Some arguments for vegetarianism

[Madhuri]

This reeks of Pascal's Wager... and that's not a good thing.

If it turns out that meat eating is necessary for a person's well being and development, then being vegetarians will indeed cause harm.

I don't think that Rin was saying this. And eating meat is proven to not be necessary if a person has access to the right vegetarian food options.

 

[Madhuri]

I do think about it every time I eat a chicken sandwich. And I realize what a great guy I am, helping to provide job security for the guy that slaughtered the chicken I eat.

She said most people, which is true.
If you were eating tofy instead (just an example) you would then be providing job security to teh guy who helped harvest and distribute the soy.
Not a strong argument.

 

[Poisonshady313]

I don't think that Rin was saying this. And eating meat is proven to not be necessary if a person has access to the right vegetarian food options.

Though it would be hard to get the necessary amount of vitamin B12 without taking some sort of vitamin supplement.

 

[Katzpur]

When people ask me why I am vegetarian, I respond vaguely with something like "for health/environmental reasons". I know that what they are actually asking is something more akin to "Why are you being so stupid?" so I make sure I don't mention anything about morality or I'll just confirm that thought before I've been given a chance to explain myself.

When someone tells me he's a vegetarian "for moral reasons," I am extremely impressed. When he says he's a vegetarian "for health/environmental reasons," I think, "That's nice."

 

[Poisonshady313]

She said most people, which is true.
If you were eating tofy instead (just an example) you would then be providing job security to teh guy who helped harvest and distribute the soy.
Not a strong argument.

Eh. He could be using his time to kill chickens. And I would appreciate that more.

 

[Madhuri]

Though it would be hard to get the necessary amount of vitamin B12 without taking some sort of vitamin supplement.

You may be thinking of vegans. B12 is in dairy products, many fortified foods and vegemite

 

[Katzpur]

My reasons for being vegetarian are entirely based on morality. I see animals as thinking, feeling, conscious individuals with the right to moral consideration. I could not allow myself to be responsible for the suffering and death of an animal. My reasons do not lie in the intellectual capacity of a species, but the experiences of that species. The only time I would kill an animal on purpose is if it is necessary for my own survival.

Okay, it looks like I'm going to have to spread some frubals around before I frubal you again, so I guess you're going to just have to settle for a public compliment. You have my deepest admiration. I wish I had the self-discipline to be a vegetarian. About all I can say is that I make every effort to buy only organic meat and poultry. Someday, perhaps, I'll be as committed as you. I hope I am.

 

[Zephyr]

So if somebody told you that you had to make a choice between uprooting a carrot from the ground or killing a cow it would make no difference to you which was killed?

They are just as holy as each other. If it was for the sake of eating though, I'd probably choose the cow, since a carrot won't feed nearly as many people.

Also vegemite owns and I wish I could find it more easily around here.

 

[Madhuri]

Eh. He could be using his time to kill chickens. And I would appreciate that more.

Chickens are usually very unhealthy because of the food they are given. I remember learnign in science class that eating chicken (especially from KFC) could cause a reduction in sperm count for men. And probably make you grow boobs, but that's just my speculation

 

[Madhuri]

They are just as holy as each other. If it was for the sake of eating though, I'd probably choose the cow, since a carrot won't feed nearly as many people.

Also vegemite owns and I wish I could find it more easily around here.

Wow, you like vegemite? Foreigners never like vegemite! I am very impressed.

 

[Madhuri]

Okay, it looks like I'm going to have to spread some frubals around before I frubal you again, so I guess you're going to just have to settle for a public compliment. You have my deepest admiration. I wish I had the self-discipline to be a vegetarian. About all I can say is that I make every effort to buy only organic meat and poultry. Someday, perhaps, I'll be as committed as you. I hope I am.

I was lucky to be born into a vegetarian family so I have never desired meat. If anything I am quite repulsed by it.
I try not to judge meat eaters for their choice because if I was told to give up something I loved it would be very difficult.

 

[Zephyr]

Wow, you like vegemite? Foreigners never like vegemite! I am very impressed.

You kiddin? I LOVE the stuff, especially on toast. But yeah, I don't really know anybody else who likes it very much, which makes it hell to find around here

 

[Madhuri]

You kiddin? I LOVE the stuff, especially on toast. But yeah, I don't really know anybody else who likes it very much, which makes it hell to find around here

Hahaha, when I was in America last yer I brought vegemite with me. My boyfriend's brother saw it in the fridge and assumed it was chocolate. He took a big spoonfull. Eek!
T'was hilarious.

 

[Harmonious]

Chickens are usually very unhealthy because of the food they are given. I remember learnign in science class that eating chicken (especially from KFC) could cause a reduction in sperm count for men. And probably make you grow boobs, but that's just my speculation

Chickens can be raised in healthy environments and fed foods that are healthy for them, and in turn, are healthy for the humans who eat them.

Animals raised to be kosher are monitored to make sure they are healthy and comfortable during their lives, short as they will be. The care that goes into each animal, and the time and effort each animal takes to be processed is why kosher meat costs more than non-kosher meat.

I haven't eaten at KFC in over 22 years. (I wasn't always Orthodox, you see.)

 

[whereismynotecard]

I was a vegetarian for a while, and I understand what you are saying about feeling bad for making animals die, but if you think about it, all of the organisms (or a lot of them) on this earth eat each other. Plants grow in the rotting corpses of some animals, other animals eat plants, and some animals eat those animals. We are all just eating whatever living organism we need to in order to survive, and plants are living too. Shouldn't we feel bad for eating them too? Don't plants have a right to live?

I don't believe anything is moral or immoral. I don't think murdering animals for fun is nice in my own opinion, but I like chicken too much to stop eating it again. I do eat a lot less meat than some people do though, if that makes you feel any better.

 

[whereismynotecard]

Chickens are usually very unhealthy because of the food they are given. I remember learnign in science class that eating chicken (especially from KFC) could cause a reduction in sperm count for men. And probably make you grow boobs, but that's just my speculation

I worked at KFC for 2 years, and I ate it all the time. I have no fewer sperm than I had when I started working there, and my boobs are the same relative size.

 

[Madhuri]

I was a vegetarian for a while, and I understand what you are saying about feeling bad for making animals die, but if you think about it, all of the organisms (or a lot of them) on this earth eat each other. Plants grow in the rotting corpses of some animals, other animals eat plants, and some animals eat those animals. We are all just eating whatever living organism we need to in order to survive, and plants are living too. Shouldn't we feel bad for eating them too? Don't plants have a right to live?

It is true that living creatures are constantly suffering and being killed. I understand that it is part of the nature of this planet. That doesn't mean I like it. After all, it is perfectly natural for people to kill each other as well. The reason it doesn't happen more often is due to laws and a sense of morality that is culturally dictated. That doesn't make it nice or good or preferable.

The point of all this is -suffering-. Do we care about the suffering that goes on in the world? I think that most people care to some extent. After all, we dislike abuse directed at other human beings. A vegetarian is simply extending that consideration to other animal species because we feel that they are not so different from humans in their perception of pain. Plants are important as well, to an extent. But I really doubt that they suffer as much as animals.
So really, the effort is to minimise pain and suffering. Because eating meat it not essential to the human diet, we know that we can help minimise suffering in that regard. But we do need plant life to be healthy/alive and fortunately so we cannot do much for their sake.

 

[Madhuri]

I worked at KFC for 2 years, and I ate it all the time. I have no fewer sperm than I had when I started working there, and my boobs are the same relative size.

No man boobs? Too bad, those can be very sexy
I think the study was showing the possibility of long term effects. I don't know how accurate it is. But there seems to be similar studies indicating that a large consumption of soy products has a similar affect for the same reasons (hormones) though when you look at the societies that consumer the greatest amount of soy products (ie/China) they just happen to have incredibly large populations.

 

[whereismynotecard]

No man boobs? Too bad, those can be very sexy
I think the study was showing the possibility of long term effects. I don't know how accurate it is. But there seems to be similar studies indicating that a large consumption of soy products has a similar affect for the same reasons (hormones) though when you look at the societies that consumer the greatest amount of soy products (ie/China) they just happen to have incredibly large populations.

Well, I have woman boobs. And my sperm count wasn't altered because I started off without any.

 

[Madhuri]

Chickens can be raised in healthy environments and fed foods that are healthy for them, and in turn, are healthy for the humans who eat them.

Animals raised to be kosher are monitored to make sure they are healthy and comfortable during their lives, short as they will be. The care that goes into each animal, and the time and effort each animal takes to be processed is why kosher meat costs more than non-kosher meat.

I haven't eaten at KFC in over 22 years. (I wasn't always Orthodox, you see.)

I definitely respect the Jewish intentions.
But I still could not personally contribute to animal slaughter. I love animals too much. I tend to feel some maternal instinct toward animals and the idea of them having to suffer at all makes me feel aweful.