| Vegetarianism is defined as the avoidance of food | | | | and thus leads one away from the path to |
| which is obtained by killing animals. Over the years | | | | enlightenment. Fruits and vegetables are believed to |
| vegetarianism has gained a growing number of | | | | stimulate mental and physical purity, while meat is said |
| followers. In my own native country of The | | | | to cloud the mind and hinder one's meditation. Spiritual |
| Netherlands the percentage of vegetarians has | | | | philosopher Sri Chinmoy explains, "When we eat meat |
| increased from 1.9% of the total population in 1999 to | | | | and fish, the aggressive, animal consciousness enters |
| 4.5% in 2005. What can be so attractive about the | | | | into us. Our nerves become agitated; they become |
| vegetarian diet? | | | | restless and aggressive, and this can interfere with our |
| Vegetarianism goes back a long way. History's first | | | | meditation." |
| famous vegetarian was the Greek statesman, | | | | Adversaries of vegetarianism often claim that a |
| mathematician and philosopher Pythagoras (569-475 | | | | vegetarian diet misses out on essential nutrients, |
| BC). He abolished the sacrificing of animals under his | | | | especially protein. However, this claim has never been |
| rule and was a fervent advocate of meat abstinence | | | | backed by scientific evidence and is merely a |
| throughout his life. He is considered the founder of | | | | widespread myth, as all essential nutrients are readily |
| vegetarianism in Europe and even until the 19th century | | | | available from vegetarian sources, such as fruits, |
| vegetarians were still called 'pythagoreans'. Pythagoras | | | | vegetables, grains, dairy, nuts and seeds. |
| was a vegetarian on moral grounds primarily. He was | | | | More recently a contrary view has won wider public |
| deeply convinced that the killing of animals for personal | | | | appeal, which argues that not shunning but eating meat |
| consumption was an act of dire barbarism, leading to | | | | poses considerable health risks. This view has been |
| man's moral and spiritual decline. | | | | scientifically proven, as meat eaters tend to consume |
| "As long as man continues to be the ruthless | | | | unwholesome fat and an excess of protein, which |
| destroyer of lower beings, he will never know health or | | | | increases the risk of cardiovascular disease. To quote |
| peace. For as long as men massacre animals, they will | | | | dr. William Castelli, Director of the Framingham Heart |
| kill each other. Indeed, he who sows the seed of | | | | Study, "Vegetarians have the best diet. They have the |
| murder and pain cannot reap joy and love". | | | | lowest rates of coronary disease... Some people scoff |
| Pythagoras | | | | at vegetarians, but they have a fraction of our heart |
| In India Ghandi echoed Pythagoras' beliefs in his | | | | attack rate and they have only 40 percent of our |
| passionate claim that "the greatness of a nation and its | | | | cancer rate." Elaborate studies in England and |
| moral progress can be judged by the way its animals | | | | Germany have also shown this 40 percent ratio. |
| are treated." Recently this utterance became the | | | | Finally, the vegetarian diet could prove to be a solution |
| inspiration behind a new political party for animal rights | | | | to the world's food problem. Roughly half of the |
| in The Netherlands, who at the recent elections in | | | | world's corn crops are fed to cattle while every day |
| November 2006 earned a surprising two seats in | | | | an average of 40,000 children die of starvation. The |
| Parliament. | | | | same food that is now given to animals for meat |
| People become vegetarians for different reasons. | | | | production could put an end to world hunger. The |
| Some choose the vegetarian way of life based on | | | | environment would also benefit from the change in diet. |
| health related motives, others become vegetarians out | | | | Cattle farming uses up far more land, crops and |
| of silent protest against the suffering and mistreatment | | | | energy than does agriculture. Large parts of the |
| of animals in slaughterhouses, while still others shun | | | | South-American rainforests are cleared to grow crops |
| meat for spiritual reasons. The Buddhist's vegetarian | | | | for cattle-fodder. The earth further suffers from the |
| diet is a logical consequence of the Buddha's doctrine | | | | emission of nitrogen caused by animal manure, causing |
| of *ahimsa* or non-violence towards all sentient beings. | | | | acid rain and the pollution of our drinking water. |
| Eating meat is seen as being part of the killing process | | | | |