Lying to Uphold Ahimsa

[Vinayaka]

I am sorry, that is downright epic fail... cats are obligate carnivores, no two ways about it. I have to draw the line there. There are many compounds in their natural foods that cannot be synthesized, just as synthetic thyroid "replacements" cannot in any way truly replace naturally occurring human thyroid hormones. To deny them their nature is himsa itself.

Not true. My son has a beautiful healthy vegan cat named Margaret Scratcher. She is 9 or so now. I'm very much looking forward to seeing her again this fall.

Please don't tell me that tuna (many cat's favorite food) is a natural food. The day some cat goes swimming across the Caribbean in search of a tuna is the day the cow jumps over the moon. https://www.vegsoc.org/sslpage.aspx?pid=707

 

[Vinayaka]

This has happened to me a few times on the other forum - where I post a completely benign topic and it somehow spirals into controversy. It's me, isn't it?

In any case, if someone would like to start a thread about the morality of keeping carnivorous animals and feeding them what they would, by nature, eat anyway, by all means do so. I, personally will not enter into the argument here. My position should be clear enough anyway, given my ownership of two cats.

:camp:

Yeah, I'm sorry. You mentioned it earlier too. I, for one, shall cease and desist.

 

[Fireside_Hindu]

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I agree that would be the best course of action. This topic was specifically for whether not lying to uphold ahisma is good or bad. I say good, I will ALWAYS lie to make sure no one is harmed (okay almost always I can't be sure that I will always side with lying). Fireside I am happy you did not have to lie and I am happy things are working out for you and your fury children.

I know I am not free of all responsibility. It is still wrong to lie, regardless of whether you are doing it for a 'good' reason. If I were truly a good person, I would tell the truth, and risk being homeless. But then again, this would render the cats homeless as well, and back we go into the cycle of himsa.

I think because my choices involve the lives of other beings, who for better or worse, I am responsible for, my choice must always be for their welfare. If my karma takes a hit, I can accept that. As they say, "You made your bed, now lie in it".

:camp:

 

[Fireside_Hindu]

Yeah, I'm sorry. You mentioned it earlier too. I, for one, shall cease and desist.

No worries. It happens. We all get off track in threads.

 

[Kalidas]

.

I know I am not free of all responsibility. It is still wrong to lie, regardless of whether you are doing it for a 'good' reason. If I were truly a good person, I would tell the truth, and risk being homeless. But then again, this would render the cats homeless as well, and back we go into the cycle of himsa.

I think because my choices involve the lives of other beings, who for better or worse, I am responsible for, my choice must always be for their welfare. If my karma takes a hit, I can accept that. As they say, "You made your bed, now lie in it".

:camp:

Well there's good karma too! So maybe you took a hit by lying but think of the god you gain by not hurting your cats! See your back on top baby! The sky is the limit! hoping I am cheering you up here lol

 

[Jainarayan]

What's at issue is changing an animal's natural behaviors and needs to suit our lifestyles and preferences. That is a clear violation of ahimsa and selfishness. Don't want to feed a dog or cat meat? Don't have a dog or cat. Simple as that, problem solved. We can't have it both ways.

 

[Fireside_Hindu]

Well there's good karma too! So maybe you took a hit by lying but think of the god you gain by not hurting your cats! See your back on top baby! The sky is the limit! hoping I am cheering you up here lol

lol. I am feeling cheerful, indeed :yes:

PS. Thank you for starting the new thread. Now people have a place to vent on the subject.

:camp:

 

[Ashoka]

I am sorry, that is downright epic fail... cats are obligate carnivores, no two ways about it. I have to draw the line there. There are many compounds in their natural foods that cannot be synthesized, just as synthetic thyroid "replacements" cannot in any way truly replace naturally occurring human thyroid hormones. To deny them their nature is himsa itself.

I think this too. Though, there are alternatives, but like you said, you can't replace everything. I would really ask a vet before doing this (and you will 99.9% of the time get a "hell no what are you doing" from them.

 

[Jainarayan]

I would really ask a vet before doing this (and you will 99.9% of the time get a "hell no what are you doing" from them.

Damn skippy! With me (im)proper treatment of animals is like waving that proverbial red flag in front of a bull. I'm going to stop here lest I go too far in my diatribe against it.

 

[native3]

Not to discourage you or anything but I feel keeping the matters in the open is far better than telling a lie and trying to cover it up every time something related comes up.

Nothing against your cats but if you have to move into this place and not intend to have a tussle with your good karma, I suggest you tell the truth and try to convince your landlord or simply de-claw your cats.

You may feel it's an inhuman thing to harm those poor cats and a lie seems like a more convenient and easier solution, but from my past experiences I can say the truth is always better. Not that I haven't lied or lie but in the end I always wish I'd told the truth initially when it wasn't too late.

I feel sorry for your cats though.