Why isn't fish meat?

[bobg4400]

Title says it really but if you think it isn't then I wanna hear some justifications.

 

[B_Over_Endowed_EMT]

You know Ive wondered the same thing!

 

[B_thickjohnny]

Because it's seafood. (honestly, no idea but my guess is because Jesus fed the masses with fish, fish is what got selected as the meal of choice on Fridays of Lent)

 

[The Dragon]

Title says it really but if you think it isn't then I wanna hear some justifications.

At least you aren't Jessica Simpson who wondered if tuna was fish or chicken after reading it was called chicken of the sea.

 

[D_Bubba_Butter]

Fish is meat. It's just not poultry, game or red meat.

Saying fish isn't meat is like saying chicken isn't meat. It's just a ploy for trendy and half-hearted vegetarians.

 

[bobg4400]

At least you aren't Jessica Simpson who wondered if tuna was fish or chicken after reading it was called chicken of the sea.

:biggrin1::biggrin1::biggrin1:LMAO!!
From now on I'm going to call tuna 'the chicken of the sea'

 

[Mem]

In commerce, meat is generally used by the meat packing industry in a more restrictive sense—the flesh of mammalian species (pigs, cattle, lambs, etc.) raised and prepared for human consumption, to the exclusion of fish, poultry, and other animals.

 

[monel]

Fish is meat. It also used to it be part of the staple diet for the poor in coastal regions like Italy since it was relatively cheap. After the agricultural revolution, "land meats" became more plentiful and inexpensive. The fishing industry, nervous about its future, approached the Pope for assistance; a "you scratch our back and we'll scratch yours" kind of deal ensued. This was the edict that Catbolicsthe could eat no meat on Fridays but fish was OK. The only reason fish is not meat is because the Vatican said so a very long time ago.

 

[erratic]

When I was a good Catholic boy in a good Catholic schoo, I heard the following explanations (but seeing as it's patently silly that fish isn't meat, I'm not about to research how valid these explanations really are):

In Latin, the word that we translate as "meat" only refers to animals that walk on land. Oxen, cattle, goats, etc. They had different words for fish and such. Further, land animals were ones usually reserved for feasts. In these outrageously wasteful times of multinational agribusinesses and mowing down prairies and rainforests, eating cow every day isn't a big deal. Back in the day, however, a cow was a much bigger investment. So one might abstain from cows, oxen, goats, etc., to show one's humility and/or piety. Fish, however, were readily available and relatively cheap throughout most coastal areas. Same goes for poultry.

Sometime many centuries ago, the Church decided that fishermen needed some extra capital, and so it was decreed that no one would eat meat on Fridays - this decree, of course, coming in Latin. Instead, we would show our piety by abstaining. Since Latin makes an arbitrary distinction between meats of the land and meats of the sea, the wording worked nicely, fish was deemed acceptable, some fishermen's profits went up, and the world kept on spinning.

 

[B_Nicodemous]

In commerce, meat is generally used by the meat packing industry in a more restrictive sense—the flesh of mammalian species (pigs, cattle, lambs, etc.) raised and prepared for human consumption, to the exclusion of fish, poultry, and other animals.

Ok, cool. Kinda like how Tomatoes are botanically a fruit, but are considered a vegetable for culinary purposes?

 

[dude_007]

When you have meat and potatoes, you ain't having fish!

 

[bobg4400]

Ok, cool. Kinda like how Tomatoes are botanically a fruit, but are considered a vegetable for culinary purposes?

I think this is stupid as well but it's a good analogy at least.
Seriously though, people should just have one name/classification for things not multiples.

 

[B_Nicodemous]

Fish is meat. It also used to it be part of the staple diet for the poor in coastal regions like Italy since it was relatively cheap. After the agricultural revolution, "land meats" became more plentiful and inexpensive. The fishing industry, nervous about its future, approached the Pope for assistance; a "you scratch our back and we'll scratch yours" kind of deal ensued. This was the edict that Catbolicsthe could eat no meat on Fridays but fish was OK. The only reason fish is not meat is because the Vatican said so a very long time ago.

When I was a good Catholic boy in a good Catholic schoo, I heard the following explanations (but seeing as it's patently silly that fish isn't meat, I'm not about to research how valid these explanations really are):

In Latin, the word that we translate as "meat" only refers to animals that walk on land. Oxen, cattle, goats, etc. They had different words for fish and such. Further, land animals were ones usually reserved for feasts. In these outrageously wasteful times of multinational agribusinesses and mowing down prairies and rainforests, eating cow every day isn't a big deal. Back in the day, however, a cow was a much bigger investment. So one might abstain from cows, oxen, goats, etc., to show one's humility and/or piety. Fish, however, were readily available and relatively cheap throughout most coastal areas. Same goes for poultry.

Sometime many centuries ago, the Church decided that fishermen needed some extra capital, and so it was decreed that no one would eat meat on Fridays - this decree, of course, coming in Latin. Instead, we would show our piety by abstaining. Since Latin makes an arbitrary distinction between meats of the land and meats of the sea, the wording worked nicely, fish was deemed acceptable, some fishermen's profits went up, and the world kept on spinning.

Wow. Now it REALLY sounds like the reasoning behind the tomato as veggie ruling. Except with the Vatican instead of the supreme court.

 

[monel]

When I was a good Catholic boy in a good Catholic schoo, I heard the following explanations (but seeing as it's patently silly that fish isn't meat, I'm not about to research how valid these explanations really are):

In Latin, the word that we translate as "meat" only refers to animals that walk on land. Oxen, cattle, goats, etc. They had different words for fish and such. Further, land animals were ones usually reserved for feasts. In these outrageously wasteful times of multinational agribusinesses and mowing down prairies and rainforests, eating cow every day isn't a big deal. Back in the day, however, a cow was a much bigger investment. So one might abstain from cows, oxen, goats, etc., to show one's humility and/or piety. Fish, however, were readily available and relatively cheap throughout most coastal areas. Same goes for poultry.

Sometime many centuries ago, the Church decided that fishermen needed some extra capital, and so it was decreed that no one would eat meat on Fridays - this decree, of course, coming in Latin. Instead, we would show our piety by abstaining. Since Latin makes an arbitrary distinction between meats of the land and meats of the sea, the wording worked nicely, fish was deemed acceptable, some fishermen's profits went up, and the world kept on spinning.

Seems like your understanding and mine are largely in concurrence. I think the latin explanation was the rational to satisfy the questions of the flock.

At one time the Church ruled the world. If it still did maybe many of would not have left :biggrin1:

 

[B_Nicodemous]

Dangit erratic we posted at the same time!:tongue:

 

[monel]

Wow. Now it REALLY sounds like the reasoning behind the tomato as veggie ruling. Except with the Vatican instead of the supreme court.

THE ONE TRUE CHURCH: MORE POWERFUL THAN REAGAN. *Rejected Catholic church advertising campaign of the 1980's*

 

[D_Dan_T_Zinferno]

I agree that fish is meat. Fish are alive and conscious. They bleed if cut. However, a friend of mine who was raised vegetarian from birth tried to eat meat when her family later began raising their own chickens and goats and was unable to digest it. She tried a Big Mac once and had to go to the emergency room. Her body wouldn't tolerate it meat at all but as a teenager she learned to fish and was able to digest fish. According to her, the cellular structure of fish are closer to plants than that of any land animal she had tried to eat. She was not a flightly girl, so I am inclined to believe her.

 

[tamati]

What I really want to know is why are leather goods not meat??

 

[Hung_MN]

Whats the difference between meat and fish?

If you beat your fish it dies!

 

[Mem]

What I really want to know is why are leather goods not meat??

Because they are not edible.