Re: Electric Frying Pan with Timer

"Gary" <not@xxxxxxxx> wrote in message news:atbaa59ii5540l2td9lhpn28qa7gpdl8u1@xxxxxxxxxx
On Mon, 7 Sep 2009 11:14:59 -0400, "Evelyn" <evelyn.ruut@xxxxxxxxx>

Gary,

I don't "take pride" in it either but I have come to realize that we are
creatures who survive by eating other creatures, and live in acceptance of
that thought.

I know a lot of vegetarians, and all of them are gray in complexion and
usually not healthy looking in general. I refuse to feel guilty for eating
according to my health's best interest, but I make every effort to respect
the fact that meat was formerly another living being. There is a
fascinating essay written by Alan Watts called "Murder in the Kitchen" and
he explores the concept of meat eating and meat avoidance, in great
philosophical detail, and all the while being both respectful of other
living beings, as well as humorous.

He said (paraphrased) that if you cook a chicken and you don't cook it
properly, that chicken has died in vain. If more people were respectful of
the meat they eat, it would be a better world. Another thing, I do try to
buy meat which is not from factory farms whenever possible. I buy natural
free range chickens and grass fed beef because it is kinder to the animals.
I NEVER eat veal. Have not eaten veal in many years, purely because of the
cruel way it is raised.

There is a middle way between just eating whatever and however, and
respecting living beings. That said, if you are a person who does better
by eating an omnivorous diet, acceptance of that fact, and setting some sort
of ground rules for what, why and how, is probably wiser than walking around
feeling guilty, or regarding meat eating as some sort of a bad thing.

I'm not a vegetarian. In recent years I do lean toward being a
non-flesh eater. I haven't quit -- but I have cut down my
consumption of meat. I still eat some, but only because I do
understand that it is difficult (not impossible) to eat healthily
without meat.

I'm not so sure about the moral aspect of killing smaller animals. I
mean, hell we are bigger, aren't we ? Might makes right doesn't
it ? Life has shown me that is about the only consistent morals man
knows.

My dislike of eating meat is simple. I don't think humans are
intended to eat meat. I think just about every disease known has it's
roots in eating meat. I do know that many scientists are now
convinced that eating red meat (what other kind is there) causes
several kinds of cancer. That fact alone made me slow down.

BTW, how can a Bhuddist eat every creeping, crawling creature she
can get her ands on ? What happend to the migration of souls ? Or
does that stop at the hamburger stand ?


Gary,

I just got done telling you that I made an extra effort and paid the extra price of eating more humanely with naturally raised meat.

I just got done telling you that I never eat veal because it is raised too cruelly.

I just got done telling you that I am respectful of other living beings, but that I refuse to feel guilty for eating a diet which works best for my health.

Like so many, I have health issues that respond well to eating less carbohydrates and include some protein. I don't "gorge" myself on meat, a small portion at some meals suits me fine.

Some buddhists are totally vegetarian, such as those in Southeast Asia. Others, as in Tibet, do eat meat. The original reason for that was because Tibet is so high in altitude their agriculture is extremely limited. Meat was necessary to them to survive. Some have still chosen to become vegetarian or to limit their meat eating a great deal.

I am one of the latter. We don't eat meat at every meal, nor do we eat it every day, nor do we eat large quantities. But we do eat some meat. Last night we had a special treat of two lobster tails. They were frozen and the creatures weren't killed especially for us.

If you choose to allow this issue to disturb your peace of mind, you have defeated the purpose of all buddhist practice already.

Interestingly enough a tibetan lady once told me that the reason for the tibetans preference for beef was based on the theory that if one steer should die, many people can eat with that one life lost. If you eat a plate of shrimp, many lives are lost and only one person can eat.

--

Evelyn

"Even as a mother protects with her life her only child, So with a boundless heart let one cherish all living beings." --Sutta Nipata 1.8

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