1. The basic principle of Western civilization

    They don't accept any authority. Therefore they are changing Bible also, according to their whims. They don't accept authority. Therefore son goes out of home. This is the basic principle of Western civilization. They don't accept any authority. Everyone is his own authority. Now that contamination has come here. And nobody can be authority also, because if I accept somebody authority, he has not followed authority, so how he can be authority? Do you follow? Suppose if somebody respects his father, but father never followed any authority. So actually father is not authority. What do they say, authority? Organized religion? They protest organized religion.

    Srila Prabhupada — September 19, 1973, Bombay