My views on Meat Eaters vs. Vegan debate
This post is based on my recent comments elsewhere. The context is about advising all people to change their meat and fish eating habits, and about dangers to environment from meat industry practices of industrialized nations.
Here's a relevant video and its transcript: Philip Wollen, Australian Philanthropist, Former VP of Citibank, Makes Blazing Animal Rights Speech, https://freefromharm.org/videos/educational-inspiring-talks/philip-wollen-australian-philanthropist-former-vp-of-citibank-makes-blazing-animal-rights-speech/, 24th June 2012.
The transcript shows a very aggressive speech for animal rights and against meat eating. Health problems caused to humans by meat eating and damage to environment by livestock industry are two of the many points raised. The speaker also says, "1 billion people today are hungry. 20 million people will die from malnutrition. Cutting meat by only 10% will feed 100 million people. Eliminating meat will end starvation forever."
In this context, one comment was that eating meat is killing our world.
My views on this matter are as follows:
I follow Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba's teachings in this regard, and have been a vegetarian since my early 30s which is a few years before I came into Sathya Sai Baba's fold. I was a vegetarian before I first went and lived abroad - Belgium for 15 months starting in 1985 - when I was 22 or 23. From 1985 to early 1990s I did eat non-vegetarian food.
But I have known a lot of non-vegetarians (meat eaters), Indian and foreign. Many of them are very nice people. Over the past few years I have re-connected with some of them.
Further, meat and fish have been part of the regular diet for the majority of Indians, and perhaps the majority of Hindus too, for centuries and millennia. And whatever I saw in my stints in Europe, USA and South Korea showed that meat and fish eating was perhaps bigger there than in India. Advising all people to change their meat and fish eating habits is a mega thing!
Eating meat is killing our world - that's very strong! I can imagine a lot of people (non Sathya Sai devotees) among my friends who I have re-connected to now, taking real umbrage with those words.
Advising Hindu and Jain beliefs oriented (need not be Hindus and Jains) spiritually inclined people to give up meat and fish eating is different. You are talking about a small minority of people.
Note that meat and fish eating Hindus too view it as appropriate for spiritual quest to give up meat and fish. So they have spiritual fast/spiritual austerity periods (e.g. Wearing Ayyappa necklace/maala) where meat and fish eating Hindus abstain from meat and fist eating. I must also mention here that such meat and fish eating Hindus who are strong in their Hindu beliefs, revere Hindu communities that abstain from meat and fish eating all their lives (e.g. sannyasis and those Brahmin community people who follow these Brahmin community norms).
Note that some Buddhist monks e.g. Tibetan Buddhist monks, eat meat. I believe Shirdi Sai Baba also used to eat meat, at least at times.
----
Many people are sensitive to strong words against them. If I told some of my old pals who love their meat that eating meat is killing our world, they would give me a earful!
There is no doubt that Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba strongly recommended not eating meat to his devotees. I have read discourses of his on that (and on not taking alcohol). But I think Bhagavan also was ****tolerant**** towards those who ate meat but visited him and sought his blessings. Many Puttaparthi locals who interacted with Swami, ate meat. As far as I know, Swami did not strongly criticize them for eating meat. These locals perhaps were not seeking spiritual evolution of the kind Swami advised his devotees, and they were more into regular life in outside ashram Puttaparthi following their family traditions which included meat eating.
As far as I know, Sathya Sai never said that meat eating is what is killing our world or will kill our world.
----
I dug up some Sathya Sai quotes on meat eating.
Some results from Google Search with term:
meat eating site:sssbpt.info
From http://www.sssbpt.info/ssspeaks/volume27/sss27-31.pdf, pdf page 6, Sathya Sai divine discourse in the Puurnachandhra Auditorium on 23-11-1994, Bhagavaan's Birthday
Today, let it be anyone, whether one deems himself a devotee or not, he should give up meat caring (eating?). Why? Meat eating promotes only animal qualities. It has been well said that the food one consumes determines one's thoughts. By caring (eating?) the flesh of various animals, the qualities of these animals are imbibed. How sinful is it to feed on animals, which are sustained by the same five elements as human beings! This leads to demonic tendencies, besides committing the sin of inflicting cruelty on animals. Hence, those who genuinely seek to become devotees of God have to give up non-vegetarian food. Calling themselves Sai devotees or devotees of Raama and Krishna, they fatten on chicken. How can they be deemed Sai devotees? How can God accept such a person as a devotee? Therefore, whether they are devotees in India or outside, they should give up from this instant meat eating.
----
From http://www.sssbpt.info/ssspeaks/volume29/d960901.pdf, Sathya Sai divine discourse on 1st Sept. 1996 at Prasanthi Nilayam
Students!
Do not take it otherwise when I say meat eating is very bad. When you eat animal flesh, you develop animal qualities and also develop many diseases.
----
From http://www.sssbpt.info/summershowers/ss1978/ss1978-26.pdf, Summer Showers in Brindavan 1978, Sathya Sai divine discourse:
Alcoholic drinks and meat eating promote rajo guna. Bhagavad Gita has been teaching us that we should eat only sathwik food and that too, in a limited measure.
----
From http://www.sssbpt.info/ssspeaks/volume40/sss40.pdf, printed page 146 (pdf page 152), Sathya Sai Speaks :
With regard to food, you have to know certain subtle things and observe some restrictions. You should not consume non-vegetarian food like meat and fish. In fact, foreigners are used to non-vegetarian food only.
This type of food causes diseases like cancer. Hence, give up such food, totally.
----
From http://www.sssbpt.info/collections/divine-nectar.pdf, printed page 76 (pdf page 80), Sathya Sai Address at the Cardiac Speciality Symposium on February 7, 1993
There should be some regulations with regard to food. Many doctors emphasise the value of proteins and recommend meat, eggs, etc. But proteins obtained in this form serve only to build the body, but they do considerable harm to the mind. Doctors are primarily concerned with the gross physical body. They pay little attention to the subtle form of the mental makeup. Most of the diseases that are prevalent in the world today are related to the mind. Mental illnesses seem to outnumber physical ailments. The Vedanta has declared that the mind is the cause of man’s bondage or liberation. This means that the mind has to be used properly and turned Godward. Equally the mind is responsible for health or sickness. In this context, food is all-important. Proteins are present in milk, curds and vegetables as much as in meat. If in the matter of diet the doctors give the right prescription, diseases can be averted.
----
From http://www.sssbpt.info/collections/divine-nectar.pdf, printed page 130 (pdf page 134), Sathya Sai Divine Discourse at the Sixth World Conference of Sri Sathya Sai Seva Organisations on November 21, 1995
Members of Sai Organisations should cultivate certain desirable practices. For instance, they should regulate their diet, because one’s food influences one’s thoughts. Smoking and intoxicating drinks have to be given up. They are ruinous for the health. Meat eating should also be given up because eating animal food promotes animal tendencies. The fourth evil that has to be eliminated is gambling. Those who take to the spiritual path should avoid as much as possible these four bad practices.
----
From http://www.sssbpt.info/summershowers/ss1979/ss1979.pdf, Summer Showers In Brindavan 1979, Sathya Sai divine discourse:
Rajasic food generates virulent thoughts. By consuming non-vegetarian food we develop brutal mentalities. Those who are practising meditation must abstain from meat. We should also remember constantly that ahimsa or non-violence is the supreme dharma. It is sin to kill innocent animals for the sake of filling our stomachs. We must remember that God dwells in all creatures. “Isa vasyam idam sarvam” (All this is pervaded by God), says the Isa Upanishad. The truth of this aphorism can be experienced through meditation.
----
From http://www.sssbpt.info/summershowers/ss1979/ss1979.pdf, printed page 182-183, Sathya Sai divine discourse:
Control over sensory organs can be attained by constant, steady and systematic practice. It is the privilege of man alone to overcome his natural instincts and change his habits. The tiger in a circus can be taught many kinds of feats. However, it is by nature a carnivorous animal and can never be changed into a mild, herbivorous animal. The tiger wants meat when it is hungry. Can a tiger ever eat puries instead of meat? It is an instinct of the tiger to eat flesh. You cannot think of a vegetarian tiger. Instinct cannot be changed. You may feed a cat with milk and curds, but at the very sight of a rat, it will pounce on it and gobble it up. A cat’s instinct is to eat rats.
Man has the ability to learn new things and to change himself. Unlike animals, he is endowed with infinite capacity for learning and can transform himself into a better person. He can sublimate and refine his instincts and give up his vicious habits. He can achieve anything by his own effort.
----
From http://www.sssbpt.info/ssspeaks/volume36/sss36.pdf, Sathya Sai Speaks Volume 36 (2003), printed page 153, Sathya Sai divine discourse:
Mother Easwaramma looked after her child with love and care. Days rolled by and the child grew into a boy. He was mithabhashi and mithaahari (one who spoke less and ate less). Easwaramma was mystified by the strange behaviour of her son. Usually children are fond of eating. Especially some people would prefer non-vegetarian items like fish or meat. But her son was totally averse to non-vegetarian food. He would not even visit the houses where non-vegetarian food was cooked. Seeing his noble qualities, Easwaramma realised that the child was not an ordinary one, but one of divine nature. Her eldest daughter Venkamma also recognised the divine nature of the child. Together, they brought up the child with love and care. They would sing devotional songs as lullabies. The child was brought up in such a noble environment.
----
--------------------------------------------------
So I would say that Sathya Sai espoused the view that meat eating is bad for a person from spiritual progress point of view as well as from physical body health point of view. So it was divine advice from a divine doctor for those who wanted to enjoy better spiritual and physical health.
Sathya Sai even said that meat eating promotes demonic tendencies.
People who eat meat and come across such statements of Sathya Sai would perhaps get a little upset but not hugely upset, especially in India, as many spiritual masters and even some doctors have said that. This deals with individual's health and spiritual evolution. People can handle such statements, I think
But Sathya Sai did not say that the person who eats meat is killing our world! That is a very strong statement! I am quite sure most of the people in the Indian armed forces as well as Indian police eat meat. These are the people who put their lives on the line and protect the other Indians, including me. I am quite sure it will be similar in other countries of the world like USA and in Europe.
So I think I am NOT being unfair in pointing out that accusing meat eaters of killing our world is a statement that can be viewed with great offense by many.
----
This is a more recent article on the matter (31st May 2018) https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/may/31/avoiding-meat-and-dairy-is-single-biggest-way-to-reduce-your-impact-on-earth. "Biggest analysis to date reveals huge footprint of livestock - it provides just 18% of calories but takes up 83% of farmland". It reference this paper in the journal Science, https://josephpoore.com/Science%20360%206392%20987%20-%20Accepted%20Manuscript.pdf (definitive version) published on 1st Jun 2018. Joseph Poore is the first author of the publication. it is quite a difficult to read paper for laypersons (including me as I am not from that field).
----
The above Guardian article states: Dr Peter Alexander, at the University of Edinburgh, UK, was also impressed but noted: “There may be environmental benefits, eg for biodiversity, from sustainably managed grazing and increasing animal product consumption may improve nutrition for some of the poorest globally. My personal opinion is we should interpret these results not as the need to become vegan overnight, but rather to moderate our [meat] consumption.”
Dr. Peter Alexander's words seem a pretty balanced reaction to me.
----
I would like to summarize my views as follows. Others are free to disagree with it.
1) My understanding of the science view of the matter as covered in the end May 2018 Guardian article I mentioned earlier, https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/may/31/avoiding-meat-and-dairy-is-single-biggest-way-to-reduce-your-impact-on-earth, is that industrialized nations meat industry is using practices that have become a threat to the environment. The industrialized nations' meat industry should change their practices and adopt practices that promote sustenance of the environment.
2) This transcript of Philip Wollen, the Australian philanthropist, https://freefromharm.org/videos/educational-inspiring-talks/philip-wollen-australian-philanthropist-former-vp-of-citibank-makes-blazing-animal-rights-speech/, makes a debater's case for people to eschew meat eating. I think debates do allow for some level of hyperbole to make the contest an interesting one to viewers.
3) Sathya Sai was very clear in his advice and instructions to devotees and others who chose to hear him that meat eating is bad for physical health as well as spiritual evolution. But Sathya Sai did not say that meat eating is killing our world. I think that is a very significant thing to note.
Sathya Sai also said that carnivorous animals like the tiger will eat meat as that is its nature.
4) I don't know how much of the science view that meat industry in industrialized nations like the Western world is harming the environment, applies to meat industry in countries like India. In rural India at least, including villages near Puttaparthi (e.g. on the way to Karnatakanagapalli), the meat selling business seems to follow a very simple model which perhaps has not changed much over centuries, if not more. In other words, it is a non-industrial-scale model and so perhaps is NOT a threat to the environment.
5) Health care costs being higher due to people eating meat is an interesting point. Did some browsing to get somewhat recent science views on it. Here's an article by Dariush Mozaffarian, Professor of Nutrition, Tufts University: Want to fix America’s health care? First, focus on food, https://theconversation.com/want-to-fix-americas-health-care-first-focus-on-food-81307, 13th Sept. 2017. Note that Prof. Mozaffarian is a cardiologist and a public health scientist. He writes, "Food is the number one cause of poor health in America. As a cardiologist and public health scientist, I have studied nutrition science and policy for 20 years. Poor diet is not just about individual choice, but about the systems that make eating poorly the default for most Americans." He names processed meats and red meats as food that causes harm. [From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_meat, "In nutritional science, on the other hand, red meat is defined as any meat that has more of the protein myoglobin than "white meat", defined as non-dark meat from chicken (excluding the leg or thigh) or fish."]
But note that he does not include all meat in his harmful list and also names fish as food that is beneficial.
6) Given the above points, I think that it is good to promote vegetarianism in the world and I support efforts on those lines. But I think attacking meat eating as "killing our world" is hyperbole which may be OK in a debating contest aimed at attracting attention but I think is an inaccurate generalization. The science view is that it is the meat industry in industrialized nations that is contributing to "killing our world" due to the damage their practices are doing to the environment. Meat industry in non-industrialized nations does NOT seem to be a threat to the environment.
Today, in many parts of the world, including the USA, Western Europe and India, there is tremendous division among people with verbal and even physical attacks on people from other groups. In the USA in particular there is huge amount of distrust of science. I am quite sure that there are many non-vegetarian Americans who would see red if they are told that their meat eating is killing our world. I am NOT saying this in a casual manner. They will probably attack such views as "fake news" and as propaganda aimed at hurting them. They might double-down on their meat eating as a way to show their disdain at such views, and probably end up harming their health instead! So the well intentioned attempt of comments that meat eating is killing our world made to draw people away from meat eating into vegan food habits that will make them healthier, and also contribute to a more sustainable environment, may become counter-productive!
----
[I thank sssbpt.info and have presumed that they will not have any objections to me sharing the above extracts of Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai discourses from their website on this post which is freely viewable by all, and does not have any financial profit motive whatsoever. I also similarly thank freefromharm.org, guardian.com, theconversation.com and wikipedia for the short extracts I have shared from their websites on this post.]
Here's a relevant video and its transcript: Philip Wollen, Australian Philanthropist, Former VP of Citibank, Makes Blazing Animal Rights Speech, https://freefromharm.org/videos/educational-inspiring-talks/philip-wollen-australian-philanthropist-former-vp-of-citibank-makes-blazing-animal-rights-speech/, 24th June 2012.
The transcript shows a very aggressive speech for animal rights and against meat eating. Health problems caused to humans by meat eating and damage to environment by livestock industry are two of the many points raised. The speaker also says, "1 billion people today are hungry. 20 million people will die from malnutrition. Cutting meat by only 10% will feed 100 million people. Eliminating meat will end starvation forever."
In this context, one comment was that eating meat is killing our world.
My views on this matter are as follows:
I follow Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba's teachings in this regard, and have been a vegetarian since my early 30s which is a few years before I came into Sathya Sai Baba's fold. I was a vegetarian before I first went and lived abroad - Belgium for 15 months starting in 1985 - when I was 22 or 23. From 1985 to early 1990s I did eat non-vegetarian food.
But I have known a lot of non-vegetarians (meat eaters), Indian and foreign. Many of them are very nice people. Over the past few years I have re-connected with some of them.
Further, meat and fish have been part of the regular diet for the majority of Indians, and perhaps the majority of Hindus too, for centuries and millennia. And whatever I saw in my stints in Europe, USA and South Korea showed that meat and fish eating was perhaps bigger there than in India. Advising all people to change their meat and fish eating habits is a mega thing!
Eating meat is killing our world - that's very strong! I can imagine a lot of people (non Sathya Sai devotees) among my friends who I have re-connected to now, taking real umbrage with those words.
Advising Hindu and Jain beliefs oriented (need not be Hindus and Jains) spiritually inclined people to give up meat and fish eating is different. You are talking about a small minority of people.
Note that meat and fish eating Hindus too view it as appropriate for spiritual quest to give up meat and fish. So they have spiritual fast/spiritual austerity periods (e.g. Wearing Ayyappa necklace/maala) where meat and fish eating Hindus abstain from meat and fist eating. I must also mention here that such meat and fish eating Hindus who are strong in their Hindu beliefs, revere Hindu communities that abstain from meat and fish eating all their lives (e.g. sannyasis and those Brahmin community people who follow these Brahmin community norms).
Note that some Buddhist monks e.g. Tibetan Buddhist monks, eat meat. I believe Shirdi Sai Baba also used to eat meat, at least at times.
----
Many people are sensitive to strong words against them. If I told some of my old pals who love their meat that eating meat is killing our world, they would give me a earful!
There is no doubt that Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba strongly recommended not eating meat to his devotees. I have read discourses of his on that (and on not taking alcohol). But I think Bhagavan also was ****tolerant**** towards those who ate meat but visited him and sought his blessings. Many Puttaparthi locals who interacted with Swami, ate meat. As far as I know, Swami did not strongly criticize them for eating meat. These locals perhaps were not seeking spiritual evolution of the kind Swami advised his devotees, and they were more into regular life in outside ashram Puttaparthi following their family traditions which included meat eating.
As far as I know, Sathya Sai never said that meat eating is what is killing our world or will kill our world.
----
I dug up some Sathya Sai quotes on meat eating.
Some results from Google Search with term:
meat eating site:sssbpt.info
From http://www.sssbpt.info/ssspeaks/volume27/sss27-31.pdf, pdf page 6, Sathya Sai divine discourse in the Puurnachandhra Auditorium on 23-11-1994, Bhagavaan's Birthday
Today, let it be anyone, whether one deems himself a devotee or not, he should give up meat caring (eating?). Why? Meat eating promotes only animal qualities. It has been well said that the food one consumes determines one's thoughts. By caring (eating?) the flesh of various animals, the qualities of these animals are imbibed. How sinful is it to feed on animals, which are sustained by the same five elements as human beings! This leads to demonic tendencies, besides committing the sin of inflicting cruelty on animals. Hence, those who genuinely seek to become devotees of God have to give up non-vegetarian food. Calling themselves Sai devotees or devotees of Raama and Krishna, they fatten on chicken. How can they be deemed Sai devotees? How can God accept such a person as a devotee? Therefore, whether they are devotees in India or outside, they should give up from this instant meat eating.
----
From http://www.sssbpt.info/ssspeaks/volume29/d960901.pdf, Sathya Sai divine discourse on 1st Sept. 1996 at Prasanthi Nilayam
Students!
Do not take it otherwise when I say meat eating is very bad. When you eat animal flesh, you develop animal qualities and also develop many diseases.
----
From http://www.sssbpt.info/summershowers/ss1978/ss1978-26.pdf, Summer Showers in Brindavan 1978, Sathya Sai divine discourse:
Alcoholic drinks and meat eating promote rajo guna. Bhagavad Gita has been teaching us that we should eat only sathwik food and that too, in a limited measure.
----
From http://www.sssbpt.info/ssspeaks/volume40/sss40.pdf, printed page 146 (pdf page 152), Sathya Sai Speaks :
With regard to food, you have to know certain subtle things and observe some restrictions. You should not consume non-vegetarian food like meat and fish. In fact, foreigners are used to non-vegetarian food only.
This type of food causes diseases like cancer. Hence, give up such food, totally.
----
From http://www.sssbpt.info/collections/divine-nectar.pdf, printed page 76 (pdf page 80), Sathya Sai Address at the Cardiac Speciality Symposium on February 7, 1993
There should be some regulations with regard to food. Many doctors emphasise the value of proteins and recommend meat, eggs, etc. But proteins obtained in this form serve only to build the body, but they do considerable harm to the mind. Doctors are primarily concerned with the gross physical body. They pay little attention to the subtle form of the mental makeup. Most of the diseases that are prevalent in the world today are related to the mind. Mental illnesses seem to outnumber physical ailments. The Vedanta has declared that the mind is the cause of man’s bondage or liberation. This means that the mind has to be used properly and turned Godward. Equally the mind is responsible for health or sickness. In this context, food is all-important. Proteins are present in milk, curds and vegetables as much as in meat. If in the matter of diet the doctors give the right prescription, diseases can be averted.
----
From http://www.sssbpt.info/collections/divine-nectar.pdf, printed page 130 (pdf page 134), Sathya Sai Divine Discourse at the Sixth World Conference of Sri Sathya Sai Seva Organisations on November 21, 1995
Members of Sai Organisations should cultivate certain desirable practices. For instance, they should regulate their diet, because one’s food influences one’s thoughts. Smoking and intoxicating drinks have to be given up. They are ruinous for the health. Meat eating should also be given up because eating animal food promotes animal tendencies. The fourth evil that has to be eliminated is gambling. Those who take to the spiritual path should avoid as much as possible these four bad practices.
----
From http://www.sssbpt.info/summershowers/ss1979/ss1979.pdf, Summer Showers In Brindavan 1979, Sathya Sai divine discourse:
Rajasic food generates virulent thoughts. By consuming non-vegetarian food we develop brutal mentalities. Those who are practising meditation must abstain from meat. We should also remember constantly that ahimsa or non-violence is the supreme dharma. It is sin to kill innocent animals for the sake of filling our stomachs. We must remember that God dwells in all creatures. “Isa vasyam idam sarvam” (All this is pervaded by God), says the Isa Upanishad. The truth of this aphorism can be experienced through meditation.
----
From http://www.sssbpt.info/summershowers/ss1979/ss1979.pdf, printed page 182-183, Sathya Sai divine discourse:
Control over sensory organs can be attained by constant, steady and systematic practice. It is the privilege of man alone to overcome his natural instincts and change his habits. The tiger in a circus can be taught many kinds of feats. However, it is by nature a carnivorous animal and can never be changed into a mild, herbivorous animal. The tiger wants meat when it is hungry. Can a tiger ever eat puries instead of meat? It is an instinct of the tiger to eat flesh. You cannot think of a vegetarian tiger. Instinct cannot be changed. You may feed a cat with milk and curds, but at the very sight of a rat, it will pounce on it and gobble it up. A cat’s instinct is to eat rats.
Man has the ability to learn new things and to change himself. Unlike animals, he is endowed with infinite capacity for learning and can transform himself into a better person. He can sublimate and refine his instincts and give up his vicious habits. He can achieve anything by his own effort.
----
From http://www.sssbpt.info/ssspeaks/volume36/sss36.pdf, Sathya Sai Speaks Volume 36 (2003), printed page 153, Sathya Sai divine discourse:
Mother Easwaramma looked after her child with love and care. Days rolled by and the child grew into a boy. He was mithabhashi and mithaahari (one who spoke less and ate less). Easwaramma was mystified by the strange behaviour of her son. Usually children are fond of eating. Especially some people would prefer non-vegetarian items like fish or meat. But her son was totally averse to non-vegetarian food. He would not even visit the houses where non-vegetarian food was cooked. Seeing his noble qualities, Easwaramma realised that the child was not an ordinary one, but one of divine nature. Her eldest daughter Venkamma also recognised the divine nature of the child. Together, they brought up the child with love and care. They would sing devotional songs as lullabies. The child was brought up in such a noble environment.
----
--------------------------------------------------
So I would say that Sathya Sai espoused the view that meat eating is bad for a person from spiritual progress point of view as well as from physical body health point of view. So it was divine advice from a divine doctor for those who wanted to enjoy better spiritual and physical health.
Sathya Sai even said that meat eating promotes demonic tendencies.
People who eat meat and come across such statements of Sathya Sai would perhaps get a little upset but not hugely upset, especially in India, as many spiritual masters and even some doctors have said that. This deals with individual's health and spiritual evolution. People can handle such statements, I think
But Sathya Sai did not say that the person who eats meat is killing our world! That is a very strong statement! I am quite sure most of the people in the Indian armed forces as well as Indian police eat meat. These are the people who put their lives on the line and protect the other Indians, including me. I am quite sure it will be similar in other countries of the world like USA and in Europe.
So I think I am NOT being unfair in pointing out that accusing meat eaters of killing our world is a statement that can be viewed with great offense by many.
----
This is a more recent article on the matter (31st May 2018) https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/may/31/avoiding-meat-and-dairy-is-single-biggest-way-to-reduce-your-impact-on-earth. "Biggest analysis to date reveals huge footprint of livestock - it provides just 18% of calories but takes up 83% of farmland". It reference this paper in the journal Science, https://josephpoore.com/Science%20360%206392%20987%20-%20Accepted%20Manuscript.pdf (definitive version) published on 1st Jun 2018. Joseph Poore is the first author of the publication. it is quite a difficult to read paper for laypersons (including me as I am not from that field).
----
The above Guardian article states: Dr Peter Alexander, at the University of Edinburgh, UK, was also impressed but noted: “There may be environmental benefits, eg for biodiversity, from sustainably managed grazing and increasing animal product consumption may improve nutrition for some of the poorest globally. My personal opinion is we should interpret these results not as the need to become vegan overnight, but rather to moderate our [meat] consumption.”
Dr. Peter Alexander's words seem a pretty balanced reaction to me.
----
I would like to summarize my views as follows. Others are free to disagree with it.
1) My understanding of the science view of the matter as covered in the end May 2018 Guardian article I mentioned earlier, https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/may/31/avoiding-meat-and-dairy-is-single-biggest-way-to-reduce-your-impact-on-earth, is that industrialized nations meat industry is using practices that have become a threat to the environment. The industrialized nations' meat industry should change their practices and adopt practices that promote sustenance of the environment.
2) This transcript of Philip Wollen, the Australian philanthropist, https://freefromharm.org/videos/educational-inspiring-talks/philip-wollen-australian-philanthropist-former-vp-of-citibank-makes-blazing-animal-rights-speech/, makes a debater's case for people to eschew meat eating. I think debates do allow for some level of hyperbole to make the contest an interesting one to viewers.
3) Sathya Sai was very clear in his advice and instructions to devotees and others who chose to hear him that meat eating is bad for physical health as well as spiritual evolution. But Sathya Sai did not say that meat eating is killing our world. I think that is a very significant thing to note.
Sathya Sai also said that carnivorous animals like the tiger will eat meat as that is its nature.
4) I don't know how much of the science view that meat industry in industrialized nations like the Western world is harming the environment, applies to meat industry in countries like India. In rural India at least, including villages near Puttaparthi (e.g. on the way to Karnatakanagapalli), the meat selling business seems to follow a very simple model which perhaps has not changed much over centuries, if not more. In other words, it is a non-industrial-scale model and so perhaps is NOT a threat to the environment.
5) Health care costs being higher due to people eating meat is an interesting point. Did some browsing to get somewhat recent science views on it. Here's an article by Dariush Mozaffarian, Professor of Nutrition, Tufts University: Want to fix America’s health care? First, focus on food, https://theconversation.com/want-to-fix-americas-health-care-first-focus-on-food-81307, 13th Sept. 2017. Note that Prof. Mozaffarian is a cardiologist and a public health scientist. He writes, "Food is the number one cause of poor health in America. As a cardiologist and public health scientist, I have studied nutrition science and policy for 20 years. Poor diet is not just about individual choice, but about the systems that make eating poorly the default for most Americans." He names processed meats and red meats as food that causes harm. [From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_meat, "In nutritional science, on the other hand, red meat is defined as any meat that has more of the protein myoglobin than "white meat", defined as non-dark meat from chicken (excluding the leg or thigh) or fish."]
But note that he does not include all meat in his harmful list and also names fish as food that is beneficial.
6) Given the above points, I think that it is good to promote vegetarianism in the world and I support efforts on those lines. But I think attacking meat eating as "killing our world" is hyperbole which may be OK in a debating contest aimed at attracting attention but I think is an inaccurate generalization. The science view is that it is the meat industry in industrialized nations that is contributing to "killing our world" due to the damage their practices are doing to the environment. Meat industry in non-industrialized nations does NOT seem to be a threat to the environment.
Today, in many parts of the world, including the USA, Western Europe and India, there is tremendous division among people with verbal and even physical attacks on people from other groups. In the USA in particular there is huge amount of distrust of science. I am quite sure that there are many non-vegetarian Americans who would see red if they are told that their meat eating is killing our world. I am NOT saying this in a casual manner. They will probably attack such views as "fake news" and as propaganda aimed at hurting them. They might double-down on their meat eating as a way to show their disdain at such views, and probably end up harming their health instead! So the well intentioned attempt of comments that meat eating is killing our world made to draw people away from meat eating into vegan food habits that will make them healthier, and also contribute to a more sustainable environment, may become counter-productive!
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[I thank sssbpt.info and have presumed that they will not have any objections to me sharing the above extracts of Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai discourses from their website on this post which is freely viewable by all, and does not have any financial profit motive whatsoever. I also similarly thank freefromharm.org, guardian.com, theconversation.com and wikipedia for the short extracts I have shared from their websites on this post.]
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