Vegetarianism Scientific And Spiritual Basis

Author(s): Jashwant B Mehta
Publisher: Jashwant B Mehta

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Chapter VIII
THE INTERNATIONAL VEGETARIANISM MOVEMENT Although vegetarianism does not find any explicit mention in the Christianity both in Europe and the USA which are predominantly Christian there has always been strong support for vegetarianism. This is obvious from the long list of eminent philosophers, scientists and thinkers narrated earlier. In Great Britain, vegetarianism was promoted by George Cheyne (1671-1743), a Scottish doctor. His treatise on vegetarianism was published under the title 'Essay on Regimen' in 1740. J.F. Newton's book “Return to Nature, or Defense of Vegetable Regimen' was published in 1811 & in 1847 the Vegetarian Society was founded at Manchester in Germany, Eduard Baltzer (1814-87), a German liberal, introduced the movement in Germany, and founded at Nordhausen in 1868 a "Verein von Freundender Naturlichen Lebensweise." His book 'Die Naturliche Lebensweise' reached a fourth edition. Other leading German pioneers of vegetarianism are Gustave von Struve (1805-70), author of 'Die Pflanzenkost, die Grundlage einer neuen Weltanschauung' (1869) and Theodore Hahn, author of 'Die Naturgemasse Diat' (1859) and 'Der Vegetarianismus' (1869). Among the chief French works on vegetarianism are the 'Thalysie, ou la nouvelle Existence' (1821) of Jean Antoine Gleizes (1773-1843) and 'Le Vegetarisme rationnel scientifique' (1889) of Dr. E. Bonnejoy. The early leaders of vegetarianism in America were Amos Bronson Alcott (q.v.); Sylvester Graham (1794-1851), author of 'The Science of Human Life' (1839) and Charles Lane, author of 'A Brief Practical Essay on Vegetable Diet' (1847). In the twentieth century, there has been a more organized universal movement in favour of vegetarianism. The International Vegetarian Union (IVU) was established in 1908 having its Headquarters in U.K. IVU is the apex body of the Vegetarian Societies in the world. Membership is only open to the Vegetarian Societies. The IVU organizes the World Vegetarian Congress every alternate year and gives the support for the promotion of the vegetarianism through the Society. The Indian Vegetarian Congress based in Chennai is affiliated to the IVU and has hosted 3 World Vegetarian Congresses in India. The Asian Vegetarian Union is the apex body of the Vegetarian Societies of Asia. It came into existence on the eve of the World Vegetarian Congress held in the year 1998 at Bangkok. These Societies publish guides for various cities around the world giving details of places
Regimen - Prescribed course of exercise, way of life especially diet.
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