Yeah, plant beings! What's to get over? All sentient life is part of
creation. All life forms have individuality and uniqueness, and dare I say
a SOUL!
On Wed, 20 Jan 1999, Bertina Miller wrote:
> Plantbeings? Oh get over it!
>
> Unashamed omnivore (doesnt mean I eat trees!),
>
> Bertina
> [EMAIL PROTECTED]
>
> On Tue, 19 Jan 1999 [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
>
> > "it's the taking of animalian lives which disturbs you. But why stop there?
> > Aren't plants alive? If we follow the ahimsa (no-harm) logic to its inevitable
> > conclusion, mustn't we all die to avoid being murderers simply because other
> > life forms must die to sustain us?
> > >"
> >
> > This is not consistent logic. Meat-eaters always use this straw man against
> > vegetarians. Plantbeings while marvelous are of a completely different order
> > of life. Without nervous systems, the range of pain/emotion is totally
> > different.
> >
> > That said, I do not support the cutting of trees, I believe in gardening
> > practices which minimize the killing of plants, and it is a fact that it's
> > easy to live entirely on seeds, fruits and grains that don't kill a plant at
> > all. (Lentils, soybeans, wheat, rice, avocados, bell peppers, pumpkins,
> > squash, peas, greenbeans, etc.) I have grown lettuce in patches such that I
> > take only a leaf or two from each plant, and in such a way that I am thanking
> > the plant for its contribution, and only taking the ones which easily come
> > off, thus contributing to pruning, and then allow the plant to grow to its
> > entire life cycle. Many other examples of this are possible. All of this
> > because I do value ahimsa. And I do speak with the plants. And furthermore, I
> > believe that as I eat the seeds of the plants, it is my duty to be a joy unto
> > the earth, acknowledging the life that has contributed to me.
> >
> > But I just cannot bring myself to killing a human and eating it. Realizing
> > this, I have realized that I have no business doing the same with any other
> > mammal.
> >
> > There are several hunting-gathering cultures with myths that refer to a time
> > when hunting was unnecessary and animals didn't have to be killed ; the
> > indication with our closest relatives, bonobos and chimpanzees, is that the
> > eating of meat is so rare when it occurs at all --- there are many studied
> > troops who have Never been observed to eat meat --- that it amounts to little
> > more than a couple incidents per year for an entire troop. And this is not due
> > to any lack of ability ; chimps can be very good hunters when they want to be.
> >
> > I'm merely suggesting that if we give the taking of an animal-person's life
> > the import and impact we give the taking of a human-person's life, our actions
> > will have a much different quality. (as in some ways, you have already
> > indicated.)
> >
> > A carnivore has a very special place in nature, and I think it's worthwhile to
> > study that way-of-being-in-the-world. Wolves and cats have taught us much
> > about how to be human. But it's also important to remember that we are not
> > carnivores. We are omnivores, which really is a nice name for scavenger-
> > gatherers ... and the critical point is that for long periods of time We Were
> > The HunteD as well ... which means we are capable of empathizing with the
> > hunted, the prey, as well as the predators ... I think this is important ...
> >
> > I understand that it is possible to participate in the cycle of life, which,
> > yes, includes death. And hell, when I die, why not --- why not have my skin
> > made into leather, drums, a feast of my meat --- I'm serious --- and maybe if
> > my life were becoming miserable, or I was feeling like I was coming down with
> > a disease, then contracting with a killer to help me out (which it's possible
> > the predator-prey relationship sometimes is) and make a festive occasion for
> > the community might be a good way of going out. But again, the fact that I
> > know pain, and I know the survival instinct within me means I must recognize
> > this in others and not allow any ideology to gloss over that too easily.
> >
> > I'm also certain that it's not possible to participate in the lifecycle in an
> > industrial society regarding animals and meat, although this may be true on so
> > many other levels re:industrialism as well.
> >
> > There are soooo many alternatives to meat-eating in the modern world that it
> > can be reduced to a bare minimum.
> >
> >
> > (un)leash
> >
>
>
