Vegetarians. Vegans. Carnivores.

Unfortunately, as the “An it harm none” statute within our religion gives some the fuel to claim that no one should eat meat, I feel it necessary to offer a rebuttal. A short post, but nevertheless, worth writing. Take it with a smile - I mean no offense to anyone, its not a particular pet peeve of mine, I just felt like offering some food for thought(no pun intended).

• “Inhumane Conditions for Animals” - Absolutely. There are instances where animals are abused, shot up with chemicals, given no room to move, and are otherwise treated horribly before their deaths.
  • You can buy “free range” animal meat.
  • You can buy hormone free animal meat.
  • You can probably buy hormone free, free range, animal meat.
  • Whether or not you do on an everyday basis depends on your income and regional availability.
• Animals can feel pain.
  • “Vegetables” can’t? Vegetables are usually the stem, or root, or leaves of plants. Plants, just like animals, although much more rudimentary, use electrical signals and hormone signals to communicate within the self. Sounds sort of like a nervous system, doesn’t it? In addition, plants recognize when things harm them - they immediately send chemicals, food, and aid to the injured portion, to either heal, scab over, or kill the injured portion so that the rest can survive.
• Vegetables, Soy, etc, are healthier.
  • Because you tell us so? We can get the exact same nutritional value - and most likely, cheaper, and easier - from a well balanced diet of fruit, vegetables, bread, eggs, and meat.

So what about the harm none clause? The fact is, everyone causes harm. But, balance, and thankfulness, and respect for all living things can go a ways, at least, in minimizing that harm. Thank the plants and animals from which you take nutrition - they gave their lives, that you might live.

This isn’t necessarily bashing vegetarians or vegans that choose that lifestyle because they don’t like killing animals. And I mean no offense at all towards those who simply cannot digest meat or don’t like the taste.

But, in ending my argument, I offer this up for consideration: our teeth. We are omnivores. We eat everything. Anything. And we evolved that way because it was evolutionarily successful. When my teeth become grinders, I will switch to plants. In fact, we can’t digest a majority of what we intake from plants: cellulose.

Blessed Be!

~ by falconrider on February 7, 2008.