vegetarians..

[missjef]

One of my friends has recently decided to become a vegetarian (but still eat fish), cutting out things like gelatin too, although still keeping a leather coat and shoes. my question is, do you think that if you are becoming a vegetarian or you yourself are a vegetarian do you think you should cut out things like leather coats, bags and shoes too?

my opinion is that if you are to become a vegetarian then you should cut out things like leather coats as well, because having them kind of defeats the purpose of being a vegetarian. That is only my opinion though. i also think that you should cut out all types of meat and not just keep eating fish or chicken.

[joannie10]

depends really on their reasons for becomming vegetarian. One of my friends is vegetarian because she does not like the thought of eating animal flesh/stuff but not against the killing of animals. She still wears leather etc. I am not vegetarian so not really giving my opinion just giving someone elses.

[mrrobbo15]

i dont think it really matters...you just have to be true to yourself......whatever that is, everyone should respect it.

[missjef]

yeah i think that it does depend on why they are becoming vegetarian too, because some people just simply dont like the taste of meat.

i should just point out, i myself am not vegetarian.

[heffalump]

I think it depends on why you are vegetarian. I am, but the main reason is that I just don't like meat or fish, so I don't eat it. I also don't like milk or cream, so I don't eat those either, but I do eat other dairy products and eggs. I don't object to people wearing leather, I wear leather shoes, but I agree that it is a bit hypocritical of those vegetarians who are vege for moral reasons to continue to use other animal products.

[lady_p_gold]

Well the thing is ... everyone has their own reasons for becoming a vegetarian and different people follow different dietary programmes for all sorts of different reasons so it depends on what your friend's reasons are. There are lots of different schools of thought, and personally I believe that being a vegetarian means not eating flesh. If someone wants to eat only chicken and fish then that is fine, but I think they could not really be called a vegetarian. As to leather etc well that is another issue, some say that it is a product of the dead animal and it is better to use it etc. and some are dead against it. To be honest to live a life without contact with animal products is almost impossible, you will find there are animal products in wine and all sorts of other things you would not expect. If you spend your life reading labels and looking for tablets in non gelatine coatings and not licking envelopes, then maybe you could avoid all animal products but it ain't easy. So I think each person should do as they wish but not try to preach to others, although expressing your anger at cruelty in animal farming in an informed way hoping for change is different than throwing paint over someone and screaming 'meat is murder'. So I would ask your friend their reasons and then perhaps a good discussion might ensue.

[joko]

i agree on the chicken and fish thing - i find that a ridiculous thing to say. it is just a way to make those people feel better - as though they are 'doing their bit', but its just nonsense - if you eat any kind of animal then you are not a veggie - full stop

regarding the leather, many would say it is a by-product of the meat industry.
animals are not killed for their skins, but for their meat and it just a way of not wasting anything.

however if suddenly overnight everyone became a veggie, then animals would just begin to be slaughtered purely for their skin.

i read someone who said that if you intend to kill an animal, at least do it the justice of making it not have died in vain and use every possible bit of it. ( i can sort of see the logic in that i suppose)

i am against meat and leather.

i have just bought a car and the seller went on and on about these lovely leather seats - all i could think of was is there a way to get them out and change them!!

(if anyone knows of a way, let me know, as they are not covers)

[Loosehead]

Well Jack Dee has a routine including:

"I'm a vegetarian except for fish!"

"Well I'm a non smoker, except for cigarettes!"

Kind of sums it up.

[missjef]

joko i agree with you, and think there is a logic in the not wasting any of it part. i also think that you cant call yourself a 'veggie' if you continue to eat fish or chicken, as it defeats the point if you are against the eating of meat or flesh of animals. although i think it does depend on your reasons for becoming a vegetarian.

lady_p_gold i think you are spot on for saying that it would be almost impossible to cut out animal products all together, as so many things contain them.

heffalump i totally agree with you that its hypocritical for someone who doesnt eat meat for moral reasons to carry on wearing leather and using animal products.

[missjef]

loosehead - thanks for that, that really does sum it up, in my opinion!!

[Craig007]

If God didn't want us to eat animals he would not have made them out of meat! :o)

[missjef]

Craig007 you could say the same about humans...

[Craig007]

I believe it is the motto of Cannibals R Us missjef! :o)

[missjef]

hehe, someones setting up meetings already i bet!!

[Loosehead]

did you hear about the 2 cannibals eating a clown, one says to the other, "Does this taste funny to you?"

[missjef]

also, just to add another point to this, i have just found out that my friend has just got a job at mcdonalds, which i personally think is going against her beliefs since the reason she's given up meat is for moral reasons, so i dont understand why she wants to work for a company like mcdonalds?!

[kezza1973]

Your opinion is wrong. Ok so that means because she doesn't want to eat meat anymore she should become an animal rights activist? Stop labelling her. I was a vegetarian for 15 years then woke up one morning and had a bacon sandwich. Which box would you put me in?

[missjef]

kezza1973 i think you've got me all wrong im not trying to label her, neither am i saying she should become a animal rights activist i think its up to the person to do what they feel like, all im saying is that personally in my opinion i cant see how you can give up meat for moral reasons and still wear leather, and work for a company like mcdonalds, and still eat fish - but that is just my personal opinion, im not saying that my opinion is right in anyway what so ever, i was just wanting to know what other peoples views on being vegetarian were and what they class as being vegetarian.

[applebee]

This is just my opinion...but I believe if you are a vegetarian, because your feeling eating an animal is wrong, then OBVIOUSLY wearing leather is also wrong! I am a strict vegetarian and I certainly would never buy a product made out of an animal. I believe that animals are not ours to eat!