Can I get a little help from a vegan please?

[Blue-Jay]

My friend and I had a discussion yesterday about veganism. He's a pesco-vegetarian. He just can't give up sushi, but he's not had any fowl or red meat for many years.

But the question came up yesterday about yeast. Vegans won't eat honey because it's produced by bees. But yeast is a living organism - so why do they eat bread and drink beer?

Thanks in advance!

[MadAsHellNewYorker]

1. Yeast is like a fungus

its about as advanced as a mushroom...so thats how it is usually viewed as

and on edit, a basic definition of yeast is a general term for single-celled fungi that reproduce by budding

[LeftyMom]

3. MAHNY's right

Yeast is a monocellular fungus.

[MadAsHellNewYorker]

4. .

:hi:

:loveya:

[LeftyMom]

7. Hi sweetie!

:loveya:

[MadAsHellNewYorker]

8. how are things?

I am already so busy with school, Im amazed. I haven't even had a full week yet!!! Otherwise things are doing ok

[LeftyMom]

9. I have two exams to take and a speech to give Tuesday.

:scared:

[MadAsHellNewYorker]

10. just no rest for the wicked, huh?

:evilfrown:

[LeftyMom]

11. I actually got all of my work done early

I want to reread the material monday night, but I had enough time free to paint my room this weekend.

[Blue-Jay]

5. Ah! That makes sense. Thanks!

Since its not actually a fungus (scientifically speaking), that didn't occur to me.

I'll let him know.

[billyskank]

2. You have to draw the line somewhere

Bottom line is, you can't eat anything without killing something. Vegetarians like me kill so many plants in order to eat. Even fruitarians who eat nothing but fruit that is dropped from the tree kill microbes and things when they eat. It is impossible to go through life without doing so at something else's expense. So the only question is where you draw the line. The suffering involved in killing an animal is far greater than that involved in killing a plant, because the quality of consciousness is far more developed in an animal than in a plant. Some people are okay with this suffering and they eat meat. Some other people think this is unacceptable and so they don't, with varying degrees of vegetarianism. Everyone has to draw their own line where they think it is right.

[Blue-Jay]

6. That makes perfect sense.

[Kali]

12. this is a little bit smart assed, but an organism can only suffer

while it is alive, so once the death has occurred there is no more suffering. Opinions vary GREATLY on how much actual suffering occurs in food animals anyway. I have done the killing myself - there doesn't have to be any suffering.

I think instead of people choosing between suffering or not, the choice might be more accurately described as a between killing or not.


edited for spelling

[Blue-Jay]

13. So...eating roadkill is OK?

I keed, I keed! :D

[Kali]

16. Not in AZ, at least not deer, if the authorities know about it!

[billyskank]

14. I can only speak for myself

I'd rather not be killed, no matter how humanely. :shrug:

[Kali]

17. You immortal?

[billyskank]

18. Don't be ridiculous

But if given a choice between dying now or dying later I'll put it off until later.

You're just being obnoxious, this discussion is over.

[Kali]

21. My apologies, was not trying to be obnoxious at all. Thought you were

using a touch of humor and I attempted to do the same. (To continue, some who have put it off until later regret it, but I do know what you mean.)

[ghostsofgiants]

20. I am.

[buddhamama]

22. well said, billy

the one point i would like to add to your post is: vegetables and fruits have evolved to be attractive, to be consumed. consumption by humans, animals or insects is one way in which they ensure propagation/survival.

i am vegetarian, and at one time i was a vegan. i used in honey in my baking in replace of sugar. as you have said billy, everyone has to draw their own line.

[urbanasaurus]

15. Meat has to be bad

And honey must be worse because it is less yummy than meat.

[Blue-Jay]

19. You're creating a "false dilemma"

And attempting (poorly) to hijack a thread in order to start an argument (also called "trolling")

bzzzzt.