Jonah: I think the biology of the matter is important because it raises the question of how can meat-eating be immoral when an omnivorous diet is not only natural but offers us the best balance of nutrients. Vegans, for example, must take a supplement to obtain Vitamin D. Hence, I don’t see how eating a naturally human diet can ever be considered immoral.

As I said, I think we should respect people who refrain from tasty and nutritious food for moral reasons or as a matter of spiritual discipline, just as we respect those who choose a life of chastity for those purposes. But the fact that some elect to restrict themselves doesn’t reflect adversely on those who don’t.

— Wesley J. Smith is a senior fellow in human rights and bioethics at the Discovery Institute and a special consultant to the Center for Bioethics and Culture. His next book, to be released in the fall, will be an exposé of the animal-rights movement.