According to the American Health association, people who follow vegetable diets are healthier than people who consume large amount of meat (Amato, 1999). Individuals who follow vegetarianism have low body mass index, low cholesterol levels, stabilize blood pressure which reduces the risks of diseases such as hypertension, heart diseases (Cloe, 2005). Vegetarianism also reduces the risk of brain diseases, diabetes, osteoporosis and other disorders. Studies have shown that intake of red meat can cause the above mentioned diseases (Amato, 1999). According to the British Health Association, a vegetarian diet adds up additional 2-3 years of life.
Moreover, studies conducted in France showed that people who live Southern France have high life expectation than the ones who are living in Northern France because they follow a vegetarian diet (Amato, 1999). Wide range of animal food safety and security frights and fear have increased extensively. Diseases like Mad Cow diseases and Bird flu have made people to change their eating habits. Either they become semi vegetarians or pure vegetarians. Health is the significant main concern in ever person’s life and vegetarians are confirmed to be in good health than meat eating humans.
Medical researches demonstrate that human beings body is not designed to be carnivorous. The human digestive system cannot digest meat. A vegetarian diet is easy and healthy for the human body. Studies have also shown that the major cause of death is heart attack. A person who eats meat has high risk of getting a heart attack than a person who includes vegetables in his diet. According to the U. S department of health, one out of 250000 butchered animals is tested for poisonous and contaminated chemical compounds.
The studies also showed that the breast milk of a mother whose diet comprises to meat compared to a vegetarian mother is 35 times higher for infectivity of milk due to the chemical compounds present in meat. Finally, a vegetarian diet will make a person physically healthier as well as helps in improving psychiatric health. Many psychiatrists suggest vegetarian diet to patients who have anger troubles and are unable to control it. The above mentioned information acknowledges the fact that vegetarianism can improve health. The Sin of Killing Animals Vegetarianism enhances spirituality.
Others assert they are pious and divine people who are considerate and kindhearted and do not wish to eat the meat because they have the knowledge that animals suffer from agony and misery which is infinite. If the person understands God, that how he or she can nourish from the meat of a creature who suffered from misery. When a person kills animal for food, why do they forget they love God? A person who loved God should remember that he or she must not kill someone just for his or her satisfaction. They must remember that God teaches love and kindness.
It will not be surprising to note that many people became vegetarian. Pythagoras was a philosopher who had expressed that all living things have souls and therefore all creatures are worthy to be treated compassionately. He further states that eating the meat of an animal is just like eating the meat of the dead cousin. This is the earliest history of vegetarianism which proves that even in the world where sacred customs and traditions of animal sacrifice prevailed, humanity existed. Plato was influenced by Pythagoras (Amato, 1999). However he was not a vegetarian but had compassion for animals.
Socrates stated that people wage war against each other because of consuming meat. He suggested that if people don’t eat meat the world would be better place to live in. The Greek philosopher Theophrastus writings clearly shows that he supported the idea of eating plants and vegetables. The Bible is the one of the most important documents which talks about the world with overjoyed peace and tranquility in all phases of life are vegetarian. The Bible clearly shows that Heaven is so beautiful that no man can live in it. Man has the nature to live in the world and to eat meat while the Garden of Eden is pure and heavenly.
Also religions like Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism forbid the consumption of meat and it has been mentioned in their doctrine. Around 1500-600 BC, animal sacrifice prevailed in Hinduism (Amato, 1999). But after 600 BC, the teachings of Hinduism changed and Vedic rituals were abandoned. Hence, supporting vegetarianism and teaching its follower that destroying life is greater sin that leads to path of destruction. The Hindu Upanishadic text clearly tells it followers to refrain from eating meat in order to attain the high level of spirituality.
Buddha was a staunch supporter of animal rights (Back, 2000). This proves that killing animals is great sin and one must avoid it. All the religious doctrines that forbid animal meat is an act of faithfulness and goodness and not neediness. It is first step towards the self cleansing and developing moral, compassionate, merciful and kind self. Conclusion Although, Buddha and his followers were not able to practice vegetarianism, several centuries after his death, it was encouraged to stop the consumption of meat in order to be kind and compassionate.
The Dali Lama, the spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhism, promotes his followers to eat vegetables. According to Leo Tolstoy, when humans kill without any reason, he becomes cruel and brutal. He forgets compassion and love. Hence, he looses his spirituality. He further states that a human being can stay alive without killing animals for food. If a human consumes meat just for the sake of satisfying his hunger, then there is nothing worse and barbaric than him. The act of killing an animal for his own pleasure is selfish and immoral.
Mahatma Gandhi was the first man ever to waged war without being violent in the first half of twentieth century. He was peaceful by nature and did not believe in any violence. He forbade the consumption of meat. He stated that human beings have a superior ethical and honorable rank and must behave accordingly. It can be concluded that vegetarianism has health, ethical and moral benefits. There is no need to kill animals just for the sake of one’s own selfish desire. Vegetarianism offers spirituality and compassion to human beings. It we all became vegetarians, the world could be a better place to live in.
We and all the animals in the animal kingdom can live in peace and harmony. With the help of vegetarianism, wars and conflicts can stop. Love and piety will develop for everyone. It all comes down being a vegetarian is a magnificent, sacred and beneficial way of life. It could enrich health, holiness and ecology. There are various rational explanations that will back up vegetarianism. A few will ponder that vegetarianism is a retribution or limitation while authentic and sincere vegetarians know that it is a way of life that makes life heavenly and the world a better place to live in.
References:
Amato, Paul, and Sonia Partridge. 1999. The New Vegetarians: Promoting Health and Protecting Life. New York: Plenum.
Beardsworth, Alan. 2005. “The Vegetarian Option: Varieties, Conversions, Motives, and Careers.” The Sociological Review 40:253-293.
Back, Kurt, and Margaret Glasgow. 2000. “Social Networks and Psychological Conditions in Dietary Preferences: Gourmets and Vegetarians.” Basic and Applied Social Psychology 2:1-9.
Corliss, Richard (2007). Should We All Be Vegetarians?. Time Magazine, Retrieved April 8, 2008, from http://www.time.com/time/covers/1101020715/story.html
Cloe, Renee (2005). 20 Questions About Vegetarianism. Primus Partners, Retrieved April 8, 2008, from http://www.primusweb.com/fitnesspartner/library/nutrition/vegetarian.htm