Why Vegetarian?

I am doing a little personal studies on various subjects (be prepared for other posts like this in the future) and I would like to know, why become vegetarian? Is it for health reasons, moral reasons, religious reasons, or don't like the taste or texture?

 

It's purely moral for me (I still LOVE a good steak or some fish and chips). I just decided to commit myself to it a few weeks ago (thanks to really eye-opening trip ), even though I believed it wrong for years.

It's pretty simple, if you believe it's wrong to cause another human to suffer or to die, then you really have to believe the same for animals in order to be consistent. There's really no difference between human animals and other animals that justifies making that kind of disctinction.

And then there's just plain compassion and empathy on top of that.

I also think that if you're a vegetarian for moral reasons you really do need to go the extra step and go at vegan/ free range, avoid wearing leather, etc. if you're going to be consistent. Not eating meat is a good first step, though.

 

really theres a million reasons
but the entire subject of meat disgusts me
meat is not meant to be eatten by humans..
animals are slaughtered my the mullions..needlessly
i think the turning point for me was when a housemate..in a crazy house...was chasin our pet rabit around sayin he was gonna eat it..& said theres no difference between an animal we call a pet & 1 thats aboiut tobe dinner..& i thought..hmm thats true..how can ieat 1 animal yet claim to care for another..

but the longer iavouded meat the more reasons ireaized for never going back...& yea probly got over a million now

but theres really only 1...meat is disgusting..the entire concept...

 

1. Animal Rights. If someone did to a kitten what they do in slaughterhouses they'd be charged for animal cruelty.
2. Religious reasons. I'm a Latter-day Saint (Mormon) and we have what's called the Word of Wisdom. It says in there to eat meat sparingly, which I did before I became veggie anyway. Then my dad was reading the Old Testament a few months ago and found a verse (he didn't tell me which one) that said it is a sin to harm animals for unnecessary reasons. With all the vitamins and foods with protein there are, you don't have to depend on a dead animal's carcass for protein.
3. Health reasons. I don't want cancer or heart problems and I was sick of getting stomach cramps and (warning TMI!) fissures any time I ate meat (even just a little bit!).
4. Economics. Meat is expensive! Who needs a $20 steak when you can buy seeds for all your favourite veggies for $5 and have your own garden (which pretty much pays itself off!)?
5. I don't know what you'd call this, but I read that if more people stopped eating meat, the world wouldn't starve because they could use the land that cows graze in to plant vegetables.

I also don't wear fur or leather, or eat eggs.

 

The real question is....

Why eat meat?

 

That's basically what I tell other people when they give me that look as if I'm from another planet. "Why would you be a vegetarian?" I tell them, "Why not be vegetarian?" They don't get it.

 

LOL they sure don't.

 

I become a vegetarian at first for two reasons. One was that I started doing yoga, but if I came home, ate dinner, and then tried to do yoga I couldn't because I felt too bloated and lazy from eating a meal containing meat. I noticed that I did not have this problem the times I didn't eat meat so I started cutting meat out of my diet. Second is that I did some research and found that a healthy vegetarian/vegan diet could greatly increase your health while decreasing your chances of developing high blood pressure, heart disease and diabetes, all of which relatives have developed and I wish to avoid. That was when I stopped eating meat and from there my reasons to stay vegetarian and strive for vegan have increased to ethical and spiritual reasons as well.

I was looking at some books on amazon.com yesterday about this very subject. They are about how the Old Testament actually points to a vegetarian diet as ideal and says that we should not harm animals unnecessarily. They had good reviews. Do a search if you are interested in reading about this.

 

I started out for health reasons (high cholesterol). Then, reading about factory farming- how the animals are mistreated and the nasty things that go on there and when the animals are butchered- ugh- it really turned by stomach to the point that I no longer had any desire for any meat.

 

The Christian Vegetarian Association has a website, www.christianveg.com that provides some biblical references and support for vegetarianism.

There's also some recipes there.

 

It tastes good, it's a good source of protien, and it gives you plenty of strength.

The Old Testament also points more towards eating meat, and I say that because it states that animals were given to us for food. It was said that God gave us animals to eat and to benefit from them. So, kinda nullifies the christian veg...

 

I don't think it tastes good...you can get enough protein through eating vegetables (in fact, America consumes 45% TOO MUCH protein in their diet)...and as far as strength goes...I'm just as strong as a girl who eats meat...if not MORE and healthier because of it.

Since I don't believe in religion or the bible...your point about God is moot.

 

I never said the Bible says specifically "you must eat meat" or "eating meat is a sin". I said there is a verse that says killing animals for unnecessary reasons is a sin. Some people kill animals as means of survival (food). I personally feel that I can get my protein and vitamins other ways than harming an animal.

 

It just occured to me one day that 'yeah, why the hell am I doing this?'. Eating meat, or rather suppourting the meat industry, defies every value I hold dear and consider 'logic'. After all I have no wish or need to kill an animal, so why be a hypocritical coward by paying someone to do it for me.
Those would be 'philosophical reasons' I suppose. Partly 'animal rights', but it goes way beyond that.
Have held that view for many years, but it took a while to find my moment. Knowing that it was perfectly possible to thrive without it. So I just quit one day, suprisingly simple. After almost four years I still have no reason to start up again, hence my not doing so.

***
Though I have a policy of 'don't feed the trolls' I shall provide a response ...

That's a matter of personally opinion
As an omni even the meats I enjoyed were way down my list of favourite foods, and I hated far more meats products than I did like. So no great loss there.

As are plenty of other foods, it's very rare to find someone in the developed world who truly cannot survive without meat.

If anything I am far stronger now than before; emotionally/mentally that is. Physically it's about the same, but then I'm not a weight lifter.

Well it 'points to' a lot of things; slavery, stoning, incest, the first four commandments etc ... but I'm doing alright without them too.

Well that's rather nifty ... it's like there's nothing people can't mainpulate that book into justifying. Even the bits that contradict the others bits (I don't recall commandment 6 having small print, i.e 'unless of course they're abortionists/Muslims/whoever's pissing you off this week')
I personally prefer to think for myself and not use religion as crutch, but hey free world.

Sure ... and I suppose your God said that must be done to disgusting excess, whilst torturing them all their miserable lives.

No, not really. It isn't exactly detering the 'heathen' veg either.

 

i don't care what a fictional book says why we should eat meat. I don't eat meat because it weighs me down, i don't like the taste, the chemicals they put into it, and i don't like the idea of overpowering another animal to satisfy my hunger when i can clearly eat other non-meat products.

 

I'm proud to be a vegetarian. Why am I one? Because, A.) They way they kill animals... it's barbaric! 2.) I care for animals, ANIMAL RIGHTS! Why should I eat an animal when I care for domesticaed ones? Is that some weird sort of predujice on animals or something? 3.) I'm not poor and starving, I dont waste food, I dont waste animals.

 

I'm a proud vegetarian of three years and i love this lifestyle my main reason is because i like to think that people are on the earth to take care of it and one of the most important ways i feel is through vegetarianism. so cheers to all you other beautiful vegetarians!

 

For me it's primarily economic. Health is a secondary factor. I raise hens and feel that I provide them with a safe and healthy environment so I certainly do not subscribe to the notion of animal husbandry as cruel.