Should Unitarian Universalists Be Vegetarian?

presented in October 2007 to the Plano (Texas) Community Unitarian Universalist Church

Category:

Pets & Animals

Tags:

• Unitarian
• Universalists
• Vegetarian
• Animal
• Rights
• Vegan

[uuqueen16]

I really liked this video. Thanks for posting. I have been a UU for nine months and a vegetarian for 6 months. I am proud to be both.

[oscarg707]

Thank you, kindly.

[oscarg707]

I'm not sure what "accepting" means. If it means not passing judgment, then perhaps. Who is without sin, after all? The question, however, is would you open the door completely to anyone, without regards to orientation and philosophy, indeed even in contravention to UU tenets of peace and love, for the sake of inclusivity? Are UU principles then merely goals or are they strictures on our behavior? I think I'm probably more intolerant than I should be since I do not accept needless violence.

[oscarg707]

Thank you for your comment. It is thoughtful. I'm not sure what to say about "excluding omnivores." Asking people to join a movement of compassion excludes only those who reject the movement's goals. Jump in anytime. Please. As for respect, I guess a soldier can respect his/her enemy or an executioner his/her prisoner, but I suspect the enemy/prisoner would probably rather have life over respect. Living things need our kindness, not our respect.

[hozehd]

As I'm sure I won't be able to persuade you to become an omnivore again and vice versa. I would like to make the point that just as the unitarian church accepts people of faiths which also practice veghanism and vegetarianism, it accept humans who are still omnivores. If not for the sake of being unitarian than for the sake of accepting of all beliefs. Also being kind requires us to be close. Most wild animals are better off respected as they are dangerous.

[oscarg707]

I'm not sure what "accepting" means. If it means not passing judgment, then perhaps. Who is without sin, after all? The question, however, is would you open the door completely to anyone, without regards to orientation and philosophy, indeed even in contravention to UU tenets of peace and love, for the sake of inclusivity? Are UU principles then merely goals or are they strictures on our behavior? I think I'm probably more intolerant than I should be since I do not accept needless violence.

[BigStrongBoy]

I have been vegan for 20 yrs and UU for 2.

The UU principles (unfortunately for the animals) DO NOT guide us to vegetarianism let alone demand it of us:

1. worth and dignity of every PERSON

2. compassion in HUMAN relations

3. acceptance of ONE ANOTHER...

4. truth and meaning

5. right of conscience... in SOCIETY at large

6. peace, liberty, and justice for all [PEOPLE is my assumption]

7. respect for the interdependent web of existence [preserving the food chain with humans at the top fits here]

[hozehd]

well under this line of thinking the unitarian church might also adopt a pro life stance. As the needless violence against fetal children doesn't sound like peace and love. There fore once the church changes its mind, should they allow doctors whom perform abortions, or woman who've had abortions, or men whom have paid for abortions to be part of the church. Or would their exclusion be to intolerant.

[oscarg707]

Thank you for your comment. It is thoughtful. I'm not sure what to say about "excluding omnivores." Asking people to join a movement of compassion excludes only those who reject the movement's goals. Jump in anytime. Please. As for respect, I guess a soldier can respect his/her enemy or an executioner his/her prisoner, but I suspect the enemy/prisoner would probably rather have life over respect. Living things need our kindness, not our respect.

[hozehd]

I would disagree. You say what is unitarian about eating animals. I say whats unitarian about excluding omnivores. As this relationship is more pertaining to human relations then to that of our relationship to animals. Secondly it is possible to respect the animals you eat. In fact more respect is given to the animals we eat because we can be thankful for this animal's sacrifice for our meal. However I would call some of our meat industry disrespectful in their methods.