Cows in India

[Catherine]

I don't want to comment on this article. I just want to present it to you and see what you think about the situation.

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-34513185

I can see what they mean by polarizing. Humans always seem to go to extremes.

[Tobi]

Complicated, when we consider everybody's views, both practical in poor communities and religious...i.e. opposing religious views.
Trust humans to make something simple so complicated.

I have not lived in India and so it's hard to know grass-roots facts about the availabilty of what are common vegetarian foods in the West, but might be hard to obtain for poorer people in that country.

But nevertheless, Gandhi's words show the "Gold Standard" of behaviour towards animals.

People should turn to his straightforward wisdom, instead of towards religious differences, political differences, and "convenience foods". Many times, there are options, if people work hard enough to find them.

It seems like a split society. Some "worship" the cow, some chop it up for dinner......Neither extreme is correct. But that is only my humble opinion. The path of kindness and gentleness towards an animal Soul seems to me to be the correct way.

[Catherine]

All the vegetarian foods are available in India. They grow all the lentils and grains also many fruits and vegetables. I think as a country it has high level of vegetarians.

I think there is a problem with the cows just running wild. It might seem like respect, but they are not being cared for in some cases. They can also be destructive.

There is no balance if a man can be killed because someone started a rumor that he ate beef.

If India is exporting beef then cows are being killed.
They need to find some balance between the extremes. The cows will get better care in the end because it will not depend on how fervent the feelings are about them.

I can't help thinking about Gadhimai and how people crossed the border into Nepal from India with animals for the slaughter.

They went from extreme protection to cruel slaughter.

[LPC]

Once again, organised religions are the cause of polarisation and dispute between communities. However, since in many Muslim countries there is a ban on eating pork (because it is unclean, not sacred), it is not dissimilar in a predominantly Hindu country for there to be a ban on eating beef (because it is sacred, not unclean). The principle is the same. Only the reason for a ban is different. The principle is that the majority imposes its will on everyone else.

But of course, these problems wouldn't exist if meat weren't eaten at all! No more squabbles about who eats what animal. It gives all animals equal status.

[Catherine]

Quote:But of course, these problems wouldn't exist if meat weren't eaten at all! No more squabbles about who eats what animal. It gives all animals equal status

This of course is the point.

I wasn't going to be the one to mention religion. One group says this meat is unclean and can't be eaten. The other group says the meat is clean and sacred and can't be eaten. They fight over it.
In parts of the world where two different religions both agree that the same animal is unclean they still fight.

The problem is not the animals. We seem to be unable to use common sense about anything. If it wasn't religion we would make it a political issue. If everyone agreed to eat a certain animal some people would say that only a certain colour of that animal was clean or that certain colours are unclean.

The problem is us. I wonder if we stopped eating meat if we would start saying certain vegetables are unclean.

[LPC]

(10-18-2015, 04:28 AM)Catherine Wrote: The problem is not the animals. We seem to be unable to use common sense about anything. If it wasn't religion we would make it a political issue.

Yes indeed! Like button

[Catherine]

People need to grow up and use some common sense.

When I was a small child I would only eat from one particular green melamine plate. If we went to a restaurant or friends we had to take my plate. People were very understanding. I was very young.

I don't remember outgrowing it, but I did. Now I eat on the dishes at hand and I eat the foods I can get. I try to eat the foods that are good for me. I try to eat balanced. I try to eat ethically. That is what matters. The green plate really didn't matter and when I grew up I understood that.

People all over the world need to grow up about food. If you refuse to eat meat it should be for the right reasons and it should not cause fights. Certainly it is terrible that a man was killed because it was rumored that he ate beef.