Search:
Bhakti List Archives

FW: Reg: Funding of Srivaishnava Causes

From the Bhakti List Archives

Sriram Ranganathan • July 27, 2000 


Dear Members,

Sri. Mani wrote,
>Though your ideas are well-intentioned, we should try at all costs
>to avoid trading in leather and other products which come at the cost
>of the merciless slaughter of cows and other animals.  As we are all
>aware, the end does not justify the means.

I respect the above opinion and similar views. However, this does raise more
troubling questions, at least in my mind. Most of us do wear leather
footwear and belts, carry leather bags and briefcases, and covet leather
jackets. We all work for organizations that are engaged in such trade and
practices, that directly or indirectly, go against "ethics". We all use
products manufactured through questionable practices, at some point in the
assembly line.

Let us face it, every private organization is out there to make money and a
few million bovines butchered or families destroyed through alcohol or
radiation doesn't matter much. In fact, save for a few socially
conscientious, majority of the corporations turn a blind-eye to such acts,
when it comes to the bottom-line. The end does not justify the means here.
And yet, we all continue to work for them - day in and day out.

The general argument is as long as we do not commit the 'sin' ourselves or
'promote' the same, it is okay. We manage to practice the former part, but
for the latter I doubt it, except maybe in a few instances. The point I am
trying to drive home here is, we all walk a tight rope in matters such as
these and therefore it may not be incorrect, if the outcome overwhelmingly
results in a good cause.

In that case, it may be more analogous to up-rooting some thousand families
and destroying the habitat of dozen animals to build a dam, that could save
disproportionately large numbers from being flooded or killed in drought,
year after year! Here, the end may (?!) justify the means, or maybe not
really.....
Reverently,
Sriram Ranganathan


--------------------------------------------------------------------http://click.egroups.com/1/7635/5/_/716111/_/964743794/
--------------------------------------------------------------------|e>-

--------------------------------------------------------------
           - SrImate rAmAnujAya namaH -
To Post a message, send it to:   bhakti-list@eGroups.com
Visit http://www.ramanuja.org/sv/bhakti/ for more information