Perspective Digest Volume 12 Issue 1 Winter Article 3 2007 World Religions and the Vegetarian Diet Jo Ann Davidson Andrews University, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.andrews.edu/pd Part of the Comparative Methodologies and Theories Commons, and the Nutrition Commons Recommended Citation Davidson, Jo Ann (2007) "World Religions and the Vegetarian Diet," Perspective Digest: Vol. 12 : Iss. 1 , Article 3. Available at: https://digitalcommons.andrews.edu/pd/vol12/iss1/3 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Adventist Theological Society at Digital Commons @ Andrews University. It has been accepted for inclusion in Perspective Digest by an authorized editor of Digital Commons @ Andrews University. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Davidson: World Religions and the Vegetarian Diet laboratory experiments developing structures originated. There are BY JO ANN DAVIDSON* fruit flies with divergent morphology. hopeful signs that a new generation is The problem is that this kind of evi- recognizing this as a logically sound, dence does little to advance knowl- rational, and reasonable program. edge of how trilobites or fruit flies REFERENCES came into existence in the first place. 1 Richard Dawkins and Jerry Coyne, “One That evolution was supposed to be WORLD RELIGIONS Side Can Be Wrong,” Guardian (September 1, about the origin of species has be - 2005); see http://www.guardian.co.uk/life/ come lost in a maze of trivia. feature/story/0,13026,1559743,00.htm. For about 150 years, science has 2 Ibid. 3 Ibid. striven mightily to explain the origins 4 Ibid. AND THE of everything in terms of only chance, 5 See http://www.rsternberg.net for Stern- allied with the laws of nature. berg’s own restrained account of the affair. Dawkins and Coyne offer nothing 6 Richard Dawkins and Jerry Coyne, op cit. new, just the same unsubstantiated 7 Ibid. 8 Ibid. assertions and unfulfilled promises 9 Tom Kemp, Fossils and Evolution VEGETARIAN DIET that have led origins science into (Oxford, England: Oxford University Press, decades of sterile wandering. Origins 1999), p. 16. science seems gripped in a mesmeric 10 Stephen. J. Gould, quoted in Phillip E. addiction to games of chance. It is Johnson, Darwin on Trial (Downers Grove, Ill.: InterVarsity Press, 1993), p. 50. Going meatless is a cultural phenomenon now time to check into de sign rehab. 11 Dawkins and Jerry Coyne, op cit. that appears in many major faith traditions Their article shows that Dawkins and 1 2 Seehttp://www.royalsoc.ac.uk/ Coyne are still in full denial. The ex hibit.asp?id=3616&tip=1. throughout history. prime objective of the ID enterprise is 13 Nature (2005), p. 438. to establish design as a basic cause, 14 Dawkins and Coyne, op cit. hroughout history, many faith religions over thousands of years 15 Ibid. along with chance and natural law, traditions have perceived a and yet maintained its distinctive 16 Phillip E. Johnson, Darwin on Trial and hence to advance understanding (Downers Grove, Ill.: InterVarsity Press, relationship between the phys- character. Hindus believe in many of how complex biological and other 1993), p. 68. T ical and the spiritual nature of gods, reincarnation, and karma (un - a human being. In their discus- derstood as how one’s actions in pre- sion of this relationship, these tradi- vious lives morally affect the current tions have shown some curious sim- cycle of existence). ilarities and striking differences in Regarding diet, Hinduism today the various links between diet and differs from what is known of its religion. oldest forms. During the Vedic pe- Hinduism *Jo Ann Davidson teaches Systematic The complex system of Hinduism Theology at the Seventh-day Advent - has proved to be very resilient. It has ist Theological Seminary, Berrien absorbed elements of various other Springs, Michigan 24 Published by Digital Commons @ Andrews25 University, 2007 1 Perspective Digest, Vol. 12 [2007], Iss. 1, Art. 3 r iod in India (after about 2000 B.C.), on forest-cutting, demonstrate an Buddhism and Hinduism have many similarities. Hindus ate meat and sacrificed ani- early sensitivity to the relationship mals extensively. Conception of an between ecology and human life Both originated in India and both believe in karma and rein- afterlife included a “heaven,” where only now slowly emerging in mod- carnation. Buddhists reject the idea of the self or soul, how - those who had acquired enough ern Western thinking. ever, believing it to be an illusion brought about by one’s merit through the presentation of After about 1000 B.C., meat-eating sacrificial gifts were likely to go. apparently was widely restricted. The attachment to worldly things. The Buddha taught that life is Vegetarianism emerged gradually Upanishads of this period were the a stream of becoming, in which no permanent self endures. in Hinduism. Around the seventh first Hindu scriptures to mention century B.C., some Hindu sages be - doctrines suggestive of reincarnation. Individuals are composites of perception, feeling, volition, gan to advocate a meatless diet, And other selections of writings intelligence, and form, all subject to the law of karma. though they were probably a minor- stated that one could eat meat only ity. A major upheaval around the when the animal was sacrificed ritu- sixth century B.C. in India deeply ally. affected Hinduism. This led to the Hindu vegetarianism received its teaching undoubtedly were vegeta r - essentially suffering, desire is the formation of the Buddhist and the strongest advance from the Krishna ian, not all Hindus practice this cause of suffering, and the path to Jain religions, both of which put in - cult, from whom reverence for the restriction. Nirvana (or salvation) involves ces- creased emphasis on the sanctity of sacred cow originated and persists to Though many Hindus today and sation of all desire. Non-attachment all life, including animal life. this day. The followers of Krishna, in the past have eaten meat, there is to food was practiced as one way to In the third century B.C, the In - who began propagating their view in nevertheless a strong vegetarian tra- withdraw from desire. Recognition dian King Asoka converted to Bud- the first few centuries A.D., were strict dition within Hinduism. Today it is of the shared life of all creatures led dhism, and Buddhism became the vegetarians, and Hinduism came generally motivated from issues con- to compassion for animals. official religion. Asoka himself gave more and more under their influence. nected with reincarnation. Of the two chief branches of Bud- up most, if not all, meat consump- From the third century A.D. dhism, Theravada, the older of the tion. Eating flesh meat was almost onward, restrictions on the use of Buddhism two, is present in Burma, Ceylon, entirely done away with at the royal beef increased. In the fourth century, Buddhism and Hinduism have Laos, Thailand, Cambodia, Tibet, and court, and the killing of some kinds the Law of Manu again restricted many similarities. Both originated Malaya. The Mahayana tradition is of animals was prohibited entirely. It meat-eating to sacrificial occasions. in India and both believe in karma found in China. Both occur in Viet- is said that Asoka was converted to The life of Krishna was recorded in and reincarnation. Buddhists reject nam, while Japan has yet another tan- Buddhism after viewing the carnage the Bhagwat Purana during the fifth the idea of the self or soul, however, gent originally brought from China. that resulted from one of the great century. Upper castes in India resisted believing it to be an illusion Attitudes toward meat consump- battles of the day. the trend toward vegetarianism, and brought about by one’s attachment tion are noticeably different within Economic factors also affected it seems that they continued to eat to worldly things. The Buddha the two main traditions. In Thera - meat consumption. It was becoming beef as late as the ninth or 10th cen- taught that life is a stream of vada Buddhism, meat-eating has more and more expensive to pro- tury. After the translation of the becoming, in which no permanent come to be largely condoned, while duce meat because of the pressure Bhagwat Purana into Hindi (15th self endures. Individuals are com- in Mahayana Buddhism, meat con- that overgrazing and deforestation century A.D.), no orthodox Hindu posites of perception, feeling, voli- sumption is frowned upon. These were placing on the land. Some of would kill a cow or eat beef. Though tion, intelligence, and form, all sub- differences are very apparent in Asoka’s decrees, such as restrictions the orthodox followers of Krishna’s ject to the law of karma. Life is some of their rituals. https://digitalcommons.andrews.edu/pd/vol12/iss1/326 2 27 Davidson: World Religions and the Vegetarian Diet r iod in India (after about 2000 B.C.), on forest-cutting, demonstrate an Buddhism and Hinduism have many similarities. Hindus ate meat and sacrificed ani- early sensitivity to the relationship mals extensively. Conception of an between ecology and human life Both originated in India and both believe in karma and rein- afterlife included a “heaven,” where only now slowly emerging in mod- carnation. Buddhists reject the idea of the self or soul, how - those who had acquired enough ern Western thinking. ever, believing it to be an illusion brought about by one’s merit through the presentation of After about 1000 B.C., meat-eating sacrificial gifts were likely to go. apparently was widely restricted. The attachment to worldly things. The Buddha taught that life is Vegetarianism emerged gradually Upanishads of this period were the a stream of becoming, in which no permanent self endures.