In a recent discussion on Vilasakunj, the question was posed wether it is better to perfect oneself in devotion first or preach the message of Mahaprabhu. A nice answer by Vamsidas.

"I cannot give what I do not have. The more I advance as a Vaishnava, the more I can give. Premature efforts to "spread the sankirtana movement," before I am its adequate representative, may amount to little more than self-aggrandisement. And it is important to recognize the distinction between "sankirtana" itself and "spreading the sankirtana movement." Spreading "the movement" may be meaningless -- or even counterproductive -- if I am spreading something other than what Mahaprabhu gave.

Of course, in the ultimate sense, nothing is "mine" to give -- all I can do is strive to become an ever-more-pure conduit of my guardians' mercy.

It may even be counterproductive to focus on which limbs of bhakti are "higher." Engagement in one will inevitably require engagement in others. If I artificially try to reduce my engagement in one because it is "lower," I may find myself less able to perform what is "higher." If I truly am advancing, even my "ordinary" life will more and more influence those around me, and thus very naturally "spread the sankirtana movement.""

By AMIR SHAH, Associated Press Writer
KABUL, Afghanistan - An Afghan man who had faced the death penalty for converting from Islam to Christianity has been released from prison after the case was dropped, the justice minister said Tuesday.

"We released him last night because the prosecutors told us to," he said. "His family was there when he was freed, but I don't know where he was taken."

Hours earlier, hundreds of clerics, students and others chanting "Death to Christians!" marched through the northern Afghan Mazar-i-Sharif to protest the court's decision Sunday to dismiss the case.

"Abdul Rahman must be killed. Islam demands it," said senior Cleric Faiez Mohammed, from the nearby northern city of Kunduz. "The Christian foreigners occupying Afghanistan are attacking our religion."

Several Muslim clerics have threatened to incite Afghans to kill Rahman if he is freed, saying that he is clearly guilty of apostasy and deserves to die.

Rahman, 41, was arrested last month after police discovered him with a Bible. He was put on trial last week for converting 16 years ago while he was a medical aid worker for an international Christian group helping Afghan refugees in Pakistan. He had faced the death penalty under Afghanistan's Islamic laws.
from http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060328/ap_on_re_as/afghan_christian_convert