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THE JAINA GAZETTE
(Accordiug to Jainism the dead body should be cremated within an hour and a half after the person is dead since decomposition sets in after that period. When the body begins to decompose innumerable lives are born in the flesh and the blood and it will be committing himsa injury to cremate a body after decomposition has began. But it is also enjoined that no person should be pronounced to be dead till he is definitely known to be dead by Prana-Sodana examination of the life principles.]
Right to take Life. The following article was contributed by W. J. Brittain to the "Sunday Chronicle."
In Czecho-Slovakia they are introducing a decidedly new social code. It will make legal, under proper safe-guards Pain. less death for people with incurable diseases : Immunity from blame for people who help a person to commit suicide : Antenatal operations if parents cannot afford a baby, and Incurable disease as a ground for divorce. These are four of the revolutionary measures that are coming.
Ever since a broad-faced Czech took me through his country, showed me new concrete bridges_like America's—great new factories, and scientifically kept forests, I have realised the zeal of this mixture of peoples, who have decided to become an European power.
Now modernity is spreading to their ethics. Is this new, striving country showing the way to the older countries who are already world powers ? Will Britain some day kill its incurable, ignore suicide, murder unborn babies whose lives might become a burden to them, and stretch its divorce laws ?
We are right in not being too precipitate in accepting the first of the new laws. Even though two doctors were to give their written approval belore a person with an "incurable" disease was put painlessly to death, as will be necesary in Czecho Slovakia, we could not be sure that the disease was
incurable. Shree Sudharmaswami Gyanbhandar-Umara, Surat
www.umaragyanbhandar.com
