The act of eating is a service.

[Diana]

Shemaya's above sentiment regarding the wholesomeness and simplicity of eating is nice, but the reality is that eating involves more than that today. The question is: how aware does a person want to be, and how responsible, with the choices made for food.

I don't think that was Valtor's question, the OP question was "Is eating a selfish act or communal act?" And he stated that he views it as communion, a unifying (STO) act. And I agree with him.

My question was meant as something additional to the overall discussion, not what the original question of the thread was.

There are negative, separating, thought-forms in the ethers that would have us believe otherwise.

Could you explain? Like what??

But Christ said, "It's not what goes into the mouth that defiles you, but the words that come out of the mouth that defile you." Mt. 15:11 This statement also resonates with me, I believe Christ actually made this statement.

I disagree with this statement. You can defile the body, mentality and emotions with drugs, alcohol, bad food, poisons . . .

The bible is all hearsay, and most of it only makes any sense within the context of the times it was written. Perhaps the quote (although it was not a real quote) was meant to teach something about the power of words, rather than to say it doesn't matter what you put in your body.

Regardless of where others-selves draw the line of responsibility in choices in acquiring food, it's not relevant to the original question. Food choice is a personal and individual choice based on numerous factors, of which we cannot possibly know completely.

But it is relevant to the original question. The act of eating as a STO act, as a communal act, is relevant to where one acquires food. If you think the community is only made of humans, then perhaps you are right. But if you think as the Native Americans did, and the animals and plants are brothers and sisters, and the planet itself is the "mother," then your community would include the very food you are obtaining.