Bill Sauer: I believe that materialism has a divine purpose.

Prabhupada: Everything has got divine purpose. But if you do not understand the divine purpose, then you remain animal. This human form of life is given to us by the laws of nature to understand what is God, what we are, what is our relationship with God, what is this material world, why you have come here. These things we have to know in this human form of life, and, if we like, we can know also. But instead of knowing these different phases of life, if we simply take care of this body, like the animals, then we miss the opportunity. The animal is concerned to take the care of the body, that’s all. If we simply remain taking care of this body, then we are animals.

(Evening Darsana — July 7, 1976, Washington, D.C.)