Is it moral to eat meat? ***Constructive Discussion ONLY***

[NYREDS]

My ancestors didn’t claw their way to the top of the food chain so I could be a vegetarian

 

[chikenlady]

Humans are omnivores and I do eat meat.

If I had to kill and process my own animals...I would be a vegetarian. I find it difficult to kill even a bug! I'm sure some of you are calling me a coward, but that is how I am built!

 

[Crunchie]

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I don't think that the moral issue is in the actual eating of the meat, but the process by which that meat gets to your plate! At least, that's my opinion.

 

[Crunchie]

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Simply because you can make some strong arguments that even if we are omnivores, we have the choice to be vegetarian in most intances with very few (if any) impacts to our health. So, if we could therefore act in a way which would prevent harm, abuse or even 'stress' on animals, why ought we not do it? If it is within my ability to prevent pain to an animal, why not elect to go that route? Even the most humane slaughter has moments of pain and terror to the animal involved.

I mean, I could send you reading for days on end and there are some very strong arguments put forth for vegetarianism. But, at the same time, there are some very good philosophical arguments for eating meat. It's probably one of those decisions you can't see the other side of, though, once you've chosen which side of the fence to step onto.

That's part of why I am a vegetarian. Because I can be, and I can do it and be healthy, so...why not? And that's the route I took. I do believe though that I can also see the other side of it pretty well, though.

It is also very important for me and my family to try and simplify our lives and live more sustainably. So if it ever became difficult to be vegetarian (if it ever became frivolous, when we have 60 acres here on which we could grow animals for meat) I would reconsider eating meat that I raised myself. It would probably have to be an issue of dire need that I decided to do that though, for my above-mentioned spiritual/moral reasons. But as it is, it is very simple and inexpensive for us to eat vegetarian. We do eat eggs from our hens and hopefully (

if they've settled!!) soon I will have goats freshened for milk/yogurt/cheese.

 

[fowltemptress]

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I agree. The only moral issue over eating meat that I can see is how the animal was cared for prior to death, and how it was killed.

 

[NYREDS]

To get more serious I'd have to say the way the origional question is worded is value laden in that it suggests an answer. Why not ask if being vegetarian is moral?
Both are part of the human experience and one can not be considered more moral than another w/o making a value judgement.
Who is one person to tell another that their life decisions are moral or immoral?
Personally I don't care what other people choose to eat or not eat. What does bother me about vegitarians &/or vegans [not real sure of the difference?] is that many of them are so preachy about it as if they believe they are more moral because of what they eat.

 

[mom'sfolly]

I eat meat; mainly because I like it. That being said, I'm trying to opt out of most convential agriculture; I say most because it is nearly impossible to completely opt out. The meat I buy, with few exceptions, is pasture raised and grass fed beef, pork, bison and goat. I eat little chicken now because I cannot afford the prices for the equivelent chicken and I don't have the space for it. I also have a CSA portion for most of my veggies. I'm opting out of most convential agriculture for ethical reasons; literally putting my money where my mouth is. My reasons are varied; but here are some. Most are ethical considerations from my point of view.

I don't like GMO crops; I feel that at this stage it is still underregulated experimentation with humans as the guinea pigs.

I don't like meat that is fed GMO crops

I don't like artifical hormones in my food (dairy rBGH).

I don't think that convential meat raising is good for the animals, or environment. Waste is under-regulated; 20000 pigs produce as much waste as 20000 people but no small city is allowed to release untreated sewage. High intensity meat farming is not nice for animals and cruelty comes in when animals are treated as nothing more than a comodity.

I don't eat farmed fish because most of the farming is very polluting and is harming natural fish populations. Its easier to avoid it all than sort out who is doing it right. And I eat mostly domestic caught wild fish because the US has fairly sane fisheries policy.

I try to eat locally because it uses less resources to get the food to me.

I try to eat mostly organic production because of issues with pesticide residue, and general fossil fuel use. (I tested too many soil samples with DDT, DDD, DDE, chlordane, etc)

I feel that eating meat is something I do because I like it; but I try to mindful of how my food was raised, what I am eating and why. I have many vegetarian friends who don't eat meat for many reasons including religion, cultural, and health reasons, moral abhorance, and genuine dislike of meat. In college, all my friends who kept kosher were vegetarian because it was simply easier. Almost every religion has times when fasting and avoiding meat are called for.

God, I'm verbose....sorry this is so long. Sorry for the spelling too

Meat good!

 

[holliewould]

One thing I decided two months ago is I will never, ever eat meat that I don't rear, or someone I know didn't rear. And not just meat either, all dairy, eggs, etc. Anything animal related. I refuse. I have been starving practically. I ate my first batch of fresh eggs last week I bought from a neighbor. Yea I ate a dozen in two days. COuldn't help it. I ate my first hand raised, home grown chicken today. Nowadays production animals are taken for granted. I mean really, kids don't know what that poor fowl went through to make a nugget. Bar stool nailed to their asses drunks don't know how many birds created that basket of chicken wings. And I won't get started on the larger of meat productions. How can people just not care about a live being? I feel like a Mighty Morphan Power Ranger knowing the animals I raised had quality life. I'm only a hobby farmer as of now, but It will happen. I will someday kiss that animal good bye, I will on my own, HUMANElY put that animal on my dinner table. And I will be most gracious. So, my morals tell me this is the way I must live in order to have a clear conscience. This is a new me. The only thing I regret is not knowing about factory farming long ago. I found this forum because of my new found attitude on life

 

[Titaniumcranium]

Nevermind...

 

[Nick]

I was born in a rural region in Italy and have always eaten meat.
Not much and not very often, but usually in Sunday. We had no such thing as "pets". We had chickens, for meat and for eggs.
We purchased a four week old pig in April and in December we would butcher it and consume every part of it, and I mean "every" part of it, throughout the following year. We had rabbits and we would eat them also. Nothing was wasted. We had one female goat, and we consumed its milk year round. I used to hate my dad when he killed the goats' kids around Easter, but enjoyed every bit if the meat. Yes we ate the brain also, and it was very tasty.
Do I or did I think it was immoral? Absolutely not. It was a necessity.
Presently, I eat meat, fish and poultry.

Would I now eat a goats brain?........Nah.

ps.: my 2 daughters, however, do not eat meat. Go figure.