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Summary of Question:	Re: Can Sikhs Eat Meat
Category:	General Sikhism
Date Posted:	Thursday, 11/06/2003 6:05 PM MST

WJKK WJKF

From reading all your replies on the meat issue I have become a little discontented with the way in which you all seem to reply to questions. You may not agree with the meat issue, but to categorically state that Sikhs cannot eat it is untrue. Right now there are strong arguments for and against meat and so I will deliberately not give my opinion. What I will say is that everyone is different, and by saying explicitly that Sikhs cannot eat meat is akin to accusing those peolple of being non-Sikhs. A lot of your replies on the issue revolve around the idea that eating meat adds poisons and toxins to the body. This may very well be true, but it does not mean that it is a bad action in God's court.
If you personally think that it is against the philosophy behind SIKHI to not eat meat, then please give explicit reasons why. But please do not pass your judgements off as being the 'correct and only' way to follow Sikhi, and please give explanations why you think it is wrong (by saying it introduces toxins into the body is not an explanation of being against Sikhi, it is simply a side-effect of meat-eating).
I do enjoy your site, but from time to time I get frustrated when you pass of your own opinion as being the correct way to be a Sikh.
I am very tempted to go into an argument against your explanation of why Guru Gobind Singh Ji said halal meat was not to be consumed (http://www.sikhnet.com/sikhnet/youth.nsf/by+Date/215cca6d2c3cc0ec87256daa001fd0c9?Open), but I'll leave that to others. :)
WJKK WJKF
Manjinder

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Yes, you have heard the health and planitary reasons, which I guess could seem to be besides the point in relation to Sikhi. Actually it is not. As Sikhs, it is my understanding that we are trying to live as consciously as possible. Am I not abusing my body, the temple of my soul, if I knowingly put toxins in it? Am I not abusing the earth if I eat meat, knowing that the electricity, water, and land could be used to grow grains to feed the hungry people of the world.

There is another philosophical reason. We are all a part of God's creation. Isn't this what Guru Nanak says in Japji? Not just humans are a part of His Creation, but every living thing. Plants and trees were created to give sustance to others. Their existence is self-perpecuating. Animals of all kinds as well as humans have souls and are thus reincarnated. Besides all of the above health and planetary reasons, I don't eat meat because I don't believe in eating another soul. For me, it is the same as eating a human being.
When my daughter was young someone asked her what she couldn't eat. With the innocence of a babe she replied, "We don't eat anything that has a mother."

No one can tell another if they are true Sikhs or not. From my understanding, the Sikh lifestyle and belief system is based on consciousness. We all have to live according to our consciousness. May Guru guide you to live in your Truth.
GTKK