Tiny religious sect thrives in Chicagoland despite cultural clash
Jains believe in strict non-violence, honoring multiple viewpoints and not being materialistic
Members of the Jain community in greater Chicago take part in a sacred pageant to celebrate the birth of a great teacher, Lord Mahavir, 2,600 years ago. (WBEZ/Lynette Kalsnes)
August 27, 2014
By Lynette Kalsnes
When Hemali Shah was a girl, sometimes it was hard to be a Jain. She wanted to run in the grass with other kids, but had to worry about accidentally stepping on an insect, and killing it.
Jainism is a tiny Indian religious sect in Chicago. Jains believe in nonviolence, to the point of not harming any sentient being, through action or even thought.
“I was an athlete, so I played softball a lot, and obviously if you're playing in the grass, there’s lot of bugs, so I ended up playing in the infield,” Shah said.
Shah is 24 now, and said she’s happy to avoid the grass. But she still struggles with Jain teachings about not being possessive and accumulating stuff.
http://www.wbez.org/news/culture/tiny-religious-sect-thrives-chicagoland-despite-cultural-clash-110712
7:05 audio at link.
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