Reader Response to Buffalo Killings in Nepal

A few weeks ago I reported to you the unfortunate earthquake in Nepal and the ritual killings of thousands of buffalo and other animals there. I was simultaneously sympathetic to the Nepalese and baffled by their religious practice. I asked for readers to comment on it.

Buffalo Killings in Nepal_1LW wrote this:

…Contrary to the common notion that Indian people are mostly Hindus, and I thought they respect animals as do Buddhists. The behavior of these people irks me, whether it is based on religious belief or not. I hate to think that the recent 8.1 quake was perhaps a strong message from heaven. In the same order of cruelty…

Yes, it is sad that we can be that cruel to other living things, although they are “just” animals. I do believe that people, especially young children, who learn to inflict cruelty and torture on animals, tend to show a higher level of aggression and violence toward humans when they grow up, in comparison to youngsters who were not so exposed. I personally would not wish upon you, your young kids or grandkids to witness such gruesomeness.

Another reader, CT, had a different perspective. He said,

我一位朋友在尼泊爾大地震後傳給我那篇關於尼泊爾去年底因祭拜印度女神一次殺了五千多隻水牛的新聞. 因知曉尼泊爾地震有八千多人往生, 不忍傳那去年殺牛新聞.

我不知道尼泊爾那些信徒是如何處理那些被宰殺的水牛, 但我相信, 在那個那麼貧困的國 家, 那些牛肉不會被浪費掉, 可能都做成牛肉乾吃了.

我記得. 我曾看過一片介紹屠宰場在屠殺過程中虐待牛隻的短片, 但給我最大的震撼是:在影片快結束時, 主持人說(大意如下): 若你還吃肉的話, 你沒有權力責怪這些屠宰場中的不人道的行為.

我覺得他講得非常有道理, 因我現在還在吃肉, 所以我也不敢對那些尼泊爾人殺了五千頭水牛一事有任何看法.

Translation:

A friend had told me about how in Nepal 5,000 buffalo were killed in a sacrifice to honor an Indian Goddess. I heard it after the earthquake. In the wake of 8,000 human deaths during the temblor, I did not feel appropriate to pass on the news about the buffalo killings.

I don’t know how the buffalo carcasses were treated by the Nepalese people. My guess is that, in a poor country like theirs, the meat would not be left to waste. It was probably made into beef jerky afterward.

I remember seeing a short movie about how cattle were killed in a slaughter house. The non-joking punch line came at theBuffalo Killings in Nepal_2 end when the commentator said (and I am paraphrasing): If you eat meat, you really don’t have the right to criticize the non-humane way how these animals are killed.

I think that made a lot of sense. I really don’t want to give an opinion on the killing of 5,000 buffalo in Nepal because I eat meat.

CT is an honest man. I definitely can see his point. It’s like cautioning people not to throw stones when they are wearing glass themselves.

I told you before I am not a vegetarian. I eat meat. I just don’t want to kill animals in gross excess of my dietary needs. Does that make me a hypocrite? Or an ostrich?

Thank you for writing me, LW and CT!

*** The End ***

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