Why do some people think killing animals for food is so wrong?

I don't think animals were put here for us. Humans are extremely self centred as a species, we think we own everything. We take what we want, kill other creatures, and destroy the earth.

I don't think of any creature as being inferior or lower, animals are not here to serve us. What exactly makes a persons life more valuable than any other creature? What makes is so is that people say it does. Not exactly a true reason.

People use the bible as a justification for killing animals, but no everyone follows the bible. To me it is just a book, written by man. Not to offend anyones beliefs, as I was Catholic once. I find it funny that some use this justification and yet are what I call holiday Christians(haven't stepped foot into a church since Easter). Most people tend to pick and choose what they want to follow from the bible and ignore what they do not like.

In fact I think it is ironic that people are supposedly the top creature in this world yet it will be because of people that the environment is destroyed and some day uninhabitable.

Also there is not reason to apologise for asking a valid question. In life you are going to meet a lot of different people, some will build you up and others will tear you down. Do not judge all vegetarians and vegan by a small few you know. Many of us are just trying to live the way we see as right without being criticised and made fun of. I'd say omnivores and vegetarians are looking for very much the same things from each other... tolerance for our choice, and understanding.

I'm so confused I love animals so much but also enjoy a good steak my son is a vegan and told me how they suffer I have quit eating meat but still crave it I can no longer pretend that animals are killed kindly for food I have always been against eating veal and lamb baby animals of any kind but pain is pain no matter at any age so soy and greens are on the menu for me from now on I cant look at meat any longer with out thinking and feeling the pain these sweet creatures must feel I can only pray for those that are still killed that maybe God intervenes and spares them pain DJM

It is the way that the poor creatures are treated during the whole process. Crammed in small cages and and pens and overcrowded with numerous animals. Think of how the world will become, when we see cows, chicken, turkey, fish, pigs, and all the other animals that go into the slaughtering and gutting line......we'll always think of them as food. These creatures are worth more than this. I can't stand saying "I am an animal lover" while chomping down on a double cheese burger....it's totally sad and ironic. The animal killing just has to stop.......

You don't have to apologize for asking this question... You asked nicely and deserve a serious, polite answer.

I don't understand why someone would look down on someone else for eating a certain way... that is just childish and stupid. (though, I'll admit, I don't care much for fake "vegetarians"...you know the "pollo- pesca vegetarians" I don't look down on them... I just want them to stop pretending that they are real vegetarians**btw I'm not including fish/bird-eating vegetarians that don't know any better) Some vegans/ vegetarians do dislike meat eaters though... just like some meat- eaters call us freaks... That's life I guess...

Anyway, to answer your question, Meat is not necessary for you to live a healthy life... The meat/ dairy/ egg industry would like to make you think that you need their products, but you really don't. You can get all of the nutrients you need from non- animal sources. So why kill an innocent animal if there is no need to? ...

And it is not just the killing of the animals, they are pretty much tortured and forced to live in horrible conditions all of their short lives...

Animals (whatever the reason may be) were definitely not put here to be treated the way we treat farm animals.

You didn't offend me... You asked this question in a nice way and it is a serious question.... that doesn't happen a lot here...most of the time we get meat-eaters that just come in here to ask hypothetical/ dumb questions in an attempt to make fun of us... or they answer questions with rude/ unnecessary/ or uneducated answers.

Here are some links if you are curious:

Reasons to go vegetarian:

- http://www.goveg.com/feat/chewonthis/

Info about vegetarianism:

- http://www.vrg.org/

- http://www.vegansociety.com/html/...

- http://www.ivu.org/

- http://www.goveg.com/

- http://www.vegan.org/

Why is 'killing [people] for food' wrong? It is 100% natural and healthy to kill other [people] for food, it is the way life works on this planet! [Please see Prodigy 556's answer] So why are vegetarians so opposed to nature? Killing other [people] for energy is like breathing and mating, It is what your [sic] supposed to do. [Oh, damn, I can only get energy from meat, is that what you're saying? Does this mean that I have actually been dead from "protein deficiency" for the past eleven months? Science, how dare you tell me I can get energy from other sources! Lies! Bronze, you really do nose all. Where can I get the Vitamin Protein pills with which you must be supplementing your meats?] And i don't care how 'terrible and cruel' the [people] are killed at slaughter houses, Watch the [CNN] channel sometime, death in nature is just as bad. [I'd recommend reading some books on grammar instead of plugging into the tee vee, dear friend.] Ever see a video of a shark eating a seel? [sic] Just as bad, it's supposed to be. [Sharks are carnivores, dude. Ancient carnivores with rows of teeth and sandpaper skin. People are wimps with thin skin, flimsy claws, flabby ineffectual muscles and weak jaws.] I disagree, respect is not automatic and absolute, not even for a personal belief. [That is true. I have no respect for your personal beliefs.] If a guy believed raping children was ok, would you respect his belief? [Of course not. I am not going to agree with violence for any reason. My compassion for human animals is merely extended into my compassion for non-human animals. By the way, if a man was beating puppies for his health and "because it's natural", would you respect his belief?] ... Why are we applying human laws and beliefs to animals? [I think we give too much credit to humans, attributing them with behavior many animals have. Intelligence is not exclusive to humans; intellect MIGHT belong only to us, but that's just another argument for vegetarianism.] Like i said before, killing people for food is NATURAL, I never said anything about canibalism [sic]. [Call it what you want, non-humans are more similar to us than you want to believe.] The only reason animals are killed en mass is because a few humans have [I don't think KFC has anything to do with "have to" or survival of humanity] to kill for the entire population [except vegans and vegetarians], there isn't neccesarily [sic] some misproportion like you suggest. Chickens and cows are no where near extinct. [1. What do you mean by this? ¿Que? 2. They're only abundant because we breed them. They're not migrating from chicken farm to chicken farm to have orgies together. If we stopped breeding cows and chickens, there would be less of them around.] [By the way, icheer4d, I have to tell you... you do not need to eat animals. You are eating them for your pleasure. Sorry for saying this, but you are a hypocrite.]

People have humanized animals. They don't make any distinction. In fact some really hardline Vegans almost seem to think killing people to save animals is okay.

You can't put human emotions and feelings to an animal. Especially the ones we eat the most. They are severely stupid. They're called lower animals for a reason. Example: I knew a family that raised some chickens, just so their kids got to experience some part of farm life. One day when they went to feed the chickens, one of them fluttered up on top of the wood stove. It stood there hopping from foot to foot on the hot stove, too stupid to move away from the heat that was burning it's feet.

Oh, Angel, you really need to lighten up. Your moral tirade is both rude and misplaced. Oh, and just to clarify, some people in India consider cows sacred, but they still eat pork and chicken.

1. we don't need to kill any animal to survive so its just unneeded deaths. 2. i personally wouldn't want to be anyone's dinner and i would assume cows and chickens and such wouldn't either (though if it happened in nature it is obviously expectable as it is nature, though humans have stepped out of the realm of nature so we dont count!) 3. if you visit a slaughter house i can guarantee that you wouldnt never touch meat again. your vegan friends don't look down on you, they are probably just disgusted by the animal muscle thats on your plate.

if your up to it, you can go to youtube and type in earthlings. it will show you slaughter house experiences along with other animal cruelty related things.

I'm not a vegan, but I respect their beliefs and views. I think the biggest issue with vegans is not that others eat meat, its how those animals are kept, fed and treated during their lives. About 17 years ago I took a tour of a slaughter house in Georgia. They slaughtered hogs and sheep there.

It was so disturbing that I became a vegetarian for almost 5 years. I only eat meat now that is organic, pasture-fed, free-range or otherwise kept and 'harvested' in a humane fashion.

ANYONE who bashes vegans should go see, IN PERSON, a beef, pork, lamb or poultry farm and slaughter house. It will wake you up really quickly.

Well alot of animals serve for other things . Like their poop is soil and perfect to grow plants . Like I dont mind people having nice little farms and letting the animals free to walk around and then end up killing them after a while . But have you ever seen factory farms . ? their the ******* worse **** ever ! they have machines that hang chickens upside down and chop off their heads . its seriously really disgusting ! .and the animals cant even move around ... most chickens die because they get over feed and cant even walk so their like laying on their back dieing . its really sad . :( ... watch an animal cruelty video once . and you'll see the heartbreak in each animal

the reasons most dont eat meat is ethical. i dont personally hunt or raise my own meat humanely but i wouldnt be so against someone if thats how they ate their meat but most meat comes from inhumane factories that torture the animals. if we dont eat cows and chickens then they wont be raised for us to eat them and thus would not be tortured. just because it seems that the only reasons cows exist is for meat doesnt mean that is their only purpose. cows dont need to even exist period. i would rather not even know of cows then to know of cows who are tortured and murdered.

added: just a comment to LTD I dont even know any vegetarians who buy leather, fur, etc or attend circuses or whatever. that is a rediculous comment. i know a ton of meat eaters who dont even buy those products just because of how wrong it is. stop making comment about people who you dont even know.