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128: JAINS TODAY IN THE WORLD selling or handling meat, spirits, products made of leather, natural fur, silk or wool, weapons, birds, fishes, cats, dogs, eggs, etc.
Problems arise for jobs that could entail death of living beings, like army or food industry. Concerning army, Jains may invoke an objection of consciousness. Nevertheless, like everyone else, they will ensure their own safety if they are or their country attacked or if their lives are under threat, at difference of Jain ascetics who must observe absolute non-violence. As concern food industry, Jains may be restaurateurs but with an absolute interdiction to propose nonvegetarian dishes and to respect rules for strict vegan customers. The great principle for the Jain laity is to never commit voluntary violence, to make that other do it or to agree they do it.
Once a young Jain has found a work or possibly a young Jain woman has decided to remain at home, it is recommended to not stay unmarried and to start a family. As a general rule, it is the task of parents to find a suitable spouse (or husband) for their child. This one should have a high morality, a comparable family background and often but not necessarily to be of the same obedience, “caste” or “subcaste”.
If parents do not know a young man or a young girl that may be suitable, the search often resorted (and still resorts) to matrimonial advertisements in a Jain magazine or on a Jain web, that lists the age, lineage, obedience, sect, appearance, qualities and profession of various grooms and brides. The hour and date of birth are also frequently asked, so as to make an astrological study of compatibility.
For the Jains, the Indian traditional dowry system is practically no more observed by the parents when they give their daughterin marriage. Another Indian tradition not very respected now, due to economic constraints, is that the future wife does not work and lives with her parents in law.
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