Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
But did you think that if animals are not supposed to be eaten then why are they made up with meat?
Plus, who knows if we also cause excruciating pain and suffering to plants and trees when we prune them and harvest fruits and vegetables?
Esecially stuff like carrots, turnips, onion etc where we have to kill the plant to eat it’s root.
Perhaps our ears can’t hear their screams and our eyes can’t see their misery?
Last time I heard that one, laughed so hard I almost fell off my dinosaur...
But by the same token, YOU are also made of meat, so why shouldn't you be eaten, too?
Warning: this reading may be disturbing for people who eat burgers (that are not plant-based), and an eye-opener for those who don't seem to know that there are many vegetarians and vegans who don't eat meat out of concern for animals.
You might feel differently if you were the chopping the heads of chickens, slitting the throats of cows, and so forth. Instead the dirty part of the work is done for you.
In Thailand if you have a friendly attitude you can pretty much explore as you wish. One day I was walking along a street in Bangkok and came to what almost looked like a large circus tent. I decided to see what it actually was. Un-air conditioned, it was where they cut up meat that had already been butchered elsewhere. Chopping up sides of beef, cutting pork chops from the side of a pig, cutting up headless chickens, and so forth. I wished I hadn't walked in. And this wasn't even where they slaughtered the animals. The unpleasant part of eating meat has been almost totally removed from what the typical consumer experiences. We go into a nice, clean grocery store and buy chicken breasts that look nice and neat in a wrapped container after most of the blood has already been drained out. And we feel just a little disgusted if some of the blood or juices are dripping out of that nice, neat container. We don't see the pain caused by eating meat, but are disgusted with it we see a coyote take down a rabbit or something like that. And yet, it's not really much different.
There is much debate in Buddhism about eating meat and how that comports with the precept that it is unwise to cause suffering of sentient beings.
Yes, well said. Many years ago one of my brothers-in-law worked at his uncle's meat packing plant whilst he was completing his degree at university. He never ate meat. He would sometimes say, if you saw what i saw, you would never eat meat again either. I do not think his revulsion has anything to do with any sort of religious beliefs. It was just what he witnessed there that made it impossible for him forever after to eat meat. I am glad I never witnessed what he witnessed.
I have one challenge I would like to issue to anyone who reads these words. Read Peter Singer's Animal Liberation. Reading it once through is all you will ever be able to handle, believe me. If you do not think what we do to animals both here and abroad is not sadistic torture after reading Singer's book, then nothing will ever get through to you, or more to the point, there are jobs waiting for you that most people could never do no matter how high the pay.
I don't know if this is true or not, but one of my doctor's said that most of his patients (not all) who go vegetarian end up in trouble sooner or later.
But you're right...it (and many things) don't have to be all or nothing at all. We see this among some vegetarians, but we also see it in religion. Either you're a 'real' christian or not...and you can't do it cafeteria style; well, yes you can. Same with Buddhism. Same with any religion. It's permissible -- and even good -- to think for oneself. But that scares many people.
Vegetarians are as healthy and in most cases more healthy than meat eaters. Creating a healthy vegetarian diet is key. Anyone who tries to be vegetarian without watching what and how much he eats might indeed end up with some problems, but the vast majority of vegetarians and vegans are very healthy people.
I think the film Avatar is good one in that they kill only when necessary and are respectful of the life they take. I do not think the way we take the lives of cows, pigs, chickens, pigs, etc is respectful and they are often bred, living in terrible conditions simply for meat for the table. I try not to eat anything with a face and I have been like this for 25 years+. I think it is important to be thankful for everything, including everything we stuff into our mouth.
Warning: this reading may be disturbing for people who eat burgers (that are not plant-based), and an eye-opener for those who don't seem to know that there are many vegetarians and vegans who don't eat meat out of concern for animals.
Then again, who reads what might read contrary to their preconceived notions, assumptions and chosen ways of thinking?
Vegetarians are first and foremost people, they are not a different specie. They all have different values.
I grew up vegetarian because that is what we are, we are the people who do not eat meat. Our entire cuisine, the way we cook, has no meat, not even eggs. It is a healthy and thoughtful diet developed over generations. Since it is based on rice, and a lot of rice, and have we have become less active due to modern life, people develop diabetes and have to make adjustments, switch to whole grain, go to the gym.
None of the members of these people will call themselves animal lovers. They consider hurting any living thing a sin, abhor hunting for sports, consider cows sacred as it gives milk, the major source of protein, and rarely have animals as pets as animals carry germs. In olden days they kept a cow in a shed and had someone come and milk it. That was the house pet and it was considered sacred, there is even a cow festival to honor her. The most orthodox of my people will not eat in the homes of people who cook meat. This can seem rude and judgmental, and it is, and does cause conflicts. But the culture has changed along with modernity, and everyone is more relaxed. And unfortunately more eat meat now, adding to the the problem of scarcity of water, land, and climate change.
As i grew up a non-meat eater, the way meat looks, the flesh and bones, and skin and blood is repulsive to me, a horror. All i can think of is the animal that was killed. I have to avoid looking at carcasses when passing a butcher shop, literally turn my face away and cover my nose. When my kids were growing up and wanted what their friends ate, i learnt to cook meat for them. I no longer do. When they became adults they became mostly vegetarians by choice.
I do not believe there is a humane way to kill. But definitely a humane way to raise animals and chickens. I dont judge people who eat meat
Vegetarians are first and foremost people, they are not a different specie. They all have different values.
Just for starters here, are you suggesting anyone including me would argue with this statement above? I'm never sure what to make of these "lessons" that don't seem to have anything to do with the issues at hand or your prior comments that suggested there are not vegetarians or vegans who are vegetarians or vegans simply and only out of concern for animals.
Doesn't matter what you or me or others might think otherwise. Only you here seemed wanting to argue there are not vegetarians (like my wife) or vegans who don't eat meat out of concern for animals. Seems because you are not one of them, and/or because you don't eat meat for other reasons, you can't recognize the existence of people who eat meat for reasons that are different from yours.
Always good to remember, "the world doesn't revolve around you."
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
