Atheism and vegetarianism

[The Omnissiunt One]

There seems to me to be a clear connection between non-belief and vegetarianism. Once we get rid of the religious notion that man is a higher creation, with a soul, it's harder to justify badly treating other animals then painfully slaughtering them for our meals. Also, those who question religion are more likely to question the prevailing attitude towards our diets. It'd be interesting to see a study on whether there's a correlation. I myself am a pescetarian (I eat seafood, but no meat). Now, I'm not condemning anyone who isn't vegetarian; I'd just like to get people's thoughts on the matter.

[lrh9]

Yes, yes you are condemning anyone who eats meat. You impugned our character by implying that there is no moral justification to domesticate and kill animals to eat them.

[Paul the Human]

I have been an atheist for 30 years and eat all kinds of meat. I am omnivorous. I care about cruelty to animals, but I set that aside (for the most part) when it comes to animals raised for my consumption. I'm going to eat them, I try not to have a lot of empathy for their plight.

[Tiberius]

I'm a meat lover. I find it hard to think that shedding religion means you'd be more "against" eating animals though; if anything, science shows us that we evolved with the ability to eat meat, and that everyone else in the animal kingdom has their own specific diets. Just because we can only survive on fruit & vegetables doesn't mean we should stop eating animals.

Anyway, given that all life is related, why is it OK to eat plants, but not other animals?

[Edwardo Piet]

Many people can healthily have a vegetarian diet maybe, but for some it's not even healthy. The fact we are evolved omnivores could explain that.

I could slowly change my diet after consulting my doctor about it in future.... but my own health is to be taken into consideration too, and I also have other moral considerations to think about like giving to charity, and, that costs money, and, I won't be able to afford to donate as much if I change my diet to say, veganism because organic food is very expensive.

Also, if I was really serious I'd have to stop eating a lot of non-meat foods that have other immoral additives like anything that has palm oil in it that isn't sustainable because of the environmental harm that's doing to orang-utans and whatnot. And palm oil is in so many products for various usage. It's almost unavoidable.... and there are many other examples besides palm oil I'm sure.

In principle I should change my ways, in practice it's hard because everything has it's price and there are other ethical matters I can attend to for that price.

Besides, a lot of products that do harm to animals or the environment stimulate the economy and that money at least could be spent on giving to charity. And if enough is given, more benefit than harm may even be given. Who knows? It's all rather complicated really.

[Ace Otana]

I LOVE meat! No food more tasty. I have meat every day.
We shouldn't stop eating meat because some don't quite like the idea of eating animals but we are ombivours (I did spell that right didn't I)
We were ment to eat both fruit and meat. It's completely natural.

[Edwardo Piet]

Natural doesn't make moral. That would be the naturalistic fallacy.

But I agree with you that there are natural evolutionary reasons for us being omnivorous of course.

[chasm]

I LOVE meat! No food more tasty. I have meat every day.
We shouldn't stop eating meat because some don't quite like the idea of eating animals but we are ombivours (I did spell that right didn't I)
We were ment to eat both fruit and meat. It's completely natural.

Omnivores.

[Ace Otana]

Natural doesn't make moral. That would be the naturalistic fallacy.

But I agree with you that there are natural evolutionary reasons for us being omnivorous of course.

If I stopped eating meat, I'd have trouble maintaning my muscle gain.
Our bodies do need meat as well as fruit. That doesn't mean we can't survive without it, it's just it's very good for us to consume meat.

I agree that animals shouldn't be put through needless crualty. I don't agree that we should stop eating meat. Try gaining and maintaning muscles without meaty foods.

[Edwardo Piet]

I'm not saying that we should stop eating meat either. I'm just saying that it being "natural" doesn't make it right. That would be the naturalistic fallacy. I just wanted to point that out I'm not saying that you're saying that natural=right.