Shaolin Diet

[Zachary]

I think regardless of the differences between plants and animals in regard to feeling fear/pain there is no righteous justification for the way animals are treated in most if not all of the massive farming operations. The legal requirements for these operations are incredibly unfair to the animals well being and what often goes on behind the scenes is even more unfair and cruel.

When you buy meat from farms like this (most) you are supporting this system of farming and the only real way its going to get better is if people simply stop buying meat from these guys. Support farms that treat their animals fairly, farms that let their animals roam and graze with plenty of space and access to sunlight and fresh water. Farms that don't pump their animals with synthetic hormones so they grow faster and their muscle is more tender.

Also consider that when eating meat from these farms you are ingesting the vibration experienced by these animals. Every thought/feeling/emotion these animals have translates to their physical being, which means the quality of the meat is much lower than in a healthy and happy animal.

This is one of those things that is really easy to turn a blind eye to...we are so detached from the source of our food that even after hearing the stories and seeing the proof of this cruelty that goes on in these farms...we are so removed from that reality that we don't care enough to do anything about it. Yet I feel if we were forced to go into these places to retrieve our meat each time we went "shopping" many, many people would change their ways and decide to "shop" elsewhere.

Just my 2 cents...I do not desire to force my opinion on anyone else. I will say though, it is something I feel very strongly about.

[Diana]

Compare:

1. Animals run from predators. Plants don't.

2. You can trim leaves, branches, parts from a plant and it lives (sometimes better for it). What happens when you cut a leg off an animal?

3. Plants produce seeds which must be disseminated, a primary way being that of food for animals. There is no such mandate for animals.

All life is equal and precious. Plant life is just as sacred as animal life. We have to eat at this point in our evolution. What is the better choice? Plant, or animal?

One more idea to ponder: Thinking ahead to a future evolved existence when we take sustenance from light, not flesh of any kind, what food now is closer to light? Plants: because they photosynthesize. It seems a step in the right direction, if one is inclined to evolve consciously and not just satisfy "predator-type" taste buds.

[xise]

Considering vegetables are living things also, would it not contradict the entire premise? I mean, I'm not some anti vegan or anything but since Ra stated that there are some plants that are higher level 2nd density, where does the difference lie between the animal and the plant?

While your point has merit about life is life, I think you have to agree that in every density (2d, 3d, etc), there is a spectrum of progression of consciousness - ie there are those of 3D almost at 4D in consciousness, and those in 3D barely past 2D.

Similarly, 2D would have such a spectrum. While without a doubt old 2D trees may have 3D consciousness (even 1D rocks can have 3D consciousness), it seems intuitive that on the whole plants are closer to 1D than to 3D as opposed to animals. Of course, individual organisms may vary, and under this view of consciousness based eating, perhaps just as undesirable to eat a hundred year old tree as it is a chicken. But in practice based on the fact that the vast majority of eaten veggies are short-lived plants (and therefore likely closer 1D than 3D than animals), I think a distinction between plant and animal makes sense.

So on the whole, I think there are very real general differences between plants and animals on the level of consciousness, with exceptions and outliers always present. There are also issues of differences as discussed by others such as nervous system / full fledged pain receptors, etc. So I think I don't think it's unreasonable to put plants and animals in roughly different categories, if desired, for the purposes of consumption.

[Monica]

I agree. I struggle with the more 'spiritually' minded people who places the life of an animal above that of an insect and plants/trees.

Do you also struggle with people who place the life of a human above that of an animal?

---

So on the whole, I think there are very real general differences between plants and animals on the level of consciousness, with exceptions and outliers always present. There are also issues of differences as discussed by others such as nervous system / full fledged pain receptors, etc. So I think I don't think it's unreasonable to put plants and animals in roughly different categories, if desired, for the purposes of consumption.

Well said.

Here is further discussion of this:

http://www.bring4th.org/forums/showthrea...2#pid89582
(bottom of post #3 has links to in-depth discussions)