

Sri Lanka’s cows are mooing sighs of relief. The government has banned cattle slaughter. Officials say the ruling will benefit the dairy industry and funnel much-needed funds to the government. But some people believe the decision isn’t about cows or cash. Instead, it’s a verdict meant to appease a religious majority.
The Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is an island nation in the Indian Ocean southwest of the Bay of Bengal—about 650 miles from India. The country has many cultures, languages, and people groups.
Buddhists account for more than 70% of the country’s 21 million people. Sri Lanka’s constitution states that the government “give[s] to Buddhism the foremost place” and that the government is duty-bound “to protect and foster” the Buddha’s teachings.
The island’s democratic socialist government has now acted on that mandate. This fall, cabinet ministers overruled or amended all local slaughter laws. The cabinet’s website says “various parties” brought about the change. Officials insist an increase in cattle slaughter was making cows scarce for farmers operating traditional dairy farms.
But it’s worth noting that the country’s two largest religions—Buddhism and Hinduism—shun beef. Both religions view cattle as reborn humans. They believe kindness to cows and all animals results in “good karma,” or the positive results of positive actions.
The Bible speaks about rebirth. But it is not the changing of a human to an animal or vice versa. Instead, God promises the rebirth and eternal life only to those who believe in Jesus. (John 3:16)
Sri Lanka’s Buddhist groups have long sought a ban on cattle slaughter because of animist beliefs (the idea that animals have souls).
Independent political analyst Kusal Perera says the slaughter ban mostly targets Muslim traders. They currently have a monopoly on the beef trade, Perera says, “but they will shift to other businesses such as poultry and mutton.”
Dairy farming in Sri Lanka is mostly a cottage industry. That is, individual farmers raise cattle for side income. Such farmers will face difficulty if they cannot slaughter and sell aging, non-milk-producing cattle.
Sri Lanka’s cabinet promises to figure out a plan for animals that are unusable for farming purposes. It also claims the government will import beef and even provide it at a discounted price to people who eat red meat.
But Perera doesn’t see the plan working. “No milk industry can sustain itself without a beef industry,” Perera says. He calls the change “more a political decision than an economic one”—made to bend to the majority’s worldview about animal sanctity.
Yeah.........
ummm yeah, well I guess that's kind of their problem, I can see why it would please the religious part and if your not a Christian and you don't particularly have a religion than I guess that was a good move, but still..... what about the other 30% that now can not sell there beef for eating.
Shesh
I just wish they were Christians! And something I'm wondering is, out of the animals to chose from, why pick the cow to be the a "good thing" to be reborn as? Maybe a long time ago cows were the special animals? But still, seems to me that this is going to cause lots of problems.
yep...
yeah, I'm not sure how the overall effect is gonna work
4th comment
Cows are sacred In India. That is where my Dad grew up. I wonder what the effect will be, if it will help the country or hinder it. I love beef, so.... :)
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@ Riley D
I do too. I hadn't wondered before if this will affect the rest of the world.
LOL
If I had to chose an animal to be reborn as, I wouldn't chose a cow. but like Bethy said maybe they were really special. And I like beef. TACOS :) who here doesn't like TACOS??? LOLOLOLOLOL :)
I don't like tacos xPPPPP lol
I don't like tacos xPPPPP lol hehe xD
but yeah who..would want to be a cow....................
LOL
LOLOLOLOLO I don't like burritos. XPXPXPXPXPXP lol
:)
This is my second day on WORLDTEEN and so far I love it!
@Cadence
I LOVE tacos and burritos! NA how could you not like tacos?!?!?!? XD
hmmmm whats dis i hear tacoz?
hmmmm whats dis i hear tacoz?? hm *sings*- itz raining tacoz oooo raining tocoazzz XDD ok ill shut up..*duck taps my mouth* ok now no 1 gets to hear my terrible stupid singing xD ...speaking of duck tap heres a joke- what do u do to get a duck to shut up? well duck tap its mouth shut haha *crickets* xD lol (sorry for meh terrible spellin qwq")