Religious leaders & the killing business

[Bhakti Vikasa Swami]

Those who kill animals and give them unnecessary pain -- as people do in
slaughterhouses -- will be killed in a similar way in the next life and in many
lives to come. One can never be excused from such an offense. If one kills many
thousands of animals in a professional way so that other people can purchase
the meat to eat, one must be ready to be killed in a similar way in his next
life and in life after life. There are many rascals who violate their own
religious principles. According to Judeo-Christian scriptures, it is clearly
said, "Thou shalt not kill." Nonetheless, giving all kinds of excuses, even the
heads of religions indulge in killing animals while trying to pass as saintly
persons. This mockery and hypocrisy in human society bring about unlimited
calamities; therefore occasionally there are great wars. Masses of such people
go out onto battlefields and kill themselves. Presently they have discovered
the atomic bomb, which is simply waiting to be used for wholesale destruction.
If people want to be saved from the killing business life after life, they must
take to Krsna consciousness and cease sinful activity. The International
Society for Krishna Consciousness recommends that everyone abandon meat-eating,
illicit sex, intoxication and gambling. When one gives up these sinful
activities, he can understand Krsna and take to this Krsna consciousness
movement. We therefore request everyone to abandon sinful activity and chant
the Hare Krsna mantra. In this way people can save themselves from repeated
birth and death and from being killed like the animals in slaughterhouses.
-----------------------------------------

From Srila Prabhupada's purport to CC, Madhya-lila, Chapter 24 Verse 251