[steve_and_pigs]

Stephanae,

I'm not vegan or vegetarian. I do try and make choices that are good for animals an the planet. I think everyone participating in this thread is the same in that regard.

I don't think it is hypocritical to say that you care for animals, but you will kill them for food. Someone that makes an effort to minimize the suffering of an animal that he is going to eat is choosing a course of action that is consistent with caring for animals. He could also choose not to kill the animal. That would be consistent as well. Both actions are reducing the suffering the animal experiences. The first in part, the latter entirely. To kill the animal without regard for its suffering would be hypocritical, as it is in complete disregard for the proposed value.

There is a valid point that doing any harm to the animal is inconsistent with the proposed value, but in reality, we all have many values to consider, some of which may conflict, and we need to reconcile them by making compromises and choosing actions that we think are reasonable. We also all have varying priorities, and finite capacities.

I'm having a hard time understanding what you are trying to communicate. I think you are stating a lot of the "what", but not a lot of the "why". I've collected a few of your statements that I think contextually stand on their own. If you could elaborate on these statements with your reasons for them, and on how they relate to your choice to eat animals, I would find that helpful.

It's just that, for me, it's just as important that things that feel emotions/pain die as it is that things that don't feel die

I value the importance of death and of nature's order that all life is sustained by other life.

I have chosen to eat meat, because for me, gratitude for the natural order that all life is sustained by other life and that death is also important is a good lesson

eating limited amounts of meat is sacred ritual to me