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ALL RELIGIONS: How do you justify meat eating?

blü 2

Veteran Member
Premium Member
You forget the billions of animal lives that we are preventing from living (and killing also for "fun") because we took away their habitats in order to create our human cities, villages, farms, golf courses and industries.
And perhaps you're forgetting all the species of microorganisms that live in our gut because we eat meat and wouldn't if we didn't.
Plants, fungi and bacteria are life too, but animals with more developed brains have the higher consciousness and deserve more protection.
Well, we would say that, wouldn't we.
But humans that consume meat, fish and large quantities of dairy are taking more than their fair share and are destroying biodiversity on this planet creating a new disastrous mass extinction.
Fair enough. But that's a practical question before it's a moral question ─ don't eat animals because of the consequences, ahead of don't eat animals because they're our fellow living critters.
 

Marcion

gopa of humanity's controversial Taraka Brahma
Fair enough. But that's a practical question before it's a moral question ─ don't eat animals because of the consequences, ahead of don't eat animals because they're our fellow living critters.
There can be different reasons for not wanting to kill animals.
I think that sacrificing an animal life to save a human being is only justified in emergencies.

Humans can survive very well without slaughtering or hunting animals so there is no real need for them to kill them on a regular basis. Killing withouth necessity is immoral.
 

blü 2

Veteran Member
Premium Member
There can be different reasons for not wanting to kill animals.
I think that sacrificing an animal life to save a human being is only justified in emergencies.
What if the animal wouldn't exist if it wasn't bred for human consumption?
 

Marcion

gopa of humanity's controversial Taraka Brahma
What if the animal wouldn't exist if it wasn't bred for human consumption?
Manipulating animal/human procreation does not give you an automatic right to do with the animal/human what you want. Living creatures have their own intrinsic value and their own individual personality.
Wild boar did not choose to be bred into pigs nor did wild bovines choose to be bred into cows with gigantic udders.
 

Vinayaka

devotee
Premium Member
I'm all for any individual choosing what to eat. The information is out there.
There is information on environmental effects, health effects, and much much more. Anybody on their own can research a whole lot about vegetarianism and make an informed decision. They can also go to a doctor and get comprehensive blood tests and discuss that with a nutritionist.

With that in mind, I don't see why anyone feels it's their duty to preach about it either way.
 

blü 2

Veteran Member
Premium Member
Manipulating animal/human procreation does not give you an automatic right to do with the animal/human what you want. Living creatures have their own intrinsic value and their own individual personality.
Wild boar did not choose to be bred into pigs nor did wild bovines choose to be bred into cows with gigantic udders.
So vegetarianism is the only option in nature? Then why are we omnivores?
 

Marcion

gopa of humanity's controversial Taraka Brahma
With that in mind, I don't see why anyone feels it's their duty to preach about it either way.
It is the duty of every moral person to help stop global warming and help stop the suffering of sentient beings.

So vegetarianism is the only option in nature? Then why are we omnivores?

Force is not the answer, but there should be a heavy taxation on non-vegetarian foods, at least doubling the price and increasing further (like wth tobacco).
 

metis

aged ecumenical anthropologist
Many animals are meat eaters, and having some as such is important for most ecosystems so as to create balance. Some animals unchecked can be very destructive, such as what the Aussies found out when rabbits ravaged the country.

Chimps and gorillas, our closest ancestors, ate meat but only sporadically. Early humans ate meat occasionally, which was necessary for large brain growth because of all the energy and protein needed. However, dairy and eggs can also supply such needs.

Here in the west especially, we eat way too much meat for our own health and the health of our environment.
 

Vinayaka

devotee
Premium Member
It is the duty of every moral person to help stop global warming and help stop the suffering of sentient beings.

Indeed, but you can only change yourself. Preaching often actually backfires. It makes people even more determined than ever to counter whatever argument they're being preached to.
 

Marcion

gopa of humanity's controversial Taraka Brahma
Indeed, but you can only change yourself. Preaching often actually backfires. It makes people even more determined than ever to counter whatever argument they're being preached to.
People are social beings, they influence each other all the time.
Preaching to people, talking to them in an accusing or condescending way obviously never helps, but questioning, advising and informing them does. I've seen and heard that for myself at one of the Cube of Truth outreaches in my home town
 
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Vinayaka

devotee
Premium Member
People are social beings, they influence each other all the time.
Preaching to people, talking to them in an accusing or condescending way obviously never helps, but questioning, advising and informing them does. I've seen and heard that for myself at one of the Cube of Truth outreaches in my home town
We will differ then. To me, your tone does sound condescending and self righteous. Of course I'm just the village idiot, and have no idea how to read tone.

It reminds me so much of the many discussions I've had with Baha'i folks insisting their 'sharing' wasn't proselytising. Maybe some links to some scholarly articles on the benefits of a vegetarian diet would help. Of course anyone could find those by using a search engine.
 

Marcion

gopa of humanity's controversial Taraka Brahma
We will differ then. To me, your tone does sound condescending and self righteous. Of course I'm just the village idiot, and have no idea how to read tone.

It reminds me so much of the many discussions I've had with Baha'i folks insisting their 'sharing' wasn't proselytising. Maybe some links to some scholarly articles on the benefits of a vegetarian diet would help. Of course anyone could find those by using a search engine.
I'm sorry you feel that way. You will probably see this as preaching then too (not my style, but I don't consider this preaching):

 

ajay0

Well-Known Member
I am not a vegetarian but I am Hindu. Like 550 million other Hindus of the world I eat meat and i've been constantly criticised for it.

The main argument is you're killing another creature for taste.

How do you justify it?

While I relished non-vegetarian dishes, I hated going to the butcher shop for meat, having to watch terror-stricken birds and animals with cut throats jumping and screaming in panic.

I decided to be vegetarian as I did not like watching this horror show.

Also there are many benefits to vegetarianism.

I have noticed that I have a slim waist and younger looking body with less fat, in comparison to my non-vegetarian relatives and friends who put on weight easily. Many of them waste money in gyms and health camps trying to tone their bulging bodies. I have even been complimented for my better looks by non-vegetarians themselves.

Vegetarian diet also have been considered healthier as incidence of heart and cardiovascular diseases , cancer are comparatively lower for vegetarians as opposed to non-vegetarians.

Research has also shown that vegetarianism is associated with lower incidence of cancer, cardiovascular diseases and better immune system.

http://www.pcrm.org/health/health-topics/foods-for-cancer-prevention

Vegetarianism can reduce risk of heart disease by up to a third | University of Oxford

And it is also great for the environment, and helps reduce global warming.

https://www.theguardian.com/environ...-vegetarianism-dangerous-global-warming#img-1

How going vegetarian will help save the world

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: We should stop polluting our planet. Say no to plastic, Use as little plastic as possible. Recycle..Use recycled things. Use chemical free shampoos and soaps as far as possible. Go organic, I would recommend everyone to become vegetarian. You know, if we pay attention on the consumption that takes place to produce one non-vegetarian meal, feeding the animal etc.., it is equivalent to 400 vegetarian meals. So, I recommend everyone to turn vegetarian. Environmentalists say that if even 10 percent of the population turns vegetarian, we will not have the problem of this green house effect.

So, even from a secular perspective, you can see that vegetarianism can contribute a lot.

Imho, vegetarianism also cultivates a culture of non-violence and sensitivity, which are potent qualities or virtues in itself and necessary for a healthy human society.
 

Skwim

Veteran Member
I am not a vegetarian but I am Hindu. Like 550 million other Hindus of the world I eat meat and i've been constantly criticised for it.

The main argument is you're killing another creature for taste.

How do you justify it?
It's what my canine teeth were designed for; tearing into and ripping meat apart.

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If god didn't want me to eat meat then why give me teeth designed for it?


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ronki23

Well-Known Member
It's what my canine teeth were designed for; tearing into and ripping meat apart.

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8313603.gif


If god didn't want me to eat meat then why give me teeth designed for it?


blog+tooth.jpg


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Argument is you don't need to eat meat; you can choose not to
 

Skwim

Veteran Member
Argument is you don't need to eat meat; you can choose not to
Yup, but that doesn't invalidate the fact that at one time god recognized mans' need to eat it and thus provided the means to do so. Hence, he is just fine with killing animals for food. It's only modern day grass eaters who have sentimentalized animals and adopted a "Save the Animals" mentality, and who contrive reasons not to eat Big Macs thinking it's healthier for you. It isn't. In fact, it can rob you of needed Vitamin D, Zinc, and iron, and has been shown to lead to anemia, anxiety, depression, and eating disorders.

But what the hell; eat what you like, just leave your Only Meanies Eat Meat pamphlet on someone else's door step. I'll be in the back yard with my grill and baby back ribs.:)

.
 

Salvador

RF's Swedenborgian
I am not a vegetarian but I am Hindu. Like 550 million other Hindus of the world I eat meat and i've been constantly criticised for it.

The main argument is you're killing another creature for taste.

How do you justify it?

The slaughtering of animals for human consumption can no longer be justified on the basis of meat tasting better than plants; the impossible burger has a plant-based patty practically indistinguishable from a beef patty, . Please support our soy bean farmers along with our environment, have an Impossible Burger that'll soon be available at a Burger King near you. The Impossible Burger's meat-like taste will make lots of vegetarians out of meat-lovers.


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