Mussel, oysters, etc

[TGPK]

Hi,

What are your thoughts on eating mussels, oysters, clams and mollusks?

I'm a vegetarian, but I'm open to pescetarianism. To me, if something is the truth, it's the truth, and they make some pretty good arguments.

It's been said that these don't have brains or central nervous systems. And, we can't make the argument of not eating anything that's alive, as we eat plants. Taking a utilitarian stand and trying to minimse suffering, of course, is a good argument.

I'm a little iffy on this. They have all the good nutrients such as B12 and iron - better than any meat out there! Actually, there's no excuse not to give up meat, unless you're allergic to these sea creatures.

The farming process is quite easy and environmentally sound.

Plants are known to react, so you can't use this argument per se.

This isn't about eating small fish like sardines, or crustaceans like lobsters. I'm not going to eat them.

But, to those who are into more metaphysical beliefs, it's true that meat lowers your vibration, and that we need to higher it. Would consuming mussels, etc, weigh us down, so to speak? I think this is an important issue for me. Ultimately, I believe, we need to transcend the cycle of eating all together, but that won't be for a long time.

Thanks for your time.

[michael55]

My thoughts are if you eat mussels, then you are not a VEGitarian. :)

[knightofalbion]

Friend, they're still living creatures. Not vegetarian....

[TGPK]

I don't eat them. I'm just stating what is.

Plants are living organisms, too. We need more in-depth justification here. I'm open to both sides of the fence here. For now, I remain vegetarian, but only based on my knowledge so far.

On the tree of life, mussels, etc, branch off before all other animals. They are closer to animals than plants, but they're somewhere in-between, and this is why it's a bit of a grey area.

Thanks for the posts so far, but does anyone want to give a more detailed, objective analysis?

[RiversLady]

If you are vegan you are not going to eat anything from the animal group. Historically, shellfish was of huge importance to the coastal native american groups. Shell middens are all up and down the coast and we can tell what they ate when all else failed, or just because they liked the taste.
All native americans valued animal protein and there were no vegans in the land BY CHOICE. Plant food was very important, but you didn't gain high rank by being the best as growing squash. If you were a man and didn't hunt well, you had better be good at crafts or art.
But back to shellfish. If taken from clean water in the colder months this was some of the best food both for taste and nutrition. Plants grown close to the water picked up minerals to some degree, but if you were lacking in iodine or calcium, you went with fish.
It's up to you to decide if you feel morally good about eating a clam or snail. Looking at it from a karmic standpoint, the soul was put in a lower form to learn a lesson. To release the soul so that it can progress to a higher life form is in some respects an act of mercy and another turn of the wheel. Hope this clears away some of the cosmic cobwebs being spun here!

[Miss Hepburn]

Can't offer more than has already been said.
I stopped eating any and all bottom feeders years ago, though.

'The Maker's Diet' by Jordan Rubin, really opened my eyes.

[Wisa'ka]

If you are vegan you are not going to eat anything from the animal group. Historically, shellfish was of huge importance to the coastal native american groups. Shell middens are all up and down the coast and we can tell what they ate when all else failed, or just because they liked the taste.
All native americans valued animal protein and there were no vegans in the land BY CHOICE. Plant food was very important, but you didn't gain high rank by being the best as growing squash. If you were a man and didn't hunt well, you had better be good at crafts or art.
But back to shellfish. If taken from clean water in the colder months this was some of the best food both for taste and nutrition. Plants grown close to the water picked up minerals to some degree, but if you were lacking in iodine or calcium, you went with fish.
It's up to you to decide if you feel morally good about eating a clam or snail. Looking at it from a karmic standpoint, the soul was put in a lower form to learn a lesson. To release the soul so that it can progress to a higher life form is in some respects an act of mercy and another turn of the wheel. Hope this clears away some of the cosmic cobwebs being spun here!

No taboos here concerning a Chesapeake Bay crabcake, raw oysters, steamed cherrystone clams, or fried scallops. :smile:

[knightofalbion]

A lovely website for all those with compassion in their hearts for shellfish or for those who simply want to learn more...

http://www.shellfishnetwork.org.uk

[RiversLady]

A lovely website for all those with compassion in their hearts for shellfish or for those who simply want to learn more...

http://www.shellfishnetwork.org.uk

Does it have recipes?:confused:

[knightofalbion]

Does it have recipes?

Only one. The recipe for becoming a better person.....

Take equal parts compassion, tolerance, mercy and gentleness, add to a standard size heart, leave to set and Serve when ready....

[primrose]

Only one. The recipe for becoming a better person.....

Take equal parts compassion, tolerance, mercy and gentleness, add to a standard size heart, leave to set and Serve when ready....


You took the words out of my mouth. :hug3:

[neptune13]

Every Living Thing On This Planet Eats Something. You Just Need To Choose And Prioritise What Goes Into your Belly. The shellfish that excreets waste or the plants that die and go to seed if you don't eat it. They are both 'Alive' when they are 'Harvested'. You just need to be honest about who you favour eating.

[Sybilline]

We cannot possibly get ourselves out or above the circle of life however we try... Well I mean unless we don't eat. Vegetarianism is a choice, just like eating meat and stuff is. When I was young we were allowed to eat beef and fish, but not shellfish or prawns or squid. Or pork. I never really understood why. All I know is that suddenly one day, my mom served pork and it was weird but we ate it, and then from there we just let go of the taboos.

I believe that plants really are as alive as animals. I do not believe that I am of higher value than them at all.

And I think this is where praying before your meal matters, whatever your religion.
I'll be honest, I don't do it anymore.

When our forefather pagans were hunters, they prayed over the animals they killed, and they buried the bones and the seeds to at least try to even the score. And they accepted that if they were killed (or even eaten by an animal), then... Well, they belong to the circle.

That's actually something I don't really understand about this world.

If plants were meant to be eaten, why do they grow thorns or poison?
If animals were meant to be eaten, why do they fight back or run away?

I wonder, why were we made to eat? Why weren't we just made to survive by breathing? Why wasn't a staple "feeder creature" created, one that's willing to be eaten? It's all so weird...

[Ecthalion]

That's actually something I don't really understand about this world.

If plants were meant to be eaten, why do they grow thorns or poison?
If animals were meant to be eaten, why do they fight back or run away?

I wonder, why were we made to eat? Why weren't we just made to survive by breathing? Why wasn't a staple "feeder creature" created, one that's willing to be eaten? It's all so weird...

That's the nature of the physical world - selfishness and suffering. It's our place as more highly evolved (spiritually or through intelligence, depending on your viewpoint) beings, to minimize all of the suffering that we can.

[knightofalbion]

Very well said, Graeme.

[knightofalbion]

Rice and beans make a complete protein equal to that of red meat. As do beans and wholemeal bread.

Quinoa provides complete protein of a higher quality than red meat.

And there are now several plant milks available - soya, almond, hazelnut, rice, oat and coconut.

[Tobi]

Hi,

What are your thoughts on eating mussels, oysters, clams and mollusks?

I'm a vegetarian, but I'm open to pescetarianism. To me, if something is the truth, it's the truth, and they make some pretty good arguments.

It's been said that these don't have brains or central nervous systems. And, we can't make the argument of not eating anything that's alive, as we eat plants. Taking a utilitarian stand and trying to minimse suffering, of course, is a good argument.

I'm a little iffy on this. They have all the good nutrients such as B12 and iron - better than any meat out there! Actually, there's no excuse not to give up meat, unless you're allergic to these sea creatures.

The farming process is quite easy and environmentally sound.

Plants are known to react, so you can't use this argument per se.

This isn't about eating small fish like sardines, or crustaceans like lobsters. I'm not going to eat them.

But, to those who are into more metaphysical beliefs, it's true that meat lowers your vibration, and that we need to higher it. Would consuming mussels, etc, weigh us down, so to speak? I think this is an important issue for me. Ultimately, I believe, we need to transcend the cycle of eating all together, but that won't be for a long time.

Thanks for your time.

If pearls are formed within oysters, to soften the irritation of a grain of sand which has got into the oyster's shell, then how can anyone say the oyster doesn't have any nervous system?

[Tobi]

When I used to grow vegetables (I can't any more because I have hurt my back and arm) -I used to even feel something for the plants I ate. The best I could do for them was to make sure I let the strongest plant of the set (lettuce, onion, beans, whatever) flourish, live out its full life, flower and serve the bees, then go to seed without being disturbed or cut in any way. Then I used to gather those seeds for the next season.
I was aware by eating plants I was consuming life too. That was the best I could think of to give back to them.