deschain / malkore,
I have been trying to avoid this thread because this could become a long thread. Hopefully it does not.
Beliefs are sensitive and very hard to say what is "right" or "wrong". Whatever brings peace and harmony to your innerself is "right" for you. Hence I donot judge or disrespect other beliefs and follow what is "right" for me.
deschain said:
I am assuming since you have never ever had it that this belief started with your parents and was taught to you?
Interesting how that works.
Yes I inherited this belief-system from my family. My life book has Non-conformist written all over its pages. So many times, I have questioned this belief of not eating another life, and every time my innerself, very strongly, told me not to stuff my belly with another life because I have no right to take/end another life - a life which is harmless and non-threatening to my existence. Compassion for other lives gives me absolutely no reason to kill another harmless life.
malkore said:
God, Allah, Buddah, Zeus...the god/dess...whatever your religious belief...know that a higher power put animals, fish, plants...on this Earth to sustain us.
Hi malkore, Not according to my beliefs. According to my beliefs, animals also have right to co-exist on this planet and mother nature supports us all equally. My beliefs donot tell me that God put animals on this earth for us to kill and eat.
malkore said:
I myself am of an eclectic nature religion/philosophy...I harm none. Yet I watch the spider catch the fly, the frog catch the spider, the hawk catch the frog, the hawk dies and falls to the ground, decomposes, feeds the grass, which the cow eats, which gets turned into steak.
the cycle of life can't be stopped. its not about compassion...its about purpose on this planet.
Well maybe thats why animals donot follow a religion or philisophy.
Also carnivorous HAVE to eat animals to survive - like it is their karma. They have no choice, but, we humans HAVE. We donot have to eat animals to survive.
Notice the teeth/claws a lion has and compare it with teeth/nails a human being has. If God wanted us to eat flesh, maybe He would have given us different sets.
It is simple for me. I believe in God and believe that He is the creator. He put life into humans, animals and that is not for me to decide when to end another life - a life that does not threathen my survival. (Notice how I said "me" rather than "us" because I donot judge what is right for others.)
malkore said:
I myself am gunning for a trip to Red Lobster tonight, even though shellfish is high in cholesterol, and the drawn butter will be calling to me.
Sure enjoy, you are only doing what your innerself tells you. I am sure this is what works for you.