Some pointers: The answer to virtually all questions in this version of Vegetarian Pursuit can be found in the book, Lumen (1986) which can be ordered from our Whole Earth Catalogue. (See Order Form.) Page notations found in the answers below are taken from our latest (3rd) release, subtitled The Tenth Anniversary Edition. Questions beginning with "T/F?" make statements to which you must apply the obvious "true or false" judgement. All other questions are self-explanatory. This installation runs 16 questions and takes about as many minutes to peruse. With one point for each correct answer, here's the rating: Excellent (15-16), Good (12-14), Average (8-11), Red Steak Munchingly Awful (5-7), Next Time Use A Dartboard (4 and under).
T/F? > Vegetarians risk deficiencies in Vitamin B12.-False. The meat industry has campaigned on this point for years,all in opposition to nutritionally established fact. Vitamin B12is a "luxus" nutrient, meaning, among other things, that the bodystores the equivalent of YEARS worth of this vitamin. In addition,Vitamin B12 is not produced by plant or animal anyways; it is pro-duced through bacterial metabolism (primarily in the intestines).In the entirety of medical history there are only a handfulof reported cases of Vitamin B12 deficiency and most of thesewere traced to problems with absorption. [p. 161-162]
T/F? The Four Food Groups testify to meat's dietary importance.-False. They testify to the meat industry's political importance.During World War II nutritionists stood behind and swore bythe "Twelve Food Groups," which was adopted by Congress.Intense political pressure by meat and dairy lobbies reducedthis to the Seven Food Groups, and then in the 70's down toFour Food Groups, with two out of four groups consisting ofmeat and dairy. Thus, the public was lead to believe that halfof one's diet should come from animals. All other foods arecrowded indiscriminately into the other two foods. Truly, thisis the triumph of politics over science. [p. 13]
T/F? Biologically speaking, humans are herbivores.-True. The fact that humans CAN eat meat doesn't change ourspecies' anatomical and physiological design. True carnivores(i.e. lions, cheetahs, dog, etc.) all have a commonality offeatures which humans lack: high concentration of hydrochloricacid in the stomach (about 20 times that of humans), shorterdigestic tract for quick elimination of putrified waste;sharp claws, powerful jaws and elongated, pointed "canine"teeth for piercing and tearing flesh; few or no "flat molars"for grinding seeds and nuts; no side-to-side chewing movementswhich we use to grind vegetable foods; no ptyalin for prediges-tion of plant foods; small salivary glands; and an almost"unlimited capacity to handle saturated fats and cholesterol."Meat eating is so foreign to the human species that the vastmajority will not eat it unless they are able to have anotherperform the slaughter and the processing of the animal. [p. 51]
Spiritual leader known for "...He who causes suffering shall suffer"?-Buddha. If you missed this one, you had to have flunked your college classin Comparative Religion. Actually, of the 12 major religions of the World,only one (Islam) does not contain a prominent reference to the morality ofabstaining from meat. Some of these references come from esoteric and notmainstream, orthodox texts, but they exist just the same... [p. 124]
What spiritual leader taught "...he who kills, kills himself."-Actually, the complete quote is: "For I tell you truly, he whokills, kills himself, and whosoever eats the flesh of slain beastseats the body of death." It comes from Jesus Christ. The source?The Essene Gospel of Peace, taken from the Dead Sea Scrolls.
Bible: When does God instruct "abstain from the King's meat!"-Daniel 1:8-17. It is interesting to note that the translationfor the food which Daniel was instructed to have his peopleuse in place of meat is "pulse," or "leguminous seed." Soybeansare botanically a prominent member of the Leguminae family.
Which N.T. book states: "It is good neither to eat flesh..."-Romans 14:21. The entire King James version yields: "It is goodneither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor any thing whereby thybrother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak." This is acontroversial passage for Christians because earlier in the samechapter (14:2-3) Paul says: "Let not him that eateth despise him thateateth not." This chapter, taken to its fundamentalist extreme, canbe taken to infer: "Have faith in the Lord, then He will bless youeven in your cannibalism!" I have faith that this is not anaccurate interpretation. [p. 128]
What major Christian sect preaches vegetarianism?-Really, there are several. However, none in my opinion approachthe rigor or the sense of conviction of the Seventh Day AdventistChurch. Although the author is not himself an Adventist, he wassurprised at the accuracy of Adventist founder, Ellen G. White.More than one hundred years before scientific confirmation, EllenWhite rightly identified the relationship between meat consumption,cancer, tumors, and a variety of degenerative diseases. I thinkit is altogether commendable that after Ellen White passedaway, the Church did not abandon these principles to increasepopularity. [p. 132]
In what country during WW-I did a blockade force vegetarianism?-Denmark. In 1917 the British set up a naval blockage to cut suppliesto Germany. Denmark was cut off and its ports were closed. To preventstarvation, the Danish government enlisted the aid of Dr. Mikkel Hindhehe,an authority in low protein diets. Overnight, practically the entirepopulation of Denmark was forced to observe a vegetarian diet, having toconsume their livestock grains. When the death rate was computed inCopenhagen following the war, researchers were shocked to discover a dropto 10.4 deaths per thousand -- amazing, since the rate had never been lowerthan 12.5. This amounted to a drop of 34 percent from the previous 18years, or 6,300 fewer deaths than during prewar conditions. Hindhede waslead to conclude from the research: "I am convinced that over-nutrition,the result of palatable meat dishes, is one of the most common causes ofdisease." It wasn't until well into the 1970's that a body of scientificdata had been amassed to prove that he was, in fact, correct. [p. 56-57]
In what 3 countries during WW-II was this mass experiment repeated?-In varying degrees, "austerity measures" were forced upon Norway, Switzer-land, and England. Other countries experienced rationing, but generally noton the level as these European nations. The results? In each and everycase there was a marked improvement in the general public health. [p. 56-57]
T/F? It takes 2 pounds of grain to produce 1 pound of beef.-False. Not even close. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, ittakes roughly 16 pounds of grain to produce 1 pound of beef; 6 pounds toproduce 1 pound of pork; 4 pounds per pound of turkey; 3 pounds to yield aa pound of egg; and 3 pounds to get a pound of chicken. In inefficiencywith respect to non-renewable fossil fuels it's even worse: it takes 78 ca-lories of fossil fuel to produce 1 calorie of beef protein; 35 caloriesto get 1 calorie of pork protein; and 22 calories to yield 1 calorie ofbroiler. It takes just 2 calories of fossil fuel to yield one 1 calorie ofsoybean protein. [p. 177]
T/F? The average U.S. diet requires 4,200 gallons of water a day per person.-True, and 80% of that is animal-related. The production of a one-pound steak2,500 gallons of water. No wonder Newsweek once reported, "The water that goesinto a 1,000-pound steer would float a destroyer." The 1,065 gallons of waterrequired to produce one pound of soybean protein is small by comparison. [p. 117-118]
Who is the "great vegetarian playwright" of the 20th century?-George Bernard Shaw. If you missed this one, you're may have also flunked yourcollege course in 20th Century Theater. GBS was quite outspoken in his day, andlong before it became fashionable for artists to fashion themselves asactivists for socially unpopular issues, he was speaking out -- bluntly.Here's a famous GBS snippet: "I don't like the idea of killing my fellow creaturesin order to eat their dead bodies."
What famous Renaissance painter was known for his vegetarianism?-Leonardo DaVinci (1452-1519). DaVinci was, by all accounts,"the most versatile genius of the Renaissance." Besides a famouspainter, DaVinci was a musician, engineer, and a scientist. Heproposed and predicted such inventions as the airplane, helicop-ter, and the missile centuries before they became reality. Hereis one of his predictions that has not come true quite yet:"I have from an early age abjured the use of meat and the timewill come when men such as I will look on the murder of animalsas they now look on the murder of men." [p. 136]
T/F? By 2075 A.D. most Westerners will be vegetarians.-You don't get points for this one. It's obviously speculative.But before you pass judgement, read Chapter 9 of the LUMEN book.We think you will agree that it isn't implausible. [p. 136-149]
