Why are you a vegetarian or vegan?

Originally Posted by Andromeda27

It started with feeling not totally okay with eating animals. I always felt guilty but would just push the thoughts from my mind. The final straw was for health reasons. After a year however I did reintroduce fish on occasion (wild caught).

So actually, you are a pescatarian which means you eat mostly vegetables but occasionally include fish.

Then there are lacto-ovo vegetarians, which means, you eat vegetables, dairy products and eggs. Many retain the use of dairy and eggs because they are not aware of the cruelty that is involved in these products.

A vegetarian would be someone who eats only vegetables. This might be a choice based on a perception of healthier eating. Or they might be a person who is desirous of not being involved in the cruelty of animal use and might chose this life style on their way to becoming a vegan.

And a vegan is someone who eats only plant material (no honey) and uses no other animal products (or at least tries not to, but animals are hidden in so many products that it's impossible to totally avoid it) and that includes wearing dead animals. Generally a person who becomes vegan does so because of a desire to not participate in the cruelty and abuse that goes along with human use of animals.

[knightofalbion]

Why NOT be vegetarian or vegan?

How can one be 'holy' or 'spiritual' when there is blood on your hands, or blood on somebody else's hands because of you?

Originally Posted by DebbyM

You either are or you're not. Egg's implanted, starting to grow..... No such thing as a little bit pregnant.

And the 3 or 4 days before that? Pregnant or not?

[Chrysaetos]

Originally Posted by knightofalbion

Why NOT be vegetarian or vegan?

How can one be 'holy' or 'spiritual' when there is blood on your hands, or blood on somebody else's hands because of you?

Welcome to nature. Every living being feeds on other living beings.

If we are unholy (wonder about a definition here) when we have blood on our hands, than what about the lions? Aren't they also unholy by that logic?

Lions hunt to survive without any tools or weapons. We as humans have a choice about what we feed on. There is nothing natural about the mass farming of animals for slaughter.

[Chrysaetos]

Lions do have weapons. Claws, teeth, speed, planning!

Originally Posted by misscelt

We as humans have a choice about what we feed on. There is nothing natural about the mass farming of animals for slaughter.

1. Not every human being has that luxury.

2. So small farming of animals is ''natural'' and mass farming isn't? How can it be unnatural? What about the internet, is it natural?

All things on Earth are natural by default. (resist the naturalistic fallacy!)

1. I didn't say it was a luxury - it is always a choice. If I had to kill something to survive I would die. That is my choice.
2. Raising something for slaughter either way is hideous, mass farming is just the more obvious of the two.

Originally Posted by Aquarian

And the 3 or 4 days before that? Pregnant or not?

Well from a website I found:

'By day 5 after conception, the cluster of divided cells is referred to as a blastocyst. The blastocyst must implant itself into the endometrium, or the thickened inner wall of the uterus, where it can continue to develop into an embryo.

If any of these steps do not happen, or aren't successful, then you will not succeed with impregnation. Many women have had a fertilized egg, or zygote occur during their monthly cycle without a successful implantation and were not aware of it. Their period may have come early, late, lasted a little longer than usual, or there could have been no noticeable changes at all.

It isn't until after implantation has occurred and pregnancy hormones are being produced by the body that pregnancy can be officially confirmed.'



Based on the above, I would say that you are pregnant when pregnancy hormones are being produced. Until then there is the possibility that that fertilised egg could be shed.

But of course, that's only my opinion and I suppose like any number of things it depends on your personal perspective.

Originally Posted by Chrysaetos

Welcome to nature. Every living being feeds on other living beings.

If we are unholy (wonder about a definition here) when we have blood on our hands, than what about the lions? Aren't they also unholy by that logic?

Why do folks continually compare themselves to lions? We have the capacity for spiritual growth. We are different (although in many ways biologically the same) from the animals in that regard. An animal relies on instinct to survive, while we not only have an instinct for survival but we also reason and think future-tense which is to mean we can plan for our future survival.

[Chrysaetos]

Originally Posted by DebbyM

Why do folks continually compare themselves to lions? We have the capacity for spiritual growth. We are different (although in many ways biologically the same) from the animals in that regard. An animal relies on instinct to survive, while we not only have an instinct for survival but we also reason and think future-tense which is to mean we can plan for our future survival.

Hey Debby!

If the slaughter and pain of animals is the problem, then why is it that only humans are hold responsible for this?
Shouldn't we teach the lions how to do it humanely? I mean, they can eat their prey alive!

Of course we are different, we can reason. I would say that minimizing pain is a sound goal, but ''giving it up'' entirely is impossible.

Edit: Do you watch nature documentaries? If so, how do you feel about animals eating other animals?