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

[meriruka]

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Good point! To add to that, driving cars kills animals, cutting down timber....there's tons of things we humans do that harm other creatures. I used to feel "What's the point, I'm only one person and I really can't make a difference." But now, when I go to a (always packed) Whole Foods Store, or give eggs to my neighbors (who like mine better than store-bought) or meet with people who rescue animals, I see more and more people who care about their health, the environment and treatment of animals. So I'll keep on with my tiny contribution....

 

[Pitchfork]

This is a great thread but I don't think you can get to what is moral in todays world with out defining moral. That is a problem that the modern world is having. Does morality come from some higher authority or is it something that each individual decides for themselves. If morality is decided at the human level then for some folks I guess cold blooded murder of other humans is moral if they say it is.
Someone mentioned American Indians. They were a warrior society almost exclusively and killing every living member of an enemy tribe including women and childern was considered moral to them and indeed honorable. Go back far enough in western european culture and you find the same thing. Morality evolves, and western morality has evolved following the Judeo-Christian culture to a higher and higher level of non violence and respect for every living thing, with the most important in the chain being the human being. You need only look at the feelings of most in the West to the deaths in Iraq. We are, as a nation, saddened by the loss of 4 thousand soldiers and yet the people of other cultures think nothing of hundreds of thousands dying for ethnic cleansing. Recently I watched a documentary on a civil war in Africa and opposing sides believed that if they raped all the women from the enemy that they could, including very young girls it would give them a spiritual power over their enemies. Consequently women were being raped all over the country by both sides. We are told not to judge other cultures and too many times we go along with that nonsense because it sounds so nice. The world does not play nice.
I am not an overly religious person but the longer I live the more I see the tremendous asset a strong religious belief is to a nation and even to the world because with out it, it really is anything goes.
So if enough people say eating meat is immoral then they can put you away for doing it, just as if enough people say rape is moral then women can be raped indiscrimanetly.
Just food for thought.
Mike

 

[patandchickens]

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I think that this is a really good way of putting it.

We each have different ideas of what "my own tiny contribution" is, whether it's being vegan, or eating only humanely-raised animals, or ordering the regular- instead of double-Whopper at Burger King, or whatever.

Every little something is *something*. And heck, we're all 'works in progress'

Pat

 

[patandchickens]

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Although then you just run headfirst into the next problem, that being the DIVERSITY of strong religious beliefs in the world, and the fact that they don't all agree on things like whether to eat meat...

Pat

 

[chickenannie]

We all have differing nutritional needs and react differently to various foods, too. One person might do well eating meat, someone else may be healthier on a vegetarian diet.

 

[chcknrs]

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Why would it be closed? People are stating opinions, but not mudslinging. It is interesting to see all the different opinions, and the respect people are showing each other even though they have different opinions.

It just shows that we CAN have different opinions, express them, and still get along! I think this was also an experiment on Loren's (Greyfield's) part

 

[mom'sfolly]

Yep, we all try to do our little something. Its all the little somethings that add up.

 

[Guitartists]

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I know, I lie awake many nights ..... and I feel helpless.

 

[jjthink]

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Someday, if humans evolve enough, the collective consciousness (instead of just the relative few) will realize that our species does not have exclusivity over the traits currently usually attributed only to humans. We have not cornered the market on these things. I have watched and read of tremendous generosity on the part of many a non-human being toward another, at their own expense - many selfless acts (that could teach humans a lot!). I have seen and read of tremendous grief suffered by nonhumans at the loss of their friends or mates. I have seen and read of many nonhuman beings worrying, planning, and having genuine terror and sorting out the most sensible course of action in often complex situations.

We simply cannot speak authoritatively for other species. There is so much we don't yet understand about how they think and what they know and how they communicate. For a very long time, humans thought giraffes were silent, devoid of language. Recently a researcher found that giraffes have incredibly sophisticated language that takes place on a frequency HUMANS CANNOT HEAR - giraffes can communicate when separated by long distances, a mile and more. There is much going on that we do not have the capacity to readily pick up on but that doesn't mean it's not going on. We are one of countless extraordinary species.
JJ

 

[Pupsnpullets]

I love this thread ... very thought provoking.

I'm a meat eater. I simply don't do well without meat, healthwise, and yet I cannot tolerate the way animals are treated commercially. For me this has evolved into a system that works for me: I will only eat naturally raised meat from small farmers. This, however, is extremely costly as I don't have 'the Donald's' deep pockets, so I only eat small amounts and not all the time.

Someone raised an excellent point, BasenjiFan, I think, about the rare and heritage breeds need people to buy their meat or they may not be around much longer. Hadn't thought of that - but once again, the budget dictates how much I eat.

Barb

edited for spelling