For several years now, I've been toying with the idea of vegetarianism (and more recently, veganism). After reading Fast Food Nation and watching Food, Inc. and turning the last few pages of Eating Animals, those toying thoughts are cementing themselves into my brain and turning into actions. I'm learning more about the food industry as a whole and it makes me frustrated. I'm feeling inspired by people I know who are veg-heads like my good friend and my sister (who hasn't eaten meat since 4th grade!). I'm discussing the details of family meals with my husband as we decide how to raise our daughter and whether or not we want to feed her the antibiotic-and-hormone-filled, inhumanely killed animal products that are so hard to get away from in our culture. And I know it will be a challenge.
One of the recent conversations I had about this idea of not eating meat resulted in this comment from a woman I know & respect... she said she couldn't be a vegetarian because "God wants us to eat meat." Now, that one took me by surprise. Of all the things I expected to come up when talking to people about seriously considering a non-meat-eating lifestyle, (Where will you get your protein? What will you eat at thanksgiving? Won't you ever buy your daughter a happy meal?) beginning a discussion about what the Bible says was one I didn't see coming.
Now, pulling quotes from the Bible can be a dangerous game. I personally do not believe that this work of literature should be a literal rulebook of DOs and DON'Ts, but instead perhaps, as many of the stories it contains, a parable reminding us on the whole to live by that Golden Rule. There always seems to be a one-for-one in the Bible. A vegetarian can site Genesis 1:29, "Behold I have given you every plant yielding seed which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit; you shall have them for food" as the a vote for not eating meat; and in the same book, only a few chapters later, a fervent omnivore could retaliate with Genesis 9:3, "Every moving thing that lives shall be food for you; and as I gave you the green plants, I give you everything." And it's not just how we should eat that can be debated within these pages, it's everything from homosexuality to marriage to child-rearing to giving money to the church to how the world will end. And the debates can be funny or serious or thought-provoking.
So many things to consider when one is making a decision about food - it affects more aspects of our life than a first glance might lead us to believe.
You're totally right about the meat industry but I do believe (as with most things in the world) there are inhumane ways and humane ways of producing meat.
ReplyDeleteIf the way they're excecuted and generally treated is your deterrant (as it would be mine because I take pages from wild animals on this topic) there are always free range, well raised, drug free and generally natural options for meat: they just cost more.
Plus raising a child on a vegitarian diet is tough work: plus it can be dangerous if done wrong (as you probably know). Obviously keeping cruel corporate giants like Mcdonalds out of your diets is a given but maybe rethink going full out veg.
Thanks for your thoughts, Jeremy. I think our family would ideally want something more along the lines of "ethical omnivorism" rather than all veg all the time... but you're right, that is harder. Plus what I'm learning is that even if the free-range, drug-free animals are raised well, their slaughter can be unnecessarily cruel and the process of shipping the meat to our supermarkets can be costly to the environment.
ReplyDeleteIt's hard to be idealist in this situation - unless we go start a farm and raise/kill our own food, I guess - but every step we make helps, even little by little.
Good post.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the comment, Cooking Fine. I'll have to try some of your recipes!
ReplyDeleteGee, your blog is great!! I totally relate to what your saying about the awful food industry. I wish you luck!
ReplyDeleteI didn't have much luck totally eliminating meat from our diet but I did find various farmers who let me actually come out and look around, make sure they "practice what they preach", so to speak. I found someone that sold us a portion of a cow, another that sold us a half of a pig and yet another gal that raises free range chickens and turkies. We also get a dozen farm fresh eggs and any fresh produce we want from our chicken lady. lol
It feels better knowing that we are eating fresh, local food that was treated humanely in life....that means a LOT to me now!!
:) Ronda
Thanks for sharing some examples, Gal. I actually just found out that a friend of mine recently purchased a farm and plans (probably a few years down the line) to start a CSA and raise animals, too. I'm hoping to support him in that - which will ultimately help us live the life we want, too! Keep up the good livin'.
ReplyDeleteSo much I want to say, my veg-head is nearly bursting. :) I'll keep it short, though. If you're interested to read about the Christian perspective that supports vegetarianism, this is a good site:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.all-creatures.org/cva/default.htm
I respect someone's opinion that there is scriptural evidence that God gave people permission to eat meat. But I look at it this way: living a life intended to reduce the abuse and suffering of living creatures cannot upset God, can it?
I wish you luck as you continue to explore what's best for you and your family - and support your choices, no matter what they are. (Go veggie ... go veggie ... um, was that subliminal enough?)
Thanks for your encouragement, Jill. I'd love to hear more of your thoughts. If nothing else (and there are definitely many more things!) being more conscious of what we're eating as a family has led to wonderful, thoughtful conversations and more healthful eating... wherever we end up, we'll surely be better for it.
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