In regards to eating meat

[Ankh]

Can you define extremist?

Someone with an unbalanced view which is clouding this person's mind and makes him/her to go to the extreme when sharing that view with others, such as infringing and/or being disrespectful towards other selves.

Do you think someone who believes passionately that animals are our younger brothers and sisters, and tries to save them from being tortured and killed, is an extremist?

It depends on what this person does.

Would you agree that tone is something that is very difficult to assess, when we have only typed words on a computer screen, and lack being able to see facial expressions or hear the tone of voice?

Yes.

Would you agree that we all sometimes misperceive tone, because of our own preconceived ideas, biases, and distortions?

Yes.

What do you think is actually causing the separation?

Among many things, disrespect.

How can the vegetarians be true to their convictions?

By being vegetarians.

Apparently, the only way *some* of the meat-eaters will accept the vegetarians, is if the vegetarians give up their convictions!

Is this what you would like to see happen, in order to restore harmony? Must we give up our convictions, Ankh?

To be honest with you: I perceive the above kind of statements as an "attack". They do make me to go into a defensive mode. I am consciously aware of that. But I want to be honest with you, that I personally don't find the above kind of statements helpful in this discusssion.

In my opinion, the harmony is restored by respect.

Must we censor ourselves? Or is there any other solution?

My opinion on the solution is respect.

We wonder whether we've done 'enough' for them, whether we could have spoken up more, and we chastise ourselves for letting what others think of us be more important than those we are called to help. We sometimes lie awake at night, hearing their cries, while struggling with our own guilt - the guilt of not having done enough...the guilt of of selfishly caring more about our popularity with other humans then we do about the suffering of our other-selves...the guilt of selfishly keeping our mouths shut, rather than being willing to endure ridicule.

I am starting to understand it now, Monica. In my own view it wouldn't present any problems, if not these opinions were so passionately disseminated to a point where I personally have been *afraid* of speaking here, in the past. I know I am not alone on this.

One example: some days ago, a member asked about something in this thread, and you, among others, gave advices to this member. So I thought - why not? And I made a post, *quoting* this member. But instantly, there was reply by you, diminishing what I had to say. I wish that we all would be able to play along here, nicely, while respecting each other.

I understand that, for whatever reason, you are unable to grasp the reality of their pain, and the reality of the pain of those who feel that pain. Please know that we do feel that pain very acutely, and this is what drives us. Please, even if you cannot understand it, perhaps you can have compassion for us in that respect.

Are you speaking to me personally now, or just in general?

Can you have compassion for our dilemma?

I admit: I have problems with compassion when I am lectured, taught, and informed like I was a kid standing in front of a teacher. If you wish to teach, Monica, you have to learn. I believe that you would do much more effective teaching, if you could find a method of how to convey your conviction with an understanding and compassion towards whom you are speaking with. THAT would also solve your polarity question, in my fallible opinion.

Can you possibly have compassion for what it's like for those of us who do?

I am starting to understand it.

The questions that I have now is: how shall we play along with each other in this thread? As I said, this is probably a most disharmonious thread in this forum. Why do you think it is so? What does it depend on? What is the reason for that? And how shall we solve it?