I already had an inkling that the milk offered to the deities is pesticide/fish/antibiotic filled milk from abused and then slaughtered factory farmed cows. So I can’t say I am really surprised. But what I was shocked to learn today is that the temple restaurant serves NON vegetarian cheese. That is, cheese containing rennet aka calf stomach. Not only does rennet come from slaughtered calves, but usually from those kept in “veal crates”(see picture below). How is that acceptable in a vegetarian restaurant let alone a temple restaurant?
Just talking briefly with one friend, here’s what she explained to be the reason for this.
-They use a lot of cheese, vegetarian cheese is expensive
-Most of the people who come to the restaurant aren’t vegetarian anyway.
-Those who are strict vegans don’t eat cheese anyway.
I would just like to know what the Iskcon standard is. Is it acceptable that the restaurant serves non vegetarian items? Where do they draw the line? Will it soon be ok to serve subji made with chicken stock? Whats the difference…cow stomach or chicken?…actually chicken stock would be less sinful.
During the day, the restaurant serves mostly vegan prasadam. If they can’t afford vegetarian cheese, why not just stick to vegan items? The cost to eat there now is about $7. Will people really stop coming if they have to pay $1 more for something vegetarian?
Dallas is a rich city, on top of that, there is the latest craze of organic food, and locally grown food. Those restaurants jumping on the organic locally grown bandwagon are gaining in popularity. People are willing to pay for quality. Just go to Wholefoods on the weekend and see how many hundreds of people are willing to pay maybe double for something natural/organic/local.
I guess I am a very overly sensitive person when it comes to animals. When I see leather shoes, I see the slaughtered animal. There’s a direct link there. I’ll look through every pair of shoes on the rack just to find my daughter a pair thats not leather. When I see non vegetarian cheese I see the baby calf getting his stomach ripped out. I feel sick to my stomach and tears come to my eyes. To me, this is not Krishna Consciousness.
I would like to know if there is some GBC resolution or guideline as to what is acceptable to offer to the deities/Prabhupada and what is not. Because if it is considered acceptable to offer milk containing fish, blood etc to the deities and non vegetarian cheese to Prabhupada, then I would just like to know.
Personally I think that the strength of Iskcon will be in it’s purity. Purity of chanting, purity of sadhana, purity of bhoga offered to the deities. Strength in quality rather than quantity. If we trully claim to love cows and protect cows then why do we not act on these words?
These are calves in veal crates in the US. These calves are not being transported, this is where they live. This is the worst kind of sinful treatment of Krishna’s beloved calves. How can we say we love cows, yet indirectly support this horrific industry?
“”"Personally I think that the strength of Iskcon will be in it’s purity. Purity of chanting, purity of sadhana, purity of bhoga offered to the deities. Strength in quality rather than quantity. If we trully claim to love cows and protect cows then why do we not act on these words?”"”
I totally agree with you on this. ISKCON as a whole needs major reformation as deviating from what Prabhupada has given us in many areas. My inclination is that first we have to purify ourselves and only then will we be able to work towards getting back to the standards Srila Prabhupada established. Otherwise we are simply the pot calling the kettle black. Sometimes it frustrates me to see the state of ISKCON and the items that the GBC deems necessary to talk about and those they decide not important to discuss. Srila Prabhupada has said that “Purity is the force”, so without purity where will ISKCON go? Do we want to become another sahajiya “Hindu” sect?
I am aware that this is an issue and also how we are finding more and more animal produce in simple products like cheese and milk.
By accepting and eating these products are we not just cheeting ourselves? What to say of others?
If we know that a product contains animal product then best to avoid, after all can we truelly offer it to Krishna? That should be the gold standard.
So if it cost’s more then?
After all cow protection makes no economical sense in modern society, so why do we do it?
It is not for the GBC to make the rulings on everything for us but for us to logically work it out. Our conclusion can only be this, if it contains animal products then we logically can’t eat it, let alone offer it to others
How can we protect the cow if we support an industry that kills cows?
How can we protect the cow if we ourselfs eat of her flesh?
So lets simple do that protect the cow
I stumbled here by accident (In more ways than one) but they do use vegetable rennet. Its mainly other countries that still practice the old ways. How do you know its not that? Id inspect upon that further. But then again…what do I know?
Namaste
,,,One more thing. Its im[possible for a mortal to ever be truly pure. Thats why were not Gods. I think we should think freely without any kind of Dogma and be our own version of pure. Our ideals. The purity is in the power of choice. To decide freely on right and wrong. What feels right or wrong in your own soul. The reason youre here. The journey. But what do I know?
Hey..whats that big blue upside down G thing mean anyway?