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Vegetarianism and religion

There are many different reasons why an individual might wish to make their diet one that is purely based in plants and other non-meat sources. Some people choose to do so in order to help the environment; others do it so that they can maintain their health better by being a vegetarian. Still others do it for the welfare of animals. However, one reason that thousands upon thousands of people become vegetarian is due to their religions. In this article, we'll give a basic overview of why some people choose to become vegetarians based off of the beliefs of their religion.

Hinduism is one of the largest religions that are followed in the world today, and they tout that the ideal diet for an individual to consume is one that is strictly consisting of non-meat foods. Hindus historically have believed that eating meat resulted in bad karma energies and stated that eating meat is an indulgence. They also believe that when they eat an animal, they will end up having to suffer the same pain that the animal felt in their afterlife. Also, a principle strictly followed by Hindus that is known as Ahimsa states that the Hindu people should be completely non-violent, even to animals. As you can tell, many Hindus take the vegetarian diet very seriously.

Buddhism is another religion in which the followers are often vegetarian. The principle precept of the Buddhist religion translates to ‘I undertake the precept to refrain from taking life.' This translation is disputed by some factions of the Buddhist religion, but many Buddhism followers follow a strict vegetarian diet in order to limit the harm of life that a meat-eating diet causes.

Some Christians also believe that in order to follow their religion correctly, a vegetarian diet must be followed. As an example, Eastern Orthodox Christians avoid eating any type of meat whatsoever, as they believe that meat can induce unwanted passion, which is a prerequisite to sin. Other sects of Christianity such as the Seventh-day Adventists feel that meat should be avoided if possible, especially ‘unclean' meats such as pork and shellfish, which are mentioned in the Bible in the Leviticus book. Some Christians feel that a vegan diet is the right decision in terms of a human diet as they believe that Adam and Eve ate a similar diet and that following such a diet would help them to return to the Garden of Eden.

As you can see, there are plenty of different religions that tout the benefits of a vegetarian diet. In addition to the spiritual fulfillment that one may receive by undergoing a vegetarian diet for religious reasons, you are also helping to protect yourself against heart disease, helping to protect the world against the harmful effects of global warming, and working towards keeping soil erosion to a minimum. The benefits are numerous, and it only takes a little hard work and effort in order to successfully adopt the vegetarian lifestyle. Without a doubt, becoming a vegetarian can be one of the best decisions that you could ever make.