I haven't been raised religious or to subscribe to the culture. I was born and raised in Canada in a very multicultural place, so it was pretty secular and I just never believed in religion so it had little significance to me. I also didn't have any dietary restrictions so I ate a wide range of food, and being in a multicultural city, was lucky to have a lot of different types of cuisine locally.
I'm not asking why a cow is holier than a pig, but a pig is more intelligent and empathetic than a cow. A mule or donkey is used for farming, and horses and camels are used for transportation, but none of those are sacred. Something being "holy" is a subjective belief, not a reality. Anything is holy if you believe it to be. Santa Claus is real if you believe him to be as is an entity we refer to as god. There is no point debating something that is based on a belief system.
If a cow being useful to a farmer is enough for you to believe why its sacred, then that's great, but not a whole lot of critical thinking has gone into that, and if you weren't from India, you wouldn't have that opinion at all. In fact, if you weren't conditioned to think that the cow is sacred, you wouldn't come to that conclusion on your own. Is a tractor holy? Is fertilizer holy? Again, where in the world have you traveled to?
In terms of importance, clean air and water, plankton which is the original food source for most sea life or plants which is the original food source for animals is much "holier" than a cow.
What is unique about cows though, is that psychedelics grow from cow shit.
You like make a bunch of irrelevant but just points you know that ?
You think a religion that was made thousands of years ago had the understanding of 'microbiology' 'fertilizers' and 'plankton' ? I might not have traveled to as many places as you have, you clearly 'have seen the world' and think everyone else is just chained to their homes, but I assure you thats not the case with me. I respect my culture and other's as well. I certainly do not say that there arent any other animals more intelligent than the good old cow but a religion made to control the masses a thousand years ago was anything but logical. Religion is not logical and the fact that you continue to refer me to be 'religious' is ignorant at best because I keep saying that I am not. I'm beginning to sense a pattern of behavior here, where you are getting confused between the concept of accepting a cultural norm and practicing that cultural norm.
Do I worship a cow ? No I'm an athiest but theists here do. Do I eat beef ? No but I'd like to, most people here wouldnt.
However, respecting this animal is cultural to me, I might not be religious but I am very cultural, if it is in my culture to touch the feet of an elder I'd do it, if it is in my culture to share psychedelics - as in opium - when meeting a distant family relative then I'd do it. (Some rajasthani tribes do it)
I wont certainly take it quietly if anyone insulted my culture no matter how stupid it may be. Like you said, what is holy and what is not is purely subjective to the individual and the environment he grew up in.
I am sure that in ancient India there were no mules doing the farming and certainly not horses - this isnt Europe, it was the good old cow and guess what? Its in our folklore! .. and religious legends, stories, literature etc etc. There are sentiments attached to this notion. I dont expect a foreigner to understand the sentiments at play here and should they try to understand it, the least they can do is respect our culture before they try to decrypt it.
So if you want to continue making irrelevant posts at least make sure you clarify what your point is ? I clearly fail to understand it here, what are you saying ? People here should ditch their religion because you dont find it appeasing ?
I ask if you've traveled because you speak from an India-centric perspective. Then you have arrogance sarcasm to anyone that posts something that you don't agree with. You have an opinion as well as everyone else, and the sum of all these opinions are worth nothing. You have picked a side and are determined to defend it, and at that point, rationale and reason are sacrificed.
How am I disrespecting the Indian culture? I went to several countries in Asia and India was a great part of my trip, and a very enjoyable experience. If you are seeing this as disrespect, then your interpretation of what I am writing is failing you.
The only assumption I have made is about you not traveling and it was in the form of a question. You assumed I am a disrespectful foreigner that hates on culture and religion and it was in the form of an accusation.
Where did I say people should ditch their religion? Please quote it. I am all for civil liberties, meaning do whatever you want and believe whatever you want as long as it brings no harm to others. The greatest threat to religion is the internet.
Also, opium is not a psychedelic, it's an opiate, which is quite the opposite. Psychedelics are mind opening and opiates are mind numbing.
