Morals, tradition lead to students' vegetarianism

Erica Magda

Chuck Sapienza, senior in LAS, spent two months living with monks in a dormitory attached to a temple and sharing the monks' diet and lifestyle in India.

The purpose of Sapienza's trip was to study Jainism, a dualistic religion that believes in perfecting the human soul through nonviolence to all living creatures. Sapienza learned that Jains take the principle of nonviolence very seriously and that they are the only religious group that requires all members to be vegetarian.

Although few religions require vegetarianism of all their followers, religion and a vegetarian lifestyle are often linked through spiritual morals and values. However, students on campus say they become vegetarian for a variety of reasons.

"Being vegetarian is not something I would describe in terms of religion, but in a way it does tie into my beliefs about killing and morals," said Margie Mathewson, junior in Engineering, who attends services at the United Church of Christ.

Religions often teach a sensitivity to all life, which can cause people to follow a vegetarian philosophy, said Robert McKim, director of the Department of Religious Studies.

"You find that sensitivity manifested in different traditions at different times, in Christianity and some Eastern traditions," McKim said.

Colie Huppertz, sophomore in LAS, came to vegetarianism by following a religious tradition.

"I gave up meat for Lent one year, even though I don't normally give up anything for Lent," Huppertz said. "After Lent, I had no appetite for meat anymore; it grossed me out."

A genuine concern for the lives of animals can also drive people to switch to a vegetarian lifestyle. Lauren Noone, junior in Communications, is a member of Illini Collegians for Life, and she extends her anti-abortion views to animal lives as well.

"Farm animals and unborn babies are both disenfranchised and treated like second-class citizens," Noone said. "I'm not against the idea of eating meat. I just think it should be done in a more humane, sanitary way."

People looking for meals without meat can eat at the Red Herring vegan restaurant in the basement of the Channing Murray Foundation, 1209 W. Oregon St., Urbana.

The restaurant began as a coffeehouse under the Unitarian Universalist Church and has been in business for about 40 years, said Lisa Vironda, the restaurant's co-manager.

"Unitarian churches are often more liberal, and that leads to people thinking a vegetarian restaurant might be a cool idea," said Chad Knowles, co-manager of the restaurant.