| As more and more people become vegetarian, | | | | weak and scrawny, you can reel out a list of |
| for moral, spiritual, environmental and health | | | | famous athletes who are vegetarian, including Bill |
| reasons, their friends and acquaintances still quiz | | | | Pearl (former Mr Universe), swimmer Murray |
| them about why they don't eat meat. While | | | | Rose, wrestler Killer Kowalski, and Sri Chinmoy, |
| vegetarians shouldn't have to justify their diet any | | | | who has broken several weight-lifting records. |
| more than anyone else, many people still want | | | | "If you were in the middle of a desert, and there |
| them to "defend" themselves. Here are some of | | | | was nothing there except a rabbit, wouldn't you |
| the ways that vegetarians can reply to common | | | | kill it and eat it?" |
| questions and comments from the "sceptics". | | | | Someone actually used that argument with me |
| "It must be boring being a vegetarian." | | | | (and quite heatedly, as well). It seems to show |
| The idea that vegetarians only eat salad and nuts | | | | that, when people feel passionate enough about |
| can easily be debunked by the number of | | | | something (like, umm, food), they resort to very |
| vegetarian restaurants in any major Western city, | | | | strange debates. The obvious answer is that, if I |
| not to mention the number of lofty vegetarian | | | | ever found myself in that terrible situation, I |
| cookbooks that are available. In fact, for many | | | | would possibly eat the rabbit... especially if |
| vegetarians (having to find an alternative to the | | | | someone was kind enough to provide me with |
| famous "meat and three vegetables" meals), food | | | | cooking facilities. Fortunately, I've never been in |
| has an endlessly exciting sense of discovery. | | | | that situation. (But thanks for asking.) |
| "Don't you think plants scream when you pull | | | | "Why are you vegetarian?" |
| them out of the ground?" | | | | Of course, most vegetarians can answer this one |
| It's tempting to say something smart-alecky | | | | for themselves! There are many benefits to |
| ("Why, no. Do you hear them scream?"), but | | | | vegetarianism, but perhaps the most common is |
| perhaps it's better to simply point out that | | | | spirituality. "The vegetarian diet does play a role in |
| livestock is fed on grains. According to some | | | | the spiritual life," says Sri Chinmoy. "When we eat |
| estimates, it takes 10 kilos of grain to feed one | | | | meat, the aggressive animal consciousness enters |
| kilo of beef. If you're worried about plant cruelty, | | | | into us. Our nerves become agitated and restless, |
| you should avoid eating animals. | | | | and this can interfere with our meditation... The |
| "You need meat to survive!" | | | | mild qualities of fruits and vegetables help us to |
| Literally billions of people survive without meat. | | | | establish, in our inner life as well as in our outer |
| Meat is only one possible source of protein. A | | | | life, the qualities of sweetness, softness, simplicity |
| vegetarian diet needs to be balanced, of course - | | | | and purity. If we are vegetarians, this helps our |
| but then, as many people forget, so does any | | | | inner being to strengthen its own existence. |
| other diet. If people suggest that vegetarians are | | | | |