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al confusion or conflict to a comfortable Jain and Indian-American identity. Some have incorporated many aspects of multiple cultures and religious traditions into their lives. Confused Jains have become creative Jains!
As development progresses, however, we will have new challenges. It is not clear to me, if the young people now in YJA and YJP, will be invited to contribute their experiences to Jain institutions in America? Because both of these groups have age caps, there are finite limits to our participation in them. If we cannot help to drive the agenda and activities of our local Jain centers and the federation of Jain Associations in North America (JAINA), will we need yet another group? It would be unfortunate to have yet more splintering within our tiny community.
So, finally, my answer to the question of whether ABCDs are confused about Jainism is
that some are, but no more than other Jains, and many have creatively risen to the challenge of overcoming their confusion to make contributions for the community. However, we need to keep on discovering new ways to encourage these contributions.
We have a great tradition of strength and mutual support in the Jain community all over the world. Let's stay away from labels that imply that some of us know the "right way" to be Jain and others are confused. If we learn from each other and encourage spiritual progress, we can maximize our contributions to the world. Sa Jina Shah has learned and taught Jainism at JAINA, YJA, YJP and local Jain events in the United States. She has also participated in Jain events in India, London, and Kenya. She is a family physician who works with the Centers for Disease Control as an Epidemic Intelligence Service Officer.
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