Osho on missionaries and sharing – Never try to think in terms of missionaries

Question – To follow jesus a deep trust, surrender and love is needed but today a deep skepticism is prevalent all over the world. what is the way?

Osho – This is from Swami Yoga Chinmaya. Think about yourself. Is deep skepticism within you? That’s the question to be asked. A deep skepticism is prevalent all over the world: who are you to be worried about the whole world? This is a way to escape the real problem. Skepticism is deep within, the worm of doubt is there in your heart, but you project it; you see it on the whole world’s screen.

“The world is skeptical — what is the way out?” Now you are transferring the problem. Look within yourself. If there is doubt, then find it out. Then something can be done. The world won’t listen to you, and there is no need, because if they are happy in their skepticism they have the right to be happy in their skepticism. Who are you?

Never try to think in terms of missionaries; they are the most dangerous people. They are always saving the world and if the world doesn’t want to be saved, then still they are trying. They say, “Even if you don’t like it, we will save you.”

But why the bother? If somebody is happy — eating, drinking, enjoying life — and is not in any way concerned with God, what is the point of forcing him? Who are you? Let him come to his own understanding. Some day he will come.
But people are very much worried: how to save others? Save yourself! If you can, save yourself — because that too is a very difficult, almost impossible, job.

This is a trick of the mind: the problem is inside — it projects it on the outside. Then you are not worried about it, then you are not worried about your own anguish. Then you become concerned with the whole world and in this way you can postpone your own transformation.

I insist again and again that you should be concerned with yourself. I am not here to make missionaries. Missionaries are the most mischievous people. Never be a missionary; that is a very dirty job. Don’t try to change anybody. Just change yourself.

And it happens. When you change, many come to share you in your light. Share — but don’t try to save. Many will be saved that way. If you try to save, you may drown them before they were going to be drowned by themselves. Don’t try to force God on anybody. If they are doubting, it is perfectly okay. If God allows them to doubt there must be some reason in it. They need it: that is their training; that is from where everybody has to pass.

The world has always been skeptical. How many people gathered around Buddha? Not the whole world. How many people gathered around Jesus? Not the whole world, just a very small minority — they can be counted on your fingers. The whole world was never worried about these things.

And nobody has the authority to force something on anybody else. Not even on your own child! Not even on your own wife! Keep whatsoever you feel is the goal to your life to yourself. Never force it on anybody else. That is violence, sheer violence.

If you want to meditate, meditate. But this is a problem: if the husband wants to meditate he tries to force the wife also. If the wife does not want to meditate, she forces the husband also not to meditate. Can’t you allow people their own souls? Can’t you allow them to have their own way?

This I call a religious attitude: to allow freedom. A religious man will always allow freedom to everybody. Even if you want to be an atheist, a theist is going to allow you. That is your way, perfectly good for you. You move through it because everyone who has come to God has come through atheism. The desert of atheism has to be crossed; it is part of growth. The world will always remain skeptical, in doubt. Only a few attain to trust. Make haste so that you can attain.

Source – Osho Book “Come Follow To You, Vol 1″