RE: Any Vegetarians/Vegans here?
August 11, 2014 at 12:04 am
(This post was last modified: August 11, 2014 at 12:05 am by bennyboy.)
(August 10, 2014 at 10:32 pm)answer-is-42 Wrote: I am also vegetarian, mainly because I feel the mind and sentient life is incredible, special, and has "value." I value human life over all others and if there is no choice (trapped on an island with limited food options) I would ofcourse favor eating meat. However, I personally feel killing creatures with functional minds by choice rather than necessity is wrong (at least for me and my conscience).How about the many critters that are inadvertently killed in industrial farming: voles chewed up in tilling equipment, calves which are born and slaughtered to keep cows making milk, frogs, snakes and so on killed with pesticides, etc. Are you sure that a "vegetarian" lifestyle actually has a net positive effect on the number of animals who suffer and die at the hands of humans?
My line is generally if it has a brain, then killing it should be necessary not optional. The ability to make moral judgement is one of the major characteristics that seperate us from most if not all other animals and therefore (and I'm speculating about a future retort based on past experience) extending this thought process to a lion in the jungle is ridiculous.
We live in a world of caloric excess (at least in the USA) in which a healthy and complete diet can easily be achieved without killing conscience creatures and I try to make my choices accordingly.
{Please note I am not trying to extrapolate my view to you nor do I advocate forcing others to conform to my viewpoint - I am only advocating my own position}
It's one thing not to directly participate, but how sure are you that the effect you want (or don't want) to have on the world is a reality based on your diet?
