Life and Spirituality

J ust as we have persons who belong to some religious sect or other or none at all, humans can be divided on the basis of their food choices in broad categories – vegans, lovegans, vegetarians or others who eat fish and meat from various animals without any philosophical compunctions but with some preferences for the animals they choose e.g. some will eat cats and dogs too but others will not eat them. Many in India will consider eating or even killing a cow a most unholy thing to do a because it too is a loved domestic pet and a motherly one at that  since it provides milk for children and others. The prohibition on eating or killing a cow is because that is unholy, repugnant and unsacred act not especially because a cow is sacred. All life is sacred. The assertion that cows are not eaten merely because they are sacred is a western twist. Cows roam about in Indian neighborhoods just as cats might in western one. However, in  recent years it has been restricted in citie...

V egetarianism is the practice of not eating meat or poultry. Many forms of vegetarianism exclude the eating of fish as well. The most extreme form of vegetarianism known as veganism excludes all foods of animal origin including eggs and diary products. The basis of vegetarianism is the prevention of cruelty involved in killing animals. Land, energy and water required for producing meat and poultry are several times that for producing an equivalent amount of plant food. Thus production of meat results in greater damage to environment than the production of an equivalent amount of plant food. If farming is done organically damage to the environment is further reduced. The resulting food is healthier as well. Vegans exclude eggs and diary products from their diets because commercial production methods of milk and eggs result in cruelty to animals. However, although vegetarians and vegans help prevent cruelty to animals, they disregard the cruelty perpetuated on plant life. Farming...