WI: Christians are Strict Vegetarians

[Flocculencio]

Sounds like you have confused Hinduism with Buhdism. As most Hindus are meat eaters.

Ahem- A lot of Brahmins are strictly vegetarian along with varying numbers of Hindus from other groups.

And FYI a whole lot of Buddhists are meat eaters.

Perhaps you're thinking of the Jains?

 

[Flocculencio]

If Christianism requires absolute vegetarianism it probably would never expand over Europe. Look at how many pork eat the Christians today, despite the Bible put it in the level of almost evil. If Europeans didn't renounce to pork, Do you think that they would renounce also to cow, goat, sheep and chicken? In that scenario the Roman Empire would remain classical pagan or become mostly Mitraist.

Eh? How is that relevant?

There's a chapter in the New Testament (in Acts IIRC) where the Jewish dietary laws are clearly repealed. The notion of clean or unclean meat doesn't apply to Christians.

 

[carlton_bach]

There were/are some Christian sects that adpoted vegetarianism, at least for the spiritually higher ranks.

More than that, actually. Many monastic orders initially required their memgbers to follow a strict ovo-lacto-vegetarian diet with no fish or meat allowed except to the sick. This commandment took a long time to soften up, and some communities still follow it (or follow it again). And no Catholic monk is supposed to eat meat, even in orders that permit fish. Though exceptions are, of course, made.

 

[Flocculencio]

Well, I think its doubtful that christianity would prosper if Vegetarianism is a strict requirement for membership. However, I could easily see a situation where vegetarianism is lauded as a virtuous behavior with few lay members actually adopting that lifestyle.

Quite a lot like Buddhism in that respect- like many other things to do with Buddhism, it's a very practical solution. It's good if you can be a vegetarian but if you can't, don't sweat it.

 

[Flocculencio]

Just remember that Taoism, Confucianism, and Animism have always outnumbered Buddhists,

I think that's a bit of a misleading statement. Most Chinese wouldn't see any of the above practices as being exclusive.

 

[fortyseven]

The Jains, that eat, are vegetarian. I think 10% of Hindus are vegetarian. South Asia is more slanted towards vegetarianism than other parts of the world due to the belief in ahimsa. Many South Asia Hindus don't eat pork and many South Asian Muslims iirc don't eat beef for historical reasons.

 

[Amit]

The Jains, that eat, are vegetarian. I think 10% of Hindus are vegetarian. South Asia is more slanted towards vegetarianism than other parts of the world due to the belief in ahimsa. Many South Asia Hindus don't eat pork and many South Asian Muslims iirc don't eat beef for historical reasons.

its the other way around..hindus dont eat beef - the cow is holy to them and the muslims dont eat pork although there is some debate as to why not.

 

[fortyseven]

its the other way around..hindus dont eat beef - the cow is holy to them and the muslims dont eat pork although there is some debate as to why not.

I meant in addition to their dietary laws. Some Hindus traditionally were allowed to eat beef