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

[Carolina Chicken Man]

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I don't think you're rich enough!

"Under the $300 billion farm bill passed by congress last week and sitting on President Bush's desk, farmers who produce corn, barley, oats, cotton, rice, soybean and other crops can make upt to $1million a year, adjusted gross income, and still get a government check. That limit drops to $750,000 for the 2010 crop year. If a farmer participates in the conservation program, he or she can make up to--sit down for this one--$2.5 million" Rick Martinez ,The News and Observer

 

[greyfields]

I think comparing the eating of meat and consequences on poverty is a little off track here. Unless, of course, you want to come out and say you are a vegetarian or omnivore to end world poverty.

I'd like to see that argument laid out... but, let's stay on topic for now.

 

[scrapmom5]

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I agree...we either need to be rid of subsidized farming or come up with a better plan. Why are we paying farmers for NOT farming. I have never understood this concept. Farmers want to farm and sell their wares. consumers would like to buy said wares at fare prices. If we are growing too much food, let's share with impoverished countries (the gov't can pay the farmers for this act).

 

[Carolina Chicken Man]

Just replying to an earlier statement that not eating animals could ease world hunger. It won't.

 

[Timmo]

I'm not sure that civilization would have gotten very far without animal husbandry, and the byproduct of animal husbandry has always been plenty of surplus meat at just the right times of the year, when other food sources went scarce. It all works so well together, it's almost perfect. Until fairly recently a farm simply had to have animals or nothing would have been grown at all. For instance, the pig was probably the most important animal on any farm, anywhere in the world for the past few thousand years. It ate absoulty anything you could feed it, rooted around in the soil with its snout constantly keeping it tilled, fertilized that same soil with its dung, all the while providing meat when needed. Much could be said about keeping sheep and cows in the past as well...meat, milk, wool, leather, oxen as beasts of burden...etc.

Eating meat and civilization have gone hand-in-hand since civilization began. I guess you have to take one with the other. Today a person certainly can choose to not eat meat, but it shouldn't be thought of as immoral. Animal meat from self-sufficient farms has been the fuel of the civilized world.

Where would we be without meat? Or the animals that provide it?

Just my 2 cents...

 

[miss_thenorth]

Being a meat eater was not a 'decision'--so to speak, at first. I was raised eating meat--It was a no brainer.

When my hubby and i first started out, money was tight, so I started experimenting with meatless meals. We still eat meatless meals occasionally. I'll get back to this in a moment.

Having a 'hobby' farm has always been a dream of mine--one that is now coming true. But up until now, I knew of the conditions of commercial meat operations, but still 'chose' to eat meat. But doing so made me want to live my dream out even more. If I couldn't raise my own animals, I would still eat meat. And yes, I would eat the meat that the grocery stores have on sale. (Money is always an issue for me.), and i would eat it without conscience.

Do I like how animals are treated in commercial operations? No, but the reason 'they' exist is because of supply and demand. With industrialization, not everybody could or would produce their own food. T hey(we) had to get their (our) food somewhere and of course(we) had to have it the cheapest.

Now, as with most things in 'big business' ppl find things to complain about. Too much pollution, chopping down forests, commercial meat production, GM foods, it will never end. And we as humans will continually make stupid choices 'for the betterment of society', until hindsight sets in (yeah--lead in paint wasn't such a good idea etc)

Our family hunts, and some ppl find that immoral. We are Christians, some ppl take offense to that., but I have permission from My God, to eat meat. To each their own. I will never condemn anyone for their choices--of religion, of whether or not they eat meat. I just know that I, with a clear conscience, eat meat, will continue to eat meat, and will feed my family meat. If i didn't enjoy the 'hobby farm' life, I would eat meat that I didn't raise myself.

Oh, and does vitamin B12 come from plants? It is extremely important to the human body, and unless I am wrong, it can only be obtained from meat.

Following up on the 'meatless' meals I made--and we only ate meatless 2 or 3 times a week, i developed B12 anemia.--to the extent where it did a little damage. I thought I was ok, since we still were eating meat. and supplementing with vitamins. turns out my body can't absorb the vitamins in pill form. Guess what my doctor told me to do? That's right--eat meat--lots of red meat.

I gues my point is--its not a moral issue for me. I eat it b/c we can, b/c we were made to (our teeth and digestive system), and b/c my God told me I can. I eat it b/c I like it., and b/c my doctor told me to. That being said--I do like it better that I can eat the meat that I grow. myself. But I would still eat it if I had to buy it from the grocery store on sale.

i think the only thing that makes me is honest.

Disclaimer: no offense was meant to anyone by any of my statements. Jus tpassing along my point of view.

 

[warcard]

Excellent posts timmo & miss_thenorth.

Reason I became an engineer, because I can't put words on paper like you two

 

[eggzettera]

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I know I am not supposed to question mod's but couldn't help but think it's funny...

 

[miss_thenorth]

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Thanks, I'm not known for being eloquent, however, my dh is an engineer also, and he is extremely good with words. We are all created differently

 

[estpr13]

Good thought Timmo!

We, like all animals will eventually die. Our bodies have a self defence against profound suffering, called shock. When in a state of shock, one can suffer an injury and block out the pain for a while. Until death... or escape. It doesn't always work. When I kill an animal, I take pains to make it quick and sure. So that shock isn't needed.
Cruelty in slaughter houses I feel comes from an inability to be comfortable with death.
God isn't afraid of death, so why should we? (Well I guess you have to be on good terms with her!)
"Thou shall not kill" is a King James translation which lacked a good understanding of the Greek. A better understanding is "you shouldn't murder."
It doesn't apply to animals since there are Kosher laws applying to animals in Leviticus.
Good dialogue you all!