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in the West have found avenues and places to dump their own hazardous waste and effluents in faraway places such as underdeveloped lands. This is a kind of criminal activity and neo-colonialism and should not be allowed to happen or be condoned.
I want to remind and plead with my fellow Jains that in the 21st century, there are no small manmade happenings or disasters; all are big and far-reaching and their consequences are most often global. When such things happen, geographical boundaries disappear and thus we all become part of it. It is a fact that due to pollution, many of India's cities are choking. There are days when one does not see the sun (due to smog) and the rate of many kinds of lung diseases and cancers are on the rise. India and its citizens are paying a very high price.
I sincerely hope that Jains will equate pollution of environment with acts of serious himsa and realize that all species, from one- to five-sensed, including human beings, are hurt.
I must believe that care for the environment is practice of ahimsa.
Now you decide, is this behavior consistent with ahimsa?
JAINS IN MEAT BUSINESS
There was a time when we as Jains could not ever imagine or talk about this. But not anymore. When I was growing up in Delhi, for me it was extremely painful even to walk past a meat shop. Normally, I would turn my face and walk by it quickly. Now, greed and the desire to get rich quickly have motivated some Jains to go into trading and selling meat and meat-based products. Today for many, money (Lakshmi) is the only GOD that matters and that is what they toil and worship all day long for. I know a few Jains in the US who own Subway, Quizno, and so many other fast food shops that make and sell predominantly meat products. I may not be surprised if some Jains own McDonalds Franchises, too (I personally don't know any because I don't ever go there). All these fast food stores
An Ahimsa Crisis: You Decide
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