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 B12 is a "luxus" nutrient, meaning, among other things, that the body stores 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 handful of reported cases of Vitamin B12 deficiency and most of these were 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 by the "Twelve Food Groups," which was adopted by Congress. Intense political pressure by meat and dairy lobbies reduced this to the Seven Food Groups, and then in the 70's down to Four Food Groups, with two out of four groups consisting of meat and dairy. Thus, the public was lead to believe that half of one's diet should come from animals. All other foods are crowded indiscriminately into the other two foods. Truly, this is 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 our species' anatomical and physiological design. True carnivores (i.e. lions, cheetahs, dog, etc.) all have a commonality of features which humans lack: high concentration of hydrochloric acid in the stomach (about 20 times that of humans), shorter digestic 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 movements which 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 vast majority will not eat it unless they are able to have another perform 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 class in Comparative Religion. Actually, of the 12 major religions of the World, only one (Islam) does not contain a prominent reference to the morality of abstaining from meat. Some of these references come from esoteric and not mainstream, 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 who kills, kills himself, and whosoever eats the flesh of slain beasts eats 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 translation for the food which Daniel was instructed to have his people use in place of meat is "pulse," or "leguminous seed." Soybeans are 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 good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak." This is a controversial passage for Christians because earlier in the same chapter (14:2-3) Paul says: "Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not." This chapter, taken to its fundamentalist extreme, can be taken to infer: "Have faith in the Lord, then He will bless you even in your cannibalism!" I have faith that this is not an accurate interpretation. [p. 128]

What major Christian sect preaches vegetarianism? - Really, there are several. However, none in my opinion approach the rigor or the sense of conviction of the Seventh Day Adventist Church. Although the author is not himself an Adventist, he was surprised at the accuracy of Adventist founder, Ellen G. White. More than one hundred years before scientific confirmation, Ellen White rightly identified the relationship between meat consumption, cancer, tumors, and a variety of degenerative diseases. I think it is altogether commendable that after Ellen White passed away, the Church did not abandon these principles to increase popularity. [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 supplies to Germany. Denmark was cut off and its ports were closed. To prevent starvation, the Danish government enlisted the aid of Dr. Mikkel Hindhehe, an authority in low protein diets. Overnight, practically the entire population of Denmark was forced to observe a vegetarian diet, having to consume their livestock grains. When the death rate was computed in Copenhagen following the war, researchers were shocked to discover a drop to 10.4 deaths per thousand -- amazing, since the rate had never been lower than 12.5. This amounted to a drop of 34 percent from the previous 18 years, or 6,300 fewer deaths than during prewar conditions. Hindhede was lead to conclude from the research: "I am convinced that over-nutrition, the result of palatable meat dishes, is one of the most common causes of disease." It wasn't until well into the 1970's that a body of scientific data 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 not on the level as these European nations. The results? In each and every case 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, it takes roughly 16 pounds of grain to produce 1 pound of beef; 6 pounds to produce 1 pound of pork; 4 pounds per pound of turkey; 3 pounds to yield a a pound of egg; and 3 pounds to get a pound of chicken. In inefficiency with 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 calories to get 1 calorie of pork protein; and 22 calories to yield 1 calorie of broiler. It takes just 2 calories of fossil fuel to yield one 1 calorie of soybean 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 steak 2,500 gallons of water. No wonder Newsweek once reported, "The water that goes into a 1,000-pound steer would float a destroyer." The 1,065 gallons of water required 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 your college course in 20th Century Theater. GBS was quite outspoken in his day, and long before it became fashionable for artists to fashion themselves as activists 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 creatures in 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 famous painter, DaVinci was a musician, engineer, and a scientist. He proposed and predicted such inventions as the airplane, helicop- ter, and the missile centuries before they became reality. Here is one of his predictions that has not come true quite yet: "I have from an early age abjured the use of meat and the time will come when men such as I will look on the murder of animals as 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]