck me. Read again what she wrote “different dosages” and “different methods”. This is totally opposed to Christianity where Jesus says “I am the way.” (John 14:6) If Jesus is “the way” then he is the way for all people. Period.

I was going from Starbucks to the mall to meet up with a couple of guys to do some witnessing. I put the card in my pocket. As we walked around the mall, I would show it to people and say, “what do you think of this saying that all beings everywhere should be happy?” The first guy turned out to be a Christian. He disagreed with the statement and cited the same verse in John 14 that I referenced above. We had a wonderful conversation with him about Jesus and we all left feeling very encouraged.

The next gal that we showed the card agreed with the statement about happiness on the card. As we talked, she claimed some beliefs about Hinduism that I have not heard before. She said there is a heaven and a hell and that she also believes in reincarnation. We talked a few minutes. She continued talking about heaven, hell and re-incarnation. Finally, I asked, “what is more important, what you believe or what is actually true.” She said “what I believe is true.” Realizing we were not getting anywhere with her, we gave her a COEXIST tract.

About that time her manager came back. We asked her if she had any spiritual beliefs. She said she is a Christian and her dad is a Muslim. Very interesting. Her mom is a Christian and her dad is a Muslim. She said that growing up both parents taught her their beliefs and she believed Christianity to be true.

All in all, the AMMA card made a nice ice breaker to share the Gospel as we walked around the mall.