Posted on 02/10/2013 2:14:39 PM PST by nickcarraway
A Bay Area Hindu man’s life has been dramatically altered after accidentally being served a sandwich containing meat on an airplane.
The tenets of Anshu Kumar’s religion require a strict vegetarian diet, and Kumar had never eaten meat.
Before traveling on Asiana Airlines, Kumar confirmed via email that his in-flight meals would be meat-free, and once on board, a flight attendant assured him again he would receive a vegetarian meal.
But, a few bites in, Kumar noticed an unfamiliar taste, and what he thought might be potato turned out to be meat.
Eating meat, even accidentally, is considered a sin for devout Hindus.
“When someone of that background does accidentally eat meat, there’s a sense of deep revulsion, agony I would say,” said professor Vijaya Nagarajan, a religious studies expert from the University of San Francisco.
Kumar says he is now forbidden to touch the altar where he prays daily for forgiveness, and he must also travel back to India to perform penance.
He said he is also is no longer allowed to eat with his family.
“For the person who served the meat, it is of little consequence, but for the person who accidentally ate it for the very first time in their entire life, and for how many generations, it’s like a break in the fabric of their community,” Nagarajan said.
Kumar is asking the airline to label its food.
First off, if he’s lived in the United States for any amount of time and ever eaten food he did not himself prepare I’m sure he’s consumed meat at some time accidentally.
Secondly, keeping the above in mind, how can he ever rely on anyone else to prepare his meals, certainly not an entity as impersonal as an airline.
Third, go home!
If you have such religious food restrictions with severe penalties, I suggest you purchase & prepare your every meal; & not depend on others to protect your virtue. Your virtue is yours alone to protect.
Clearly, the meat prohibition is total & severe. Dependence on ignorant others is irresponsible, & especially so, when those others consider such prohibitions to be nonsense.
IMO, this man has no one to blame but himself, regardless of any assurances he may have received from the airline.
I like that spunk!
I wish I was seated next to him...
“So, are you gonna finish that? Cuz I’m still starving.”
I went through a very strict vegan phase. To prevent any accidental consumption of meat products, I carried my own food everywhere. it was important to me that I not consume certain foods. Had I accidently eaten meat, I'm sure whoever gave it to me would apologize, but the damage would have been done
I guess it just wasn't that important to this guy.
If tasting meat means this guy’s family must shun him at mealtimes, maybe it’s time for him to take a good, hard look at his religion. Just saying.
Funny how the Bay Area CBS will report on this story with the deepest reverence for the man’s beliefs, and yet with Ash Wednesday and Lent soon upon us, I’m betting there are those at the same organization just chomping at the bit to ridicule Catholics who will receive ashes on their foreheads and abstain from meat on Fridays between now and Easter. I wonder how CBS would have handled the reportage if this had been a Catholic inadvertently served meat on a Friday during Lent?
Good thing he was only Hindu. If he were a Mohammadan, heads would roll.
>> “Looks like Christians are the only religious people that its okay to insult in this day
Every third-world country cult must be honored.” <<
.
Looks like you figured it out, those that make their own “Gods” with their hands must be respected, what happened to nick?
If you explain to CBS that the 40 days of lent are in respect to the 40 years of Tammuz’ life, and that friday is Dagon’s day thus fish must be eaten, inrespect of the pope’s fish hat, perhaps they will see that those customs are just as man made as hinduism and cut you some slack?
What would happen if he accidentally swallowed a fly when he yawned?
Getting actual meat on an airline would be an acident.
lolz
Idiot. You knew what you were eating and this is part of your scam.
A FEW bites in?? It took him that long to realize something wasn't right?
Kumar says he is now forbidden to touch the altar where he prays daily for forgiveness, and he must also travel back to India to perform penance. He said he is also is no longer allowed to eat with his family. “For the person who served the meat, it is of little consequence, but for the person who accidentally ate it for the very first time in their entire life, and for how many generations, it’s like a break in the fabric of their community,” Nagarajan said.
It was an accident, for crying out loud.
That's a lot of over reaction to something someone did not do deliberately.
I'm with the folks who say he should have checked his food first. I'm on a restricted diet because of food allergy type issues and I check EVERYTHING before I eat out of my own home and I usually bring my own food to be safe.
And who knew airlines served meals any more?
Seems to me that if you thought your very soul were at stake over what you put in your body, you would take concrete steps to guarantee that you were never in a position to consume anything forbidden.
Like packing a fracking lunch!
Being an omnivore means never having to say you’re sorry. Or having to demand an apology because you’ve been sullied by your own stupidity.
Not to mention a swallowing a flying medium rare NY Steak au Poivre when he yawned...
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