Christianity
"One cannot use with impunity the different categories of beings, whether living or inanimate – animals, plants, the natural elements – as one wishes, according to one's own economic needs." Pope John Paul II, 1987 Social Concern of the Church, # 34
"Common good: ... The ethic of the common good is recognized in the social teaching as a restraint on the operations of the free market. It raises questions such as: can seeds of life be patented or subjected to "terminator" processes if this endangers the common good? The Church's Social Teaching (CST) says no!
"Option for the poor: CST emphasises ... political decisions governing policies in and between countries must ... be made on the basis of ... a priority question: what impact does this have on the poor...? ...
First, ... commercially promoted GMOs [are] based on an industrial model of agriculture [favoring] large farms ... at the expense of smaller family farms. ... The ancient tradition of saving seeds each year for replanting is abrogated. In Zambia, it threatens the continued existence of the small-scale farmers ....
"Secondly, the frequently advanced grounds for introducing GMO crops – that its supposed increase in productivity will lessen the problems of hunger – is open to direct challenge. ... It is clear that hunger is not primarily a matter of scarce food resources but of the economic structures ... and accessibility .... In short, hunger is directly related to poverty. ... "In Africa ... more than two thousand native ... plants ... have been feeding people for thousands of years, but most are receiving no scientific attention whatsoever ..."
"Subsidiarity: [D]ecisions that can be made responsibly and effectively at the local level should not be taken by a higher level. The presumption is that those closer to the issues will have both the wisdom and the concern to make the best decisions. ... [T]his principle still has political and ethical value. Indeed, in the age of globalisation, it assumes a fundamental importance relating to ... national sovereignty.
"Zambia ... faced in 2002 ... a food shortage because of poor weather conditions. The President had to resist very strong international pressures, primarily ... from the USA, to introduce GMO crops before any adequate bio-safety policy was in place. After a thorough study ... – paid for by the USA – the President was ridiculed for accepting ... that study and maintaining ... the "precautionary principle."
"Solidarity: This is the recognition of the interconnectedness -- ethical as well as empirical -- of personal and institutional activities that make up the social fabric of human existence. ... When economic activity undercuts community ... then solidarity is destroyed.
"This understanding of solidarity ... drives the ... papal concerns about ... globalisation. ...Zambia's resistance to GMOs is a classic example of ... forces of globalisation ... trivializ[ing] Zambian concerns and marginalize Zambian decisions. ... [E]xclusive ... non-solidarity-oriented globalisation [was] strongly criticised by the Vatican at WTO meeting in Cancun." http://snipurl.com/bp2l9
Hinduism
Food is the essence of life, from which things unfold. "Everything is centered in food, the evil deeds of man resort to their food." http://snipurl.com/bp0m5
"A love of nature and the importance of living a simple, natural life are the basis of Hinduism .... Like Buddhism, ... and other religions that promote a vegetarian lifestyle, the Hindu faith encompasses a number of health beliefs and dietary practices arising from the idea of living in harmony with nature and having ... respect for all of God's creations. ...
"Hindus believe ... food affects both body and mind. Food is ... a source of the body's chemistry, which affects one's consciousness and emotions. Thus, expression of the soul depends on the body, which depends on the food. A proper diet is considered vital for spiritual development in Hinduism. Hindus believe that for true service to God, purity of food is necessary to maintain the desirable state of mind that leads to enlightenment. Food is consumed not only to survive.... By eating a purer quality of food ... one can ensure a pure heart, long life, cheerful spirit, strength, health, happiness and delight. Good and pure food promotes a peaceful-not agitated-mind ... needed to see the Truth as the Truth. http://snipurl.com/bp0rz
In Hindu religion, there is a story of "parallel creation" engineered by Rishi Aagust, and how he was stopped ...from interfering in the existing Creation. Hinduism does not sanction human beings donning the mantle of spiritual authority, and this applies to the manipulation of species and their genetics. http://snipurl.com/bp172
"The [US] declared a war on Indian rice ... in the early 1960s when ... Dr M.S. Swaminathan, stole the gene bank of rice, evolved over decades by Dr Riccharia, and passed it over to the Americans. Activists say that Monsanto, operating through its Indian Joint Venture partners ...have committed crimes against humanity with the full connivance of [Indian] officials.
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