Y'know?

[kyburg]

Narendra at work, that oh-so-very-proper Hindu Jain that educates me daily on his faith, never bats an eye at my missteps and even forgives me at Thanksgiving for the turkey on my holiday table? (His temple holds services on that day for all the turkeys that were killed for thanksgiving dinners - yes, they do. I thank him for it every year. We both know that's not what the purpose of it is for, but my turkey was delicious and I appreciate the effort he goes through on its behalf.)

Narendra gave me a "Merry Christmas" Christmas card this week. Not a Happy Holidays card.

He knows.

And if it's okay with him? I can make a meal for him that meets his diet plan once a year. (No meat of any kind, no onions or garlic, nothing that grows below ground. Go.)

And listen. I tell you, the holidays they do are something else - wonderful and plentiful!

Comments

[studiogaijin.livejournal.com]

...but my turkey was delicious and I appreciate the effort he goes through on its behalf.

That seems very disingenuous to me. I guess you can play word games and "appreciate the effort" while still thinking it's a stupid and useless thing to do, but if you really appreciated what he was doing, by any of the word's several definitions, then I don't think you could write that sentence about it.

[kyburg.livejournal.com]

Well, that shows what you know about what I think.

I don't kid myself. I eat meat and that means something died for me to do that.

If someone wants to offer thanks - officially, targeted and reverent - I'm all for it.

[lysana.livejournal.com]

But I'd think the Jainists were mourning the turkeys, not giving thanks. I'd be happy to be wrong.

[kyburg.livejournal.com]

Jains don't even turn the porchlights on at night because of the insects who would be killed when they were attracted to the light. I should have added that one of the dietary restrictions includes eggs - fertile or not, it's off the accepted list. No, they won't even crack an egg to feed themselves.

In mourning their deaths, they acknowledge that the turkeys lives actually had some value - so, I'd have to say it was both.

I'm glad somebody does this. I have to do it silence or be looked on as a loony.

[studiogaijin.livejournal.com]

I'm glad you understand it better than it seemed like you did, but I still agree with lysana that (I think) it's about mourning and not thanking.

He might be more diplomatic about it, but I don't feel like coddling anyone today. I didn't really know about Jainism before, but from what I've read since you posted that, I still believe you're just trying to see it the way you want to.

Here is some clear text on the subject from his religion:

Thus say all the Lords and Conquerors, whether past present or to come. Thus they speak, thus they declare, thus they proclaim in unison: All things breathing, all things existing, all things living, all beings whatever, should not be slain nor treated with violence, nor insulted, nor tortured, nor driven away.

This is the pure, unchanging, Eternal Law, which the clever ones, who understand this world, have declared: among the earnest and the non-earnest, among the loyal and the not-loyal, among the cruel and the not-cruel, among those who are weak and those who are not, among those who delight in worldly ties and those who do not: that is the truth, that is so, that is proclaimed in this creed.

When he adopts this Law a man should never conceal or reject it....What is here declared has been seen, heard, approved, and understood. Those who give way, and indulge in pleasure, will be born again and again. Perceive that the heedless are outside the hope of salvation. But if you are mindful day and night, striving steadfastly with ready vision, in the end you will conquer.

    Acharanga Sutra (1:4:1)

If you actually acknowledge and accept what you're doing then you come out above most people on my list on this issue, but don't mistake what the Jains are doing for them supporting you or thanking anything for giving its life for you because they believe you are doing wrong.

Anyway, don't worry about looking loony, I'm sure people think I'm loonier than you already, and if they knew what I really thought they'd probably stone me to death. ;) Maybe I'll get around to posting it in my journal sometime...

appreciate...

[n6vfp.livejournal.com]

What I saw in your post was mutual respect, mutual respect for each others faith. We all go through life trying to understand, and there are a few people who do, a few people who think. Humans have yet to become enlightened being and they are not perfect, but human beings can strive to give some degree of understanding of others. It is those who criticize who are far from enlightened, because they fail to see, the miss the details because their vision is of black and white, not the limitless spectrum of color. I'm far from perfect, but I try to respect my friends, be they Christian, Fundimentalist Christian, Coptic, Muslim, Buddhists, Jewish, Bahai, Agnostics, or Atheists (and that just about covers my workplace). Tis the season for understanding, and as you said, he knows.

[monkeyfruit.livejournal.com]

My religion does the same thing; if it weren't for the anaemia, I'd be vegetarian =) Mum also did the same for animals who died strays, until my sister and I started seeing 'cats' around the house - then she confessed she'd been doing prayers for stray cats. It's kinda sweet, but mind-boggling at the same time.