Independent thinking?

[Jahnu]

Preaching on-line to antagonists, one thing I hear real often is - uh
duh, you can't think for yourself. You need some old books to think
for you.

But the real fact of the matter is that main-stream people would be up
the proverbial creek without a paddle if they didn't have TV,
newspapers and magazines to tell them what to think and believe. They
all say the same things and have the same values. How is it
independent thinking to talk, think and be like millions of other
people?

I would venture to say, that the more a point of view is prevalent in
society, the more people who share a view-point, the less independent
it is.

Practically nobody except the Hare Krishnas think like the Hare
Krishnas, and the Hare Krishnas are a tiny minority of people on
planet. So actually the Hare Krishnas must be the most independent
type of thinkers.

The Hare Krishna way of thinking is based on an ancient, revealed
science, that has been tried and tested since time immemorial whereas
the thinking of people in mainstream society is dictated by mass media
and Hollywood. So whose thinking is most independent, seriously? That
also begs the question - what is the definition of independent
thinking, and who defines it?

If you say, independent thinking is defined by the majority of people,
how is it independent thinking? So when people tell you, that you have
no independent thoughts, they have no idea what they are talking
about. They are merely mindlessly repeating a slogan.

Next time someone challenges you - you can't think for yourself - ask
that person to name just one single, miniscule, little thought he or
she has come up with by themselves. Let's hear some of your
independent thoughts. That'll stomp anyone... just try. Nothing of
what people in general have to offer are based on independent
thinking.

The real fact is that nobody is thinking independently. Everyone's
thinking is inspired by what they have heard and learned from others.
So what's best? - to be inspired by the ancient teachings of the Vedic
tradition or to be inspired by CNN and Fox news or the garbage they
teach you in school?

"I owed a magnificent day to the Bhagavad Geeta. It was the first of
books; it was as if an empire spoke to us, nothing small or unworthy,
but large, serene, consistent, the voice of an old intelligence which
in another age and climate had pondered and thus disposed of the same
questions which exercise us."
- Ralph Waldo Emerson

Krishna says:

One must deliver himself with the help of his mind, and not degrade
himself. The mind is the friend of the conditioned soul, and his enemy
as well. (Bg. 6.5)

For him who has conquered the mind, the mind is the best of friends;
but for one who has failed to do so, his mind will remain the greatest
enemy. (Bg. 6.6)

[EXLEX]

Post by Jahnu
Preaching on-line to antagonists, one thing I hear real often is - uh
duh, you can't think for yourself. You need some old books to think
for you.

Is independent thinking the reason why you keep the copy/paste of others
words and thoughts up?




--
EXLEX

[Jahnu]

Post by EXLEX
Is independent thinking the reason why you keep the copy/paste of others
words and thoughts up?

I copy and paste my own texts from Quora, retard.

In Bhagavad Gita, Krishna states that the mind is one His eight
separated, material elements. Because of being temporary, rather than
eternal, the material world is in the category of illusion, or
unreality. Thus, any problems in the mind are illusory. Even though
the problems of the mind are illusory, still, these problems will
cause suffering.

The main problem of the mind is a lack of spiritual understanding. As
long as the mind identifies with the body and its culture, there are
going to be problems.

All suffering is a result of ignorance of one’s real self. Actually,
for the soul there is no suffering, only the body and mind suffer.

When one becomes aware of one’s real self and its relation to God, all
suffering will vanish, for all suffering stem from the body and mind.
The body and the mind are like a vehicle for the soul. Even though the
suffering is illusory, because of attachment to the body and mind, the
soul experiences suffering.

Krishna says:

A man must elevate himself by his own mind, not degrade himself. The
mind is the friend of the conditioned soul, and his enemy as well. —Bg
6.5

For him who has conquered the mind, the mind is the best of friends;
but for one who has failed to do so, his very mind will be the
greatest enemy. —Bg 6.6

[EXLEX]

Post by Jahnu

Post by EXLEX
Is independent thinking the reason why you keep the copy/paste of others
words and thoughts up?

I copy and paste my own texts from Quora, retard.

So you claim you authored Einsteins and Tolstoys quotes?
Impressive...

...or something




--
EXLEX

[Jahnu]

Post by EXLEX
So you claim you authored Einsteins and Tolstoys quotes?
Impressive...

Glad I could impress you :D

Just like water and oil cannot be combined, there is no combination of
the mind and soul. The soul is asango hy ayam purusah - never in
contact with matter. Rather, the soul observes the world through the
mind. It's like observing something through colored glasses. The
picture gets distorted. The mind works like a filter for the soul.
It's like a computer. The body is like the hardware, the mind is like
the software, and the self (or the soul) is the user. The mind is like
a soft-ware to be used by the soul to interact with material nature.
The more the mind is contaminated by materialism, the more the soul
will have a distorted picture of the world. And the more the mind is
purified by spiritual practice, the more the soul will be in touch
with reality.

In the present age of Kali, people are unhappy and frustrated because
they have created a mechanistic, impersonal conception of nature.
People are not in touch with themselves as souls, they only know
themselves as their body and mind.

Krishna says:

One who is not connected with the Supreme [in Krishna consciousness]
can have neither transcendental intelligence nor a steady mind,
without which there is no possibility of peace. And how can there be
any happiness without peace? (Bg. 2.66)

According to the Vedic Version it is our collective psyche that forms
the material world. By using one's mind according to the directions of
God, like they are given in Bhagavad Gita, one can create optimal
living conditions in the world for oneself as well as for everyone
else. This is done by understanding that nature is a living organism.
In stead, we have created a civilization where nature is regarded as
dead matter, Rather than a personality, nature is regarded as a
machine.

The main problem in the world today is a general lack of
God-consciousness.

And the only solution to this proble is to introduce a process that
will revive the consciousness to its original state of
Krishna-consciousness.

In the present age of darkness this is done by chanting the Hare
Krishna mantra.

Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare
Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare


"This mantra, consisting of 16 words and 32 syllables, is the only
means against evil in the age of Kali. After searching through all the
Vedic literature, one cannot find a method of religion more sublime
for this age than the chanting of Hare Krishna."

--- Kali-santarana Upanishad

[EXLEX]

Post by Jahnu

Post by EXLEX
So you claim you authored Einsteins and Tolstoys quotes?
Impressive...

Glad I could impress you :D

Well.
Given your basis, that does not require much, really.




--
EXLEX

[Jahnu]

Post by EXLEX
Well.
Given your basis, that does not require much, really.

Of course, it should take much to impress an idiot who believes in the
myth about the amoeba that grew legs and learned to talk.

"Scientists who go about teaching that evolution is a fact of life are
great con-men, And the story they are telling may be the GREATEST HOAX
EVER." -- Dr.T.N.Tahmisian, Atomic Energy Commission

"We must concede that there are presently no detailed Darwinian
accounts of the evolution of any biochemical or cellular system, only
a variety of wishful speculations." -- Franklin Harold, Emeritus
Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at Colorado State
University, in an Oxford University Press text.

"Darwinian evolution - whatever its other virtues - does not provide a
fruitful heuristic in experimental biology. This becomes especially
clear when we compare it with a heuristic framework such as the atomic
model, which opens up structural chemistry and leads to advances in
the synthesis of a multitude of new molecules of practical benefit.
None of this demonstrates that Darwinism is false. It does, however,
mean that the claim that it is the cornerstone of modern experimental
biology will be met with quiet skepticism from a growing number of
scientists in fields where theories actually do serve as cornerstones
for tangible breakthroughs." --U.S. National Academy of Sciences
member Philip Skell

[EXLEX]

Post by Jahnu

Post by EXLEX
Well.
Given your basis, that does not require much, really.

Of course, it should take much to impress an idiot who believes in the
myth about the amoeba that grew legs and learned to talk.

Do you really believe in such a fairy tale?
Surely Krisshna has another version?




--
EXLEX

[Jahnu]

Post by EXLEX
Do you really believe in such a fairy tale?
Surely Krisshna has another version?

In the Vedic tradition, an evolution of consciousness is understood.

The soul, which is an atomic particle of God’s consciousness, is
situated in all living entities. The human life-form is a extremely
rare occurrence for the soul. Every skin-cell in our body is a soul,
every piece of grass, every microbe, every bacteria is a soul, so we
can understand how rare it is for a soul to obtain a human body.

In the human body, the consciousness of the soul is sufficiently
evolved to understand God and its relation to Him. In all the other 8
million non-human species, the consciousness of the soul is limited to
the bodily needs of eating, sleeping, mating, and defending.

In the material world, the consciousness of the soul evolves gradually
from fish, plants, insects, reptiles, birds, animals and then to
humans (including demigods, rakshasas, gandharvas etc).

There are 900,000 species of aquatic life; 2,000,000 species of plants
and trees; 1,100,000 species of insects; 1,000,000 species of bird
life; 3,000,000 species of beasts, and 400,000 species of human life.
--Padma Purana

And then, finally, after having attained the human form of life, the
soul is given the opportunity for the the consciousness to evolve from
Sraddha to Prema, meaning an evolution from faith in God to love of
God. Obviously, to love God, one needs to know Him first.

One attains the human form of life after transmigrating through
8,400,000 species by the process of gradual evolution. That human life
is spoiled for those conceited fools who do not take shelter of the
lotus feet of Govinda. --Brahma-vaivarta Purana

In the science of bhakti (devotion to God) the consciousness evolves
through 9 stages:

1. sraddha - faith

2. sadhu-sanga - association with saintly people

3. bhajana kriya - following and practicing devotional principles

4. anartha nivritti - purifying the mind from material contamination

5. nistha - becoming steady in one’s sadhana (practice)

6. ruchi - taste for Krishna

7. asakti - attachment to Krishna

8. bhava - the dawning of pure love of God

9. prema - pure, unalloyed love for Krishna

Krishna says:

After many births and deaths, he who is actually in knowledge
surrenders unto Me, knowing Me to be the cause of all causes and all
that is. Such a great soul is very rare. (Bg 7.19)

Srila Prabhupada says:

As far as the soul is concerned, the evolutionary process is going on,
and we are struggling for existence, struggling to come to the point
of eternal life. That eternal life is possible. If you try your best
in this human form of life, in your next life you can get a spiritual
body. Your spiritual body is already within you, and it will develop
as soon as you become free from the contamination of this material
existence. That is the aim of human life. People do not know what
actual self-interest is; it is to realize oneself, to realize, "I am
part and parcel of God, and I have to return to the kingdom of God to
join with God."

--Back to Godhead Magazine-Build Your Nations on the Spiritual
Platform-An Address Given At The University Of Nairobi His Divine
Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

[EXLEX]

Post by Jahnu

Post by EXLEX
Do you really believe in such a fairy tale?
Surely Krisshna has another version?

In the Vedic tradition, an evolution of consciousness is understood.

Understood perhaps - but seemingly not achieved.

Post by Jahnu
There are 900,000 species of aquatic life; 2,000,000 species of plants
and trees; 1,100,000 species of insects; 1,000,000 species of bird
life; 3,000,000 species of beasts, and 400,000 species of human life.
--Padma Purana

Really?
400,000 Species of human life?
Interesting.
So you still have 399,999 to go?




--
EXLEX

[Jahnu]

hvine klage hyle

Here is the new and revised chart, comparing flesh-eaters to plant
eaters, as it appeared in Peter Cox's book, Why You Don't Need Meat,
from 1994. It is highly recommendable reading for those who care about
what they eat, and who care about the planet and its other
inhabitants.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
VEGETARIAN FLESH-EATER HUMAN


Hands / hoofs Claws as append- Hands as
as appendages ages appendages


Teeth flat Teeth sharp Teeth flat

Alkaline saliva; Acid saliva; no Alkaline saliva;
much ptyalin ptyalin enzyme much ptyalin
enzyme enzyme

Stomach acid 10 Much strong hydro- Stomach acid 10
times weaker chloride acid in times weaker than
than meat-eaters stomach meat-eaters

Long intestines Short intestines; Long intestines;
to digest nutrients rapidly excrete digest nutrients in
in plant foods fully putrefying flesh plant foods fully


Sweats to cool Pants to cool Sweats to cool
body body body


Sips water Laps water Sips water


Vitamin C obtained Vitamin C manu- Vitamin C obtained
solely from diet factured internally solely from diet


Exists largely on Consumes flesh Diet depends
fruit and nut diet; exclusively on environment


Grasping hands No manual dexte- Grasping hands
capable of using terity capable of using
tools and weapons tools and weapons


Inoffensive Putrid Offensiveness of
excrement excrement excrement depends on diet


Snack feeder Large meals infre- Combines worst of
frequently taken both worlds


Predominantly Preference for salty Likes both sweet and
sweet toothed / fatty food salty / fatty food


Likes to savor Bolts down Likes to savor food,
food, experiment food experiment with variety,
with variety, com- combine flavors
bine flavors


Large brains, able Small brains, less Large brains, able
to rationalize capable of adaptive to rationalize
behavior

[EXLEX]

hvine klage hyle

Klynke snøfte vræle




--
EXLEX

[Jahnu]

bitch moan whine

Vedanta-sutra states - ananda-mayo 'bhyasat - the living entity is
pleasure seeking. Whatever people believe in, they are always after
happiness.

Materialist know only bodily and mental enjoyment. The problems with
material enjoyment, though, is that it always ends and is replaced by
suffering.

Actually, because we are spiritual beings, we hanker for eternal
pleasure. The constitution of the soul, as a particle of God, is
sat-chit-ananda. The soul is eternally happy and full of knowledge.
And therefore it is seen that all living entities in the material
world, whatever body the may inhabit, are always gravitating towards
the three - eternity, knowledge and bliss.

So regardless whether we are atheists, materialists, religious,
democrats, or whatever, we want to enjoy. The bad news for
materialists is that the enjoyment they get from the the body and mind
is the very cause of their suffering, for material enjoyment always
and without exception ends in lamentation.

Krishna says:

An intelligent person does not take part in the sources of misery,
which are due to contact with the material senses. O son of Kunti,
such pleasures have a beginning and an end, and so the wise man does
not delight in them. -Bg 5.22

Therefore, once the soul has finally arrived in a human body, after
countless of life-times in different lower species, enjoying eating,
sleeping, mating, and defending, it should wake up to it's original
position of eternal bliss.

The human life-form is a wake up call for the soul to get reinstated
in its natural position of eternity, knowledge, and bliss.

Vedanta-sutra states - athato brahma jijnasa - now the time has come
(meaning in this human life-form) to inquire into the absolute truth.
Only as souls in connection with the Supreme Soul - God - can we taste
the bliss for which we are always hankering, and which can never be
obtained as long as we identify with a material body.

The method to obtain spiritual bliss is by regularly chanting the holy
names of the Lord. ISKCON is the sankirtana movement brought to the
West by Srila Prabhupada, and which was begun by Chaitanya Mahaprabhu
(who is God Himself), 500 years ago in Bengal. Sankirtana means the
congregational chanting of the holy names. It is the yuga-dharma -
religion of the age.

Chaitanya Mahaprabhu says:

Glory to the Sri Krishna sankirtana, which cleanses the heart of all
the dust accumulated for years and extinguishes the fire of
conditional life, of repeated birth and death. This sankirtana
movement is the prime benediction for humanity at large because it
spreads the rays of the benediction moon. It is the life of all
transcendental knowledge. It increases the ocean of transcendental
bliss, and it enables us to fully taste the nectar for which we are
always anxious. -Sri Sri Siksastakam 1

[EXLEX]

bitch moan whine

Er dine løgne også noget du lærer af Krishna?

...eller er det blot noget som kommer til dig naturligt?




--
EXLEX

[Jahnu]

Post by EXLEX
Er dine løgne også noget du lærer af Krishna?
...eller er det blot noget som kommer til dig naturligt?

Det kommer helt naturligt til mig, bondedreng :D

Åndelige kundskab kan man kun få fra en, der har den i forvejen, og
for det kræves der ydmyghed. Man må blive ydmyg for at nærme sig en
autoritet (en åndelig mester) og lære fra ham. Dette gælder hvad enten
der er tale om åndelig eller materiel viden. Hvis man ikke behager sin
lærer gennem at udvise ivrighed efter at forstå emnet vil han være
mindre tilbøjelig til at give sin viden fra sig.

I denne tid er det moderne at betale for viden om det ene eller det
andet. Man er endda begyndt at sidestille information med viden. Der
er også nogle, der tager betalt for såkaldt åndelig viden. Men en
nødvendighed, for, at åndelig viden kan formidles, er, at der ikke
tages betalt for den. Derfor ved man, at enhver viden, man betaler
for, omend den kan være gavnlig på det materielle plan, ikke er
åndelig viden.

Intelligens defineres i den vediske filosofi som skelne-evnen. Sand
viden eller åndelig viden begynder, når man lærer at skelne mellem sit
selv og sin krop og sit sind. At man har realiseret åndelige viden,
viser sig ved, at man er ikke mere vil være tvunget til at handle
ifølge sine sansers og sit sinds impulser. Man bliver ubundet.

I den menneskelige livsform kan sjælen hæve eller degradere sig selv.
Det falske ego opdager man, når man for øje på den mekanisme, der får
os til at tro, vi er mænd eller kvinder, gamle eller unge, smukke
eller grimme, hvide eller sorte osv.

Alle disse er materielle, kropslige betegnelser. De beskriver kun
kroppen og dens kultur. De beskriver ikke selvet. Selvet kan beskrives
som observanten. Man kan ikke beskrive selvet gennem at beskrive det,
der observeres af selvet. At forstå, at er er forskel på observanten,
og det der observeres, er det første trin i åndelig erkendelse. MAO,
det første trin i åndelig viden er, at forstå at der er forskel på ånd
og materien. Bevidstheden (ånd) er observanten og materien er det, der
observeres. Det er derfor ateister per definition er mindre
intellgente. De skelner ikke mellem bevidsthed og materien. De tror,
at bevidsthed blot er nogle kemiske vekselvirkninger i hjernen.

Det, der varer ved, dvs. det, der er konstant, er åndeligt, og det,
der ikke varer, MAO det, der er midlertidigt, er materielt.
Definitionen på virkelighed er den samme. Det, der varer ved - det
konstante - eksisterer, og det, der ikke varer ved - det midlertidige
- eksisterer ikke. Materien eksisterer givetvis, men fra en evig
synsvinkel har dens evindelige omskiftelighed ingen relevans. Man kan
faktisk godt sige, at for en totalt åndeligt oplyst person eksisterer
den materielle verden ikke. Han eller hun ser kun Krishna.

Krishna siger:

"De, der er seere af sandheden, har konkluderet, at det
ikke-eksisterende (den materielle krop) ingen varighed udviser, og at
det eksisterende (sjælen) er evigt, uden forandring. Dette er de
kommet frem til ved at ha' studeret begges natur."

Man kan så indvende, at selv om noget er midlertidigt, må det dog
stadig eksistere. En hammer eller et hus er givetvis midlertidige, men
hammeren gør ikke desto mindre ondt, når den lander på vores
tommelfinger. Hvordan kan Krishna da hævde, at kun det varige
eksisterer, og at det midlertidige ikke eksisterer? Hvordan giver det
mening, når Krishna hævder, at fx. et hus ikke eksisterer?

Svaret er selvfølgeligt, at det skal ses udfra en evighedssysnvinkel.
Krishna er evig. Han eksisterer i ET eneste expanderende nu. Et hus
eller en hammer varer kun et par sekunder på det evige plan, ja, det
er faktisk som om de slet ikke var der.

Brahma er det først skabte levende væsen i universet. Han er
skaberguden. Han er den, der har formet materien til verden, som vi
kender den. Han lever i ufatteligt lang tid. Hans livslængde er
beregnet til 311.04 trillioner år, og det svarer til universets
livslængde. Lad os sige, at jeg fødes, vokser op og bygger et hus.
Hvor lang tid varer det? 30 år måske. Hvor lang tid er 30 år ud af
311.042 trillioner år? Hvor lille et sekund, hvor ubetydelig en
hændelse vil det være i Brahmas liv? Blot et ubetydeligt øjeblik. Et
fragment af et sekund - som om det aldrig var sket.

Og tænk på, at Brahma blot er en almindelig jiva, dvs. en individuel
sjæl, som du og jeg. Selv han er underlagt illusion. Hans ultra-mega
livslængde er blot et glimt i sjælens evige eksistens. Når vi tynder
Brahmas levetid på 311.04 trillioner år ud i evigheden, eksisterer den
faktisk ikke, for slet ikke at tale om de 60, 80 eller 100 år vi
eksisterer på denne planet. Set ud fra en evighedssynsvinkel
eksisterede huset ikke som andet end som en kortvarig forandring i
materien. På det evige plan har hændelsen ingen konsekvens. Det kunne
ligeså godt aldrig være sket..

De 3 Begreber - virkelighed, bevidsthed, og viden defineres således i
den vediske version på deres forhold til tiden. Virkelighed er
konstant i tiden, og illusion forsvinder i tiden. Derfor er kun
eksistens i de åndelige dimensioner at anse for virkelig.

Vores materielle eksistens er uvirkelig på samme måde som en drøm er
uvirkelig. I en drøm oplever vi hele registret af følelser, som vi gør
i det såkaldte virkelige liv. Hvornår ved vi, at den frygt eller
glæde, vi oplever i en drøm, er uvirkelig? Det bliver klart, når vi
vågner op. Så længe vi er i drømmen, føles det totalt virkeligt, men
når vi vågner op, forstår vi, at det blot var en drøm.

Livet i en materiel krop er nøjagtigt lige sådan. Døden vil være en
opvågning fra livets drøm. De ekstatiske oplevelser vi havde for en
uge siden kunne i nuet ligeså godt have været en drøm De er et minde
blot, nøjagtig som en drøm. Derfor har kun det evige substans i
virkeligheden. Det midlertidige er usubstantielt. Det er derfor sjælen
aldrig kan blive lykkelig i den materielle verden i en materiel krop,
ligegyldigt hvor meget sansetilfredsstillelse, den nyder.

Kun ved at vende tilbage til sin evige tilstand sammen med Gud, kan
sjælen erfare sand (dvs. evig) lykke.

Krishna siger:

Min kære Arjuna, eftersom du aldrig er misundelig på Mig, vil Jeg
hermed give dig denne mest fortrolige kundskab og indsigt. Når du
kender den, vil du blive frigjort for alle den materielle eksistens
elendigheder. (Bg. 9.1)

O lærde Uddhava, de, der fixerer deres bevidsthed på Mig, idet de
opgiver alle materielle ønsker, deler sammen med Mig en glæde, som
umuligt kan opleves af dem, der er beskæftiget med
sansetilfredsstillelse.

--Srimad Bhagavatam 11.14.12

[EXLEX]

Post by Jahnu

Post by EXLEX
Er dine løgne også noget du lærer af Krishna?
...eller er det blot noget som kommer til dig naturligt?

Det kommer helt naturligt til mig, bondedreng :D

Er det derfor du har denne konstante brug for retledning fra frøken Vishnu?
Eller er det en konsekvens af denne retledning?




--
EXLEX

[Jahnu]

Post by EXLEX
Er det derfor du har denne konstante brug for retledning fra frøken Vishnu?
Eller er det en konsekvens af denne retledning?

Prøv at google svaret :D

Most people have a hard time believing that the goal of life is to get
out of the material ocean of birth and death and return home, back
home to Godhead.

And they are even more reluctant to believe that in the present age of
Kali, liberation has been made very easy.

In former ages, yogis and jnanis knew how hard it was to gain
liberation. They knew what a giant endeavor of austerity and
meditation it was to obtain liberation. They would sit for hundreds,
even thoudands of yeard in remote places in Himalayas and meditate on
Paramatma in the heart, attempting to gain release from samsara - the
endless cycle of birth and death.

In other words, liberation was only available to highly advanced yogis
who were willing to renounce mainstream society, which basically means
to renounce sex- and family-life, and dedicate their lives to severe
practices of penance and austerity.

Now, in Kali-yuga, the severe practice of yoga in former ages has been
made so easy and uncomplicated that anyone can do it. Whether you’re a
normal working stiff, a business man, a politician, in fact, even you
are the worst of sinners, just by chanting the Hare Krishna mantra,
you can get release from samsara.

Shukadeva Goswmi says:

My dear King, although Kali-yuga is an ocean of faults, there is still
one good quality about this age: Simply by chanting the Hare Krishna
maha-mantra, one can become free from material bondage and be promoted
to the transcendental kingdom.

Whatever result was obtained in Satya-yuga by meditating on Visnu, in
Treta-yuga by performing sacrifices, and in Dvapara-yuga by serving
the Lord's lotus feet can be obtained in Kali-yuga simply by chanting
the Hare Krishna maha-mantra.

--Srimad Bhagavatam, 12.3.51-52

One may then ask - if it’s so easy now to get liberation from the
material world, why don’t more people avail themselves of the
opportunity?

The answer is that generally, in any age, but especially in Kali-yuga,
it’s a rare person who want to engage in any form of spiritual life. A
special feature of Kali-yuga is that the general mass of people are
dedicated to fulfilling bodily needs without restraint, and to that
end they have devoted themselves to atheism.

King Pariksit says:

"In this material world there are as many living entities as there are
atoms. Among these living entities very few are human beings, and
among them, few are interested in following religious principles.'

"O best of the brahmanas, Sukadeva Gosvami, out of many persons who
follow religious principles, only a few desire liberation from this
material world. Among many thousands who desire liberation, only one
may actually achieve liberation, giving up his material attachment to
society, friendship, love, country, home, wife and children. And among
many thousands of such liberated persons, one who can understand the
true meaning of liberation is very rare.'

"O great sage, among many millions who are liberated and perfect in
knowledge of liberation, only one may become a devotee of Sri
Narayana, (Krishna). Such devotees, who are fully peaceful, are
extremely rare."

--Srimad Bhagavatam 6.14. 3-5