Am I a Bad Person If I Eat Animals?

“If you want to progress on a spiritual path, you must challenge your actions—including what you eat—as to whether they are authentic expressions of the love and spirit within you.” John Robbins

I have a friend who loves to collect clichés. He believes that we repeat them so often because they have some truth to them. Take, for example, the old adage “You are what you eat.” Even more than that, you are what remains in your body after the rest has been eliminated. Restricting your food choices can be beneficial to your health, and can also serve as an investigation into your true nature. The manner in which animals are raised and slaughtered carries both energetic and karmic consequences that the human race must all share. Compare it to standing by while someone you love is being harshly abused. You wouldn’t. You would find a way to help them from being hurt or killed. We share the karma because we are aware of the pain that is being inflicted and do nothing to prevent it from happening. The ethical treatment of animals is the responsibility of all peoples and is one of the precepts of right and moral conduct to do no harm.

Empirical evidence shows that energy cannot be destroyed. The energy we put into the preparation of our food, as well as, the energy that remains in the fiber of the meat you eat, can affect how you think and feel on any given day. With meditation, you bring a calm and tranquil mind to the kitchen, and the results of that mental energy is transferred to your food and back again to the body. Does this mean that you must be a vegetarian in order to become liberated? People have been considering this question since ancient times. The different schools of thought range from strict vegetarians, who wear a face mask so as not to accidentally swallow an insect and cause harm, to those who transform the karmic energy of slaughtered animals to a higher level and use it for good. The range of beliefs and perceptions are wide and diverse including whether to confine animals for their butter and milk or chickens for their eggs. Each individual must decide for him or herself.

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Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of
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Pego R.

5:29PM PDT on Mar 17, 2012

Contrary to guesses and propaganda, "all" animals do not flee. They are not reasoning creatures, they are not aware that death is up next in a proper, humane, facility, they do not understand what happened to the guy ahead of them.

That is a big CAFO issue and people like Dr Grandin are at least attempting to assuage the distress in those facilities. People who really want to help animals are not well served to make up, believe or transmit lies and propaganda. Let us all please use our brains, some logic and real evidence in our discourse.

send a green star

Mandi A.

8:54PM PST on Mar 9, 2012

Love your answer Bill.

Trudy K.

3:28PM PST on Feb 21, 2012

I may have discussions on why I have chosen to become vegan with my friends and family but for me to tell them the path they must follow is not for me to choose. It is their path & their choice. No one can make one change it must be a personal decision. It has taken me these many years to come to this choice and after much thought that I could not so deeply care for animal welfare while watching them be abused for a meal.

Eco M.

3:17PM PST on Feb 21, 2012

i was too tired to read the big text above, but in my view dont pay to have an animal killed or abused or do it yourself or encourage anyone to do it.

jennifer k.

3:53AM PST on Feb 9, 2012

No your not.

Erica B.

10:13PM PST on Jan 22, 2012

The only "bad" person is the one who would judge someone else by what they eat. The only being that can or should judge anyone is God/The Higher Power, if you believe in such a being, as I do.

As for "cannibalism," that is a non-issue, as it is a worldwide tenet amongst pretty much all religions and societies that humans should not eat other humans...to even mention it is ridiculous.

Beth M.

10:32PM PST on Jan 21, 2012

...a bad person?...I guess that depends on how and why one judges someone who does something u r not in agreement with...x.....bad?.....no.....hungry?..maybe....x

Jennifer V.

3:17PM PST on Jan 14, 2012

wish I could be so disciplined to be a vegetarian so I make small contributions like not eating lamb, veal, foie gras - hopefully I can cut more meats out

Bill K.

4:25PM PST on Jan 10, 2012

the only opinion that counts is that of the animal about to be slaughtered, and all animals try to flee.

No Emails H.

4:36AM PST on Jan 10, 2012

Are cannibals bad people if they eat people?