() - Indian Culture

[Guest guest]

How interesting Ratna. I have a dear friend who is from India. She and her

whole family is vegetarian. However,their vegetarianism isn't based on their

religion

but based on their family's customs for many generations before them. They

live in this country now, and have for about 10 years. What I find interesting

is that they will eat dairy and that even though they know that the cows in this

country that are in the factory farm system are tortured and treated with no

respect, they continue to use dairy. It has been quite an education for me, as

I thought the cow in India was a sacred and respected animal, and other Indian

friends I have are most concerned about how the animals in factory farms are

treated.

In my friend's family, they continue being vegetarians, simply because that is

what

they know and have lived with all their lives. They practice their Indian

traditions

while living in this country, and I am not saying that they are not spiritual

people, they

are, Krishna is their God, and they faith is very strong, and while they would

never deliberately hurt an animal, they do not go out of their way to protect

nor

care that their dollars contribute to the dairy industry. I know this is not

true of

Indians, I certainly would not say even that my friend's beliefs are standard.

I have

also met many Indians, as I mentioned, who do respect the cows in this country

also,

and will not participate in the American dairy industry because they know how

badly

the US treats their farm animals.

 

I wanted to comment on this as many people think all Indians share the same

beliefs

about cows and that is it based on their religion. And I mean no dis-respect to

Ratna

or any Indians by what I shared that has been only my personal experience.

 

Linda G.

ljg

 

 

-

Ratna Mitra

vegetarianslimming

Saturday, March 15, 2008 8:18 AM

(unknown)

 

 

My name is Ratna Mitra . I am 42 years old. I live in india.I and my whole

family is non-vegetarian.I do the cooking in my house.

 

 

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[Guest guest]

> I wanted to comment on this as many people think all Indians share the same

beliefs

> about cows and that is it based on their religion. And I mean no dis-respect

to Ratna

> or any Indians by what I shared that has been only my personal experience.

 

With respect, not ALL people of India 'share the same beliefs about cows . . .

based on

their religion'. You are thinking of the Hindu religion. There are other

religions in India

too.

 

But I must say that this is not quite the place for me to start or encourage a

discussion of

religion - or politics, which this discussion could quickly turn to (as

Indian members are

aware).

 

Thanks for writing in - I hope my point above helps a bit Other people's

customs,

religions and philosophies can be very confusing, I know.

 

Love and hugs, Pat