Question: I have been reading your questions and answers and enjoyed it very much. My 26 years old son posed this question to me and I find it hard to give him a good, full-proof answer. He concludes that all my answers point to having faith and are not logical or reasonable. Please give me the answer for this question below.
We always say that we must be vegetarian and must not kill animals, but how can we justify using animal skin (leather) for belts, bags, shoes and drums used in the temples. Why should we continue using these products that is derived from animals that must have been killed for this? Although we did not kill it, we condone it by using these products.
Answer by Romapada Swami:
We DO NOT justify or approve of the use of animal products, particularly leather for shoes, belts etc. There are many convenient synthetic alternatives that we can easily choose in place of leather. In fact, Srila Prabhupada objected to leather apparel and clearly instructed his disciples: “Leather means violence.” He personally set the example by making it a point to wear shoes that were made of man-made materials only. He encouraged devotees to be very conscientious that our actions and habits do not inflict unnecessary violence upon any being.
The traditional clay mridanga drum used in sankirtana is an exception, because although leather from cows is used, cows are NEVER killed for this purpose. Only leather that is obtained from naturally dead cows are used in the making of mridanga drums.
