With apologies to Pandu prabhu...

[I left this comment on Pandu's blog. Pandu das is not simply a theoretical advocate of cow protection, but is actively involved in protecting cows at his home.]

Pandu prabhu, I'm sorry for coming across so hard and heavy.

It's not meant to be an attack on you, any more than your discussion of the idea of veganism is meant to be an attack on the devotees in New Zealand. I'm sorry for coming across that way.

Kurma das has written his article in a particular style to support his particular agenda. By referencing the content of it and spring boarding from it to your discussion of the idea of veganism your post reinforces his presentation. It implicitly accepts what he says as a fact, although he lacks first hand knowledge, and much of what he says is his interpretation.

My theme of "Get your facts straight and then have an opinion" is not solely directed at you, but rather at everyone who has commented further on what he has to say, but without taking the trouble to verify it, or to state: "Kurma das said... (but I don't know personally what the facts of the matter are)".

Lots of people just pick up the ball and run with it - not simply on this issue, but every post on Sampradaya Sun that talks about what other people are doing, but without verification. I read things on there all the time and say: "Well, who knows what the actual situation is..." and reserve judgment. I watch as people pile on and talk it up, accepting unquestioning whatever was said before, with no evidence or discussion, including interpretations of people's motives.

It's a wider issue of an ongoing failure of epistemology and intellectual honesty.

In this case I do happen to know more about the situation, and I think it's intellectually dishonest to publish like that, or to propagate it further.

As far as milk and cow protection goes, I think that H.H. Hrdayananda das Goswami described it best when he laid out the valid arguments on both sides (Milk - to drink or not to drink?) and stated that Vedic culture has room for both, and that's it's ultimately a question of individual conscience.

The factual error that you're either picked up or introduced in the opening sentence of your post is that devotees in NZ no longer offer milk to Krishna. That's not correct. They have not subscribed to a vegan ideology, but rather have taken the stance that they will only offer guests milk from protected cows.

As far as the post you cited from theloft.org.nz that says "we embrace veganism", it's written for the general public, and it means that vegan people can comfortably come and take prasadam there. At our house we frequently prepare dishes that are dairy-free, sugar-free, salt-free, or wheat-free for people who do not have these things for either health or ethical reasons. There are no barriers to Krishna prasadam, and we should prepare and offer things that are acceptable to Krishna so that everyone can partake.

The various perspectives on how to approach the situation of lack of cow protection is a good topic for discussion.

Personally we use commercial milk at home to prepare prasadam and also regularly serve it to guests. There is no milk available from cow protection here, nor do we have the resources or commitment to make it happen in the near future, unlike the NZ devotees.

Please accept my apologies for being overbearing.