Let me get a couple of issues cleared before I start off.
First. I've been hearing a lot lately about eggs being vegetarian, especially infertile eggs. Obviously, I think it is outrageous and just another excuse to avoid moral scruples.
Second. I, myself, didn't have any facts to back my opinion. So I decided to dig deeper, for myself. Not for anyone else.
Here's the issue: Claims are that infertile eggs are vegetarian as they do not lead to birth of an offspring.
Let me first clarify my definition of non-vegeterain:
According to Jainism, organisms are divided into 5 categories. Having 1,2,3,4 and 5 senses. (skin, tongue, nose, eyes and ears in that order). Also, Jainism gives prime importance to Ahimsa (refrain from violence). Ahimsa is not only about the slaughter of animals but extends to any living thing (including microbes and trees). But, it is impossible to totally abstain from being the reason of death of other organisms because merely our presence kills millions. So, we reduce it as much as possible. We eat only one-sensed organisms (that too not all) that too aganist our will and that too only if necessary. Trees have only one sense.
Lets me start the reasoning by quoting the research by Philip J Scamble.
"Whether the egg is fertile or infertile, life is essentially there; and it has all the symptoms of life, such as respiration, brain, feeding ability, etc. There are 15,000 porous-breathing holes on the shell, the cover of the egg. The egg begins to rot at a temperature of less than 8^ Celsius, 00^ Fahrenheit. When it begins this process, its rotting manifests itself through evaporation of the water content. The egg becomes infected by germs and thus becomes diseased. The progress of the rotting soon reaches the shell of the egg." Clearly, egg has a life. I need not say more. The cynics will find a way out eventually. I don't care about them. As I said, the post is to satisfy me!.. not others....
Secondly. "Hens are given five kinds of violent-generating foods: bone meal, blood-meal, excreta-food, meat-meal and fish-meal." So, even if eggs won't be directly non-vegetarian. We are indirectly promoting violence. It is like endorsing a mass-murder but not actually committing it.
Thirldly. "The hen gives infertile eggs during the absence of the male bird. But it has been observed that she gives an infertile egg before the day of contact with the male bird - and also the next day. In other words, she can give a fertile egg even without contact with a male bird. On the fifth day, again she gives a fertile egg. This means that the semen of the male bird remains lying in her body for a considerable duration. In some cases, this duration has been observed to be as long as even six months" .. Also, there is not much difference between a fertilized and an unfertilized egg. So, it is difficult to say which is which. Would you rather risk eating a fertilised egg which could have produced life !!!!
Lastly, the yolk of the egg contains various microbes having 2 or 3 senses (i.e. skin, toungue and nose). That, according to me, classifies as non-veg.
Also, I will not talk about the beak-cutting and all other miseries of their life because that is a current-day tragedy which can be avoided.
I hope I am clear enough... I feel satisfied!! Also, I hope people stop queiting their consciences by stupid arguments. If you want to eat egg, why find an excuse!
Amen!
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