DEBATE:

Ideological Vegetarianism

Religious extremism via vegetarianism

By Dr. D. P. Atukorale

I refer to the full-page harangue on the above subject published in your esteemed Sunday news journal on 17th September 2006 written by someone who signs as "G.G". The word "Debate" in bold letters at the head of the said article indicates that your desire is to open your columns to a debate on the subject, or subjects that "G.G" had in his mind and attempted to describe.

Firstly, I would like to mention here that I do not generally enter into a debate or discussion with a coward who does not have the courage to write under his real name, but seeks to take cover under a pseudonym or pen-name. Some such pseudonymous writers claim that they do so, not due to cowardice, but due to their modesty which prompts them to seek undue publicity and see their name in print. While there are, no doubt, such really modest people, a perusal of "G.G" s lengthy article makes it quite clear that modesty is not an ingredient of "G.G" s character.

However, I cannot let this pass without commenting briefly on an article that has some mischievous and misleading references to me and attacks me personally. The writer who does not want to divulge his name has referred to various "untruths" and "half-truths" about me.

The writer appears to have given a religious connotation to vegetarianism. I hope that the writer will realize that one does not have to be a Buddhist, a Hindu, a Christian or a Muslim to be a vegetarian. Vegetarianism has no religious barriers though the majority of practising Buddhists keep away from animal food through compassion to all living beings.

I had most of my education in a missionary school in my home town, and later in a Catholic school in Galle, a school that was run by Jesuit Fathers. Most of my classmates and friends were Catholics, and Muslims and I have the highest respect for all religions. I have never ridiculed any religion in my life in the large number of articles on vegetarianism I have written to Sinhala, English and Tamil newspapers and during my radio and TV discussions on the subject of "Vegetarianism".

When one reads through "G.G" s long and boring article, one gets the impression that he is not a Buddhist, but has picked up excerpts from Buddhist literature - for the purpose of attacking Buddhism, while pretending to be a Buddhist himself. If he is a Buddhist even nominally (which I doubt) he has by his article proved the validity of the time - honoured sayings that "A little learning is a dangerous thing" and that "the devil can cite scriptures for his purpose".

The pseudonymous writer above referred to quotes extracts from the writings of one Dr. William T. Jarves who according to "G.G" speaks of two categories of vegetarians - "Pragmatic Vegetarians" and "Ideological Vegetarians". "G.G" puts me in the category of an "Ideological Vegetarian". What "G.G" says briefly defining "Ideological Vegetarians" is not clear and does not do justice to what Dr. Jarves no doubt would have described at some length. Whatever it may be, let me state that I am not an "Ideological Vegetarian" in the sense described by "G.G" but all members of my family and myself are pure, practising vegetarians in actual fact, and I do practise what I preach. It seems that your esteemed Sunday journal has unfortunately served the cause of a warped mind who cannot differentiate between plant life and animal life! According to "G.G", when one picks an orange or a flower off a tree "G.G" hears the tree howl, wail and shows terror like cattle and goats being led to the slaughterhouse!

"G.G" in his ignorance seems to think that canine teeth are meant only for meat eaters. What about deer, goats, monkies, rabbits and cattle who have canine teeth. What about Panda (belonging to the bear family) who has canine teeth and eats only bamboo shoots which are broken with his canine teeth. Panda by the way is a herbivore.

May "G.G" be happy and contented and I wish him good luck in his carnivorous life. "G.G" of course has the full freedom to make use of his "canine teeth" and eat all forms of flesh and meat to his heart's content.

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Malicious attempt to attack Buddhism and spread religious disharmony

I refer to the feature Article in the "Sunday Observer" of September 17, 2006 under the title "Religious extremism via vegetarianism - a challenge". It was a baseless, vile, malicious and putrid attack on Dr. D. P. Atukorale and through him, Buddhism.

The writer, who has no courage to face criticism, in the event an innocent writer replies without seeing the vicious and malicious trap, has not divulged his name but cowardly hidden behind two initials, which I presume is his, fear of facing criticism.

I have followed Dr. Atukorale's articles regularly. He has advanced the virtues of Vegetarianism purely based on scientific and medical data. He has never sought to propagate Buddhism, nor seeks Buddhist principles to advance his theory.

On the other hand the writer of the article, engulfed in his vile and vicious thoughts to create religious disharmony and disunity amongst the Buddhist and Non-Buddhists, has maliciously and senselessly attacked Dr. Atukorale and Buddhism without a basis or any foundation whatsoever.

I am personally aware that Dr. Atukorale had his early education at a missionary school in Baddegama and later at St. Aloysius' College, Galle, a school that was run. by Jesuit fathers. Most of his classmates were Christians and Muslims.

I know that he has the highest respect for all religions. To my knowledge he had never advanced his theory of Vegetarianism based on Buddhism, or attacked or ridiculed any other religion on this issue.

As for Ven. Harispattuwe Ariyawansalankara Thera's observation on animal slaughter in Islam, the Maulavi, who is presumed to be an authority on Islam, who attends many discussions in the TV has endorsed the views of the Venerable Thera. How can one rush to the conclusion that the Ven. Thera is speaking untruth on the basis that the writer had consulted some so called Muslim scholars on the validity of his statement.

They will no doubt justify their habit of eating meat.

I would advise the writer to read the article in the "Sunday Observer": of 3rd September 2006 under the heading "Eating dead bodies makes your tummy a graveyard" by Aditha Dissanayake, without targeting one particular individual.

There is no doubt that there is a hidden agenda behind the writer and of course the unseen fanatics behind him. Be it the NGO's or Fundamentalists, when the country is faced with a longstanding racial strife it is extremely dangerous to start a vicious and malicious campaign at this stage to attack a religion and start a religious controversy in the guise of vegetarianism.

It is very surprising that "Sunday Observer" is attempting to provoke a "Debate" on this issue. Perhaps the Editor may not be aware of the danger. This article without the writer's name should be treated in the same way as an anonymous letter and should go into the dustbin with contempt.

Douglas Premaratne