RE: Why I'm Not a Vegan
It's just prejudice that's the problem.
I tend to agree. However I'm hesitant to say prejudice is any worse than judging itself as to me the problem is more about unfair judgments.
Whether you judge actively or decide that you want to judge something into the future a certain way (prejudice) I think it should be a fair judgment. To the degree that is possible with our limited human understandings.
For example.. If I were to say I'm prejudiced against rape and murder, I think that's a pretty fair thing to say. I don't think I need to look at those things every single time to make a "current judgment", I can decide that it's worth thinking that way into the future and make it a sort of "unconscious habit" or "prejudice". I do feel like it's important to re look at and question even your most deeply held beliefs, however.. Every time I ask myself if rape and murder are bad, I get the same answer. So I doubt those things will ever change and they are probably healthy prejudices to have. And in regards to murder I mean that strictly in the legal sense, not in a "killing in self defense" sort of manner, or even accidental which would be manslaughter.
The reason I think the label out to be abandoned is because it doesn't matter what the definition of a word is. The meaning of words change over time because how people use them, and what the overall consensus is towards the word, is how it is used.
You could say that about any word.
Just my thoughts though. I do know that many can get past the label, but I fear too many have a strong negative association with the word at this point, which makes it unproductive for any type of animal activism.
I don't think it makes it unproductive, unless you come up against people who just can't handle the label, then you can say it in different ways. However.. I don't think we need to abandon any words just cause there's a bad stereotype among the public. You can choose to be craftier and more careful in your approach, though.. Just cause people misunderstand something shouldn't be a reason to abandon it, it should be a reason to help them understand what it really truly means.
Otherwise, you're sort of letting their ignorance and misunderstanding of the subject rob you and them of a valuable symbol and form of expression.
I'm not so sure I agree with you about religion. It seems to be the biggest reason why people are confused about what is right and wrong, so I see it as an obstacle to the word of the Creator, which I believe is written in our hearts, but society forces us to suppress our sense of morality so that we can be good consumers, rather than good people.
I really like what you said about the word of creator being written in our hearts. :) However..I don't think anyone really knows what's going on here or why we are here if there is a reason we are here, so.. There's a lot of need in my opinion for religion, in fact I think it's unavoidable and perhaps this is one reason there's a "binding" or "holding back" associated with the definition. Cause we are limited in our ability to understand, so we can only find different "chains" so to speak. All our belief system is indeed a prison, though.. Without it, how could life even work? Much like our body is a prison, but without it, how could life work? In this case, I'd suggest to try to find the religion with the least amount of chains! Though I doubt it's possible to ever find a belief system that has none.
Cheers bud! I enjoy talking with you. You're very smart and articulate and able to convey your thoughts well.
I'm not clear on how prejudice can ever be fair. If you are judging someone based on no information, or less information than needed, then to me that can never be acceptable, and is 99 times out of 100 going to be inaccurate.
I don't think you can be prejudice against something like rape and murder, because you already know intimately what it is about rape and about murder that you don't like it, and therefore it is a fair judgement because you can say I am against it because it is morally wrong.
It's not really the same as being prejudice against, say black people, because one stole your bike once. That doesn't mean that all black people are going to steal your bike. But, you can, if you know someone raped someone, without prejudice, understand that this person did wrong.
I'm with you on beliefs and chains though. But, I have given this a lot of thought and wonder if those chains are somewhat necessary. Life would be utter chaos if we had genuinely no beliefs. Without a belief that when you drop something it will fall to the floor, simply looking out into the world would be quite unsettling, for we'd have no sense of what is going to happen next. Beliefs bring a sense of order to the world. But, I do wonder what it would be like to have none at all, just for a moment. For literally everything to be a possibility.
Sometimes when I meditate, I try to let go of all my preconceived notions of the world. I look at the ceiling and try to forget that I expect it to stay there. Then when I start to think it may fall on top of me, I let go of that too and try to open my mind to the possibility that it may instead rise up, or change colour, or turn into a swarm of starlings and start swimming through the water that might randomly fill the room. lol.
It sounds entirely nuts but it often allows me to slip into a trance like state so much quicker.
In regards to religion I do think it can be useful, for some. But I think most use it as an excuse to stop asking questions. As you said, life is the greatest mystery. Where did we come from? Why are we here? These are questions that burden every one of us. But, they are uncomfortable questions because they are so damn hard to answer. So, people adopt beliefs, doctrines or scientific "facts" that answer those questions for them, and negate the uncomfortable feeling of not knowing. It's like giving up on a crossword because you've become frustrated that you cannot solve it.
But, I am only a few books into the Bible, so perhaps my opinion will change upon completion. I certainly feel at the moment though, that there is nothing you can observe, read or learn in this world that you cannot find within yourself. And perhaps the answers to those profound questions are also within. I am sure a lot of religions speak to this idea also.
No need to thank me. I appreciate the conversation.