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Displaying items by tag: Religion

Saturday, 21 August 2010 18:32

The Empathic Civilisation

Bestselling author, political adviser and social and ethical prophet Jeremy Rifkin investigates the evolution of empathy and the profound ways that it has shaped our development and our society.

Published in Philosophy Talks

Saturday, 17 July 2010 12:04

Watch and Think

Published in Veganism

Tuesday, 22 June 2010 10:01

The Bangalore Vegan group was started by Mr. Dilip Bafna of Animal Rights Fund, India on April 2008. He had a vision of providing a fertile ground for vegans and non-vegans to come and explore the multifaceted benefits of a vegan lifestyle.

Does it make sense to be a vegan today? How so?

According to the director General of the World Health organization, the biggest threat facing humanity today are climate change, rising of new and old epidemic diseases, hunger, heart diseases, obesity, cancer, auto immune diseases and loss of freshwater.[1] Many people will find it surprising to believe that all these problems can be scientifically and efficiently mitigated if the world adopts a vegan diet.

The Worldwatch institute calculated that the meat and the diary industry combined are one of the most potent contributors of greenhouse gases.[2] In fact, the livestock industry has also been shown to damage the ozone. [3]

Water footprint network found that a mere 3% of total world water is freshwater. It requires ridiculous amounts of water to produce meat and other non-vegan food products. For example, it takes 208 Liters of water to produce just one cup of cow's milk. It requires 200 liters of water to produce one egg. 13,700 liters of water is required to produce just one kilogram of beef! One kilogram of chicken requires 3500+ liters of water to produce. And the above are just global average conservative figures. Now lets compare this with the most water intensive crops - rice and soy. One kilogram of rice requires 3500 liters of water to grow whereas one kilogram of soy requires approximately 1600 liters of water to produce. Compare this to wheat that requires merely 1000 liters of water to produce per kilogram. [4]

Apart from water, on an average, it requires 12 kilograms of grain to produce one kilogram of meat.[5] In fact, 70% of the total food we grow is fed to the animals to get significantly lower quantities of meat.[6] If this food is fed to the hungry, it can solve the world hunger problem 14 times over! [7] 1.4 Billion people can be fed if just the United States of America goes vegan![8] Funneling our precious water and food supply through the poor animals who are artificially brought into this world to meet the demand for our taste for meat in a world where billions are starving and have no access to clean drinking water is irresponsible on many fronts.

Apart from that, the livestock industry is also a major contributor to land pollution. On an average, the same amount of land can feed approximately 20 people on a vegan diet and only 2 people on a meat based diet.[8] Because of this, precious rainforests around the world are being destroyed at an alarming rate to meet the sky-rocketing demand for meat and diary around the world. Worldwatch Institute calculated that in order to make just one fast-food hamburger from rain-forest beef, members of 20-30 different plant species, 100 different insect species, and dozens of bird, mammal and reptile species are destroyed – for just ONE hamburger.[9]

We slaughter a hundred billion land and sea animals every year. That's a number the human mind cannot even grasp and comprehend. The oceans are dying because of overfishing and it has been estimated that since 13 of the major 17 world fisheries are dead already, there may be no seafood by 2048. An ocean devoid of fish also absorbs less CO2 thereby worsening global warming. [10][11]

When land animals are kept in an unnatural and unhygienic environment, crammed so that they cannot even move; they physically and mentally break down. This lowers their immunity and they become a breeding ground for pandemic influenza. Its noteworthy that this does not happen for animals in the wild. Before the domestication of horses, there was no common cold! The domestication of cows turned into measles. In the last 150 years measles have killed 250 million people. The domestication of camels turned into small pox. The domestication of pigs turned into whooping cough. The domestication of chickens gave us typhoid. The domestication of ducks gave us influenza. [12] Animal use has costed mankind more lives than all the accidents, natural disasters and wars combined. And it continues to kill people in the form of cancers, auto immune diseases and heart diseases.

Numerous peer-reviewed studies by some of the most prestigious health and scientific bodies around the world have independently linked the consumption of animal protein with various types of cancers and auto-immune diseases and animal fat with heart problems and obesity. In fact, the National Academy of Science concluded that the ideal amount of trans-fat that are only found in animal products and hydrogenated oils humans should consume is zero![13][14][15] The most ambitious health study to date, the China Study, hailed as the "Grand Prix of epidemiology” and the “most comprehensive large study ever undertaken of the relationship between diet and the risk of developing disease.”, and has been peer-reviewed multiple times reached the same conclusion. A vegan diet is the most natural diet for humans. [16]

Here is what the American Dietetic Association concluded in their position paper, "It is the position of the American Dietetic Association that appropriately planned vegetarian diets, including total vegetarian or vegan diets, are healthful, nutritionally adequate, and may provide health benefits in the prevention and treatment of certain diseases. Well-planned vegetarian diets are appropriate for individuals during all stages of the lifecycle, including pregnancy, lactation, infancy, childhood, and adolescence, and for athletes." Volume 109, Issue 7, Pages 1266-1282 (July 2009) [17]

Evidence is now emerging that a vegan diet can reverse diabetes, certain cancers and heart diseases thereby providing a cheap, drug-free and healthy alternative to millions searching for hope.[13][14][15][16][17]

Another simple way to understand the benefits of a vagan diet for the planet is to imagine you are a car. According to Foodwatch, a vegan would consume the petrol equivalent of driving for 630 Kms per year. Contrast this with 2400 Kms for lacto-vegetarians and 4700 kms for non-vegetarians. [18]

There is no other one single thing we can do today to have such a significant impact on human rights, human health, the planet and most importantly the animals than to adopt a vegan diet.

From a fitness angle how beneficial is veganism?

Many high-performance athletes such as Robert Cheeke - Champion Bodybuilder, Martina Navratilova - Champion Tennis Player, Mac Danzig - Mixed Martial Arts Fighter and many others have gone vegan to improve their performance. Carl Lewis won 9 Olympic Gold Medals on a vegan diet! The list of vegan athletes are everincreasing. In fact, Iron Mike Tyson has also recently reported that he has gone vegan. [19] A vegan diet, as many peer-reviewed studies conclude, is “ideal” for people who seek fitness of both body and mind.

Do you recommend this for loosing weight?

There are four kinds of fats that we can consume:

Great: Omega 3: Found in Flax Seeds, Pumpkin seeds, Sunflower seeds etc,
Good: Mono Unsaturated : Found in Avocados, Almonds etc.
Bad: Saturated Fats : Found in Meat and Diary
Killer: Trans-fats : Found only in two places; Animal Products (Meat/Diary) and Hydrogenated Vegetable Oils

It's true that you can occasionally come across an overweight vegan (due to the consumption of hydrogenated vegetable oils), or a lean non-vegan, but on an average, vegan are significantly more leaner than their non-vegan counterparts. A subset of vegan diet, called the RAVE diet can do the trick for people struggling with weight problems. RAVE is an acronym for no Refined foods, no Animal products, no Vegetable oils and no Exceptions.

So yes, a RAVE diet can definitely cut out all the bad and killer fat out of your life and you will notice wonderful results in no time without resorting to any fad crash diets and other unhealthy practices. [20]

What are the health reasons to stay or become vegan?

Most people become vegan for ethical reasons. Therefore there are two kinds of vegan diets: healthy and unhealthy. While french fries, alcohol, cigarettes, tobacco and oily foods in general are vegan, they are not healthy. As mentioned before, a healthy vegan diet is called a RAVE diet and even if it's not followed to the letter, a conventional vegan diet is any day healthier than a meat and diary based diet. We have a mounting body of evidence today that trans-fat is one of the key reasons to get type II diabetes. Some people have even reported reversal or significant decrease in insulin intake for type I diabetes on a vegan diet low on oils.[22] India is the diabetic capital of the world. This piece of information should be god-send for people dealing with this degenerative disease that can lead to blindness and even amputation in later stages of life. Also, diary has been linked with the damage and/or cancer of the pancreas in men.[21] Women who are raised on diary reach menarche at the age of 12. Vegan babies reach menarche at age 18. Vegan women also hit menopause soon. This immediately shaves of 5-7 years of estrogen exposure thereby reducing the risk of breast cancer in women.[16]

Animal protein found in meat and diary have been linked with various cancers and auto immune diseases like multiple sclerosis.[13][14][15][16][17] Even autistic patients can benefit from a vegan diet free of wheat gluten.[23] High amounts of aluminum artificially added to cheese has also been linked with Alzheimer's.

Animal fat can give atherosclerotic plaques to humans since we are herbivores and not omnivores and they can cause heart diseases.[24][25] It's worth noting that cholesterol is not an essential nutrient, meaning we need not externally supplement it. Our livers produce all the cholesterol we need. Cholesterol is only present in animal products and no plant has ever been shown to contain cholesterol. A healthy vegan diet gives you zero cholesterol thereby eliminating any chance for us to get a heart attacks due to atherosclerotic plaques.

Its true that cancers, auto-immune diseases and obesity can have genetic causes. But genes alone cannot induce these diseases. They need a trigger in the form of animal protein and fats as was found by the China-Oxford-Cornell Diet and Health Project.[26] The chances of these disease occurring in nature due to genetic causes are statistically insignificant.

Your body will thank you in the long run for adopting a vegan diet. You will feel better, lighter and more upbeat. And of course, stay away from tobacco, alcohol and oily foods.

So what are the alternative foods you use?

Nobody can live a long and healthy life on a meat-based diet alone - unless you want to live like the Eskimos who, on an average, live for only 20 years. [27] Even meat-eaters and diary consumers have to eat lentils, legumes, fruits and vegetables. Given the fact that humans are herbivores [24][25] and cow's milk is a complete food for you....only if you are a calf, we actually do not need any alternatives or substitutes. In fact, 60 % of the people cannot even digest cow's milk.[28] When you come to think about it, even cow's dont drink their own milk when they grow up. As stated by the American Dietetic association [17], a vegan diet can furnish us will all the nutrients we need. The complete adequacy of vegetarian diets is now so thoroughly proven and documented that even the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association has acknowledged the legitimacy of meatless diets. In an official statement, these representatives of the beef industry declared, “Well planned vegen diets can meet dietary recommendations for essential nutrients.”. That said, honey can be replaced by Agave or Rooh Afza. Many vegans replace paneer with tofu and milk with almond, rice, coconut, or soy milk.

Other than that, no substitutes are required, just a whole food, plant based diet, preferably seasonal, organic and non-genetically modified.

What do you do for the intake of calcium?

We all know that calcium is required by the body to build bones. The bone strength is dependent upon four factors, namely, genes, diet, exercise and vitamin D. You can be sincere and you can be sincerely wrong. The diary industry all over the world promotes cow's milk as a human food often citing strong bones as a marketing mantra. Well, opinions mean nothing in science. Science tells us that moderate consumption of milk has no effect on bone density whatsoever and that excess consumption of diary can actually weaken the bones.[15] In fact, countries with the highest consumption of diary such as Finland, Sweden, USA and England also have the highest rate of osteoporosis (a disease of weakening of bones) in the exact same sequence.[8][36]

So where do vegans get their calcium? From where any other herbivores do: plants. The green leafy vegetables such as spinach, brusseles sprouts, mustard greens, broccoli, kale etc have more absorbable calcium than cow's milk.[8][29] A well balanced vegan diet can furnish not just calcium and protein but all the other essential nutrients for a healthy human body.[13][14][15][16][17]

Do you feel this way of life limits the array of things you can eat?

Initially, it may seem like a vegan lifestyle is limiting in nature. But a visit to any vegan cooking website such as http://www.vegcooking.com can humble you. Polls show that almost all people eat just 9 types of dishes on a weekly basis in rotation.[30] It's not difficult to learn how to cook any 9 new dishes, let alone vegan dishes. That said, there are hundreds of vegan dishes from any cuisine and country you wish. Most people just drink cow's milk. As a vegan, you tend to drink coconut, rice, hemp, wheat, peanut, soy and almond milk – one type of milk every day of the week! A vegan lifestyle sensitizes your palette and you tend to savor more tastes and even plain rice tastes good after a while. So you rediscover what you have been eating all along in a new light. Once you explore your vegan options, it can actually be a bit overwhelming in a good way.

Are restaurants and super markets vegan friendly?

If you are astute, you can always find a vegan substitute everywhere. For example, there are vegan societies in almost all major cities in the world. In Bangalore, there is a restaurant called Our Native Village that has gone vegan! Also, there are bakeries like Carnival that bakes vegan cakes and pastries. You can eat vegan pizza at Little Italy and mock-meat is available in some hypermarts. Cafe coffee day has a vegan shake now. There are a slew of vegan items to choose from - from toothpastes to soaps and cosmetics. Vicco even writes "vegan" on its toothpaste. We have a range of leather free shoes from Bata. Many other vendors like JuteCottage, Baggit, GoDesign and Reebok have leather free wallets. Vegan chocolates like Bournville and vegan biscuits from Parle like Hide and Seek chocolate chips and Oreo are available in the market. More and more organic shops are opening doors. You can get a range of vegan tea at Infinitea. There are numerous Ayurvedic soaps available in the market that use vegetables as base. Over the last couple of years the choices have multiplied many folds. Becoming a vegan today is easier than we can imagine.

What are the challenges you face?

India is one of the best place for vegans. Much of our cuisines are naturally vegan or can be easily veganised upon request. That said, the most difficult aspect of being a vegan is not leaving animal products, but to live with non-vegans. Most people feel judged in the presence of a vegan even if she does nothing to promote it.[31] This leads to some social inconveniences since for many Indians consuming dairy is like breathing and they cannot imagine its even possible to live without cow's milk.

That said, as veganism is gaining grounds and as more people adopt a vegan lifestyle, its getting easier by the day to be accepted as one.

Is it hard to be vegan? Do you get tempted to eat non-vegan food?

Studies show that fatty foods such as meat and diary is addictive in nature like cocaine.[32] This is because they stimulate and overwhelm the pleasure centers of the brain and can make you crave them. Any addiction can be difficult to beat for most people. This is the reason why most people are vegan due to animal rights reasons as they altruistically put animals first. This gives them the added motivation to be a vegan. I personally do not know anybody who is a vegan for health reasons – not to say there are none.

But habits can be broken and addictions can be overcome. The only thing that can change our lives is a decision. Once you have made the decision to lead a cruelty-free, environment-friendly and humane diet, the key is not to change in one day and not to shoot for perfection. It's easy to fall in the all-or-nothing psychological ploy – since I cannot be perfect, so let me be completely imperfect. First you should cut out meat from the meal and then give your body some time to realize its not getting it anymore. Burn the bridge. Once the body has accepted this, it'll stop craving. Next, add one diary free day to your life per week. Understand that one mistake or occasional indulgences in diary does not do a diet ruin. Once you have 5 diary free days under your belt, then you will find it easy to make the complete transition. Veganism is not about perfection, it's about progress. Take your time and let the cravings die naturally. After you are vegan for 3 months, you will “forget” what meat and diary tastes like.[35] This is because taste has to be continually reinforced to be remembered. If you fail in your first attempt, do not feel guilty or defeated. After a week, try again. Try as many times as it takes to become a vegan. Take support from your local vegan chapter or from the internet. Also, experiment with new dishes at home. [30]

Of course, people who go vegan for Animals drop animal products in virtually one day.

How has being a vegan helped you and how has it changed your life?

Most people do not become vegan for selfish reasons. The do so because they do not want to support cruelty towards non-human animals. The health and environmental concerns are an aside. Studies show us that people who adopt a vegan diet for altruistic and compassionate reason have a brain map of an empathic person. [33] Such people are also more upbeat and energetic according to some other studies.[34]

Apart from an emotional and spiritual upliftment, its an enlightening experience to see religion, politics, economics and the world in general through the paradigm of veganism.

It can be strange to see how people profess their dedication to reverse climate change and yet continue to eat meat and consume diary. It can be very fascinating to see doctors recommending diary and meat to diabetic, cancer and heart patients. It can be surprising to see human rights activist eat meat and support human rights violation. It touches and changes each and every facet of your perception.

In the words of Dr. Richard Dawkins, "The feeling that members of one's own species deserve special moral consideration as compared with members of other species is old and deep. Killing people outside war is the most seriously-regarded crime ordinarily committed. The only thing more strongly forbidden by our culture is eating people (even if they are already dead). We enjoy eating members of other species, however. Many of us shrink from judicial execution of even the most horrible human criminals, while we cheerfully countenance the shooting without trial of fairly mild animal pests. Indeed we kill members of other harmless species as a means of recreation and amusement. A human foetus, with no more human feeling than an amoeba, enjoys a reverence and legal protection far in excess of those granted to an adult chimpanzee. Yet the chimp feels and thinks and, according to recent experimental evidence, may even be capable of learning a form of human language. The foetus belongs to our own species, and is instantly accorded special privileges and rights because of it. Whether the ethic of 'speciesism', can be put on a logical footing any more sound than that of 'racism', I do not know. What I do know is that it has no proper basis in evolutionary biology."

Sexism, racism, "speciesism"...are all prejudices in different cloaks. There is a sense of completion, satisfaction and achievement in living your values free of prejudices. Like they say, you don't know what feeling healthy truly means unless you are really healthy. The same holds true for veganism too. It's many things rolled into one. It can be a political statement, a lifestyle or a spiritual pursuit or maybe all of them. But most importantly, it's liberating. After all, might is right is a morally bankrupt idea.

A brief introduction of yourself. Full name and occupation.

My name is Manuj Chandra Sharma. I am an Animal Rights Activist and the co-founder of an organization called Kranti (www.kranti.org) .

REFERENCES

[1] http://www.kranti.org/knowledge-base/media/lectures-and-presentations/item/267-flu-factories-tracing-the-origins-of-the-swine-flu-epidemic.html

[2] http://www.kranti.org/knowledge-base/library/fact-files/environmentalism/73-livestock-and-climate-change-world-watch.html

[3] http://www.kranti.org/knowledge-base/articles/research-papers/item/275-meat-contributes-to-ozone-production.html

[4] http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/freshwater/embedded-water/

[5] http://www.kranti.org/knowledge-base/media/documentaries/item/245-diet-for-a-new-america.html

[6] http://www.greenpeace.org/international/en/multimedia/videos/Genetic-engineering-The-worlds-greatest-scam/

[7] http://www.kranti.org/damage/environment.html

[8] http://www.amazon.com/Food-Revolution-Your-Diet-World/dp/1573247022/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1277177039&sr=8-2

[9] http://www.worldwatch.org/node/791

[10] http://endoftheline.com

[11] http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2006/11/061102-seafood-threat.html

[12] http://www.kranti.org/knowledge-base/media/lectures-and-presentations/item/268-pandemic-prevention-bird-flu-and-other-emerging-infectious-diseases.html

[13] http://www.kranti.org/knowledge-base/media/lectures-and-presentations/item/270-latest-in-clinical-nutrition-volume-1.html

[14] http://www.kranti.org/knowledge-base/media/lectures-and-presentations/item/271-latest-in-clinical-nutrition-volume-2.html

[15] http://www.kranti.org/knowledge-base/media/lectures-and-presentations/item/279-latest-in-clinical-nutrition-volume-3.html

[16] http://webarchive.human.cornell.edu/chinaproject/index.html?CFID=109192707&CFTOKEN=22455666&jsessionid=c430570497735e256119

[17] http://www.kranti.org/knowledge-base/articles/research-papers/item/142-advantages-of-a-vegetarian-diet.html

[18] http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=5041951&l=88ae3b3790&id=670975394

[19] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vegan_athletes#Athletes

[20] http://www.amazon.com/Turn-Off-Fat-Genes-Revolutionary/dp/0609809040/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1277177883&sr=8-1

[21] http://www.cancerproject.org/survival/cancer_facts/prostate_dairy.php

[22] http://www.pcrm.org/health/clinres/diabetes.html

[23] http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8869369

[24] http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1312295/

[25] http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2220599

[26] http://www.amazon.com/China-Study-Comprehensive-Nutrition-Implications/dp/1932100660/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1277178391&sr=8-1

[27] http://www.journeytoforever.org/farm_library/price/price5.html

[28] http://www.kranti.org/knowledge-base/articles/research-papers/item/151-60-of-adults-can%5C%27t-digest-milk.html

[29] http://www.kranti.org/knowledge-base/library/fact-files/brochures/88-official-kranti-brochure.html

[30] http://www.kranti.org/knowledge-base/library/books/vegetarianism/78-vegetarian-starter-kit.html

[31] http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article7052580.ece

[32] http://edition.cnn.com/2010/HEALTH/03/28/fatty.foods.brain/

[33] http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0010847

[34] http://www.kranti.org/knowledge-base/articles/health-and-nutrition/item/293-vegetarians-are-more-upbeat-study.html

[35] http://www.kranti.org/knowledge-base/articles/research-papers/item/153-meat-eaters-live-a-lie.html

[36] http://www.kranti.org/knowledge-base/library/fact-files/vegetarianism/52-health-concerns-about-dairy-products.html

Published in Blog

Friday, 11 June 2010 14:58

Vegetarians Are More Upbeat: Study

Vegetarian diets are associated with healthy mood states: a cross-sectional study in Seventh Day Adventist adults

Published in Health And Nutrition

Thursday, 22 April 2010 16:13

Telegraph Interview

1. When was Kranti set up? What was the idea behind setting up this organization, which hails itself as a revolutionary group? What work do you do?

The reason why we naively regard humans as a superior species is because we believe humans have faculties that other animals don't. Recent breakthrough in science has led us to believe that a paradigm shift is in order.[1] Today, thanks to science we know that birds and cows can detect magnetic north[2], fish feel pain like humans[3] and that many animals, especially the ones raised for food, fiber and entertainment have faculties humans lost or never attained. It has been shown that Pigs can play video games, can trick a computer system to give them more food[4], can regulate air-conditioning based upon their comfort level and can outsmart dogs in IQ tests. Similarly, fishes and hens can navigate complex mazes and can outsmart human children in problem solving[5]. Sometimes, these non-human animals display an almost supernatural abilities. Since we now believe that all humans including blacks and women have rights, its time to identify the rights of non-human animals and extend it to them. For this purpose, Kranti was floated 9 months ago by a group of like-minded individuals. Everyone associated with Kranti strongly believes in equality for all species and we attempt to dispel speciesism which is an attitude of prejudice towards non-human animals. When they are capable of suffering as much as we do, why should they not have rights?

We have a multifaceted agenda. Our mission statement is provided below:

http://www.kranti.org/about/mission.html

Kranti's main focus is to research speciesism and educate people about Animal Rights but we also educate people about the environment[6], health[7] and human rights[8] violations by the livestock industry as an aside. We educate people that equality for all species does not mean that we should give a chicken the right to vote. It means that we should recognize the fact that a chicken has the same intelligence as that of a one year old human child[9] and just like we do not allow children to vote we should not extend it to chickens as well. It also means that we should provide all the rights given to a human child to a chicken.

We believe in promoting the science behind equality even if its inconvenient to many. The treatment rendered to highly sensitive and intelligent beings such as cows and hens in the slaughterhouses will land people in jail in some places if extended to dogs or cats[24]. Yet, scientifically, these animals suffer pain just as much. To come to a realization that man is in no way special than other animals exploited for milk, meat, fashion or entertainment, like Darwin wrote in the Descent of Man, requires a paradigm shift no less than that of a spherical earth. It requires a revolution of human consciousness, hence the name Kranti.

In this respect, we hold public protests and other events in colleges to champion the cause of total abolition of animal abuse. You can access some recent event pictures below:

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=212989&id=670975394&l=1f3bc441ab

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=200801&id=670975394&l=2aa1459aa0

2. How does Kranti promote a vegan lifestyle among Indians? When did the group begin work on promoting veganism in India? Was this one of your core agenda?

Ironically, when we started Kranti, our aim was not to convert people to a cruelty-free lifestyle, but to provide support to the already existing vegetarians in India who just account for 20% of the population and are taking up meat-eating due to peer-pressure and corporate propaganda.[10][11] But thankfully, many people are responding to logic[12] and making the right lifestyle choices. Kranti furthers its agenda through public demonstration and the internet. We also conduct seminars in colleges to educate the youth, who at this age are looking for an identity and a philosophy to adhere to. The group has been promoting the message of equality as individuals even before the incorporation of Kranti . Veganism is always at the core of all our activities.

3. How many members does the group have? What is the general profile of your members? How many new members join you every year?

We have 5 core members, all vegans, who plan the strategies plus one moderator. On our facebook group, we have 44 volunteers plus some more in real world that we can call upon. Our website has received more than 30,000 hits from all over India and the world in the last 9 months and the response is phenomenal. Our supporters are very slowly but gradually increasing.

Our members come from all walks of life, from housewives to programmers and doctors. All of the vegans I personally know have chosen a cruelty-free lifestyle because of non-human animal rights reasons.

4. How many Vegans are part of Kranti’s member group? Has there numbers grown in the last five years? If yes, by how much?

All 5 core members of Kranti and all of our volunteers are vegans.

India produces 3 times more milk than China, even though the population is almost identical. This leads to the slaughtering of cows since the cows who cannot produce (more) milk end up in someone's plate, waist or shoe.[13] So, consumption of seemingly innocent products such as milk and honey[14] cannot be termed ethical. Therefore, it's mandatory for all members of Kranti to be vegan.

In the past, we have definitely seen an uprise of vegans in India.

5. Do you have figures on roughly how many Vegans there are in India today? Have the numbers increased in the last five years? If yes, by how much?

There are many people in India who are unknowingly following a near-vegan lifestyle, since they already do not consume meat and leather and cannot digest milk (60% of adults cannot digest milk from other species since its not meant for human consumption)[15]. This coupled with the fact that we don't legally recognize veganism as a food choice in India like we do with vegetarianism, its hard to get any concrete figures. We know around 300 vegans through social networking and I have been told that according to PeTA estimates there are approximately 20,000 vegans in India. Whatever the actual figures are, I believe its optimistic.

6. Why do you think that an increasing number of urban Indians are adopting a vegan lifestyle? Is it because Indians are becoming aware of animals rights, are globally-traveled, any other reasons?

The core essence of veganism - reverence for all life - is not something new to India. Its interwoven in the fabric of Indian religions and philosophy. Most people are already lacto-vegetarians. Many people get exposed to veganism through the work done by mainstream organizations like PeTA and Humane Society of the United States in India and around the world. They learn about it through celebrities like Pamela Anderson, Maneka Gandhi, John Abraham and Shaid Kapoor.

Another two channels that introduce people to veganism are climate and health. People are getting educated by the media about the livestock-climate connection and the fact that the livestock industry is one of the topmost contributors to Global Warming[16][17]. Also, studies are pouring in linking milk and meat with heart diseases, diabetes and cancer[18].

Also, more and more people are learning about the human rights violations by the meat industry. 70% of the world grain goes to feed the livestock that is later brutally slaughtered and consumed. This grain can feed billions of starving humans. For eg; It takes 12 Kg of grain and 13,000+ liters of water to produce just 1 Kg of beef.[19] Meat compresses food and water thereby aggravating world hunger. Also, it requires tremendous amount of fossil fuel to refrigerate and transport animal products because they decay very fast.

All the above mentioned factors and them some kindles their curiosity and they do more research online. There they get introduced to the inner workings of the meat and diary industry through undercover investigation videos and documentaries like Earthlings[20]. Since humans are anatomically herbivores[21] and are naturally compassionate to animals they decide not to support this injustice. People start their journey on veganism to support humans, the planet, their health or the animals. But when the dust settles, they all end up supporting life.

7. How easy or difficult is it to be a Vegan in India? Is it easier now to be a Vegan in India today than it was five years ago? If yes, how?

India is one of the best place for vegans. Much of our cuisines are naturally vegan or can be easily veganised upon request. That said, the most difficult aspect of being a vegan is not leaving animal products, but to live with non-vegans. Most people feel judged in the presence of a vegan even if she does nothing to promote it. This leads to some social inconveniences since for many Indians consuming dairy is like breathing and they cannot imagine its even possible to live without cow's milk.

That said, as veganism is gaining grounds and as more people adopt a vegan lifestyle, its getting easier by the day to be accepted as one.

8. What are the vegan options available in India in terms of restaurants, cosmetics etc? Is there an increase in such options being made to Vegans in India? If yes, can you give examples?

If you are astute, you can always find a vegan substitute everywhere. For example, there are vegan societies in almost all major cities in the world. In Bangalore, there is a restaurant called ~~E-Inn~~ Our Native Village [22] that has gone vegan! Also, there are bakeries like Carnival that bakes vegan cakes and pastries. You can eat vegan pizza at Little Italy and mock-meat is available in some hypermarts. Cafe coffee day has a vegan shake now. There are a slew of vegan items to choose from - from toothpastes to soaps and cosmetics. Vicco even writes "vegan" on its toothpaste. We have a range of leather free shoes from Bata. Many other vendors like Baggit, GoDesign and Reebok have leather free wallets. Vegan chocolates like Bournville and vegan biscuits from Parle like Hide and Seek chocolate chips and Oreo are available in the market. More and more organic shops are opening doors. You can get a range of vegan tea at Infinitea. There are numerous Ayurvedic soaps available in the market that use vegetables as base. Over the last couple of years the choices have multiplied many folds. Becoming a vegan today is easier than we can imagine.

Let me know if you need any further clarification. It would be great if you can mail the final article to any one of us for technical accuracy.

Regards,
Manuj Chandra.

References:
[1] http://www.amazon.com/Second-Nature-Inner-Animals-MacSci/dp/0230613624/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1271928708&sr=8-1
[2] http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/2623809/Cows-point-north-thanks-to-in-built-compasses.html
[3] http://www.upi.com/Science_News/2009/04/29/UPI-NewsTrack-Health-and-Science-News/UPI-83361241041440/
[4] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ImZmDYme_s
[5] http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16796139/
[6] http://www.kranti.org/damage/environment.html
[7] http://www.kranti.org/damage/health.html
[8] http://www.kranti.org/damage/humanity.html
[9] http://www.fowlplaymovie.com/display_video.php?id=4
[10] http://www.kranti.org/connect/forum/9-revolutionary-support/379-should-we-have-a-target-audience-or-go-secular.html#379
[11] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZjFH6yZ8LIA
[12] http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/6180753.stm
[13] http://www.kranti.org/whats-wrong-with/milk.html
[14] http://www.kranti.org/whats-wrong-with/honey.html
[15] http://www.kranti.org/knowledge-base/articles/research-papers/item/151-60-of-adults-can%5C%27t-digest-milk.html
[16] http://www.kranti.org/knowledge-base/library/fact-files/environmentalism/73-livestock-and-climate-change-world-watch.html
[17] http://www.kranti.org/knowledge-base/library/fact-files/environmentalism/53-copenhagen-climate-conference-2009.html
[18] http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/8629358.stm
[19] http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/freshwater/embedded-water/
[20] http://www.kranti.org/knowledge-base/media/documentaries/item/149-earthlings.html
[21] http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1312295/
[22] http://www.ournativevillage.com/contact_us.htm
~~[23] http://vegan-india.blogspot.com/2010/04/e-inn-luxury-star-bangalore.html~~
[24] http://blog.peta.org/archives/2010/02/peta_agrees_wit.php

Published in Blog

Thursday, 15 April 2010 09:53

Vandana Shiva in Totnes: GM, Climate Change and Transition

Part 1

Part 2

Published in Environment Talks

Sunday, 11 April 2010 14:29

Why Compassion Should Be Taught In Schools

The illiterates of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read and write but those who cannot learn, unlearn, and relearn - Alvin Toffler

A child educated only at school is an uneducated child. - George Santayana

Published in Reflections

Tuesday, 23 March 2010 10:58

Dean Ornish On Healing

Dean Ornish talks about simple, low-tech and low-cost ways to take advantage of the body's natural desire to heal itself.

Published in Health Talks

Friday, 05 March 2010 00:08

The Religionization Of Science

Science has become commercialized and technology has become a puppet in the hands of multi-national corporations, who, buy the instruments of law are suppressing data that hurts their bottom line.

Recently I finished watching a documentary called "Killer at Large" that contains the congress hearing of the Sergeant General of the US and how his duties were obstructed by those who profit otherwise.

I care deeply about science and rationalism, and it hurts to see modern applied science turned into witchcraft. No, I am not a creationist...just a seeker of truth who is loosing faith in commercial science by the day. I'm very sorry to say, but for me it has now boiled down to "faith". Someone must muster the courage to address the religionization of science even at the cost of being ridiculed and labeled.

Peer-reviewed papers after peer-reviewed papers are ignored for cataloging because the archives too are funded by the corporations.

Forget the separation of church and state, we need a separation of the industrial complex and science.

These are just a few of the examples where even the skeptic community has lied through their tooth.

They use intellectual arrogance and esoteric terminology to earn credibility and confuse the public.

Science, our only hope of learning the truth has been reduced to a corporate tool to protect corporations from liabilities.

IMHO, Science should always remain publicly funded and patents should be abolished. Science, which was meant to serve the interest of public is now being exploited to serve a handfull of powerfull corporate lobbies.

I refer to the tyranny of science. The old horrors are being brought back. Though we no longer torture in the name of God or in the name of the State, we torture in the name of science! - John Cowper Powys, English novelist

Resources

Reductionist Research
The Corporation
Latest in Clinica Nutrition
Food Matters

Published in Blog

Saturday, 20 February 2010 15:23

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Activists “Protest for the Cows” on February 20th in Jnanabharathi college campus, Bangalore

Recently, the honorable government has made a move to plug some loop holes in the existing Law to prevent the slaughtering of cows. This attempt was met with a protest by the Bangalore University PG and PhD Students' Association on Thursday, 18th Feb, 2010 by cooking and eating beef, right there on Jnanabharathi campus.

Kranti and other Animal Rights organization support the position of absolute and complete abolition of all unnecessary cruelty towards all sentient beings which resonates with the verdict of Honorable High Court of Allahabad in Mohd. Habib & Ors. V. State of U.P. & Ors. (Writ Petition 38469 of 1994): The Court is of the view that the Constitution of India does not permit any citizen of claim that it is his fundamental right to take life and kill animals. A butcher may have his profession, but he cannot claim it as a fundamental right by the Constitution. Otherwise, it will be a negation of the tenets of our Constitution. The Constitution of India has a Chapter on Fundamental Duties. This is Chapter IV-A. Article 51A(g) ordains "compassion for living creatures".

This display of inhumanity was justified by the Bangalore University PG and PhD Students' Association with unlawful and sophistic arguments that eating is one of their basic 'rights', and the government shouldn't interfere with one's eating habits.

"We don't want the government to implement the ban on cow slaughter. All these years, there has been no problem, now how has this become an issue?" asked Mohan Das.
"We eat beef. We decide whether we want to continue or not. Who are they (government?) to decide?" etc.

In short, some people hold an opinion that eating sentient beings is their fundamental "right" and that no one should interfere with their "right". This line of reasoning is flawed at a level of multiple dimensions as will be highlighted below.

A) LAW:

As mentioned above in a citation to the verdict of the Honorable High Court of Allahabad and also of Chapter IV-A. Article 51A(g)...It shall be the fundamental duty of every citizen of India to ... have compassion for all living creatures.

(This, in spirit, exempts fruits and vegetables because as per our current understanding of Science, no Central Nervous System has ever been isolated in the Plant Kingdom and it is an accepted scientific result that plants are incapable of suffering and emotional and/or physical pain)

B) ETHICS:

Oxes and Cows are highly sensitive and intelligent creatures who have all the basic needs that humans and other such animals possess. They enjoy their families, nurture, suckle and raise their young. It is a violation of their fundamental rights and an act of crime against nature to have their families broken and their lives prematurely terminated in an inhumane manner for food, clothing or otherwise.

They argue that eating animals (cow) is a matter of personal opinion or choice, but we disagree - this is not about your opinion versus our opinion, this is about animal suffering. You can't discuss your "personal choice" of eating animals and cows while leaving animals completely out of the equation.

C) RELIGION:

When people get married, they refer to their in-laws as father and mother, even though they are not their biological father and mother. Same is true for adopted human children. In the same spirit, all of us have consumed the milk of a cow at one stage of our life or another and its our moral, legal and spiritual duty to show an attitude of gratitude towards these humble and noble creatures. If we take something from somebody, we must also give something back. This is an acceptable social norm. Keeping this in mind, the murder of Cows and Oxen is forbidden by all religions:

He who slayeth a cow is the same as he that killeth a man; he who sacrificeth a lamb is the same as he who slayeth a dog. Yea, they have chosen their own ways, and their soul delighteth in their abominations. - Isaiah 66:3, The Holy Bible

A good deed done to an animal is as meritorious as a good deed done to a human being, while an act of cruelty to an animal is as bad as an act of cruelty to a human being. - The Prophet Muhammad sal-Allaahu `alayhe wa sallam

...Beef is disease. - The Prophet Muhammad sal-Allaahu `alayhe wa sallam

The highest religion is to rise to universal brotherhood; and to consider all creatures your equals. - Guru Nanak

For the sake of love of purity, the Bodhisattva should refrain from eating flesh, which is born of semen, blood, etc. For fear of causing terror to living beings let the Bodhisattva, who is disciplining himself to attain compassion, refrain from eating flesh...It is not true that meat is proper food and permissible when the animal was not killed by himself, when he did not order others to kill it, when it was not specially meant for him. Again, there may be some people in the future who...being under the influence of the taste for meat will string together in various ways sophistic arguments to defend meat eating. But...meat eating in any form, in any manner, and in any place is unconditionally and once for all prohibited...Meat eating I have not permitted to anyone, I do not permit, I will not permit. - Lord Buddha, Lankavatara Sutra

All breathing, existing, sentient creatures should not be slain, nor treated with violence, nor abused, nor tormented, nor driven away. This is the pure unchangeable Law. Therefore, cease to injure sentient beings. - Mahavira, Yogashastra

It is forbidden, according to the law of the Torah, to inflict pain upon any living creature. On the contrary, it is our duty to relieve the pain of any creature, even if it is ownerless or belongs to a non-Jew. - The Code of Jewish Law

He who desires to augment his own flesh by eating the flesh of other creatures lives in misery in whatever species he may take his birth. - Mahabharat

D) NUTRITION AND HEALTH

Eating meat has been linked with various types of heart diseases and cancers. Countries with the largest consumption of meat have heart diseases and cancers as their top two killers. Health care industry in U.S.A is a one trillion dollar industry. Unless we want India to emulate this pattern of sickness, we must encourage people to stick to a plant based diet only.

E) ENVIRONMENT

Having a system in place that gives people the "right" to eat animals at a global level is ridiculously taxing on the environment. To funnel our food supply through the animals means growing more food than we need and this means greater destruction of the rain-forests and pollution of the water bodies and air. Consider the following facts to evaluate the second-hand damage for non-meat eaters.

Environmental violations by the meat industry add up to a rap sheet longer than War and Peace. - Sierra Club in their 2002 report on animal factories

A meat-fed world now appears a chimera. World grain production has grown more slowly than population since 1984, and farmers lack new methods for repeating the gains of the green revolution. Supporting the world's current population of 5.4 billion people on an American-style diet would require two-and-a-half times as much grain as the world's farmers produce for all purposes. A future world of 8 billion to 14 billion people eating the American ration of 220 grams of grain-fed meat a day can be nothing but a flight of fancy. - Durning, Alan B. & Brough, Holly, Worldwatch Institute

Water consumption (University of California Agriculture Extension)
1 pound of lettuce:        23 gallons
1 pound of tomatoes:    23 gallons
1 pound of potatoes:     24 gallons
1 pound of wheat:       25 gallons
1 pound of carrots:        33 gallons
1 pound of apples:        49 gallons
1 pound of chicken:    815 gallons
1 pound of pork:        1630 gallons
1 pound of beef:        5214 gallons

Life forms destroyed in the production of each fast-food hamburger made from rain-forest beef: Members of 20-30 different plant species, 100 different insect species, and dozens of bird, mammal and reptile species.

What a hamburger produced by clearing forest in India would cost if the real costs were included in the price rather than subsidized: $200

Calorie of fossil fuel expended to produce 1 calorie of protein from soybeans:          2
Calorie of fossil fuel expended to produce 1 calorie of protein from corn or wheat:    3
Calorie of fossil fuel expended to produce 1 calorie of protein from beef:                 54

Amount of greenhouse-warming carbon gas released by driving a typical American car, in one day: 3 Kg
Amount of greenhouse-warming carbon gas released by clearing and burning enough Costa Rican rainforest to produce beef for one hamburger: 75 Kg

World’s mammalian species currently threatened with extinction: 25%
Leading cause of species in the tropical rain-forest being threatened or eliminated: Livestock Grazing

100,000 cows produce as much waste as a city of 1.7 million humans.

Number of people whose food energy needs can be met by the food produced on a 2.5 acre of land:

If the land is producing cabbage:        23 people
If the land is producing potatoes:        22 people
If the land is producing rice:                19 people
If the land is producing corn:       17 people
If the land is producing wheat:    15 people
If the land is producing chicken:       2 people
If the land is producing milk:       2 people
If the land is producing eggs:    1 people
If the land is producing beef:       1 people

Cattle alive today on Earth: More than 1 billion
Weight of world’s cattle compared to weight of world’s people: Nearly Double
Area of earth's total land mass used as pasture for cattle and other livestock: ½

US Corn eaten by people: 2%
US Corn eaten by livestock: 77%

US farmland producing vegetables : 4 million acres
US farmland producing hay for livestock : 56 million acres

US grain and cereals fed to livestock: 70%

Human beings who could be fed by the grain and soybeans eaten by US livestock : 1,400,000,000

Although most of the above statistics are from U.S, we must understand that its one earth and whatever happens to the rain-forests will have a worldwide impact.

CONCLUSION

Its our constitutional, moral, ethical and religious duty to prevent India from emulating these grave statistics in our country.

Kranti requests that such naive and inhumane display of ignorance on part of the Bangalore University PG and PhD Students' Association at Jnanabharathi campus should be severely dealt with by the suspension of involved students and the vice-chancellor for allowing this shameful event to happen under his watch.

We do not have the right or need to use animal products. Anything capable of feeling pain should not be put to pain.

CONTACT

About Kranti: Kranti is a virtual organization working on animal rights issues in India. Kranti's main focus is to dispel "speciesism" by providing equal rights to all life forms that posses a central nervous system no matter how primitive.

REFERENCES
Health:
http://webarchive.human.cornell.edu/chinaproject/index.html?CFID=99770716&CFTOKEN=74779446&jsessionid=c430c30b1b106574401c
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29840448/
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/6194502.stm
http://www.pcrm.org/magazine/gm09winter/burgerking.html
http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSCOL16846020070321

Environment:
http://www.planetdiet.org/pdf/CLIMATE_CHANGE-SUSTAINABLE_DIET-HEALTH-The_Connection_and_the_Solution-Copenhagen_opt.pdf
http://www.fao.org/docrep/010/a0701e/a0701e00.HTM
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7600005.stm
http://www.amazon.com/Food-Revolution-Your-Diet-World/dp/1573247022
http://www.worldwatch.org/node/791

Published in Blog

Wednesday, 13 January 2010 07:18

Gere For Buddhist Meat-Free Zone

If you had asked me last week to name my favorite Richard Gere moment, I would have taken a long pause before finally deciding on that scene in the 1980s movie American Gigolo when he shimmied in his boxers as he paired his ties to shirts. What can I say? I've always appreciated a man who cares about his appearance.

Published in News

Saturday, 09 January 2010 07:28

Five Reasons To Be Vegetarian

Some years ago, after visiting a zoo and realizing the relationship between food and fauna, the then eight year old Lisa Simpson , sister of Bart Simpson , turned vegetarian. Paul McCartney, himself a confirmed veggie, appeared on that episode , and even wrote original music for the immensely popular cartoon programme. Lisa’s conversion reflects a trend among young people in the West. A survey done by Teenage Research Unlimited found that a whopping 35% of girls and 18% of boys felt that being a vegetarian was the in thing. The 18 year old founder of Earth 2000, a teenage forum, told Newsweek that the "defining focus" of his generation will be "no animal cruelty, no meat”. In the past fifty years millions of meat-eaters have made the personal decision to stop eating the flesh of other creatures. There are five major motivations for such a decision.

1) The RELIGIOUS reason
Every religion from Hinduism and Buddhism to Islam and Christianity teaches compassion to all living beings. Animals were created for the same reason as humans, to live. Not to be killed and eaten. It ill becomes us to invoke in our daily prayers the blessings of a compassionate God if we in turn will not practise elementary compassion towards our fellow creatures.

2) The KARMIC reason
All of our actions including our choice of food have karmic consequences. According to the law of karma, if we cause pain and suffering to other living beings, we must endure pain and suffering in return, both individually and collectively. We reap what we sow, in this life and the next, for nature has her own justice. By involving oneself in the cycle of inflicting injury, pain and death by eating other creatures, one will in the future, experience their suffering in equal measure.

3) The SPIRITUAL reason
Food is the source of the body's chemistry, and what we ingest affects our consciousness, emotions and experiential patterns. If one wants to live in higher consciousness, in peace and happiness and love, then one cannot eat meat, fish, fowl or eggs. The methods used in large modern farms to raise and kill animals causes them immense pain and terror. They are given hormones and antibiotics which biochemists have confirmed end up in and influence the body of those who consume meat. In a very real way, we are ingesting the powerful chemical components of fear, and rage. Absorbing these contributes to a violent mentality perpetuating the cycle of cruelty and confusion. If children are raised as vegetarians, every day they are exposed to noninjury as a principle of peace and compassion. Every day they are growing up, they are remembering and being reminded to not kill. When you won't kill another creature to feed yourself, you will be much less likely to injure anybody at all.

4) The HEALTH reason
Medical studies prove that a vegetarian diet is easier to digest, provides a wider range of nutrients and imposes fewer burdens and impurities on the body. Meat eating women have a 3.6 times higher risk of breast cancer while meat eating men have a 3.8 times higher risk of prostrate cancer. Vegetarians are less susceptible to all the major diseases that afflict contemporary humanity, and live longer, healthier, more productive lives. They have fewer physical complaints, less frequent visits to the doctor, fewer dental problems and smaller medical bills. Their immune system is stronger, their bodies are purer, more refined and their skin more beautiful.

5) The ECOLOGICAL reason
Planet earth is suffering. In large measure, the escalating loss of species, destruction of rain forests , loss of topsoil and the increase in water and air pollution have all been traced to the single fact of meat in the human diet. Meat is the single greatest reason for deforestation worldwide with 55sq ft of tropical rain forest consumed to produce every quarter-pounder hamburger. A major contributor to global warming is methane produced by animals multiplied for meat. With over 6 billion people grazing the earth today, the future of life on earth rests on our choice of food. No single decision that we can make as individuals or as a race can have such a dramatic effect on the improvement of our planetary ecology as the decision to cut out meat. Many seeking to save the planet for future generations have made this decision for this reason and this reason alone. The earth does not belong to man, man belongs to the earth. Whatever happens to the earth will happen to the sons of the earth. This we know. All things are connected like the blood that unites one family.

Published in Blog

Sunday, 27 December 2009 08:04

The Religious Bear

An atheist was taking a walk through the woods "What majestic trees! What powerful rivers! What beautiful animals!" he said to himself. As he continued walking alongside the river he heard a rustling in the bushes. Turning to look, he saw a 7 foot grizzly charging towards him.

He ran as fast as he could up the path. Looking over his shoulder he saw that the bear was closing in on him. His heart was pumping frantically and he tried to run even faster.

He tripped and fell on the ground. He rolled over to pick himself up but saw the bear raising his paw to take a swipe at him. At that instant the atheist cried out: "Oh my God..."

Time stopped.

The bear froze.

The forest was silent.

It was then that a bright light shone down upon the man and a voice came out of the sky saying: "You deny my existence for all of these years, teach others I don't exist, and even credit creation to a cosmic accident. Do you expect me to help you out of this predicament? Am I to count you as a believer?"

The atheist looked directly into the light, "It would be hypocritical of me to suddenly ask you to treat me as a Christian now, but perhaps, could you make the bear a Christian?"

"Very well," said the voice.

The light went out.

And the sounds of the forest resumed.

Then the bear lowered his paw, bowed his head and spoke: "Lord, bless this food which I am about to receive and for which I am truly thankful. Amen."

Published in Blog

Sunday, 27 December 2009 06:16

East vs. West - The Myths That Mystify

Devdutt Pattanaik takes an eye-opening look at the myths of India and of the West -- and shows how these two fundamentally different sets of beliefs about God, death and heaven help us consistently misunderstand one another.

Published in Philosophy Talks

Thursday, 17 September 2009 11:32

Who Came First, Chicken Or The Egg?

न पहले आई मुर्गी, न पहले आया अंडा, आदम की तरह ही जन्नत से आया होगा मुर्गा,
सुभान उसकी कुदरत, सुभान उसकी मर्ज़ी, पहलु से ही मुर्ग के, निकली होगी मुर्गी!

Published in Blog

Monday, 07 September 2009 10:31

Muslim "Scholar" on Meat

Here is the response I prepared.

Published in Blog

Sunday, 23 August 2009 13:43

Philip Zimbardo Shows How People Become Monsters ... Or Heroes

Philip Zimbardo knows how easy it is for nice people to turn bad. In this talk, he shares insights and graphic unseen photos from the Abu Ghraib trials. Then he talks about the flip side: how easy it is to be a hero, and how we can rise to the challenge.

Published in Philosophy Talks

Sunday, 23 August 2009 13:04

Some Random Thoughts

This is not an attack on any ideology but simply an opportunity to get an opposing opinion and to consolidate my thoughts for my book.

Everything presented here is scientific to the best of my knowledge. This letter will be terse since I have work to do and don't have time to decorate it with flowery grammar.

There is no universal ethics Buddha said : aso dhammo sanantano (This dhamma is universal/eternal). The laws of nature are not bound by time like material existence is. Time has no beginning and end. In fact, time may not even exist at all. We are conditioned to think that everything has a beginning and an end. This is not true. I will second Buddha that ethics are universal and timeless, but implementation of ethics is not universal or timeless. Remember that we are not the law of nature but the nature of the law™. I believe, and many religions and philosophers also agree, that there is a cosmic pool of ethics, and individuals pick and choose from that pool, out of free will, what they want to believe or how they want to behave.
What are/is ethics? Once a pagan** came to a disciple of Jesus Christ® and challenged him that if you recite the entire Torah whilst standing on one feet, he will convert to Jewish faith. (Remember that Jesus® was a Jew and preached the Torah. Christianity was created after his unfortunate demise). The disciple stood on one leg and said, "Do not do to others what you would not like to be done to you". Then he said, "This is the entire Torah, the rest is just commentary, go and read it." Buddha took it one more step further. He said, and I quote, "Kayaakic karam sudhaar le, vacchic karam sudhaar, chitta ke karam sudhaar le, yahi dharam ka saar. (Mind your body, speech and mind, this is the quintessence of dhamma. )

Nature works on the principle: "Use it or loose it". If we work any of our faculties, nature accentuates it. Be is memorizing a piece of information to strengthen the synapses or going to the gym to work out the muscles. May it be honing your public speaking skills or simple increasing your stamina. If we use any of our physical or mental (behavior) faculties, they gets stronger. This is proven by many researchers that practice can make a man "perfect". Leverage works both ways. If we stop using any of our behavior or physical trait, nature either weakens it or removes it altogether. I will expand upon this in the next section. This works on a universal scale also. When the ancestors of dolphins stopped using their feet for running on land and instead started spending time in the sea, nature converted them to fins. There are a billion example of this phenomenon in action. As and when consciousness needs something from nature, it conspires to make it happen, provided the consciousness really deserves it (don't take it in a dogmatic manner, I am not talking about praying to get a job). There are certain behavioral traits that only humans are capable of expressing. Watered down versions of these behaviors are exhibited by consciousness based upon will. The table below attempts to highlight some of the differences.

Low level behaviors	High level behaviors
Samtha (Patience)	Annant Samtha (Infinite Patience)
Karuna (Sympathy)	Annant Karuna (Infinite Sympathy)
Uppekha (Joy)	Annant Upeekha (Infinite Joy)
Mudita (Love)	Anant Mudita (Infinite Love)

The table below provides examples of how these Low level behaviors and High level behaviors are exhibited by consciousness.

Low level behaviors

High level behaviors

Samtha (Patience)

A cat patiently waits without moving a single fur outside the mouse hole. A crocodile patiently remains still in order to hunt. A flamingo patiently stands on one feet to capture its prey.

Annant Samtha (Infinite Patience)

The patience to observe the arising and falling of compound phenomenons.

Karuna (Sympathy) A dog feels sorry for the death of his master. A swan gets heartbroken by the death of his mate.

Annant Karuna (Infinite Sympathy)

Sympathy for sentient beings other than ones own race

Uppekha (Joy)

A dog gets delighted upon the arrival of his master.

Animals gets delighted upon the sight of food.

Annant Upeekha (Infinite Joy) The ability to feel joy in the joy of others.

Mudita (Love)

A Cow loves her calf and licks it.

A swan loves its mate.

Anant Mudita (Infinite Love)

The ability to love one's enemy.

This is just a limited pallet, a limited spectrum for illustrative purposes. Everyone, out of their free will, requests features from this palette, and nature happily grants. Nature does not punish or rewards anyone. Nature is morally neutral. Nature, like any law, works without exceptions. Eg: if by accident a baby falls from a building, gravity will not question the age, cast, creed, race, species etc of the baby. It just pulls it. It does not care if it fell by accident or was deliberately thrown. It does not care what lucky charm the baby was wearing. It does not care if its fair. Similarly, nature allows us to choose our behavior. If someone chooses high level behaviors, with deepest sincerity, nature helps to build it and the consciousness experiences the penalty and rewards that that behavior manifests. Every vikaar(voilition), has a samveedana(sensation). Anger has a sensation, it increases heart beat, breathing, irritates. Love has a sensation, feels comfortable, elated etc. Even a dog is capable of patience, sympathy, joy and love. Some people are not satisfied with this. They are positively greedy. With all due respect to dogs, they choose to develop higher faculties to experience stronger samveedanas. They refuse to live like dogs since they have higher taste. They refuse to chase a mirage – the shadow of happiness ("shadow of happiness™" sounds like a good title of the book too?). Nature by its very law complies. The brain of such individuals starts to undergo physiological changes (their pre-frontal cortex swells, the part of the brain responsible for making you happy), and such people remain truly happy, again a law of nature. Why? When one has only one object of happiness, one is susceptible. Because if that one thing gets shattered, the Buddha said, the man feels like being shot by an arrow. A man loves his brother and the brother dies/turns on you. Such people have external locus of control. Sorrow will naturally follow. But when a man considers all the sentient beings his brothers, he's part of a much larger family, and in order to make him sad, one needs to kill all his brothers. How do you prevent a drop of water from drying up? Throw it into the ocean. Throw your love in the love of others, it will never dry. Such people have internal locus of control. Then there are people, who willfully chooses to just be patient, sympathetic, joyful and loving and ignorant of higher truths. Nature happily grants the wish. Such people are reduced to a shell of humans, living like dogs in the body of a human. And maybe...just maybe nature decides that since this consciousness does not require the "infinite" parts of things, its better for that consciousness to occupy an appropriate body. Again, no punishment, just the law at work. Such people draw a circle around themselves, and a circle around the places, people and circumstances that helps to keep the illusion of happiness alive. But an illusion is just an illusion. The illusion of food may water the mouth, but can never satisfy the hunger. Such people just care about their immediate survival, and have no sense of the overall picture – just like animals that cannot anticipate their future or the future of their generations. Just like goats, they happily stand on the slaughtering pyre, completely oblivious to the fact that his fellow goats are getting slaughtered before him. They involve themselves in the business of animals - Eating, Pass stool, Sleeping, Defending, Mating, nesting and playing. They deny the existence of true happiness or willfully choose not to experience it. Animals give birth to their young ones with no reason or plan. They feed and defend them out of instincts. They do not have the capability to anticipate their future or ensure their further survival. People who choose to only care about their own agendas at a higher level like animals do, are given ample opportunities by nature to do so. They say, "I do _____ when I feel like it", just like animals – slaves of their instincts. This does not mean that they are "bad" people. After all, dogs are wonderful creatures. Such people are just talking donkeys of biblical days. The table below highlights the similarities.

	Animal instincts	Psudo-Human Instincts
Eating	Animal eats	Man eats
Pass stool	Animal passes stool	Man passes stool
Sleeping	Animals sleep	Man sleeps
Defending	Animals defend their well being	Man defends his well being
Mating	Animals reproduce	Man reproduces
Nesting	Animals makes places for living, hunts for food	Man creates house, gets a job
playing	Animals fool around	Man fools around in a party

We engage ourselves in the same business that animals do. Animals whom we call "unintelligent". If we are so intelligent, then why are we doing exactly what they are doing? In fact, we are doing worse then them. Then there are people who wants to stoop even lower. They want to hunt, cannibalize, murder, rape and kill. Nature does not punish them either. They automatically deprive themselves of higher pleasures and nature makes sure that they find ample opportunities to do what they love.

"I bargained with Life for a penny, And Life would pay no more, However I begged at evening When I counted my scanty store. "For Life is a just employer, He gives you what you ask, But once you have set the wages, Why, you must bear the task. "I worked for a menial's hire, Only to learn, dismayed, That any wage I had asked of Life, Life would have willingly paid."

Canines are for eating meat. Most people think that since we have canines, this surely means that nature intends us to eat meat. Upon further scrutiny you will find the truth. There are many parts in our body that are remnants of our ancestors. Just because they exist, does not necessarily mean they they were meant to be used for any particular purpose. For example, men have nipples, that they don't need for anything. Appendix is shadow of a tail, that we cannot even control. Women have clitoris that is nothing but a small male penis. Just because we have nails that does not necessarily mean its for scratching somebody's face. Our gorillas brothers have canines too, but they are vegans. They never use their canines for meat, but for peeling sugarcane!
There is no change in anything that was ever brought overnight. No philosophy or way of life was adopted overnight. I assume that people who study MBA are also taught about creating demands. Some people criticize any development in vegetarianism using the "want-now-everywhere" philosophy. Neither democracy, free market, feminism, capitalism, freedom, _____ happened in one day. Nine women cannot make a baby in one month. Rome was not built in a day. Fake meat is a product. Marketing geniuses and skilled entrepreneurs will propel this vision.
People who want "fresh" meat are in minority. 99% of people in Developed countries do not care about where the meat is coming from and they buy it off the shelf. As far as they are concerned chicken grows on trees. Norwegians are not representative of the entire meat eating population of the world, and so is nobody. Most intelligent people will give lower tastes for higher tastes. When vitro meat will sell in reliance fresh and will be more juicy and tasty and cheap than real meat, then no one will buy "their" product.

Astute readers will notice that points 1 and 3 are contradictory. Point 1 says that the universe is conscious with a sense of ethics. Point 3 says that the laws of nature are morally neutral. This is a very interesting point and will need a book into itself to study. Universe/Nature and the Laws of Universe/Nature are two different things. Universe has a sense of fractals and symmetry and a logic to it. It has the potency of self-emergent behavior. It can create math and logic units out of stochastic and chaos matter pools. Look at the fractals or Fibonacci distributions ubiquitous in nature. Go figure. But the laws of nature only implements the law. Its like a policeman. A policeman is suppose to be morally neutral and only implements the law, but the law itself is not morally neutral. This makes sense because we need some filters to create fractals out of chaos. (visit http://www.goldennumber.net) for more info. In this document, Nature, laws of nature and universe are used interchangeably. They refer to a system, not a being, even though the terms are used in anthropomorphic manner. Nature has a sense of creativity, symmetry and justice to it. Is it really possible to create something without them?

Constructive criticism is welcome, as long as it is not based on individual opinions but established protocols of science and philosophy backed by references. If you even attempt to contradict my doctrine of love I will hate you and may even physically attack. I am serious. I can kill for a noble peace prise.

** The pagan never converted to the Jewish faith anyway :)

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Sunday, 23 August 2009 12:47

Something About Cruelty Your Mom Didn't Teach You...

Recently, an unnamed friend of mine told me that hitting and slaughtering of animals is not cruelty. He said that this is merely my opinion and a wrong belief. Specifically (s)he asked me "How do I know?". S/he also said that I am a mentally retarded, disturbed, cynic and a sadistic human being who should be sent to a lunatic asylum. I request you all to at least give it one reading before you trash it aside. I have taken a lot of trouble going through this. Don't just delete it. This is not one of those "forward" emails. A little zen story for the fun of it.

One day Chuang Tzu and a friend were walking by a river. "Look at the fish swimming about," said Chuang Tzu, "They are really enjoying themselves."

"You are not a fish," replied the friend, "So you can't truly know that they are enjoying themselves."

"You are not me," said Chuang Tzu. "So how do you know that I do not know that the fish are enjoying themselves?"

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Friday, 21 August 2009 04:12

Child's Nightmares And Memories Prove Reincarnation?

It is being called the most documented case of reincarnation ever.

A little boy is able to recall over 50 memories from someone else's life.

A World War II Pilot's family believes it is their reincarnated brother based on the child's memories.

The boy's story is so compelling, it has been published in a new book called "Soul Survivor."

Fox 8's Suzanne Stratford spoke exclusively to the child and his family.

Discuss in the forums.

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