Vegetarians......Yes or No

[Sarapva]

When I say "dirty work" I mean actually killing the animals. Most of us wouldn't want to do that (I certainly wouldn't). I know that some vegetarians and animal rights activists use harsh, aggressive language to try to get their points across. While I don't think this is very effective, I can see that it mostly comes from frustration that people don't seem to understand the plight of most farm animals, especially in the slaughterhouse. If an animal is being tortured right in front of your eyes, it's hard to ignore, but just because animals live lives of horror where we can't see them doesn't mean we shouldn't be concerned.

The "human vs. animal" suffering is of course just an intellectual idea - any suffering is just that. I think the fact that animals are, overall, more defenseless against humans than other humans are is what makes some people more strongly defend the abuses against animals.

I know there are farms and probably slaughterhouses where animals are given the most respectful treatment possible under the circumstances. I think this whole argument for being vegetarian is more for a change in attitude toward animals - seeing them as other living creatures that deserve to live their lives their way, instead of seeing them as commodities to be treated any way we choose for our own profits.

 

[Nicky]

I'm pretty sure you mellowed with age, but back when you were 15 and a "vegetarian", you forced it on to your family.

I don't recall forcing anything on my family, it is not like they had to change either eating habits. You could say that they had to change their spending habits, that is until I got a job and started buying my own food at 16.

But I did mellow with age.

I
Or is it more than just their diet that one thinks of when saying they are vegetarians?

Yes, Along with not eating meat, most vegetarians avoid products made with animal by-products. It's not just what they eat, it's what they will spend their money on. Because buying something made with glue that is an animal by-product is considered "supporting" animal-whatever.

 

[Sarapva]

Yes, it's supporting all the industries that make money from exploitation of animals. Buying things with animal by-products is indirectly supporting the killing of animals for food, etc. There are so many things with animal by-products, though - it's hard to buy completely vegan, though vegan companies are growing.

 

[Kuroyume]

My opinion is that you don't need meat to sourvive. You can live quite well without meat. Actually i don't feel that i'm missing anything. And i don't believe that a vegetarian diet is unhealthy, i'm vegetarian for more than 5 years and i still feel quite well actually.

 

[DoshKel]

There are some really good points in this thread. Very cool.

I've been Vegan now for seven years, and without meat for 9. I first got interested in being a Vegetarian when I read a book about Mahayana Buddhism. Somewhere in the book it said that eating an animal was essentially murder, which may or may not be true, but at the time it scared me shitless. So I stopped eating all meat. 2 years later after doing some research, I decided that a Vegan lifestyle is what I want to lead. Not having to do anything with animal products made me feel great at first, so I decided to stay with it. Now that I have been Vegan for awhile, my reason for staying with it is because I believe that it is wrong to use animals for our needs when there are many safe alternatives, that is is fairly disgusting to kill something and then use the parts, and that I am so used to not using animal products... that using them seems odd to me.

However, I am not bothered when those around me eat meat, use animal products, etc. While I would love for those that I care about to become Vegan/Vegetarian... it isn't my choice. I can sit next to someone eating meat and not be bothered by it as well. I love the feeling that respecting other people gives me.

And i'm sure I am not completely 100% Vegan. But my attitude is that if I try and learn, I am doing a good thing.

 

[frostyg02uk]

Erm.... i love eating meat. I dislike many veg so for me to only eat it is boarderline impossible. I think the reason people choose to be vegitarian can sometimes be funny. Like im a vegitarian because i wont take part in the killing of animals, yet the soya beans that they eat often is a main reason for rainforests being cut down in south america. So lets not kill and eat the animals just cut down their homes and watch them die out lol.

 

[KirinMan]

Some of the statements made here in recent replies on this thread bring me to ask the writers of the following posts their rationale for thinking the way that they do. First.....

My opinion is that you don't need meat to sourvive. You can live quite well without meat. Actually i don't feel that i'm missing anything. And i don't believe that a vegetarian diet is unhealthy,

Ok great, more power to you however I have to ask a question about this part of what you wrote;

i'm vegetarian for more than 5 years and i still feel quite well actually

Did you or do you still have some expectation that by somehow being a vegetarian you are going to get ill someday? Because of the fact you are a vegetarian perhaps?

Second.......

But my attitude is that if I try and learn, I am doing a good thing.

I do not want to misintrepret what you wrote here so please come back and clarify for me/us whether this means you are talking about life in general or about being a vegetarian. Thank you

Last...

So lets not kill and eat the animals just cut down their homes and watch them die out lol.

Not a question but a comment, good points, I respect vegetarian's rights to choose, however I do not respect vegetarians that expect me to allow them to infringe on my or our right to eat meat. I dont appreciate the "radical" nature that many vegetarians that I see or read about have.

I would bet that is a very small portion of the vegetarian society or community, but they are the face of it.

 

[Sarapva]

So lets not kill and eat the animals just cut down their homes and watch them die out lol.

Cutting down forests is used for so many other things besides farming vegetables - developing land for housing, etc., and making pastureland for cattle to raise for meat - that it couldn't really be used as an argument against being vegetarian. Some forests are being cleared to grow soybeans to make ethanol (a fuel alternative), not just to eat.

Kuroyume and DoshKel - Thank you for sharing your experiences of being vegetarian. I've also found that, after not eating meat for about 3 years, I don't think of it as something to eat anymore. But I also sit side by side with people who are eating meat and, while I don't comment on it, I would rather not see them eat meat for their own well-being as well as animals'.

 

[SushiShin]

I respect people so i also want people to respect me, i like chicken and thats an animal so nope im not a vegetarian

 

[frostyg02uk]

Im aware that rainforests are cut down for loads of reasons including the usage of cattle but the point im making is that its kind of silly not the eat chicken here but eat soybeans that help kill off wildlife that ISNT made for consumption. The animals killed here for food are breed from day one to be eaten and they are in no threat of extinction..and to my knowledge we are not killing off the planet (if you believe in the green house effect) by eating them. I just find it hypercritical to say we dont eat meat cause its cruel yet we will buy products that have a hand in breaking down rainforest areas the size of wales killing off the animals envolved and destorying the planet. they blame global warming for many things such as other animals around the world having to change there way of living like in the Gobi desert or the poles, not helped by humans who force animals out as well because their old home is now flooded due to global warming. Just a though.

 

[Hollow_Desires]

I am not a vegetarian because i enjoy the taste and smell of meat, whch doesnt mean I dont love vegetables, which I do, and I guess I was bought up on me so thats why

 

[KirinMan]

I am not a vegetarian because i enjoy the taste and smell of meat, whch doesnt mean I dont love vegetables, which I do, and I guess I was bought up on me so thats why

I am not a vegetarian either and I do love all types of meat, yet I enjoy a nice fesh vegetable or vegetable salad as well, heck one of my favorite foods is a nice ear of freshly roasted sweet corn with a bit of melted butter and a touch of fresh salt.

In my opinion I feel that we were meant to eat all that is available on this earth for human consumption.

I respect people so i also want people to respect me, i like chicken and thats an animal so nope im not a vegetarian

You bring up a good point, while the people posting here on this thread are very tolerant of each and everyones beliefs on this subject I am afraid to say that in my opinion many vegetarians that I have come across choose not to respect those of us that eat meat.

 

[frostyg02uk]

I agree with Herbal shin and Obeika. To be fair i only know one vegan and when he told me that (after i offered him some Japanese chocolate, haha more for me) rather then look down on him i was actually interested in things, like why and what kinds of things he eats daily instead of meat. But to be fair to him he did try to explain and educate me on his ideals haha but without sayings i was wrong for eating meat. Eating out with him was amazing haha the amount of things he couldnt eat and the questions he asked our waitress for like 7 minutes was amazing but when ive spoken to other vegans on the net its like they turn it into a religion where they need to convert you which as we know can be quite annoying at times.

 

[Kuroyume]

Did you or do you still have some expectation that by somehow being a vegetarian you are going to get ill someday? Because of the fact you are a vegetarian perhaps?

Well, some (meat eating) people (worried grandparents usually) tell me quite often that a vegetarian diet was quite dangerous and it would make me ill someday. So what i wanted to say is that it hasn't made me ill for 5 years and i don't believe it will make me ill at all.

 

[frostyg02uk]

Hey if it works for you stick with it ^-^

 

[DoshKel]

I do not want to misintrepret what you wrote here so please come back and clarify for me/us whether this means you are talking about life in general or about being a vegetarian. Thank you

I'm basically talking about doing a good thing for myself (physical and mental health).

 

[Sarapva]

to my knowledge we are not killing off the planet (if you believe in the green house effect) by eating them.

There is an argument that cattle farms are contributing to global warming by creating methane gas.

From www.vegforlife.org :

Livestock rearing also results in the production of methane and nitrous oxide, two gases known to contribute significantly to global warming. The EPA estimates that one fourth of the nation's methane emissions come from animals raised for food.

Over seventy percent of American grain and eighty percent of American corn is fed to farm animals. (30) According to a Cornell University study, the amount of grain consumed by animals could feed approximately 800 million hungry people. (31)
Valuable water resources are also squandered for meat production. Produce just ten pounds of steak requires the same amount of water as is used by an average household for an entire year.

I think there are lots of things we could change about the way we humans do things, not just the way we eat. It seems like we're just destroying the planet with all this development and gas/oil/coal use. I'm also for renewable energy sources like wind or solar.

 

[Goldiegirl]

I think that there are just as many rude comments made to us vegetarians from people who eat meat. I have gotten used to hiding meat served to me in my purse under napkins to try and avoid the comments....especially when invited out and don't want to appear rude when I know everything served is going to be meat or meat based. There are those who make a scene about the fact that I don't eat meat, and will announce to our group that I can not partake in the meal they are enjoying and that they had to request a "special" meal just for me. It is embarrasing and rude. I now beg my husband when we are out to not say anything; and have learned to look like I am eating. It's sad that it has gotten to that point.

 

[frostyg02uk]

But really Goldiegirl thats your fault. You shouldnt feel shame in your beliefs or they cant be that strong. When i ate with my vegan friend i was a little embrassed at the trouble he caused the waitress haha but also i found it funny and was impressed at how he had reseached his way of doing things. If i ate out with you i wouldnt be bothered by your ways. When i go to Japan im a fussy eater who practically can eat anything as long as its meat so quite often ill get another order to make up for the things i can eat or if for example we are eating (is it called?) sukiyaki ill get extra something and also share that with everyone.
Life live for you ^-^

 

[Goldiegirl]

I found a completely vegan noodle bowl here in Japan! YAY! It's really good. There is even a little foil package with daikon, potatoes and carrots that you put in at the end...they aren't the dried up kind! I can't read the brand name, but it does say "Weekly Vegetarian" and 1993 Vegetarian Society Japan.

I don't like to made the center of attention to further point out my differences....I am not proud to be a vegetarian, it's just that I can't stand the taste and texture of meat...and especially the smell of fish. It's not for "green" reasons, but taste reasons! Sorry!

 

[KirinMan]

It's not for "green" reasons, but taste reasons! Sorry!

No reason to be sorry at all and I'm glad you found something that your taste buds can be happy with.

I know that if I was a vegetarian I would have no problems being one here that's for sure.

 

[frostyg02uk]

I think in Japan there are alot of nice vegetarian meals to be had. My friend who is a vegan is my Japanese classmate and he always worries about eating in Japan

 

[Goldiegirl]

It is hard though, because it seems like vegetarian means no meat, but that doesn't include fish. My brother-in-law says he's a vegetarian because he doesn't eat beef. He does eat fish. I find that in Japan, fish based soup is often considered vegetarian. I will order a vegetable/tofu soup, but it's fishy. So there are plenty of non-meat items to order, but many are cooked in a fish stock.

 

[frostyg02uk]

Yeah that may be difficult for him. He doesnt even eat chocolate if it has milk in it. i once asked him "so you dont eat egg either?......"
then when i thought about i felt stupid lol

 

[Goldiegirl]

No chocolate I would die... Eggs, well, they are tricky. I don't like them very much as a sole food, but whip them up into cakes or cookies and I'll eat them! Your friend must be a really strict vegan! Do you think he is happy? I know I couldn't be happy with out milk/dairy products!