12 Feb 2006

Are good and bad universal or merely dependent on the regional culture?

Swami replied:- Just because the majority follows a certain concept, it cannot be correct under the name of culture. Suppose the majority of officials are corrupt. Can you say that corruption is correct because it is their culture? Cultural differences like difference in dress, language etc., may not be related to good and bad but there are certain universal concepts of good and bad irrespective of any region. For example killing of any living being is a sin and thus non-vegetarian food is bad, irrespective of any regional culture. Of course I accept that it can be controlled only step by step as mentioned in the Manu Smriti and Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras. You can resist eating non-vegetarian food on several holy days and gradually avoid it forever.