For those that don't eat meat, explain your reasoning

Question for some of you:

If you're against eating meat because of how the animals are treated, would you consider hunting? Would you eat meat that a hunter shot? What about farms, individuals who slaughter animals quickly and after treating them well?

Very good question man.

The human race was built for hunting and eating meat, so I'm wondering if the vegans here, if given the opportunity to hunt...would you eat your own kills?

Also speaking hypothetically, if there was only meat left in the world and it was a matter of eating or starvation...what would you do?

(lets remain civil in the conversation)

I'm really curious.

I would never hunt unless it was a necessity. As I said in my post, I can live a happy healthy life with nothing having to die and limiting my negative impact on the world, so it's a no brainer for me BUT if I could not survive or be healthy without meat yes I would eat it - e.g. if I lived in a third world country I would eat whatever I could - that is a hypothetical though, as I don't

OMG I am scared to go that way now!!! Im already a food junkie- fries/pizza/cookies/junk. I guess I thought all vegan/vegetarians were just super healthy. Never thought of it that way!

I have been vegetarian for 25 years. Not sure why you want it explained, but will take your word it's just curiousity, rather than looking for an argument. I am fit, healthy, and have one 21 yr old daughter who has experimented a bit with eating fish, and a carnivore son (14). Live and let live.!! Animals, and humans!! I made my decision based on literature/film/speeches including some wonderful books mentioned above -- John Robbins' 'Diet for a New America' changed my life -- after reading it I ate one last hamburger, threw it up it disgusted me so, knowing how the animals suffer and die.

The treatment of animals, environmental issues, hunting, etc. are questions constantly debated and written about by many scholars in philosophy, as well as other subjects. I used to get poked at re. why do you eat yogurt, or should you wear leather, or hey broccoli yelps when you cut it --- Over the years, the general public has become more educated and there is less of that. Also I probably get less of that attitude because I don't preach. Even to my own kids. Being a vegetarian, near-vegan, is just my way of living. Less carbon footprint, better health; it just feels right to me. : )

I eat meat and use animal bi-products. It'd be a shame to let all the animals go to waste.

i personally am vegan. i dont eat, use, wear anything associated with a living creature. i also dont do honey or certain things like red dye 40 since thats actually ground up beetles, not to be gross.

Actually, red #40 is synthetic, but it is made from petroleum derivatives, which I personally find even more disgusting. There are other dyes like cochineal and carmine that are made from beetles though.

I don't claim any particular label nowdays, though I've been vegetarian, vegan, macrobiotic, and raw veg in the past, and was vegan most of my adult life. I've made different choices for different reasons at different times, but I have two main considerations. One is factory farming and it's impact on the land, the food supply, the lives of animals, biodiversity, etc. The other is my health. I look and feel healthier, more energetic, younger, etc. on a veg diet that is high in fresh fruits and veggies. My skin looks better, my eyes are clearer, my breath smells better, my mood and outlook are more positive. I just flat out feel better.

My main reason for adding occasional chicken, dairy and eggs back into my diet was a long process that began when my son decided he wanted to eat meat. (We had raised him vegetarian up to that point.) At first we made a deal that he could eat meat outside the house and would still eat veg at home, but after a couple of years of that I realized that he was eating the WORST meats possible. So, I found local sources for meat, eggs, and dairy that I was more comfortable with and started making it for him once in while at home. I didn't eat any of it myself for quite a while, but eventually it crept into my diet primarily because of convenience. (Making three separate dishes to accomodate everyone was a PITA!) I've been phasing the chicken back out of my diet now though because I just don't like eating that way and don't feel quite as good healthwise. I will keep occasional eggs and dairy in my diet though. I raise the hens myself and have a couple of local farmers from whom I get fresh milk from pastured cows and raw milk cheese. At this point in time, I'm comfortable with those sources and with the consequences of my choice.

i personally am vegan. i dont eat, use, wear anything associated with a living creature. i also dont do honey or certain things like red dye 40 since thats actually ground up beetles, not to be gross.

Actually, red #40 is synthetic, but it is made from petroleum derivatives, which I personally find even more disgusting. There are other dyes like cochineal and carmine that are made from beetles though.

I don't claim any particular label nowdays, though I've been vegetarian, vegan, macrobiotic, and raw veg in the past, and was vegan most of my adult life. I've made different choices for different reasons at different times, but I have two main considerations. One is factory farming and it's impact on the land, the food supply, the lives of animals, biodiversity, etc. The other is my health. I look and feel healthier, more energetic, younger, etc. on a veg diet that is high in fresh fruits and veggies. My skin looks better, my eyes are clearer, my breath smells better, my mood and outlook are more positive. I just flat out feel better.

My main reason for adding occasional chicken, dairy and eggs back into my diet was a long process that began when my son decided he wanted to eat meat. (We had raised him vegetarian up to that point.) At first we made a deal that he could eat meat outside the house and would still eat veg at home, but after a couple of years of that I realized that he was eating the WORST meats possible. So, I found local sources for meat, eggs, and dairy that I was more comfortable with and started making it for him once in while at home. I didn't eat any of it myself for quite a while, but eventually it crept into my diet primarily because of convenience. (Making three separate dishes to accomodate everyone was a PITA!) I've been phasing the chicken back out of my diet now though because I just don't like eating that way and don't feel quite as good healthwise. I will keep occasional eggs and dairy in my diet though. I raise the hens myself and have a couple of local farmers from whom I get fresh milk from pastured cows and raw milk cheese. At this point in time, I'm comfortable with those sources and with the consequences of my choice.

oops. thats what i meant the carmine:)

Also, it's nice to have a discussion without anybody, meat eater/vegetarian/vegan/raw foodist, and not being insulting, rude, nasty, or judgemental of anybody elses beliefs, as the way it should be.

I am a lacto-ovo vegetarian, and have been for about six years. My own personal reasons are almost entirely moral, but I can also play the health debate game when provoked. To me it came down to a decision between two loves: animals and meat. Yes, I did love the taste of meat, but I disliked the poor treatment in the meat industry more.

However, a surprising amount of it also came down to convenience. It is convenient to live a healthy vegetarian life style in this modern age. Tasty vegetarian food can be easily (and mostly cheaply) acquired with no detriment to a person's health from a lack of eating meat. Unfortunately at the moment, I am not able to go vegan conveniently, but I will consider it when I am in a better position to do so. I don't own any leather apart from shoes - this again comes down to convenience, as I'm a size 9 UK. I don't know what that is in America, but it's a size bigger than pretty much every normal shoe shop sells, so my choice in affordable footwear is pretty slim to begin with. I also don't agree with hunting, unless it's your only available food source.

I do not see vegetarianism as some kind of world changing event. It's much more similar to a personal belief or protest for me. I don't think that by not eating meat I am saving the lives of animals, or making a difference, but I would rather contribute as little as possible towards an industry that contains a large amount of cruelty than go along with adding to it anyway.

For the record... with all the talk of people buying nicely treated animals... Anyone think of going to the 4-H fair and getting a cow or a pig? These animals are raised by kids with very strict guidelines as to exercise, food and shots/lack of them.

I am not any type of vegan, I work with one. That is as close as I ever got. I like reading every opinion on things. I just saw someone post about buying from certain sources, and I thought about mentioning the 4-H kids. The kids get the money from the auction and the animals are very lean from being worked and let to roam and fed well.

Thanks for listening to me..

Jenn

Thanks for posting this, I might start doing that...

You are so welcome. This year I split a cow with 3 other people and I felt good about helping a middle school save money for college! I helped her with 364 bucks for a 1/4. and the one I got was a blue ribbon winner, for something or another. I'm not good on the lingo.