Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Bramble]

[djsmnc]

[Bramble]

[Young FRANKenstein]

[warren pease]

[Young FRANKenstein]

[bluelake]

[Chambertin]

PETA Is, always has been, and always will be a bad joke.
If a person has such a reverence for life then why do they eat it?
Plants respond to music and other stimuli changing their growth rates.

For all we know carrots have feelings. The only animal a PETA member cares about is them self.

PETA reminds me of the abortion crazies who shout about how precious life is then go and kill a doctor.

[Rteacher]

Humans have more developed consciousness than lower species and can philosophically understand that life is essentially not material.

Only the gross bodies are destroyed, while the spark of life continues to live on. The mechanism of spiritual evolution is that due to karmic reactions generated by unnecessary killing, etc. the first time a fallen soul gets a human form, one falls into the entire evolutionary cycle of species (8,400,000 by Vedic calculation of different possible combinations of the three modes of material nature - goodness, passion, and ignorance).

According to all the various desires to enjoy (ultimately sex life) in different types of bodies (eg: as birds in the sky, as pigs in mud, as monkees swinging from trees, as fish underwater, etc.) the living entity is embodied in each species for a predetermined number of breaths and then automatically transmigrates to the next highest species in terms of developed consciousness.

Some species obviously have more developed consciousness than others and have family attachments, etc., while the consciousness of others is almost completely covered by being embodied in very ignorant forms.

One species is food for another, but by nature's law, every species has a specific quota of foods from which to eat. Animals automatically follow the laws of nature whether they be herbivores or carnivores, and they don't generate any karmic (sinful) reactions for killing.

There are many different types of humans (400,000) in terms of different levels of consciousness, but all of them are held accountable for unnecesarily killing - even a fly.

The human form is more important than other forms mainly because it's capable of attaining liberation from all material bondage by spiritual self-realization (through religion, science, philosophy, yoga...)

That's why there is no karmic reaction to killing animals, etc. when it's necessary to do so. In Vedic culture, vegetarian food that can be obtained with minimal violence (fruits, vegetables, grains, nuts, legumes, sugar cane, pure milk products...) are offered to God by mantra and prayer, and it is understood that the food becomes spiritualized and free from any karma.

I recommend this website for practical guidance, philosophy, and good recipes.
http://www.harekrishna.com/col/books/VEG/ht/

[Bramble]

I disagree with PETA's policies on homeless animals, as well as those of HSUS and many conservative organizations that get less media attention. I recommend Nathan Winograd's site as an excellent source of information for anyone with a genuine concern for homeless animals�both his book, Redemption, and his blog are well worth reading.

Winograd is extremely critical of PETA ... the difference between his criticism and many comments on this thread is that his criticism is based in fact and backed up by solid evidence. He also doesn't hold PETA to a higher standard than himself or any other organization (and to the best of my knowledge, he's vegan).

Animal rights advocates also disagree with PETA's approach to various other issues. Anyone with a real interest in animal rights should do their research and read what thinkers like Professor Gary Francione have to say. For anyone who doesn't understand the differences between animal rights, animal welfare and what Francione calls "new welfarism," his site is really the best place to start.

[Rteacher]

Unless there is spiritual knowledge/realization from an authorized (non-speculative) source I don't think one can see the issue of killing/harming other species from a true scientific perspective.

In other words, a scientific understanding of spirituality is required to really understand the difference between a living and a dead body and what responsibilities that humans have toward other species - including flies.

Because animals really are not capable of taking responsibility for anything (though they may be trained to do things) I don't see how animals have any rights per se. However, the spirit-soul inside a particular animal body has the right to naturally make progress in terms of the evolutionary cycle without being unnecessarily impeded by being killed. When it dies naturally, it transmigrates to a higher form. When killed, it must take birth again within the same species to live out its remaining breaths according to its past karma.

Every major religious tradition - at least originally - promotes the idea of not unnecessarily killing animals, but those which have dogmatically rejected the idea of transmigration of the soul/reincarnation are more likely to rationalize wholesale slaughter of animals.

Religion is not meant for animals, so I think that the focus should entirely be on human responsibilites as guardians of animals and the environment - not rights of animals.

I personally don't like how some groups promoting veganism resort to spreading dubious propaganda about how cows milk is not naturally intended for human consumption - thereby directly contradicting what is stated in ancient Vedic scriptures.

Better they focus mainly on how to prevent the abuse and unnessary killing of cows and other animals rather than trying to eliminate milk-drinking.

In Vedic culture, cows are regarded as one of our natural mothers, and since Krishna loved various milk products when present in Vrindavana, India (over 5000 years ago) it is understood that cows are greatly benefited spritually when their milk is offered devotionally to God in Deity worship.

Actually, since large commercial dairies do tend to harm and abuse cows and produce milk products that are much less healthy than they should be, major changes do need to be made to that industry, and positive alternative dairy farm models need to be developed and supported.
Here are a couple articles related to Hare Krishna projects:
http://www.ffl.org/ffl_pf_milk.php
www.iskcon-network.com/blog/_archives/2007/7/30/3129731.html

I guess I've gone pretty far from the original topic, but I think it's all related philosophically.

[Yu_Bum_suk]

You can piss these people off by swatting a fly. Why should we be the ones getting angry?

[MollyBloom]

[The Bobster]

[Rteacher]

There's karma incurred for killing even a fly. Whatever great men do, common people follow, so I think that Obama should have set a better example by using less than lethal force.

There was no "clear and present danger" posed by the fly - and they all shouldn't be stereotyped as harmful disease carriers. The same could be said of many humans.

I think that the widespread use of pesticides has probably harmed humans - and entire eco-systems - more than it has helped.

Even Muhammad Ali's karma changed when he started doing commercials for some bug-killing spray.