How is being a vegetarian different from eating the meat of an animal?

[Rah nam]

There seams to be an equal amount of zealousness and defensive talk an all sides.
In my view, what ever you eat is fine. If you kill and animal this is between the animal and you. If someone squashes a beetle while picking an apple, this is between the picker and the beetle, and has nothing to do with me, eating the apple.

i really actually dont want animals to suffor, it has nothing to do with defending myself. i feel that if people would see that there spirit is divine and eating it is a bit harsh i think they would be veg too. it makes me ill to think about consuming something with a face, with a personality with a soul. i dont understand how others cant see how its so horrible. maybe if you tried to see? when someone justifies something its bc they feel wrong for doing something, i find that non veg trying to justify killing is bc of there subconscious guilt, what reason do i have to justify? i dont feel bad for caring about animals. that really seems silly to me. ive converted someone to veg and made others cut back and it really makes me feel good to know that i saved some, really its not selfish at all lol. i used to say the same things as you, i used to eat it and love it! omg now i do not miss it at all!

i understand that its karma and theres nothing wrong with it, were human, im just aiming for higher than human.

[Chrysaetos]

Originally Posted by mahakali

i really actually dont want animals to suffor, it has nothing to do with defending myself. i feel that if people would see that there spirit is divine and eating it is a bit harsh i think they would be veg too. it makes me ill to think about consuming something with a face, with a personality with a soul. i dont understand how others cant see how its so horrible.

I can follow the last bit, but if it's about the face and personality.. would you eat shrimp or spiders? They aren't really like us.

Just because they're all ''animals'' doesn't mean they are all the same. And if we consume veggies we kill insects too,
so in the end it's a matter of preference.. which species do you want to be killed and which not.

Most of what your asking, is on this thread......

http://www.spiritualforums.com/vb/sh...ad.php?t=13162

"How is being a vegetarian different from eating the meat of an animal"
it's an interesting question,and my answer would be; its not but we've got to eat something, very fewof us have enough alturism to strave for the rights of plants!

most of the arguments here are about how to eat animals we kill them and they feel pain and that plants dont feel pain but howdo we know that?
They dont have a nerous system like ours, that we do know, and so it has been concluded that they dont feel pain. It may be that they have a different system that we are yet to understand, in which case there is no difference what so ever as far as the herbivore/ omnivore argument goes.

It is true however that it takes a lot less energy and space to produce plant food than animal ones and with the growing human population on the planet vegitarianism makes much more economical sense. AND replacement protein products (eg Quorn) can be grown in any environment, like the deserts where nothing else can survive, on pretty much anything (including waste materials) as long as there is a big vat/fermenter thing. which if you think about it is some awesome recycling and a possible cure for world hunger AND poverty. (give them the startup costs, they porduce food and any left over is an exportable produce giving a source of income)

but that's just my veiw. I am a vegitarian but it does cross my mind occasionally that if we were in the wild, a hungry animal wouldnt hesitsate to hunt and eat me while a plant would just wait arround to get eaten. which in a way makes me a terrible person, as i am am hunting that which cannot defend it'self and would not do the same if the situation was reversed :-S
ive been a veggie for 5 years, but maybe i should just go get a bigmac...?
on second thoughts...maybe not.

[Chrysaetos]

Originally Posted by orli_the_owl

most of the arguments here are about how to eat animals we kill them and they feel pain and that plants dont feel pain but howdo we know that?They dont have a nerous system like ours, that we do know, and so it has been concluded that they dont feel pain.

We can only go with what we know for sure. Maybe I am your Lord in another dimension.. but I can't prove it. But you prove to me I'm not your Lord.. lol.

Originally Posted by orli_the_owl

but that's just my veiw. I am a vegitarian but it does cross my mind occasionally that if we were in the wild, a hungry animal wouldnt hesitsate to hunt and eat me while a plant would just wait arround to get eaten. which in a way makes me a terrible person, as i am am hunting that which cannot defend it'self and would not do the same if the situation was reversed :-S

Why feel bad about that? In the wild you have to be an opportunist.. This is natural.:)

Originally Posted by orli_the_owl

ive been a veggie for 5 years, but maybe i should just go get a bigmac...? on second thoughts...maybe not.

No you shouldn't eat that ****!

Why cause unnecessary pain & trauma since it is really only to satisfy your taste buds?

Here's an interesting point. We cause pain and trauma to people every day...especially to those who are smaller or weaker than us but when you remove the judgement from it it's not a bad thing. If a cow dies because someone eats it, God knows that experience is important for both the cow's evolution and the person eating it's evolution for whatever reason. When there comes a time when the world is light enough vibrationally to be able to operate functionally while eating lighter foods then I'm sure alot of people will switch over. For now though the world's vibration just isn't there. All you need to worry about it doing what's right for you so if eating meats right for you then go for it but if it's not eat what is Everyone needs different things for their soul paths and theres nothing wrong with that. You just need to do what's in your highest good.

P.s The reason why vegetarians/vegan get a bad wrap is for the following

1) A large number of vegetarians/vegans are quite ungrounded and not very practical when it comes to living in the western world.
2) Many vegetarians/vegans don't eat properly. Vegans in particular often look sick, have low energy etc.
3) Many people hate vegatarians and vegans trying to convert them into eating something that isn't right for them.

* Note: I don't side with either vegetarians or meat eaters

[Rah nam]

Originally Posted by OceanWaves19161

P.s The reason why vegetarians/vegan get a bad wrap is for the following

1) A large number of vegetarians/vegans are quite ungrounded and not very practical when it comes to living in the western world.
2) Many vegetarians/vegans don't eat properly. Vegans in particular often look sick, have low energy etc.
3) Many people hate vegetarians and vegans trying to convert them into eating something that isn't right for them.

About 40 years ago I would have said, you are correct.
There is enough information around now, to get it "right", and of cause we point out the one who does not get it, to make our case on. A little like the smokers who claim, they heard of someone who lived to 90 wile smoking, the carnivores claim, they saw a vegetarian who looks sickly.
I don't claim to be vegetarian, I just don;t eat any meat or flesh, or anything that comes from a dead animal. I work physical all day, play my sport, and have more energy then most carnivores of my age.

add: anyone who hates no matter what, has enough problems, without worrying about vegetarians.

[NightSpirit]

I am by no means defending the slaughtering of animals. What i can't get a grasp on here is.....
1. Experiments have shown that plants respond to music. I'm not saying they have a soul, personality or a brain. It could simply be the vibration of the sounds that stimulate their growth.
2. All through the Bible it talks of animals being sacrificed to god. Did god ever send down a lightening bolt to teach them its wrong to slaughter? lol...sorry but i see the funny side of that.

The thing is vegetarians choose the other path from meat-eaters and i don't judge either as wrong or put the opposite side down for it. The arguments for and against are always the same ole.

We all make choices in this world...whether it be a religious one or to take a bath each day.

If this world were willing to adopt just a smidgeon of a less judgemental approach to anything and each other then we'd be an amazing people.

Humans are omnivores. We evolved to eat both, meat and plants in varying amounts. We could eat either or, but science and nutritionalistss around the world, say that its best that we eat BOTH. Humans are only humans due to a few things, and eating and cooking everything in a varied diet is one of them. TIs how we ar emeant to eat ( like all animals we have our specific diets).

These are the 2 main arguments I hear for peole going vegetarian/vegan:

1) - Its cruel to animals
2) - Animals look at you and have feelings and feel pain so its wrong to eat them.

Lets go over both of these:

1) CRUEL TO ANIMALS - Many of the ways we slaughter a nimals is "cruel" to most of our definitions. I would never disagree with this. But things have changed in the last 5 or 10 years. People are being more aware of how their meat gets to the table. And I can say, partial thank you to the vegens for putting pressure on the meat companies for this.

No matter where you go in nature, animals get eaten, or killed. Its a part of life, and theres no way around it. Animals are there to feed other animals. You cant dress it up, or make any excuses. Life is there to feed life. ITs a matter of respect that we all lost for our food. We dont take the time to hunt our meat, to prepare it, skin it, cut it up, store it...... We lost the respect becasue we dotn do the work. Even butcher shops have made things "slack", so has fast food places and recooked meals. Most of us dont even cook anymore.


2) - PLANTS DONT FEEL PAIN?? - No they dont like we do. But there has NEVER been an actual study to say they DO or DONT feel any pain. But lets look at what actualy makes life, life:

-has to eat
-grow
-respond to its enviroment
-defend itslef
-reproduce
-live in a homeostasis with its enviroment.
-a certain awareness of its surrounding area..

Plants do ALL of these things, and then some. Plants even "sweat". They release water vpor from their leaves. They react to their enviroment, which is evident by the fact that they defend themselves from predators, and react to music. They move ( although we dont see it), they can even communicate with other plants. And there is more then enough research to suggest they ract to animals intentions and attitudes towards them ( look up " the secret life of plants).

In terms of vegetarians getting their proper nutritional value..... Most vegetarians dont go see a dr or nutritionalist before switching their food habits. And dont always think of how well it will effect them.

For example, one conversation I had with a vegan, stated " theres enough iron in a tablespoon of molasses every day". Theres also double yoru amount of sugar intake, and upon research, not the required about of iron that we need ( escpecialy women).

Not to mention meat is probabluy the most balanced food nnutritionaly. Can you name a veggie that gives you 25% of your protien intake, as well as your fat intake for the day? As well as ammino acids?

Studies show that many vegans have iron, protien and other mineral deficiantcies, because they fail to go see a dr before and during their diet change. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS AND CAN CAUSE LONG TERM HEALTH PROBLEMS IF NOT TAKEN CARE OF PROPERLY.

But I can say somethings for fruits and veggies too. They are MEANT to be eaten. That is why they are so colourful and showey. This is the plants adaptation. IT uses its wanting to be eaten , so it can spread its seeds and comlete its task : To ensure its "bloodline" survival.

Being Vegan/vege is a choice, and one that we only recently have been givin. Even 50 years ago if you made the choice to go totaly veganm youd starve to death. ITs a personal choice, and privalige.

Im not saying either or. IF anything im saying eat both becasue thats how we are meant to survive.

IF you choose to be vegan, great! Thats your choice! Just make sure you do it for the right reasons. PErsonaly saying " plants cant feel pain so its ok to eat them" is a sad excuse. IF a person was comatose, and couldnt feel pain would you eat him? What about an animal that couldnt feel pain? The odds are you still wouldnt, because we associate anything that has any sort of traits as us, as "human like", which makes it more difficult to eat it.

Please if you decided to change yoru eating habits go talk to yoru dr, or a nutritionalist. They can see problems that you wont see, and help you around the problems that usualy come with vegetarian diets. Why risk your health just for your feelings on eating meat, and NOT go see a DR? That is playing with fire. And many of the problems assiciated with vegan.vegetarians dont show up instantly. Theyll show up when your 40, when your bones are brittle like sugar glass becasue of a lack of calcium, because you dont drink milk. Itll show up 5 years later, when you have 1% body fat, from your body stugling to ingest proper animal fats.