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

[kstaven]

Quote:
Intruiging statement... can something be truly ethical to one person but not another?

I think so.

But, that would be a point of dispute amongst many.

Are you and elderoo related by some chance?

 

[talos321]

I choose to eat meat because I like variety and having meat and veggies makes that more of a possibility. Also I think it is more healthy to have some meat because we are Omnivores.

I tried the vegetarian thing once and many of the products supposedly to take the place of meat made me sick to my stomach. Many flu like symptoms and weakness.


Raising chickens gave me more respect for the animals that do provide food and sustenance. It's different watching an animal grow to maturity and used for food than to have it just thrown on the plate at a restaurant.

 

[jjthink]

I've been a vegetarian since I was a young teenager. And that was - ahem - decades ago. I am a vegetarian basically because I can survive without harming another. It isn't always easy - as I remember that meat can taste good! - but it's been a choice not to impact another for my own benefit. A choice that rests more easily with me than any other choice. For me.

My wish for the people on the planet who do eat meat is simply that they would only do so from animals humanely raised and killed. Animals that preferably got to live a decent percentage of what should be a normal life span for that species (it is painful to see the genetically engineered birds that blow up in 4 weeks time, unable to walk). I do not think it is moral for humans to eat meat that is inhumanely raised or killed, simply because they can or because it's easier or because it's cheaper. Top of the food chain or not (there are many different food chains so it's not quite that simple) it is not a license to act irresponsibly. But has been interpreted as such by a critical majority.

BYC has so many wonderful people who are dedicated to humane treatment of that which they eat - about that I am quite glad.

That about sums it up.
JJ

 

[DarkUnicorn]

Wow... I know of no other place where a conversation such as this can stay civilized with everyone's opinion respected...Wow!

My one uncle used to raise dairy cows and some beef. I remember clearly going to the farm to get "real" milk.. I remember how picky he was about keeping this as clean as possible. Cows are unfortunately messy...

I went with my boyfriend on several dairy runs (he's one of the tanker drivers that goes from farm to farm) and wow was I shocked!!!! All small farms but some were... well... GROSS!

There is only about 3 I'll drink the milk from. But I get a treat once in a while from the last farm.. Just a bit of "Real" milk, my boys are addicted to it and we split a glass 3 ways...

If people only knew...

But I've noticed that small family farms can be just as bad as a large operation about chasing the dollar, sometimes worse. The farmer on the small farm often doesn't have the help. The kids have all moved away or just have no interest in the hard life on a farm for little pay.

I have had to opportunity to take my boys to some of the better farms thru my boyfriend. They have learned to respect what the farmers do. I think the farmers get a kick out of it too!

I can't wait for my chicks, my boys can't wait. I'm hoping that this nd the love of gardening will stick.

I do eat meat so do my boys. I've always disliked the way the bulk processed farms work. Just watched dirty jobs with the turkeys on Monday and I was so sadened. Those birds can't breed naturally. But even those "breeders" didn't seem to care about the birds that are thier responsinbilty.


Yuck.

 

[mommy9994]

mommy9994 wrote:
as a Christian, I look to the Bible for my sense of morality. While meat was not eaten before the Flood, God told Noah after the Flood that he could eat the meat of clean animals.

Actually, you need to go read that again. According to your bible, Adam and Eve consumed meat..​

hmmm, I did infact reread Genesis chapters 3-11. Could you tell me where you found that Adam and Eve consumed meat? I may have missed somethig. In my reading, animals were used for clothing and sacrifice to The Lord, but not until Genesis 9:3 does The Lord say (to Noah) "Everything that lives and moves will be food for you. Just as I gave you the green plants, I now give you everything." Indicating that animals were previously not food.​

 

[HorseFeathers]

Quote:
Why thank you!

 

[Davaroo]

Is it moral to eat meat?
Yes. You are the top of the food chain - you set the rules.

 

[VeganChick]

On top of the food chain - you set the rules....

200 years ago that was said about slavery - 150 years ago women and children were the choice under-dog.... I wouldn't not agree that just because something has been - that it is not in need of re-thinking - that's progress....

Someone here made mention of spiritual justifications for killing animals - Essene Gospel of Peace - if you are going to quote a "god-like mandate to kill (or not kill) animals" says: "But I do say to you: Kill neither men, nor beasts, nor yet the food which goes into your mouth. For if you eat living food, the same will quicken you, but if you kill your food, the dead food will kill you also. For life comes only from life, and from death comes always death. For everything which kills your foods, kills your bodies also. And everything which kills your bodies kills your souls also." Also, the King James version: "Behold I have given you every herb bearing seed and fruit yielding tree - for you it shall be meat".

So, if your searching for biblical or spiritual indicators of what is or isn't "okay" to do with animals - I suppose one is inclined to believe what their heart tells them - For me, I believe God (or whatever devine power) is pleased with all creation - and would wish harm to none. I certainly can't grasp a "devine spirit" who would condone the needless suffering of a certain segment of animals for "food" that isn't necessary and certainly isn't physically healthy.

And in case you haven't heard the buzz: Oprah is going on a 21 day Vegan Diet..... there is an interesting (and predictable thread on her site about "Should we eat animals?"

http://www.oprah.com/community/thread/65879?tstart=0

“Spiritual progress does demand at some stage that we should cease to kill our fellow creatures for the satisfaction of our bodily wants.” -Gandhi​

 

[patandchickens]

Greyfields, if the following does not fall sufficiently well within your 'no arguing with each other' guidelines then feel free to remove

I am NOT in fact trying to argue, here, just wanted to make an observation:

On the face of it, it sounds pretty natural and reasonable to say that eating meat is perfectly ok because, hey, humans are descended from a line of omnivorous critters that eat meat when they can, and we have teeth that are well-adapted for biting off pieces of meat, and people have eaten meat throughout human history.

However, what happens when you substitute other, equivalent terms in there:

"Killing people is perfectly ok, because hey, humans are descended from a line of critters that will kill each other when they feel like it, and we have hands that are well-adapted for swinging a heavy club or stabbing with a knife, and certainly people have been killing each other throughout human history."

Hm?

I think it's awfully hard to successfully argue that just because we CAN do something, and just because there is historical or evolutionary precedent for it, then of course it must be totally ok. I think it becomes clear from this exercise (unless you actually buy my second statement up there, and if you do, please do not live anywhere near me

), I think it becomes clear that there are other things that have to be taken into consideration.

Just sayin',

Pat

 

[Half-a-dozen]

Quote:
That's b/c everyone is so great here!!!!

I eat meat...

I think in moderation (as a balanced diet) like anything else is good for you.