YJA Convention 1996 07 San Francisco CA Second

Author(s): Young Jains of America (YJA)
Publisher: Young Jains of America YJA USA

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ABSTRACT:
RADICAL VEGETARIANSIM AND REALITY
By: Saurabh Dalal & Raju Shah
Vegetarianism is truly universal solution to many of the world's
problems. The concept of the radical is used in instances of urgency and extreme departure from the norm. Radical vegetarianism, then, is the global imperative required to bring our natural world to a more balanced and harmonious state. Vegetarian practices to various degrees will be explored and placed in the Jain philosophical perspective. The emphasis will be on simple and immediate incorporation of discussed issues into daily living.
For a long time vegetarians have thought that simply not eating meat is the most sensible and most practical away to avoid harming animals. What this panel hopes to accomplish is to explore this tradition and see if newer radical approaches are easier or less violent than their traditional counterparts. After an introduction by the panel members, this panel will present a video which takes a look at our radical beliefs, and hopefully invoke us to rethink our views on life. After the moderator asks several questions to the panel, the floor will be opened to questions and comments from the audience. What we hope is that the audience will get a firm understanding of what it means to be a vegetarian in today's society and what that encompasses, both environmentally and ethically. We would also like the audience to walk away with everyday extensions of an ancient philosophy with current knowledge. Knowing that the animal factor is an important one, we will concentrate on other impacts of this radical lifestyle and intend this to be a lighthearted and relaxed and ultra practical atmosphere.
Truth or Dairy is a video starring Benjamin Zephaniah, a well know radical British Rastafarian vegan poet, and concentrates on many aspects of vegan lifestyle in a humorous manner. This talks about the specifics of the food and clothes we use and their impact on all animals and the environment. The interesting part of this video is that it portrays the many everyday situations for radical vegetarians. The video is produced by the very radical Vegan Society of the UK.
Some of the questions we hope to cover follow.
What is considered a compassionate diet/radical lifestyle?
Though there are many different viewpoints to these definitions, there some basic universal qualities. A compassionate diet is one that considers the full impact of our actions both to animals and to the world. And a radical lifestyle is a new look on life different from the mainstream. For example, some people with a compassionate diet or a radical lifestyle look at lifestyle and try to find out if any thing they use harms the environment or lives, and if it does they try to rectify the situation or modify their lifestyle.
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