Jean-Louis Tu wrote:
>
> Well, "reliable" sources of meat don't contain more growth hormones
> than "reliable" sources of fruit contain pesticides.

good point
>
>  -Why do lions waste so much "precious energy breaking down the
> protein chains into simple aminos"?

suprised you asked this question. lions have different teeth and digestive
arrangement than huWoMans, this argument seems out of context to me.
>
>  -Saturated fat is not harmful when not in excess and balanced by
> unsaturates. Sugar is harmful when in excess too.

tit for tat, what does it prove, nothing, but is a valid point.
>
>  -What would constitute for you a "proof" that pre-fire man ate such
> or such food? You are ignoring some evidence of meat-eating, but do
> you have a better evidence of fruit-eating?

it seems to me that primative WoMan evolved in the middle east during a time
of desertification, and perhaps there may have been periods when survival was
a big issue and they may have had to eat whatever they could get their hands
on including meat and insects. what their original diet was may never fully be
known, and i'm not sure it even matters. what does matter is a continual
investigation and refinement based on scientific evidence combined with
intuitive investigation. i once saw a nature show on pbs where during a severe
drought period a hippo had discovered a dead buffalo and was warding off a
hungry pride of lions and eating the fermenting contents of the buffalos
stomach. food choices in the past may have been nothing more than opportunist
hunger satisfaction.
>
>  -Converting the world to vegetarianism would NOT resolve famine
> problems. Even in countries where enough food is produced, some people
> are still starving.

i think there is plenty of "scientific" evidence to prove how unsustainable it
is too feed the world meat as opposed to tree food, at least by current
practices. plus don't forget the consideration that the deforesting of the
planet due to old burn and slash gardening practices shows that even
vegetarian approaches to eating may require refinement as populations grow.

>  -Moral reasons (not willing to kill) are IMO the *only* good reason for
> not eating meat.

if you honestly believe this is a good reason, then why do you continue? do
you kill your own food?
>
>  -How do you know whether such or such reaction (e.g. drooling,
> disgust) can be attributed to instinct or culture?

i agree, a lotta this instincto argument is questionable. it has been so many
generations since we had a healthy balanced instinctive connection to nature,
that i think most people claiming and practising instincto are going to
require a long time living close to nature before they can trust their
instincts 100%. a worthy goal none the less. thanks for sharing jean. are you
a male or female?................aloha ....forest