This might seem like a ridiculous question to many of you who are still ridiculed or misunderstood for being a vegetarian, but I believe it is a distinct possibility. We have all become vegetarians/vegans for a variety of reasons. For some it is because you can no longer eat fellow sentient beings; others cannot deal with the system of bringing animals to slaughter in this country or the treatment of animals in the process of providing human food; others still have health reasons for making this switch. My partner has a kidney disease and her nephrologist recommended an immediate change to a vegetarian diet. His exact words were “animal protein is toxic to our kidneys”. But regardless of why we are vegetarians/vegans we are usually surrounded in our lives by carnivores. Most carnivores do not understand at all the concept of not eating animal flesh regardless of the reasoning. When you do engage carnivores in this discussion they almost always turn to the argument that the “human animal”, being at the top of the food chain, needs to eat meat to survive. It is not healthy for humans to only eat vegetation. We are not omnivores they will say. We are carnivores. Well I will give them the argument that we have been carnivores. But I am not willing to surrender the future to the carnivores. Yes as we came through the evolutionary continuum to be who we are today, eating the flesh of our fellow beings was essential to our survival. However I would maintain that it is no longer. Protein is essential to the survival of the human race, but animal protein is not. I would suggest that we as a species have evolved to the point where we not only can survive on vegetable protein, but we can thrive. Soy protein in particular provides us with all the nutrients we need or could get from animal protein. The production of soy into a wide variety of vegetable proteins means you can have a great tasting no meat burgers, corn dogs, hot dogs, chicken, fried chicken, turkey; even a soy based corned beef that you can make into an incredible Reuben. The capacity to provide the world with 100% vegetable protein that tastes good and contains the nutrients we need is here today. It is not a matter of whether we have evolved physically and creatively enough to stop eating other sentient beings. It is a matter of social and political will. It is a matter of education. Certainly I am not suggesting it is an easy evolution on the cultural and political level, just that it is possible. A great spiritual and religious leader understood this as well as The Buddha’s message to the modern world about meat is simple:” Don’t eat it”. |
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CategoriesA Genesis Story - unity of creationAnimal Communication and Mainstream Religion Ethics Learning Animal Communication Origins
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