In regards to eating meat

[Monica]

Re: individuation -- here's my take: Both plants and animals have the potential to be individuated. Plants and animals grown for food tend not to be individuated.

My point is that animals, even farm animals, have a much greater capacity to individuate than plants. Also, strong experiences can trigger individuation too. What sort of awareness is being sparked when a cow is tortured?

What sort of 3D worlds are being inhabited by animals who became aware in a moment of fear and pain?

If we are really 6D entities, then we have a huge responsibility here. We could be affecting future worlds and entire populations.

Those cow souls don't just go poof and disappear.

Your argument seems to be that if an entity has begun the process of individuation, then it is morally wrong to kill and eat that entity. Correct?

Not quite. I think any killing is morally wrong, unless it is absolutely necessary. I think it's morally wrong to wantonly pull up a weed in my yard for no reason other than it's "just a weed." I think it's morally wrong to step on a bug just because it's a lowly bug. I think it's morally wrong to disrespect life in general. But if there is a very good reason to pull up that weed or kill that bug, then that is all weighed out karmically. In other words, I don't feel guilt for cutting my grass, because it has to be done. But I'm not going to just go around pulling up plants for no reason.

It's the same with animals. Primitive people had no choice. They had to kill, in order to survive. But that's no longer true.

The reason I talk so much about individuation is to try to show the difference between plants and animals, in response to all the arguments saying they're the same. What is obvious to me, apparently isn't obvious to others.

Re: suffering -- it's a long ways from being stepped on to being killed and eaten.

Others in this thread have offered the argument that each time the lawn is mowed, the grass writhes in agony, and each time a leaf is torn from the lettuce plant, it's the same as tearing a leg off an animal.

What do you think? Do you think a lettuce plant is being tortured each time a leaf is torn off?

Re: house plants -- no, of course they don't kill and eat the houseplant, just like they don't kill and eat the pet. That was my point.

And my point was that most people would save the dog first, before worrying about house plants. Regardless of whether it's their own dog. The firefighters would save the dog first too, after saving the child of course.