Vegetarians Are Also Capable of Out-Heroding Herod

By Sumit Paul, New Age Islam

7 December 2023

"Paradoxically, the author does not advocate Vegetarianism."

Anburaj

"Though I don't eat meat, fish or even eggs, I don't go out and ask others to adopt my food habits. What you eat is your preference. I've no right to interfere with that.... Morality and compassion have many other ways to manifest themselves. "

French existentialist Albert Camus to his daughter; she was a non-vegetarian

"Muhabbat Jo Karte Hain Woh, Muhabbat Jatate Nahin/ Dhadkanein Apne Dil Ki Kabhi Kisi Ko Sunate Nahin" (Those who love, don't show their feelings/ Nor do they let others listen to their heartbeats).

I'm a pure vegetarian but I don't flaunt my vegetarianism. Why should I blow my own trumpet or advocate something like vegetarianism which may be good from a health and hygiene perspective but certainly not as a moral compass or a basis to judge the alternative dietary choice or option, i.e, non-vegetarianism?

Science has completely discarded the age-old belief that vegetarianism makes you a morally upright human and fills you with humane qualities like compassion and kindness. Rubbish! It's akin to saying that religion and god make you a moralist and without them one's a reprobate.

The current political dispensation advocates vegetarianism. But can you find noble qualities in most of its leaders, adherents and votaries? Two of its frontline leaders call themselves vegetarians but they're capable of out-Heroding Herod.

You quote Vivekananda and Ramakrishna at the drop of a hat. Both ate meat. In fact, Vivekananda was very fond of eating goat meat and Ramakrishna would love to eat fish.  

Hitler was a vegetarian and I needn't tell you what he did. A number of vegetarians, due to religious reasons, are outright unscrupulous people. Don't act in a condescending manner and look down upon those who relish meat. Calling them inhuman is an act of Moral Turpitude. Stop making a fetish of your idiosyncrasies.

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A regular columnist for New Age Islam, Sumit Paul is a researcher in comparative religions, with special reference to Islam. He has contributed articles to the world's premier publications in several languages including Persian.

 

URL:   https://newageislam.com/spiritual-meditations/vegetarians-capable-out-heroding-herod/d/131267

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