Cooking

Cooking separates humans from animals, sort of.  Animals cannot cook.  But all eating of flesh begins with violence and destruction.  The animal simply eats its prey once caught.  Humans ritualize the eating of flesh, in part to separate the violence from what we want to do, eat meat.  We set a nice table.  We may have elaborate recipes.  We can make and control fire.  All this helps to rationalize the killing, for our desired ends.  Slavery in the South, was rationalized so that the plantation owners could have the economy and lifestyle they wanted.  They were ridiculed by those who were against slavery.  Vegetarians probably see through the lifestyle of we meat eaters.  A war was fought to get rid of slavery as it existed in the south.  What would it take for me to give up meat?  Nothing yet.  But it does help me to avoid thinking I am "together" or "perfect."  I will support the beef industry tonight when I go out.  I will rationalize that God liked Abel's sheep but was not much interested in Cain's veggies.  I cannot enjoy my steak if I have guilt and shame.  Transformation?  Not today.