Lecture Lahore — Page 6
6 the death that must come upon them as a result of trans- gressing Divine commandments? I tell you that it is only because they are not as aware of the perils of sin as they are of the harmfulness of a snake or a poison. No logic can disprove the fact that perfect knowledge prevents man from doing things that are likely to cause him injury or death, and in doing so he does not require any belief in any doctrine of Redemption. Even the most hardened criminal suppresses many of his desires for fear of being apprehended and punished. He does not break into a shop in broad daylight, while armed policemen are patrolling the area, even though he can easily lay his hands on thousands of rupees. Why? Is it because he has faith in the Redemption and is overawed by the doctrine of the Cross? No. He desists only because he recognizes the black uniforms of the policemen and is afraid of their shining swords, and realizes that if caught he will be thrown into jail. This principle applies even to animals. A charging lion never jumps into a fire even when it sees its prey on the other side, and a wolf never attacks a lamb whose watcher is standing by with a sword and a loaded gun. So, dear people, the true and tried philosophy is that man requires no doctrine of 'Redemption' in order to keep away from sin; all he requires is true knowledge and awareness. If the people of Noah had possessed true awareness, which inspires fear of God, they would not have drowned; and if the people of Lot had truly recog- nized their Lord, they would not have been showered with stones; and if the people of this country had been granted