God consciousness should engender respect for all living beings

Since the individual soul is part

and parcel of the Supreme Lord, in that sense the Lord is living in every

body, and, as Supersoul, the Lord is also present as a witness. In both

cases the presence of God in every living entity is essential. Therefore

persons who profess to belong to some religious sect but who do not feel

the presence of the Supreme Personality of Godhead in every living

entity, and everywhere else, are in the mode of ignorance.

If, without this preliminary knowledge of the Lord’s omnipresence, one

simply attaches himself to the rituals in a temple, church or mosque, it

is as if he were offering butter into ashes rather than into the fire.

One offers sacrifices by pouring clarified butter into a fire and

chanting Vedic mantras, but even if there are Vedic mantras and all

conditions are favorable, if the clarified butter is poured on ashes,

then such a sacrifice will be useless. In other words, a devotee should

not ignore any living entity.

Srimad Bhagavatam 3.29.22 purport