Hey everybody! A few weeks ago, in Merchant's article, the Editor asked, "Did you
ever wonder why certain religions maintain different kinds of vegetarianism?"
There are a lot of historical figures that triggered people to become
vegetarian. Most of them spoke out because of their love of animals and their feelings about the brutality of killing them. Your religion often also determined your eating habits. Many religions have various reasons for not eating different kinds of meat. I couldn't find any two that were the same. A religion's beliefs arise strongly from ancestry, leaders, and/or gods.
About 3,000 years ago is when the first practices of vegetarianism were
recorded. Pythagorus was one of the first. He believed animals had souls and
people who had died returned as animals. A follower of Pythagorus named
Aristotle disagreed, and believed animals did not have souls and were meant
to be eaten. They basically started the debate, and it's still going.
Here are some different religions and individuals that practice vegetarianism.
Jewish Vegetarians
Many Jews have chosen to live a vegetarian life. The first chief of modern
Israel, Rabbi Abraham Isaac Hakohen Kook, supported vegetarianism. He is a
vegetarian himself, and believes it is the only way to have peace between
humans and animals.
"We are all God's creatures--that we pray to God for mercy and justice while
we continue to eat the flesh of animals that are slaughtered on our account
is not consistent." --Isaac Bashevis Singer
Christian Vegetarians
Christians believe that God sent his son Jesus to earth. Jesus gave out a
loving and positive message to people. He was known to be very
compassionate. Because of this, some Christians are vegetarians. They say
there is no compassion or love in slaughterhouses. They believe we should
respect God's creation.
"Animals are God's creatures, not human property, nor utilities, nor
resources, nor commodities, but precious beings in God's sight. ...
Christians whose eyes are fixed on the awfulness of crucifixion are in a
special position to understand the awfulness of innocent suffering. The
Cross of Christ is God's absolute identification with the weak, the
powerless, and the vulnerable, but most of all with unprotected, undefended,
innocent suffering." --Rev. Andrew Linzey
Buddhism and Vegetarianism
Buddhists believe in reincarnation. Reincarnation is when a person dies and
comes back, sometimes as a animal. They will not kill animals for food, but they will
eat one that has died accidentally.
"My thought has wandered in all directions throughout the world. I have
never yet met with anything that was dearer to anyone than his own self.
Since to others, to each one for himself, the self is dear, therefore let
him who desires his own advantage not harm another." --Conze Edwards
So you see, the word vegetarian can be split many different ways. People
obviously have different reasons for being one. There is a spiritual side to
it. There's a lot history and religion behind this stuff. That is why you
have to respect people's beliefs and know where they are coming from.
Till Next Time...
Dumblonde
Sources:
http://members.aol.com/sauromalus/jewishveg.htm
http://www.nutrition.cornell.edu/foodguide/veghist.html
http://www.jesusveg.com/index2.html
http://chinesefood.about.com/library/weekly/aa100401b.htm?terms=Vegetarianism
