One of my friends is an ISCKON member and strongly believes in vegetarian food habit. I told him, "I will leave nonveg when it happens. I.e. why should I leave something? A habit or act, if detrimental, should feel disgusting. Then I just can't do it anymore. I need not put effort to leave it."
Thinking again on my logic, I am forced to go a bit deep. Should we force change in our behavior? Will habit, accrued by force, be long lasting? Wont it be better to live and wait for the change to happen, instead of forcing the change?
A thief can say that his act of stealing has a purpose and he will continue it till he feels disgust for it. More horrible practitioners (!) like pedophiles or homicides can also put such a logic!
And, there is a more subtle tinge here. I am not discussing about criminals and laws. I.e. I am not talking about forced changes. I am talking about a man who knows that his behavior might be hurting someone and does realize its impacts. But at the same time he still enjoys his act. Should he try to force a change upon himself? The question becomes still more complicated if I limit my concern to acts which are not universally bad! For example, lets go back to the example of eating meat or moderate drinking. Should I force a change, be a new man?
