Vegetarianism
Are you one of those growing number of people who have decided that meat eating is wrong whichever way you look at it - either morally, ethically, economically, spiritually or for health reasons? If the answer is no, consider the following facts:
MORAL AND ETHICAL REASONS
In 2000 in the UK 700 million innocent animals were slaughtered to satisfy the human palate. Mankind goes on perpetrating these obscenities on the defenceless creations of God and yet expects peace and happiness for itself. Gandhiji said the following about cow protection but the same sentiments apply to all animals - "Cow protection to me is infinitely more than mere protection of the cow. The cow is merely a type of all that lives. Cow protection means protection of the weak, the helpless, the dumb and the deaf. Man becomes then not the lord and master of all creation, but he is its servant." The next step in the progress of human civilisation has to be the liberation of animals from the tyranny of mankind.
ECONOMIC REASONS
When around 10 million people are starving in the world today, most of the fertile land in the USA and other European countries is used to grow crops to feed animals, which are in turn consumed by human beings. This is an absolutely wasteful way of feeding ourselves; e.g. for every 16 pounds of grains fed to cattle only one pound of meat is produced. It is estimated that a 10% reduction in meat production will result in enough grain to feed 10 million people.
HEALTH AND NUTRITIONAL REASONS
Most of the modern killer diseases are associated with the over-consumption of fats, mainly animal derived. As early as 1961, the Journal of the American Medical Association said: 90 - 97% of heart disease can be avoided by a vegetarian diet. Meat is suspected of causing a host of cancers such as cancer of the stomach, cancer of the breast, cancer of the bowels, leukaemia and many others. Death by food poisoning is also an ever present threat to meat-eaters. The high level of cholesterol in eggs means that they must be avoided completely if one wants to avoid heart disease. Nutritionally speaking, vegetables, fruits, nuts and grains are an excellent source of protein and are easier to assimilate than those of meat.
SPIRITUAL REASONS
For every single action that we perform there is a reaction. If we cause pain and suffering to other living beings, then in this life and in the next, we will in turn suffer the consequences of our impious activities. In the Vedas it is mentioned that one who kills a cow will suffer the same fate for as many lives as there are hairs on the cow he killed. The reactions of karma equally affect those who kill, deliver, sell, prepare, cook, serve and eat the meal. There is no escape from the stringent laws of nature for anyone who aids and abets the animal slaughter industry. Indeed all the major religions advocate the ideals of vegetarianism:
FEATURES OF MEAT_EATER |
FEATURES OF PLANT_EATER | FEATURES OF HUMAN BEING |
Licks and drinks | Sucks and drinks | Sucks and drinks |
Sharp, pointed front teeth to tear flesh | No sharp, pointed teeth | No sharp, pointed teeth |
Has claws | No claws | No claws |
Intestinal tract only three times body length, so that rapidly decaying meat can pass out of body quickly | Intestinal tract 10-12 times body length. Fruits do not decay as rapidly as meat so can pass more slowly throuogh body | Intestinal tract 10-12 times body length. Fruits do not decay as rapidly as meat so can pass more slowly throuogh body |
Small salivary glands in the mouth (not needed to pre-digest grains and fruits) | Well developed salivary glands, needed to pre-digest grains and fruits | Well developed salivary glands, needed to pre-digest grains and fruits |
Acid saliva. No enzyme ptyalin to pre-digest grains | Alkaline saliva. Much ptyalin to pre-digest grains | Alkaline saliva. Much ptyalin to pre-digest grains |
No flat back molar teeth to grind food | Flat back molar teeth to grind food | Flat back molar teeth to grind food |
They can see during night | Cannot see during night | Cannot see during night |
Can kill the prey without aid of weapons | Do not kill to eat | Cannot generally kill without the aid of weapon |
They can digest raw meat easily | Do not eat meat | Cannot digest raw meat easily |
Behaviour is generally voracious | Behaviour is not generally voracious | Becomes voracious by eating meat |
Do not eat grass | Do not eat meat | Should not eat meat |
No skin pores. Perspires through the tongue to cool body | Perspires through millions of skin pores | Perspires through millions of skin pores |