Here Comes Treble: Judge Not...
...In matters of personal relationships, acceptance and gaining an understanding of each other’s diversity is the key to living together in harmony...
What does a mother who doesn't like vegetables do when her son becomes a vegetarian? Isabel Bradley puts in a plea for tolerance and acceptance.
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Since she was a child, Joan disliked the taste and texture of vegetables. Whenever possible she still avoids them, eating the barest minimum for courtesy’s sake when it is unavoidable. She mainly lives on meat, potatoes and pasta, adding the freshness of fruit to her diet. At just over fifty years old, she is perfectly healthy. Many of her friends and acquaintances criticise her eating habits, insisting that she can’t possibly survive without a daily dose of greens.
Several years ago, Joan’s adult son, John, became a vegetarian, declaring that he would never touch meat. She accepted his change of diet without query. Every time he visited, she went to great trouble to ensure that he received a balanced and enjoyable meal. Vegetables she had never dreamed of filled her kitchen.
Although John knew she didn’t like vegetables, he didn’t once prepare a meat dish for his mother. Joan felt this was a form of judgement, that her son found this facet of her life unacceptable. She never complained, however; she always found something that she could eat when visiting John – pasta with a minimum of sauce, or a cheese dish, followed by fruit and desserts.
Joan continued to create unusual vegetable dishes whenever she entertained, still preferring not to eat them herself. By accepting and understanding her son’s preferences, she acquired knowledge and new skills; all those who enjoyed her meals benefited.
In the matter of vegetarianism versus ‘carnivorism’, the vegetarian feels a certain amount of emotional and moral high-ground: vegetables supply many of the nutrients the human body requires in the way of vitamins, trace elements and fibre; while meat – particularly the tasty, rich, red variety – clogs veins and arteries with unhealthy cholesterol. Therefore it could be considered ‘good’ to eat vegetables and ‘bad’ to eat meat. Added to their justification is the cruelty of killing animals for food. Most vegetarians shudder in horror at this thought.
Human beings, however, have been eating both vegetables and meat for millions of years; our systems need the protein and a certain amount of the fat contained in meat.
Ultimately, each individual has his own preferences and tolerances; what suits one person is disagreeable to another.
In all matters of personal taste, from eating and drinking to the clothes we wear, the Bible’s suggestion, ‘judge not, that you be not judged’ should be applied. Perhaps in the example of the meat-eater and the vegetarian, it could be paraphrased as ‘judge not, lest you, too, be forced to eat something you can’t bear’!
In matters of personal relationships, acceptance and gaining an understanding of each other’s diversity is the key to living together in harmony. Indeed, in all spheres of life including religion and politics, understanding and acceptance of others’ preferences, ideals and beliefs will make the earth a better place to live.
Until next week… ‘here comes Treble!”
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