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Summary of Question:	Eating Meat
Category:	General Sikhism
Date Posted:	Sunday, 7/09/2000 11:34 PM MDT

I have read your responses to many of the questions asked about the general practice of being vegetarian (or to be precise, to not kill an animal to eat it). I myself am a turbaned Sikh (but not amritdari at this point) and eat meat (except halal, veal). I have heard many opinions in my lifetime and have not seen a strict definition of whether eating meat is wrong or not.

The pro meat argument is the one about not eating halal (written in another scripture, not in the Guru Granth Sahib), also it is said that Guru Nanak Dev Ji ate meat on a journey and lastly many feel that Guru Gobind Singh Ji ate meat during his time (with his army) and also hunted.

The argument against eating meat says that killing an animal for its flesh is wrong. Others (includings some replies on your message boards) say that the enjoyment of eating animal flesh is very self fulfilling. Also we should not eat an animal if we don't have to.

I am always confused about this issue. I feel like this is one point that was never addressed with a strict definition (unlike the hair issue). If we don't eat meat but eat eggs (dairy products) aren't we denying life to that egg that could have been a potential chicken?? If we have dairy products, we are supporting a system that simply keeps cows alive to give humans milk. We are allowing the cows to live .. but they are living to give us milk (which we could easily survive without)?? If we live in a home that is part of a neighbourhood that WAS in a natural habitat, aren't we supporting deforestation and thus denying those natural residents (animals) their existance?? Also there are many self fulfilling things that people do that was not objected by the pro vegetarian camp (listening to music, dancing, driving cars, air conditioners .....). Some of these acts do harm others (smog, pollution ...).

You see, I feel like there was no set rule about this issue. I am totally comfortable with people being vegetarian or not (and calling themselves Sikhs) since it is not something that was included as a criterion for Sikhism. If one says that it is wrong to eat an animal, we can reply with examples of the Guru's eating meat.

The ONLY PROBLEM I HAVE IS WITH PEOPLE SAYING THAT VEGETARIANISM IS A PART OF THE SIKH FAITH. I don't agree with that. Many SIKHS CHOOSE TO BE VEGETARIANS. THATS ALL!!

I would really appreciate a reply that addresses both viewpoints and further clarifies this situation for me. You will notice my opinion by the way I wrote the above. This site is VERY USEFUL and I have really enjoyed surfing to it.

Thank You
Simardeep Singh

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Reply
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You need to simplify your question. You talk about what other people do or don't do, the only question to you is what is the effect of eating meat on your life and your soul.
If you give the animal a choice, will it let you eat it? Go up to a cow, hold a knife under its throat, stick the knife in just a little so the cow knows you want to hurt it. Then see if the cow runs away (it will of course).
You are free to cause all the pain and suffering you want to these animals, but why do think there is no karma for that?
You could kill people and eat them too, would that be ok? Why not? Because they don't want you to? Animals don't want you to either.
People will rationalize behavior because they want what they want. But you can't have an intellectual debate with your own soul, it knows everything you do.
If you don't care about how much karma you are incurring, then eat meat. If you don't care about your long term health, then eat lots of steak. If you don't care about having a clear, meditative mind, then eat all the chickens. If you don't care how many times you go around the wheel of incarnations, then cause all the suffering you like.
However, if you want to meet God, then don't eat meat.