Do priests know nothing at all about God?

You said that priests, pundits, and religious authorities have kept people from moving toward God and the knowing of God. The question is: Do priests know nothing at all? In thousands of years have they learned nothing? Are they utterly ignorant?

No; priests know a great deal. That is precisely the danger. If they were ignorant, there would be far less danger. They know a lot—and the danger lies in what they know. Let me tell a small story; perhaps it will make my point clear. Early one morning a royal court was filling, and a stranger arrived—a traveler from a distant land, it seemed. His dress was unfamiliar, his face unknown. But he carried himself with great dignity and presence. Everyone in the court found their eyes drawn to him. He wore a magnificent turban—unlike anything seen in that country—rich with multicolored patterns and glittering ornaments on top. The king asked, “Honored guest, may I ask how expensive this turban is and where you bought it?” The man said, “It is very expensive. I had to spend a thousand gold coins.” The vizier, seated beside the king—and viziers are naturally…

Question: BELOVED OSHO, AND AN OLD PRIEST SAID, SPEAK TO US OF RELIGION. AND HE SAID: HAVE I SPOKEN THIS DAY OF AUGHT ELSE? IS NOT RELIGION ALL DEEDS AND ALL REFLECTION, AND THAT WHICH IS NEITHER DEED NOR REFLECTION, BUT A WONDER AND A SURPRISE EVER SPRINGING IN THE SOUL, EVEN WHILE THE HANDS HEW THE STONE OR TEND THE LOOM? WHO CAN SEPARATE HIS FAITH FROM HIS ACTIONS, OR HIS BELIEF FROM HIS OCCUPATIONS? WHO CAN SPREAD HIS HOURS BEFORE HIM, SAYING, "THIS FOR GOD AND THIS FOR MYSELF; THIS FOR MY SOUL AND THIS OTHER FOR MY BODY"? ALL YOUR HOURS ARE WINGS THAT BEAT THROUGH SPACE FROM SELF TO SELF. HE WHO WEARS HIS MORALITY BUT AS HIS BEST GARMENT WERE BETTER NAKED. THE WIND AND THE SUN WILL TEAR NO HOLES IN HIS SKIN.

Question: OSHO, WHEN I WAS A CHILD ATTENDING SUNDAY SCHOOL THERE WAS A HEBREW PROVERB HANGING ON THE WALL. IT READ: "THE BEGINNING OF WISDOM IS THE FEAR OF THE LORD." FOR MANY YEARS I WAS CONVINCED OF THE MEANING THAT GOD WAS FRIGHTENED OF MAN GAINING ANY WISDOM. AFTER ALL, DIDN'T HE FORBID EATING OF THE TREE OF KNOWLEDGE? AND THEN ONE DAY IT WAS EXPLAINED: "FEARING GOD IS THE FIRST STEP IN MAN'S PATH TOWARDS UNDERSTANDING." AGAIN IT MADE PERFECT SENSE. AFTER ALL, WASN'T JEHOVAH A FEARSOME, PUNITIVE, OMNIPOTENT GOD! AND NOW I AM FINDING IT HARD TO RECOVER FROM THAT IDEA, AND IT INTERFERES WITH MY LOVE FOR YOU. IN SPITE OF "KNOWING BETTER" I HAVE TO SEE YOU AS ALL-POWERFUL; I HAVE TO BE DEPENDENT ON YOU FOR MY LIBERATION; AND SOMETIMES IT FOLLOWS THAT THEN I HAVE TO BE AFRAID OF YOU AND YOUR "PUNISHMENT.

Question: Fourth question: Osho, is the God of the priests and pundits not true? The God of the priests is only as true as they are true. Your God will be only as true as you are. Your God cannot be truer than you. After all, your God is yours! If you are false, your God will be false. If you are false, your worship will be false, your prayer will be false. It depends on you. If you are dead within, your God will be dead. Your God cannot be otherwise than you. What is the priest’s God? A web of words. Something read in scriptures, not something lived or experienced. The priest’s God exists to exploit you, not to transform his own life. He builds temples, but not for his inner transformation; he gives sermons, but not because his life has been transformed.

Question: BELOVED OSHO, OF THE PRIESTS AND ONE DAY ZARATHUSTRA MADE A SIGN TO HIS DISCIPLES AND SPOKE THESE WORDS TO THEM: HERE ARE PRIESTS: AND ALTHOUGH THEY ARE MY ENEMIES, PASS THEM BY QUIETLY AND WITH SLEEPING SWORDS!... THEY ARE BAD ENEMIES: NOTHING IS MORE REVENGEFUL THAN THEIR HUMILITY. AND HE WHO TOUCHES THEM IS EASILY DEFILED.... HE WHOM THEY CALL REDEEMER HAS CAST THEM INTO BONDAGE -- INTO THE BONDAGE OF FALSE VALUES AND FALSE SCRIPTURES! AH, THAT SOMEONE WOULD REDEEM THEM FROM THEIR REDEEMER!... OH, JUST LOOK AT THESE HUTS THAT THESE PRIESTS HAVE BUILT THEMSELVES. CHURCHES THEY CALL THEIR SWEET-SMELLING CAVES! OH THIS COUNTERFEIT LIGHT! OH THIS MUSTY AIR! HERE, WHERE THE SOUL MAY NOT FLY UP TO ITS HEIGHT! ON THE CONTRARY, THEIR FAITH COMMANDS: `UP THE STEPS ON YOUR KNEES, YOU SINNERS!'... WHO CREATED SUCH CAVES AND PENITENTIAL STEPS?