India Post News Service
TORONTO, Canada: The attendees of the 2018 Parliament of the World’s Religions in Toronto have condemned the Florida Yoga studio shooting.
In a joint statement they said, “We are horrified by the news of a shooting at Hot Yoga Tallahassee — the 304th mass shooting in the United States this year. Such acts of violence are inherently tragic, made even more so when they occur at houses of worship and other spaces meant for retreat and reflection, as many yoga studios are increasingly becoming.”
It said, “The first of yoga’s ethical principles is ahimsa (non-harming). It is a primary element of Hindu ethics, also taking a central role in Buddhist, Jain, and Sikh philosophies and practice. Coming as it does right before Diwali, the Hindu festival celebrating the triumph of good over evil, represented by the lighting of diyas (clay lamps), this shooting takes on particular poignancy and sadness. It is yet another reminder that gun violence can affect any of us and that much more must be done to prevent it.
“We wish to offer our support, condolences, and compassion for all the victims in this shocking act of hate and violence. Know that we stand alongside you in this time of tragedy, “it concluded.
Among the signatories of the statement were: Hindu American Foundation, Washington, DC, USA; Ravipriya Kalat, Heart-Light Seattle, WA, USA;
Davinder Dhanoa, TAIC, Toronto, ON, Canada; Feraydun Bastani, Meher Baba Calling, Mississauga, ON, Canada; Anahat Kaur Sandhu, Sikh Council on Interfaith Relations, CA, USA; Munawar, Toronto, ON, Canada;
Shahid Mirza, Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at Canada, East York, ON, Canada; Bhante Sasanasarana, Markham, Ontario, Canada;
Shivanand Gopie, Sathya Sai Baba Organization, Brampton, ON, Canada and David Haberman, Professor of Religious Studies, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, USA
