(1) Does linking dietary practices to religion make sense? The dilemma of eating meat – a short thread …
(2) Why this concept abstaining from non-veg food on certain days of the week. Devout Hindus won’t eat non-veg (or even onion & garlic for that matter) as all tamasik food is prohibited. The religion itself is based on Satya and Ahimsa.
(3) But why then do we find mention of meat consumption in our scriptures? Ok – will try and explain what I think, but please understand that, this is purely conjecture from here on. Let’s dive in ...
(4) Hinduism is more a way of life than a religion per se. I start with the basic premise that most practices that have survived thousands of years, would have had some rationale. Methinks, our ancients understood the perils of non-veg food.
(5) Science is increasingly proving that an overtly meat based diet is unhealthy. But science also says, that the best source of protein is meat/egg (better than plant protein). And protein is the basic building block of muscles and a lot of other stuff.
(6) So, in short, it seems that an average Joe is better off without meat where as someone who engages in physical labour (including battles) would need meat.
(7) So sedentary guys are better off with a plant based diet where as the warriors need more of meat. The issue is getting the ones in between (the majority) achieve a balance. If I tell you eat or drink in moderation, we all know how that is going to end.
(8) So what the ancients did was convince the majority that if you eat meat on Mondays or Tuesdays or Thursdays, you stand a very good chance of upsetting Lord Shiva or Hanuman and so on. Ok to eat on Wed/Sun and so on. Even back then, fear was a way better enforcer than reason.
(9) I accept that the above is a way too simplistic explanation. But I hope this was food for thought.

More of this on my blog:
debu-musings.blogspot.com/2010/07/dilemm…

Do give this short essay a read and let me know your thoughts.

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