Jainism - the most peaceful religion

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Jainism - the most peaceful religion

Post #1

Post by Compassionist »

As far as I know, Jainism is the most peaceful religion on Earth. Jains have never conquered others through violence. They are very strict vegetarians and committed pacifists.

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Re: Jainism - the most peaceful religion

Post #11

Post by JehovahsWitness »

Compassionist wrote: Mon Dec 28, 2020 7:15 am
If one is paying someone else to do the killing for meat or leather, then one is not a pacifist.

Then Jesus himself wasn't a pacifist because he ate meat and I doubt if his saddles were plastic.


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Re: Jainism - the most peaceful religion

Post #12

Post by JehovahsWitness »

Compassionist wrote: Mon Dec 28, 2020 7:15 am
I am glad to hear that JWs have never attempted to conquer others through violence. What's the difference between protestant Christianity and JWs?
Jehovah's Witnesses are not mainstream Christians most of our core beliefs are different from Protestants.



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Re: Jainism - the most peaceful religion

Post #13

Post by Compassionist »

JehovahsWitness wrote: Mon Dec 28, 2020 9:50 am
Compassionist wrote: Mon Dec 28, 2020 7:15 am
If one is paying someone else to do the killing for meat or leather, then one is not a pacifist.

Then Jesus himself wasn't a pacifist because he ate meat and I doubt if his saddles were plastic.


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I agree that Jesus ate meat. According to the Bible, he even cast demons into pigs and killed the pigs. He certainly was not a vegetarian or vegan or pacifist. The Bible is a horrific book and is certainly not peaceful. Please see https://www.evilbible.com

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Re: Jainism - the most peaceful religion

Post #14

Post by JehovahsWitness »

Compassionist wrote: Mon Dec 28, 2020 4:36 pm
The Bible is a horrific book and is certainly not peaceful. ...
I do not mean to make light of your sensibilities, but I don't think the bible is "horrific" at all.

The bible is, I believe, our history and as such truthfully recounts many of the horrific behaviours humans have been guilty of. But there is nothing horrific about the book itself. Indeed I believe the bible is a beautiful book for in recounting our every dark collective plight it tells us of our wonderful origins and points its readers to God's offer of a glorious future.
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Romans 14:8

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Re: Jainism - the most peaceful religion

Post #15

Post by Purple Knight »

Compassionist wrote: Mon Dec 28, 2020 6:29 amI have been kidnapped, raped, beaten up, etc.
So have I, except I haven't been raped, likely because of my gender.

I didn't become violent either but if I see the people who did that to you, I will make them pay. And if enough people pay, and that is the norm, less people will do it.

For example, I once beat some people nearly to death because they were harassing a loggerhead sea turtle as she was trying to lay her eggs. I was simply walking on the beach at night on the South Florida eastern coast with my date, and there they were, a bunch of nasty teenagers having somehow flipped the poor thing onto her back so they could carve their initials into her belly. I wasn't having any of it and I kicked the living [expletive deleted] out of them, not because I love violence, but because I love Nature. I also got lucky that night, but that was just icing.

Just as my date rewarded correct behaviour, I punished bad behaviour. This is the glue that holds everything together and prevents a violent society.
Compassionist wrote: Mon Dec 28, 2020 6:29 amI know that the real world is far from my ideal world but I still strive to turn the real world into my ideal world.
If you want a world where people are pacifists, you have to punish the violent. Allowing them to abuse and exploit you encourages violence. There have to be consequences because many people are still animals.

If you want a pacifist world, you have to make non-violence the winning strategy. In order to do that, you have to punish violence.

The only other option is escape. You could flee to Mars with only other pacifists and build a society there, and if no barbarians could reach you, that has the potential to work. However, if one rapist or murderer got on your ship, he would ruin your whole society because not one of you would be willing to make him face consequences for what he does. He would be your tyrant, and you would live worse than had you stayed on Earth.

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Re: Jainism - the most peaceful religion

Post #16

Post by Compassionist »

Purple Knight wrote: Tue Dec 29, 2020 12:34 pm
Compassionist wrote: Mon Dec 28, 2020 6:29 amI have been kidnapped, raped, beaten up, etc.
So have I, except I haven't been raped, likely because of my gender.

I didn't become violent either but if I see the people who did that to you, I will make them pay. And if enough people pay, and that is the norm, less people will do it.
Compassionist wrote: Mon Dec 28, 2020 6:29 amI know that the real world is far from my ideal world but I still strive to turn the real world into my ideal world.
If you want a world where people are pacifists, you have to punish the violent. Allowing them to abuse and exploit you encourages violence. There have to be consequences because many people are still animals.

If you want a pacifist world, you have to make non-violence the winning strategy. In order to do that, you have to punish violence.

The only other option is escape. You could flee to Mars with only other pacifists and build a society there, and if no barbarians could reach you, that has the potential to work. However, if one rapist or murderer got on your ship, he would ruin your whole society because not one of you would be willing to make him face consequences for what he does. He would be your tyrant, and you would live worse than had you stayed on Earth.
I am so sorry that you were kidnapped and assaulted. I am glad that you survived. I agree with you totally in that violent behaviour must be punished in order to deter future violence and also to protect the non-violent. However, the punishment should be non-violent e.g. the violent should be stunned and jailed along with compulsory classes in ethics and meditation. I am totally against any eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, a life for a life type of policy. If someone commits murder, they should certainly face a long time in prison but they should not be given the death penalty. This is just my opinion. I realise that others may have different opinions from me and that's ok.
Last edited by Compassionist on Tue Dec 29, 2020 12:46 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: Jainism - the most peaceful religion

Post #17

Post by Compassionist »

JehovahsWitness wrote: Mon Dec 28, 2020 5:14 pm
Compassionist wrote: Mon Dec 28, 2020 4:36 pm
The Bible is a horrific book and is certainly not peaceful. ...
I do not mean to make light of your sensibilities, but I don't think the bible is "horrific" at all.

The bible is, I believe, our history and as such truthfully recounts many of the horrific behaviours humans have been guilty of. But there is nothing horrific about the book itself. Indeed I believe the bible is a beautiful book for in recounting our every dark collective plight it tells us of our wonderful origins and points its readers to God's offer of a glorious future.
I respect your right to believe as you wish even though I do not share your beliefs. To me, the Bible is false and unethical. My conclusions are based on evidence and ethical reasoning. I don't require you or anyone else to agree with me. You are welcome to examine http://skepticsannotatedbible.com

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Re: Jainism - the most peaceful religion

Post #18

Post by Purple Knight »

JehovahsWitness wrote: Mon Dec 28, 2020 5:14 pmI do not mean to make light of your sensibilities, but I don't think the bible is "horrific" at all.
I think she means the bits where God tells people to do things like genocide the Amalekites and stone hookers to death. Yes, Jesus taught pacifism, but that's the new testament, not the old. Both are parts of the Bible.

The Bible doesn't just record instances of human violence; it contains examples of God calling for violence.
Compassionist wrote: Tue Dec 29, 2020 12:42 pmI agree totally that violent behaviour must be punished in order to deter future violence and also to protect the non-violent. However, the punishment should be non-violent e.g. the violent should be stunned and jailed along with compulsory classes in ethics and meditation.
Let's say you're dictator. You have absolute power. What do you do in your society to people who refuse to attend their ethics classes and continue to be violent in prison?

I'm all for this but the main problem is going to be people who refuse to do as they're told and physically resist.

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Re: Jainism - the most peaceful religion

Post #19

Post by Compassionist »

Purple Knight wrote: Tue Dec 29, 2020 12:47 pm
JehovahsWitness wrote: Mon Dec 28, 2020 5:14 pmI do not mean to make light of your sensibilities, but I don't think the bible is "horrific" at all.
I think she means the bits where God tells people to do things like genocide the Amalekites and stone hookers to death. Yes, Jesus taught pacifism, but that's the new testament, not the old. Both are parts of the Bible.

The Bible doesn't just record instances of human violence; it contains examples of God calling for violence.
Compassionist wrote: Tue Dec 29, 2020 12:42 pmI agree totally that violent behaviour must be punished in order to deter future violence and also to protect the non-violent. However, the punishment should be non-violent e.g. the violent should be stunned and jailed along with compulsory classes in ethics and meditation.
Let's say you're dictator. You have absolute power. What do you do in your society to people who refuse to attend their ethics classes and continue to be violent in prison?

I'm all for this but the main problem is going to be people who refuse to do as they're told and physically resist.
I would never be a dictator in real life but in your theoretical example, I would just stun the violent prisoners and put them in solitary confinement until they learn to be non-violent.

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Re: Jainism - the most peaceful religion

Post #20

Post by JehovahsWitness »

Compassionist wrote: Tue Dec 29, 2020 12:45 pm
To me, the Bible is false and unethical. My conclusions are based on evidence and ethical reasoning.


Okay, could you give an example of something you believe to be "false" in the bible?




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"For if we live, we live to Jehovah, and if we die, we die to Jehovah. So both if we live and if we die, we belong to Jehovah" -
Romans 14:8

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