Morality of eating meat?!

Morality of eating meat?

I am not a vegetarian, nor have I ever called myself one. I eat fish, I eat poultry. I do NOT eat mammals or wear their skin.

My reasons:

1) I believe in evolution. I think that eating other mammals is just one step below eating humans. On the inside, other mammals are very similar to us. Looking at the whole history of the developing world, mammals branched off only a relatively short time ago.

2) Mammals are slaughtered and kept in a very unhumane way. I believe that they are more intelligent than fish or chickens and are therefore more receptive to that kind of treatment.

3) I would not be able to kill a mammal unless it was necessary to survival. While we live in a society where I can get protein from other sources, I will continue to do so.

I belive that children should be made aware of such matters and be able to choose their own path of either being a vegetarian or eating all types of meat, no matter what their family chose.

What are your thoughts on this?

1 day ago
In answer to "lots of laughs" point about contradiction. I meant that I WOULD eat and kill a mammal if it was necessary for me to not starve. However now I have a choice and therefore don't eat them.

About the point about chickens. I DO know the cruelty there as well, which is why i buy free-range only.

While I don't necessarily look down on non-mammals, I think that mammal brains are much higher developed that other creatures and therefore they can be more aware of a situation that they are in.

It is ironic that you say you "believe in evolution" and that is the reason why you do not eat other mammals.... only lesser animals like fish and chickens. AS IF evolution carries with it some moral code which would prohibit the eating of species too close to your own. One of THE main tenets of evolution is "survival of the fittest". In other words, ONLY species that are able to overcome and subdue their natural predators are "worthy" (in the unbiased eyes of nature) TO survive. All other weaker life forms deserve to either become food or to become extinct. THIS is evolution carried to its natural, logical end. From a purely evolutionary, amoral point of view, there is no reason not to eat other mammals INCLUDING other humans if they are unable to stop their enemies from doing so. (I would never do such a thing by the way). But bears, sharks and alligators routinely eat humans with none of the emotional conflicts that you are having.

I might suggest that your dilemma with eating higher mammals is NOT a byproduct of a belief in evolution but rather a moral (or God forbid) a spiritual concern. Treating lesser life forms with respect is the opposite of what evolution is about.

Those are my thoughts.

And please don't get me wrong, I am NOT a cannibal. :-)