Vegetarianism

[Anathema]

I'm giving serious thought to becoming a vegetarian.

Prime reason is that I don't think cattle is treated properly by the bio industry, and though animals are not equal to humans IMO I think we should be above treating animals like that.

Second reason is that eating meat is a waste- the amount of grain required to raise a cow for slaughter could be used to feed many more people then the produced meat would, and in a world where millions die of starvation it doesn't seem right to eat meat on a regular basis.

I think I'll still eat meat on rare occasions, for example when I'm dining at someone elses place and I don't want to be of any trouble to the cook.

So what do people around here think about eating meat? Any vegetarians around here?

[Andrew]

Eating meat is ok. We are at the top of the food chain, therefore we can eat what we desire.

It is natural to eat meat. The animals are probably not treated fairly in situations. Meat is good for you. ;)

Vegetarianism is ok.

[GhostHunter]

You do bring up some good points but as Andrews said, we're the head of the food chain. I mean, we use to chase animals down with sticks and sometimes battle them but we eventually won...And about the grain thing, I agree but will it be used to feed people? No. Would ot be used to feed people even if it wasn't needed for cattle? No, we'd find some other purpose for it.

[bryorama]

I know alot of vegetarians.. I don't plan on being one :-X My friends don't think it is a good idea eating meat because of mad cow disease..

[Acriku]

How can you relatively stop eating meat because of how the meat's original owner is treated? So what if they are treated badly -- regulate how they are treated. Doesn't mean you should stop eating meat, as if that is going to do any good to the animals' situation of mistreatment. No, you continue to eat what you like, to maintain a healthy balance of your food groups. Whether you eat meat or not, the cows are still treated like crap, and people still sell the meat.

[Egeides]

In general, we eat way too much meat to be optimally healthy. Do you believe fish are not treated well? A maximum of 3 meals/weak should optimally be fish if I remember well. Anyway, don't take meat out just like that: your health is dependant on what meat brings and if you stop eating meat without FIRST knowing how to replace it (which is hard), you may just handicap your body. Weat and vegetables do not bring the same elements as meat.

Anyway, all the above is the answer I got when I asked a doctor.

[Mahdi]

Meat is good. I love meat.

[Caid Ivik]

Vegetarianism? That's a suicide! My sister had such weird idea and she is now even more aggressive. Meat is the best source of proteins - not saying about its usually perfect taste!

[Inoculator9]

Nuker, do it now! Vegetarianism is the way to go! Good karma, good everything, and you don't have to say "Darn, I got cow blood on my shirt!" Also imagine, if you will, some hick driving a huge hammer into a cow's head :( It's a disgusting practice!

[Egeides]

"its usually perfect taste" -> meato-nationalism? It's not a moral argument ;)

"Darn, I got cow blood on my shirt!" -> You're making a certain parallel with killing a human and bringing your conclusion, but could you bring your arguments about why killing animals is bad?

Let's not get into the "don't kill seals, they're to cute" argument. It's not about emotions, it's about rationality: about what is RIGHT. If we don't kill a damn seal, they'll just kill I don't know how many fishes. But you know, they aren't as cute so we don't care...

[Acriku]

I make mine well-done, or medium, Inoc, so no bloodspatter is happening on me :P

[Khan]

It's best when cooked extra rare. :D

[nemafakei]

"My friends don't think it is a good idea eating meat because of mad cow disease..."

It has often been teported here that you have more chance of winning the National Lottery (here 1 in 14,000,000) than of getting vCJD from a properly-cooked T-bone steak (proscribed here for a few months).

Note also, interestingly, that for most of the duration of the extended French ban on British Beef, French beef was more dangerous to eat, since though we had more BSE cases, they had worse preparation restrictions.

So long as you cook it properly, and you don't eat it in excessive portions, the health risk is miniscule. There are alternatives, but unless you like them, and are well-informed about the necessary supplements, it's more practical to stay with meat.

One thing, though: Don't try to be a vegetarian if you're also on an Atkins diet.

[Dunenewt]

One thing, though: Don't try to be a vegetarian if you're also on an Atkins diet.

lol That would be starvation almost and very unhealthy

[bryorama]

I know, meat is sooo cool.. I love meat.. I couldn't live without it!! :P

[exatreide]

What about the conditions corn goes through? grown next to each other, geneticly engineerd for slaughter, sprayed with chemicals and other deadly toxins.

The only difference is we dont hear them scream. Vegitariens are hypocrits who cry like kittens when they hear about cows suffering but when any one points out how horrible plants are treated that are being grown they simply ignor it.

I love 32 ounce t bones rare with lots of salt....making me drool.

[SurlyPIG]

Live whatever way you feel is right. Consider what humanity has done in the past, where we've come from, and where we are now, and decide if you think it's good/ok/bad for you to eat meat. I wouldn't put too much weight in the advice of some of these knuckleheads ( ;) ), just think about it and trust in your decision.

If you do decide to go veggie, I have a few tips (both my girlfriend and best friend are vegetarian). First, you still need the protein that you won't be getting from meats. You're going to have to make three new friends; tofu, soy, and whey. I'll assume you're at least a little familiar with tofu and soy, but whey is essentially protein in a powder. I reccomend it in shakes with strawberries or something mixed in. Second, keep up with the dairy. It's REALLY hard to get enough dairy if you're vegan, but if you're only veggie you should be fine. Third, familiarize yourself with where you can find these kinds of specialty foods and get to know what you're buying in and out. I'd also reccomend some kind of a vegetarian cook book, or something of the sort (you could probably actually find good recepies online if you look). Last, make sure you're actually a vegetable-eating vegetarian. I've known a few vegetarians that essentially eat grain, milk, and some fruit in the side. If you get into a caloric surplus, that kind of a diet makes you pack on the pounds quite quickly. Vegetables are great for you. Vegetables noever did anything bad to anyone. Even people who are on an Atkins style diet should eat all the vegetables they want (oh, and like Nema said, an Atkins-type diet is essentially impossible as a vegetarian, even if you can get enough protein you wont be able to get the different fats you'll need for that kind of diet)

Oh, one last thing. Given what I know of you and what you've said in this thread, I'm sure this would never be a problem for you but I'll say it anyway; don't be on a cruscade. Some vegetarians are a little too quick to judge and they give the nice veggies a bad rep.

Oh, and if your beliefs will allow you to eat eggs (I know veggies that do and veggies that don't), do so, as veggies often have trouble with breakfast. You can eat the whites every day, but only eat the yolks about 20% of the time as to avoid overdoing the cholesterol. They're a good source of the good types of fats you'll be lacking in. (if you go veggie, that is)

Decide well.

[alchemi2]

I say save the cows. eat the sheep or better still pigs.

Pork is by far the best mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

Dont u just hate the barbaric way they bedhead lettuces or cabbages. of course u need to wire them up to hear the screams.

The moral arguements always make me laugh Fauna gets all the sympathy. flora is just as aware but not as vocal. they can sense their enviroment and must be aware of it, why else produce nectar so that insect can spread your seed if u dont know about insects. :P

[Timenn]

It's not meat eating itself what makes me mad. I eat it too (not very much)

But it is the way how there is been dealt with. Most animals are treated like crap, they live in small cottages, and can only eat special food, what makes them so fat that they can barely stand (they already can't walk anymore because of the shortage of room needed for it) And then they are slaughtered in a painful way.

When little animals are born, they are taken away from there mother, the male children are often killed because they are useless for breeding, because they need only 1 male to make the entire stock pregnant.

This is mostly pigs I was talking about, and they have the worst of it all.

Cows and Sheep can be considered "lucky" because they are allowed outside, but they have must stand on an empty field of grass, with no trees for shadow when it is very hot.

This all happens everywhere. Fortunately there are farms who keep cattle in a better way, but there aren't much of them, and it is sometimes hard to find out in a shop where the meat comes from.

Apart from the bad treatment at farms (factories you must say actually) there are other things. Like when a deadly virus spreads through the cattle, then entire cattles must be terminated to prevent the sickness from getting to other cattles (and they don't just terminate cattles (yes it are entire cattles which I'm talking about) when they are infected, but also the surrounding cattles of other farms are terminated)

While the sickness could have been so easily prevented if they had used vaccins, and put more money in research for medicine for animals. We don't kill the entire population of a city because a few people were infected by SARS...

And for those of you who think that it is all good, because we are on the top of the food chain, I hope someday the dinosaurs will return and fight for their place in the food chain (hmm, maybe it is too cold for them right now)

Top of the food chain doesn't give you the right to treat animals like this. If you want meat, fine, humans are omnivors (or however you spell that) But keep it normal, and don't get used to 2 Hamburgers per day from the Animal-Terrorist named McDonalds (and other companies)

About your comment, alchemi2, it is indeed proven that plants feel pain when being hurt. And that is my reason why eating meat is ok, as long as you keep it all within limits. Because you must hurt to eat and survive.

[Acriku]

Plants have no capacity for feeling nerve reactions. Reactions to light and heat are chemical, and are not conscious either.

However we treat the animals, it must not be the reason to become a vegetarian. If you dislike their treatment, fight to enforce policies to improve them. In Florida, there was a large voter turnout for a proposition that improved the standards of pig farming. How many pig farmers are there in the state of Florida? Two. You can make a difference.

[sneezer3]

I don't mind vegetarians. Its healthy, i'm thinking about becomeing one myself once i get old enough. I just hate it when people try and get it signed into law you can't kill an animal. I mean Fish for example will die out anyway. Theres a huge ocean filled with them. Some animals die crossing the road.

I like vegetarians. I just don't want to lose my meat on my pizza.

[Caid Ivik]

I still think this is nonsense. Why shouldn't you eat meat, what are you? Sheep?

[Sneakgab]

''don't get used to 2 Hamburgers per day from the Animal-Terrorist named McDonalds (and other companies)''

LOL, On 8 o' clock news:

Jhon:Hello this is reporter Jhon Jhun coming to you live,

*Burning grass and dead cattle in background, as well as MC D garbage all over the floor*

Jhon: As you can see, Ronald, leader of the terrorist group ''MC quadea'' or MC Osamas has struck again... truly a terrible sight...

*Back at news station*

Jane: Thanks for describing the situation down their Jhon, apparently their is evidence that one of Ronalds top active men, the hamburglar may have been involved in the incident

*Back at the scene*

Jhon: It seems that might be true Jane, however the locals don't seem to be appreciating such accusations. They still believe he has been falsley accused and is in fact working against Ronald by stealing his burgers

Jane: Sorry Jhon, well have to get back to you as it's time for an ad break...

Playstation 2: Syphon filter 2, the mad cow strain.... out now....:D

Sorry, couldn't help myself

[Timenn]

And who says that our reactions aren't all chemical reactions Acriku?

After all, we all exist out of chemical molecules. We are all the same. And just because plants have not things we have and vice versa, doesn't mean that plants can feel "any" pain.

And that is why I'm making this argument, because I want other people to make the difference TOO.

Sneakgab, apperently you have no clue what is going on here, but I can give you the hint to look up 'terrorist' in the dictionary...

[Acriku]

And who says that our reactions aren't all chemical reactions Acriku?

After all, we all exist out of chemical molecules. We are all the same. And just because plants have not things we have and vice versa, doesn't mean that plants can feel "any" pain.

And that is why I'm making this argument, because I want other people to make the difference TOO.

How could plants feel pain? They do not hold a conscience, or a brain, nor do they have a nervous system. People with misfortunes such as being braindead cannot feel pain. A plant doesn't have this misfortune, because it doesn't even have a brain. Also, there doesn't appear to have any significant advantage in nature for plants to have such abilities to feel pain, because they cannot run away or protect themselves. It is so much more probable that plants cannot feel pain. I don't even see how it is possible to be able to interpret nerve reactions as pain, without a nervous system.