This makes no sense.

I feel very fortunate about my current situation, but that's not the same as giving thanks.

Which... you know... is not at all the same thing as a god.

We gave thanks to the bird that was about to feed us! In fact, I always say thank you (often under my breath, particularly in restaurants) to whatever critter I'm about to eat. It's my personal policy to eat all the critter on my plate. I may end up throwing away a little bit of veggie or some carbs, but I always finish the critter. They deserve that much.

Last edited Mon Dec 2, 2013, 05:00 PM - Edit history (1)

Human beings seem to be the only critters on the earth who act like we are outside of the cycle of life and death that every other lifeform on the planet seems to understand. That was quite a clunky sentence. Let me try again.

If you watch one of those nature films of lions chasing wildebeest, you can see that yes, there is terror in the eyes of the one that gets caught. But then once the deed is done, all the other wildebeest go right back to eating grass. Often within a few feet of the lions munching on their fallen comrade. In fact, I remember once when I was a kid seeing a film just like that, and the lions grabbed a baby wildebeest right from its mother. Once the baby was dead and being eaten, the mother seemed to just fade back into the herd and continue to graze without missing a beat. I learned a lot in that moment. The wildebeest understand that the lion must eat too, and they don't get mad at the lion for doing what it must do to survive.

Human beings, on the other hand, with our seemingly higher form of consciousness, get mad at death. I know I do. In fact, I would even suggest that we are downright insane in our approach to and feelings about death. It appears as though we, or at least a particularly "offended by death" subset, would rather destroy the whole planet and everyone and everything on it than face death in a rational and realistic fashion. Personally, I think that is much of the motivation of those who hoard huge amounts of wealth. They feel they can stave off death just a little bit longer.

Even though I am certainly not looking forward to my own death many many many years from now, one thing I do know is that I don't want to be cremated or put into a sealed box. I want to be thrown into the ground or the ocean to rot and be eaten by other members of "the community" of bugs and worms and microbes. That's the least I can do, after eating so many of my delicious brothers and sisters!

Once they're out of danger, they go on with their lives. That's not a sign of their superiority to us, however.

In any case, the one being eaten alive, as is often the case in predation, is not so placid about the matter. The animal whose body parts are on your plate would not be placid if it were somehow still conscious.

Which clearly stated that they give thanks to people and the animal they are about to eat, etc.

"Secular grace is not offered as a prayer, but more as a benediction over those present."

Benediction!

That's absurd and meaningless for a non-theist.

As for thanking the animal, that's truly repellent.

support.

All rather mundane.

1

a : the act or words of one that blesses
b : approval, encouragement

a. [countable] a prayer asking for God's help and protection

Use it if you like, but it's clear to me that the it's nonsensical and absurd for a non-theist to say a blessing.