NaturalLiving

[laramie]

This was my comment in a thread on the NaturalLiving community, talking about a vegetarian issue:

I'm not currently a vegetarian. I occasionally eat red meat, and more often eat fish or fowl. I've come to terms with my own conflicting feelings about eating animals. For me, it's a matter of trust. If I've won the trust of an animal and formed a relationship based on that (as with pets) I'm not going to betray that to eat the creature that's given me its trust. So, I wouldn't kill my cat for food - he's a member of the family.

On the other hand, in this world every creature eventually dies and is consumed in one way or another. A lot of animals that are raised for food would never have lived if they weren't bred for that. I prefer to get organically and humanely raised poultry or fish when I buy meat, but I don't put anyone on the spot if they're serving something different and I'm a guest at their table.

Comments

[cakmpls.livejournal.com]

On the other hand, in this world every creature eventually dies and is consumed in one way or another. A lot of animals that are raised for food would never have lived if they weren't bred for that.

That's where I am, too.

[skylarker.livejournal.com]

Yeah. I still try to avoid eating much red meat, but mostly because cholesterol is an issue for me.

[haddayr.livejournal.com]

I don't put anyone on the spot if they're serving something different and I'm a guest at their table.

This is the part about being a vegetarian hypoglycemic that I HATE.

I have tried to incorporate some meat into my diet in order to be a better guest and traveler, but the stomach pains from integrating fish in nearly killed me and I just don't have the strength to face the others, just yet -- especially since I'd be the only one in my famiy doing it and we never go out to eat and rarely eat at other people's houses. I think I'd harden my stomach and then lose it again after a few months of no meat.

It's frustrating. I'm glad you've been able to figure out how to do it.

[skylarker.livejournal.com]

It sounds like my stomach is just less sensitive than yours. If I got stomach pains from eating meat I'd want to say 'no thanks' as politely as I could.

[haddayr.livejournal.com]

Well, I never did when I was younger. I grew up on a farm, for goodness sakes!

I did this to myself. Gah.

[cakmpls.livejournal.com]

I think it's a very different thing when something someone serves will actually make you sick. I would be horrified if, just to be polite and knowing it would make them sick, someone ate something I served (even if by some fortunate chance they didn't then get sick)!

I really want people to tell me what they can't eat. I had been serving chili when we had Minn-Stf meetings here, and awhile back I started making a vegan soup as well. The first time I did, it turned out that one person was allergic to tomatoes, which I included in the soup. She was also allergic to the lime juice I sprinkled on the fruit to keep it from turning brown--something I had never even heard of.

[skylarker.livejournal.com]

Definitely. This is why I like buffet-style spreads at parties. It allows people to easily pick and choose what they like and is healthy for them, without having to make an issue of it with anyone.