Christianity In Christianity, Paul wrote in his Epistle to the Romans that although he himself ate meat, the choice to eat meat or abstain from meat should be a matter of personal conviction: "The man who eats everything must not look down on him who does not, and the man who does not eat everything must not condemn the man who does, for God has accepted him." (Romans 14:3) Several Christian monastic groups have encouraged vegetarianism, including the Desert Fathers, Trappists, Benedictines, and Carthusians. Some Protestant groups, such as Seventh-day Adventists, take a literal interpretation of the Biblical prophecies of universal vegetarianism and encourage vegetarians as a preferred though not required lifestyle. In the nineteenth century, members of the Bible Christian sect established the first vegetarian groups in England and the United States.
Islam Islam explicitly permits the eating of some kinds of meat. The hadith collection of al-Nasa'i recounts an episode wherein several of Mohammed's companions wish to practice various ascetic practices including sexual abstinence, vegetarianism, and extreme fasting, and Mohammed rebukes them all. Since in Islam, it is forbidden to forbid that which is permitted, some Islamic scholars conclude that vegetarianism is forbidden. Muslim vegetarians and their supporters, however, make a distinction between choosing not to do something and forbidding it, and argue that a Muslim may choose to be a vegetarian, but as an aesthetic or ethical consideration and not as a religious duty.
Taoism In Chinese societies, "simple eating" (ËØʳ) refers to a particular restricted diet associated with Taoist monks, and sometimes practiced by members of the general population during Taoist festivals. It is referred to by the English word "vegetarian." However, though it rejects meat, eggs and milk, this diet does include oysters and oyster products.
Buddhism Many Westerners think that Buddhist precept against killing implies that Buddhist should avoid eating the meat of animals. However, this is to miss the distinction between killing of animal and eating of already dead meat. And during the Buddha's time, there was no general rule requiring monks to refrain from eating meat. In Pali scriptures there are several recorded instance of Buddha eating meat, though whether Buddha died from eating tainted pork is disputed. In fact, at one point the Buddha specifically refused to make such a rule, declaring that one can eat meat as long as one does not hear, see or suspect that meat is specifically killed for oneself. And these rules were invoked in relation to commercial purchase of meat in an episode involving General Shia. Buddha also stated that it is one's immoral conducts that makes one impure, not the eating of meat, and declared meat eating as karmically neutral. Irrespective of the faith, dietary proscriptions are common in all religions. Forms of vegetarianism were found¡ªand are found¡ªin many spiritual dietary laws. It is interesting to note the increasing prevalence of vegetarian dishes served at some of the world's better restaurants and the general acceptance of many heretofore unrepentant carnivores who are willing to try a meat-free delicacy. Once considered a passing trend, vegetarianism was, much earlier, principally a matter of keeping faith with your religious convictions.
