Extreme "Sadavrata" in USA

Date: 20 Dec 2010 05:28:18 -0000
From: "G Bhaskaran Reddy"
To: am-global@earthlink.net
Subject: Extreme "Sadavrata" in USA

Baba

                             == EXTREME "SADAVRATA" IN USA ==
                                  
Namaskar,
Recently an event took place in our Marga that causes us to stop and think about the way some in AM are doing "service". Read about this below event and see what you think.

                 
                                           WHAT TRANSPIRED

On December 4th, it was reported that one Dada in California organised a food distribution program in the end of November during the "Thanksgiving" holiday in the USA.

Note: During Thanksgiving, many Americans sit down and eat turkey, i.e. the name of one big, wild bird that is similar in size and look to the turkey vulture. A turkey is two or three times the size of a chicken and can weigh up to 14kg (30lbs). And these wild birds are eaten during the Thanksgiving holiday in the USA. That is the dogmatic tradition. As Ananda Margiis we categorically reject this tradition of eating meat and slaughtering animals.

Anyway, in doing his food distribution, this Dadaji got 7 Turkeys (i.e. big, dead, feathered birds). That means Dadaji collected 98kg (215.6 lbs) from the market and donated that meat on the occasion of Thanksgiving.

So we should all think how appropriate this is. Should one serve tamasik slaughtered birds, i.e. turkeys, to those in need. Is this the way we do service?


                                             SIMILAR FUTURE EVENTS

Collecting and distributing 98kg / 215lbs of turkey meat by one Dada for food distribution is extreme. Some say Dadaji has these future plans as well:

1. Distribute violent video games on Christmas to poor kids struggling in school.
2. Donate guns and ammunition to poor hunters;
3. Distribute cigarettes to poor & distressed tobacco addicts;
4. Distribute heroin to poor & distressed drug addicts;
5. Give arms to poor & distressed criminals / terrorists;
6. Distribute poison to the elderly for their assisted suicide;
7. Serve alcohol to poor people on New Year's Eve & other festival days;
8. Distribute machine guns to thugs and gang members;
9. Give high-fat sweets filled with hydogentated oil to poor & distressed heart patients;
10. Give foods loaded with sugar to poor diabetics;
11. Distribute sharp blades to poor & distressed pickpockets or robbers.

Please see the email appended below for further information.

Namaskar,
Bhaskaran


Note 1:                            GOOD SPIRIT IS NOT ENOUGH

Here the point is that doing something with a good heart or with a good spirit is not enough. The overall effect of the action or service also counts.

With full sincerity if you offer poison to someone then they will still be harmed.

Those who do not have any idea of bhagavad dharma may say that Dadaji donated all those things with a good mind-set and we should not chase him. But one should know that doing sinful things with a good heart will not make that action virtuous.

Prakrti does not overlook such wrongs but rather punishes those going against bhagvad dharma. Here we should not only think by the angle of a greedy human; as neo-humanists we should think by the angle of those birds as well. Then it will not take time to understand this entire issue.

Dada should have given things for the people's weflare. That is the effect of AM service. He should have only given plant and grain-based foods, i.e. sentient foods. Because our approach is never to give away harmful or tamasik foods in the name of service. Not only that, birds have their own existential value, they are not to be slaughtered for human consumption.

But in Dadaji's case he gave something that is harmful - harmful both to them and the bird. So Dadaji's dealing caused the death of so many birds and he has to face the consequences. Such type of activity is sinful - not service.

All around the world there are margiis surrounded by so many meat-eaters, but we do not therefore sacrifice animals and birds and feed meat to others. No true Ananda Margii does like this.


Note 2:                  HERE IS THE EMAIL WITH ALL THE INFORMATION

To: das.kiyoga@yahoo.com
From: das.kiyoga@yahoo.com
Date: Sat, 4 Dec 2010 22:48:47 -0800
Subject: [AM-nCal] Service to Homeless, Service to DEER nor more, Service by Seminars, Service to Professionals [4 Attachments]

Service to Homeless Food Distribution

Thanksgiving is over and lots of Food is donated and under the direction of Dada Jiivapremananda, Mixed rice and Dal, 2 big containers of oil and 7 turkeys were given to the homeless.

Brotherly in His Service,

Ragu Das, SDM-LFT, 408-338-6495



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