In regards to eating meat

[Oldern]

I have given another shot at being a "sorta vegetarian". I personally have to thank Pickle for the catalyst that he provided to us when he posted a few links in this thread. There was a description of how animals were treated:

In terms of animal right, I am more concerned how the farm animals are raised and then put down rather than if someone ever put them down for their consumption. Did you know conventional chickens never see sunlight nor breathe outdoor air for their whole life? From the time they hatch in the machine, they are kept in a crowded factory. Letting them move around is a waste of their food energy and it also increases their dark meat, which sells cheaper than white meat. I also heard chicken wings pinched to restrict their movement.

They are packed in filthy indoor, standing in their own feces. This horrible growing environment causes many diseases, so the chickens are fed with antibiotics regularly. Fast turnover means more profit, so in order to raise them quickly, they are also fed with growth hormone.

And when the day comes, these chickens are dunk in hot water alive. Factory farms don’t even bother to kill the chickens individually. They are drowned, which also wet their feathers, making it easier to handle.

What hit me about this is that we distance ourselves from what is happening to these animals. We waltz into the store, look at dat clean white chicken meat, turkey meat, and we buy it, feeling clean. It is not clean. It has been bathed in feces, pain and hot boiling blood. Think about that, right? After making this connection, I decided not to go back to that practice.

*draws an imaginary line*

And this is where my main disagreement comes. I still do not think eating meat is bad, as stated before. There were civilizations (there still are) who are spiritually WAY more unified and evolved that we are, and they eat/eaten meat. Look at the indians. They knew the connection between every being on the existence. They respected the animal spirits. They loved them. They treated them properly - and thanked them when the hunt came and the animal's meat was used so a tribe can live on. No, I would not ever DARE to waltz in there and shout at them to start eating grains and dem apples. Never. I have no right for that, simple as that :)

Gaining balance between ourselves and other-selves is more important for me at this point in my life than getting a practice that allows me to judge others, simple as that. Do I think that everyone should follow that mindset? Yes. Am I wrong for thinking that? Yes! :) Because it is not about the decisions we make, it is about how we get there is what matters. Big life-changing decisions and spiritual improvements are almost never because someone told you to live differently. It is because you realized you need to live differently. Big, big difference.