veganism

[Guest guest]

> Lately we've been running into many vegans here in Southern California.

 

You can also try to encourage them by saying, that word 'vegan' is mentioned

in holy scriptures:

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Etan vegan yo visaheta dhirah sarvam apimam prthivim sa sisyat: [NoI 1] "One

who can control the pushings and remain steady can make disciples all over

the world."

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You can tell them what it means a bit later.

 

Anyway, preaching to vegans, don't get carried away by their so-called

sincerity and so-called soft heartedness or their so-called fame. They are

heavily conditioned by sense-enjoyment, much more than ordinary meat-eater.

They may be more lucky than meat eaters, but they may be less lucky as well.

They may have hard time accepting Krsna's mercy. While meat-eaters will

readily jump on maha prasadam sweets, vegans may speculate like anything,

and thus even extend their misfortune.

 

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The devotees of the Lord are released from all kinds of sins because they

eat food which is offered first for sacrifice. Others, who prepare food for

personal sense enjoyment, verily eat only sin.

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Bg 3.13

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Unless they take prasadam, they will have to be responsible for their

eating. Vegan or not, it is sinful, and is dragging them down. In the end,

if they don't start practising KC, then why waste much time with them.

 

Personal story: When I first came to temple, I abstained from milk products.

I didn't know about Vegan Movement then, but if I would, I would surely fit

in. Anyway, at sunday feast I was told that this food is prasadam, offered

in sacrifice, and is holy food. Therefore I thought, that if this is a holy

food, then it will not be respectful, if I don't eat it, no matter my idea

of abstaining from milk. Therefore I took it hapily, thinking, that my act

must be pleasing to God, because I sacrificed my personal idea in order to

please Him and His devotees. I was in ectasy to finaly get some real

guidance. Anyway, looking back, I'm happy, that devotees didn't adjust to my

foolish idea of veganism, but rather engaged me properly in giving up my

misconceptions. I'm happy there was no vegan preparations in temple at that

time. I would never surrender to prasadam otherwise. I still think, that by

giving people what they want, we are actually causing them harm, although we

may believe, that we are doing them favor. But it is not rally favor. We

need training, not patting on the back. There is plenty of patting on the

back in this world, but if ISKCON doesn't offer that firm training and

example, then it is no good to people.

 

your servant Giri-nayaka das