Our Greatest Addiction
We are a society of addictions. Most of us are either addicted to caffeine, tobacco, alcohol, prescription or non prescription drugs, sugar, salt, or anything else you can think of that should not be used in excess. However, our biggest addiction seems to be the most unpopular one to talk about. I have learned over the years that even the most progressive of liberals get uneasy when I talk about this. I'm talking about the raising and slaughtering of the most gentle creatures on earth to feed our appetite for meat. Good hearted compassionate people who would never harm another living creature seem to be able to slip into a delirious state of total denial when it comes to eating meat. I do not judge people for eating meat. I did it myself the first 25 years of my life and I understand how easily we can disassociate from the realities of what meat eating does to our health, the environment, and the living conditions of animals that are raised for food, or maybe we just don't know any better.
I did an article a few months back detailing the fact that meat was not a good source of protein. Protein is made from amino acids and meat must be broken down into whatever amino acids it contains to be rebuilt as protein. Eating protein to get protein is like eating hair to have thicker hair. It just doesn't work that way. Pound for pound you get more protein from most raw foods than you do from meat. That's why the largest, healthiest, and longest living animals on earth are vegetarians.
Christians believe that God put animals on earth to serve mankind. Why not, it's in the bible. Funny how we pick and choose whatever we want to believe from the bible. If we did everything the bible told us to do, we would stone our sisters to death for having sex outside of marriage. We are screwing our planet up because of antiquated back water religious beliefs. In the last 50 years, 40% of the worlds rain forests have been destroyed so the land can be used for raising cattle.
Denial is a funny thing. How many of us could eat a hamburger if we had to watch the cow be slaughtered beforehand? Many could, but I would guess that most of us couldn't. Yet we eat it anyway because we don't have to see, we don't even want to know what really goes on behind the scenes. It all comes so easy, so natural to us because we grew up eating meat. When we see piles of it behind glass cases at the butcher counter, we simply see food. Vegetarians don't see food, we see dead carcasses and carved up cadavers. The longer you go without eating it, the more foul the whole idea of it is. It's like an ex smoker who years later watches somebody put smoke into their lungs and wonders how anybody could do such a stupid and gross thing.
The more informed we are about something, the better decisions we make about it. Our denial about the realities of eating meat keeps many of us from becoming informed. This is the definition of living unconsciously. If we all continue to live unconsciously, the world is in great jeopardy. If not for the animals, and if not for the environment, then at least for the sake of your own health, please take some time and do a little research. "Diet For A New America" and "Fast Food Nation" are two good books to start with. Also, you can check out these web sites. They contain a lot of information and it doesn't take too much time to go thru all of it.
World Watch Magazine: July/August 2004 | Worldwatch Institute
Good Stuff? - Meat | Worldwatch Institute http://www.selfempowermentacademy.com.au/pdf/L3_LIVING_on_LIGHT/Glob_Journ/5-v
Comments
Hi Joe,
Not all Christians believe that, as you put it, "God put animals on the earth to serve mankind."
Out of my several friends who eat vegetarian are two who are, in fact, professing Christians, and they eat vegetarian (as I understand it) because of their strong religious beliefs about the world and the environment.
Perhaps you mean all the Christians that you have met (and bothered to ask)? Or, the Catholicism that you were raised with? Or, mainline Christianity as you understand it?
On behalf of my friends - especially the one that is so passionate about stopping animal cruelty - I felt like I should play devil's advocate with your statement (pardon the pun).
Also, I know that there is some needle in your skin about religion/Christianity especially, and that's certainly understandable, but I just have to point out that picking and choosing goes across all religious systems...Christianity, Judaism, Muslims, New-Agers, etc. And it extends beyond religious belief systems; I mean, we even pick and choose from our constitution the rights that we agree with and those we won't support. It extends beyond religious or political systems into our everyday lives. I have friends who hate President Bush because of his environmental policies, yet they buy bottled water by the cases. I would say they are picking and choosing the parts of being an environmentalist that they want to follow.
Actually, to take issue with your example of "stoning our sisters for having sex outside of marriage", I remember a story about Jesus NOT letting people stone a woman accused of that very thing. That was a pretty radical stance for him to take and got him into quite a bit of trouble. So for anyone following Jesus "stoning our sisters" would not be an option. Sadly, that kind of behavior still exists in some Muslim belief systems - but see, not all Muslims believe that, so one couldn't even say "In the Muslim belief system this..." or "In the Muslim belief system that..." because it wouldn't be accurate.
So maybe Christians do pick and choose what they want to believe from the Bible - but in all fairness, so does everyone else within their belief system.
Sorry for such a long reply, but your blog got me thinking about all these things - which is what blogs are supposed to do. Finally, have to say that I've missed your comments over at Jane Doe! And I even kept on writing about "change", like you wanted. But I think I'm getting ready to change to a different topic.
Joe's reply....Hi Tina, thanks for the long reply.... if you notice, this was my first blog in a couple of weeks. Besides not writing, I wasn't reading either. Life gets a little hectic sometimes and as you probably know, this writing thing comes and goes in cycles. Later today I am going to catch up on what you've been writing over at Jane Doe. In my earlier blogs I constantly reminded readers that whatever I said was to be understood that I was speaking generally and that I was only presenting opinions, not necessarily truth. After saying that in almost every blog, I started to feel like I was always apologizing for what I was writing, so I stopped delivering that side note constantly. I guess I just start assuming that readers would understand that whatever I write, I am usually generalizing. The point has been bought to my attention many times that I may be carrying a bit too much anger towards the church or religion in general. I don't deny that. I do believe I am writing with less anger these days, I dont want readers to miss my point because I am attacking what may be a part of their core beliefs. My father always said that God put animals on earth to serve mankind. Most christians, though not all, that I have ever talked to, really do believe that. In reality, it probably boils down to the fact that I am still working out issues with my dead parants....bare with me....I'll get thru this
Posted by: Tina | February 19, 2008 10:01 PM
I did notice that you hadn't posted in a while.
I'm not sure if someone can tell you that you are carrying too much anger (or any other emotion). What you have is what you have, it's yours to work through, just like ALL of us are working through things.
Besides, when one thinks about all the unhealthiness that occurs b/c of the misuse of religion - all religions - is there really too much anger one can have about that?
I do remember your post about the "always apologizing", now that I think about it. But see, if you would just say "Most Christians" (or Muslims or atheists or whatever) then people like me wouldn't feel compelled to write and take issue with it!
I think your topic about addiction is so right on. I'm not vegetarian (yet...) Maybe because a few of my friends are ranchers (so yes I have seen animals butchered) although I guess they could be considered free range ranchers. It's funny - I actually take issue more with how chickens are raised, and I eat less chicken than I used to because I can't buy chicken without wondering how it was raised.
Your post reminded me that I want to read "fast food nation" - I'll have to add it to my list of books to look for at the used book store.
I'm curious - do you see hunting as something different from raising animals to butcher? It's still a dead cadaver, it's still "slaughtered", but it has lived a normal life and hasn't been genetically altered. Do you see fishing as something different from butchering? See, now you've really got me thinking about this.
Your dad is a product of the time and space he was living in...just like we all are. If he had lived a couple of centuries ago and was part of the catholic church he would have believed the earth was the center of the universe. I think it is quite rude of your parents to die before you could work these things out- but that is the case most of the time. I have a secret belief that's why my grandma is still alive - she's almost 100 - is so one of my dads will work out his issues with her so that junk doesn't get passed down even more in the family. But honestly, I wonder if he will. Oh me of little faith.
I do believe, however, that you will get through this. The process is important, not just the end result.
Joe's reply....Hunting is not as bad as slaughtering raised animals for food because at least the animal enjoyed a better life while it was alive and chances are it has a lot less chemicals in it's body. However, the protein myth still applies....hunted or farmed, it's a food we can do without. Did you know that baby cows raised for veil, their feet never touch the ground? As far as fishing goes, I have to admit I'm not 100% vegetarian because I eat salmon and shrimp every now and then(I'm thinking of quiting all fish very soon). And again, at least most of these creatures are living out their lives in a natural setting...with the exception of farmed salmon. I think you also have to look at the intelligent factor of any creature. I have no problem swating flies and masquitos. Fish are a higher species than insects just as cows and pigs are somewhat higher on the intelligence scale than fish. I had a pet pot belly pig once and I can tell you that they are every bit as intelligent as a dog.This pig could do any trick a dog could do! We don't butcher dogs in this country for food because of their intelligence....so why do we butcher pigs? I used to work on a chicken ranch in high school and I know how miserable their short lives are....over crowded in pens. Im not advocating for the whole world to quit eating meat, it's just that as we evolve, we need to constantly rethink how we are treating our planet and fellow creatures, as well as each other, and adjust. Isn't that why we did away with slavery, because we evolved? Maybe it's time to take a closer look at how we treat the animals we raise for food, how we are poisening the oceans and fish, what the true value of meat really means to our diets....examine these things from a higher ethical point of view, apply more science, and adjust our ways. We need to look at the realities of a meat diet, as well as the way we are over medicating ourselves with prescription drugs. I know the world is not going to adjust to my standards, but mankind has a responsibility to himself, the planet, and all living creatures to move from destructive habits to more sustainable habits or we will perish. I know I'm preaching to the choir here, I know you already know what I'm talking about....it's good to have other people like you out there who are not afraid to speak their truth. It's also good that we keep each other real. I know I need to be called on some of the stuff I write now and then, I appreciate an honest critique.
Posted by: Anonymous | February 20, 2008 08:24 AM