Diamond Heiress Chooses Life as a Jainism Nun

An eight-year-old Indian girl, Devanshi Sanghvi, has turned back on inheriting the family's multi-million dollar diamond business. She has renounced all worldly goods and her family inheritance and has become a nun in an Eastern religion. [1]

This decision has drawn some criticism. Her uncle Shah commented, "She's a child, what does she understand about all this?". "Children can't even decide what stream to study in college until they are 16. How can they make a decision about something that will impact their entire life?"

An Indian expert on the law, Prof Mehta, notes that "a child's consent is not consent in law". "Legally, 18 is the age where someone makes an independent decision. Until then, a decision on her behalf is made by an adult - such as her parents - who have to consider whether it's in her best interest.”

There is a certain logic to these arguments – children may not have the capacity to make lifelong decisions. Now let’s change topics.

Gender transformation is a hot topic. If a child in the state of Victoria decides to change their gender identity, they have that right. Furthermore, the school can facilitate the ‘social transition’ of a child from one gender to another without consenting the child's parents. The school cannot sign off on the medical transition; parents must be involved in that. And parents must be consulted where possible. But in theory, a school can facilitate a social transition without reference to parents. [2]

My son just led a Christian summer youth camp in Victoria. Pre-camp briefing now includes coaching youth leaders that they cannot pray with or for a teenager who is struggling with gender identity, asking God to remove their transgender feelings. What a strange world we now live in.

[1] BBC story, 24 January 2023.

[2] ABC.net.au news story, 22 November 2022.

By Rev. David Rietveld