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| Photo from TheHindu website |
Last month, renovation of the Adniath temple in the Chickpet area of Bangalore began. For nine decades the temple was made of carved wood, but recently white marble was used to update this temple which houses many idols. This temple is utilized by the Shwethambara sect - one of the two main Jain sects. Jains make up about one percent of the population of Bangalore.
Many of us take for granted how much Christianity influences our culture and worldview. Simple things like being able to enjoy eating fruits or vegetables without guilt are foreign to Jains. Jainism is an ancient religion known since early recorded times as an independent faith and philosophy, although it has a degree of overlap with Buddhism and Hinduism.
A key element of Jain teachings is the commitment to nonviolence. This stems from the belief that every living thing has a soul. Therefore, some Jain monks abstain from eating not just meat, but also root vegetables. Many fret and worry about even stepping on an insect.
Pray that God would open their hearts to understand that there is a Ceator who made everything in this world and wants them to enjoy it and Him. Pray that the Jains would stop turning to false gods and horoscopes for answers and give their hearts to Jesus. Ask God to give them courageous hearts willing to fight and die so others can be saved.
