Did Jesus Christ ensnare people into His “net”? Did He teach His disciples not to honor parents?
Those sentences which are colored in orange are from Maharishi Dayananda Saraswati book Satyarth Prakash (The Light of Truth) and those which are colored in black are Jerry Thomas’s response.
"And he saith unto them, follow me, and I will make you fishers of men. And they straightway left their nets, and followed him." (4:19).
C. It seems that it was in consequences of this sin alone, viz., breaking the fifth Commandment which says: "Honor thy father and thy mother that thy days may be long upon the land….", that he did not live long, since he neither served his father and mother, nor let others do it. It also shows that Jesus founded his religion in order to entrap others.
He wanted to accomplish his object by ensnaring others into his net like a fisherman. Is there any wonder then if Christian missionaries follow their Master in ensnaring other men into their religion? Just as a man who catches a large number of big fish, makes a name for himself as a good fisherman and also makes a good living by it, in like manner, a missionary who ensnares a large number of converts into the net of Christianity gets a good salary and makes a name for himself.
These people (missionaries) ensnare such simple men into their nets as are ignorant of the teachings of the Vedas and Shastras and separate them from their parents and other members of the family. It, therefore, behooves all enlightened Aryas to escape their net of superstition and error and exert themselves to save their ignorant brethren from the same.
Answer: Maharishi who invites others to the Vedic religion had a serious issue when LORD Jesus Christ invited His disciples to preach the Gospel and make others as disciples. It cannot be that Maharishi did not understand the many usages of language such as figurative speeches, similes etc which have its own purpose and limits, but it appears that Maharishi was really afraid that our country men would leave in large number when they understand the glory of Christ against the paleness of Vedas.
In honoring mother, LORD Jesus Christ, like in all other spheres of life, is an exceedingly excellent and perfect example.
In the Puranas, we hear about the story of Sravan, a young child of a blind couple, while dying asked his killer to provide water for his parents. However, that is a myth.
In history, it really happened with LORD Jesus Christ. Even on the cross, while undergoing that cruel suffering, He remembered about His mother. What an excellent example.
John 19: 25-27 “Now there stood by the cross of Jesus His mother, and His mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus therefore saw His mother, and the disciple whom He loved standing by, He said to His mother, "Woman, behold your son!" Then He said to the disciple, "Behold your mother!" And from that hour that disciple took her to his own home.”
Mythical legendary stories have they their real instances in the life of LORD Jesus Christ.
Further, it was only Maharishi’s inattention to details that prompted him to say that LORD Jesus Christ did not allow his disciples to honor their parents.
Disciples had already met LORD Jesus Christ immediately after Jesus returned from fasting and they had become his disciples (John 1: 29-42).
They had also seen LORD Jesus Christ performing miracle (John 2:1-12).
In Matthew 4:19, LORD Jesus Christ was only asking them to follow Him by leaving their other vocations.
After the disciples followed Him; LORD Jesus Christ Himself led them to honor their parents by meeting their needs.
Mark 1: 16-31 “And as He walked by the Sea of Galilee, He saw Simon and Andrew his brother casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. Then Jesus said to them, "Follow Me, and I will make you become fishers of men.” They immediately left their nets and followed Him. When He had gone a little farther from there, He saw James the [son] of Zebedee, and John his brother, who also [were] in the boat mending their nets. And immediately He called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants, and went after Him. Then they went into Capernaum, and immediately on the Sabbath He entered the synagogue and taught. And they were astonished at His teaching, for He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes. Now there was a man in their synagogue with an unclean spirit. And he cried out, saying, "Let [us] alone! What have we to do with You, Jesus of Nazareth? Did You come to destroy us? I know who You are–the Holy One of God!" But Jesus rebuked him, saying, "Be quiet, and come out of him.And when the unclean spirit had convulsed him and cried out with a loud voice, he came out of him. Then they were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, "What is this? What new doctrine [is] this? For with authority He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey Him." And immediately His fame spread throughout all the region around Galilee. Now as soon as they had come out of the synagogue, they entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. But Simon's wife's mother lay sick with a fever, and they told Him about her at once. So He came and took her by the hand and lifted her up, and immediately the fever left her. And she served them.”
