Pondering: Meat Eaters vs Vegetarians/Vegans?

I found these interesting links (below) that I wished to share about a Buddhist food philosophy regarding eating meat and/or plant life, because I have family and friends of both persuasions: meat eaters and vegetarians. This has caused what I call the great ... "I'm right and you're not" ... debate. 

I'm not sure how we can incorporate this Buddhist belief in our current daily lives, but I felt that ultimately they believed that any food gift was to be respected and not judged. Maybe our concept of a gift has become distorted, as well as our concept of "do no harm," especially when brow beating your loved ones, over food choices, becomes a way of life. 

I also thought I'd share my philosophy based on my life's education along with my conversations with God/guidance for over twenty-five years.

For instance, I'm a minimal meat/sea life eater. I also like some veggies and fruits. I consider everything is nature and respect, as much as possible, what has been created. If mankind wants to become self-righteous and superior to God's, or Mother Nature's, design ... that's their prerogative.

However, I feel those who do this are limited in awareness. It's not a judgment but an observation, based on how much easier many in my country have it today, then say a hundred years ago, when it comes to surviving. Even if that's standing in a soup line receiving a gift from another's kindness.

 

I see what other countries do to survive. I truly feel sorry for those that have limited or no survival training if we have any crisis in our country. Could they even catch a fish, scale and gut much less cook it ... as I learned to do? Much less catch or eat anything to survive? 

Some of the things I see other countries eat makes me wonder why they do but I'm sure they never expected others to make pets out of their food sources. I am even guilty of turning my nose up on a lot of it but I'm reminded of what my dad told me when I was younger ... if you're starving, you'd eat a roach.

Ugh!! 

I, personally, wouldn't want to eat a roach must less a rodent even though many countries do eat rodents, among other things not of my taste. To each their own. Live and let live. Many people just slaughter rodents because they reproduce very rapidly and are destructive to plant life, including plant food sources. I wonder which would be less unkind to do, killing the rodents or allowing them to destroy the food sources intended for others? Besides, killing them and not eating them? Wouldn't that be considered wasteful from countries that do eat them? I would think so. Would I eat one if I had to survive? Maybe, but I hope I'm not tested to do so or judged if I do. We certainly don't judge birds, or other creatures, that eat rodents. Why should we judge people that do? 

God/guidance has helped me understand many reasons for why things happen. I like to ask these types of questions even if I don't always like the answers. 

For instance, judging people for the meat they choose to eat just because it doesn't fit in our plans. 

For instance, to have no temptation for eating meat, all land, air and sea life would have to be completely eradicated from the planet ... an unreasonable and unthinkable undertaking ... meaning no pets either. 

For instance, being realistic enough to know that rodents or small animals are inadvertently killed in plowing and harvesting large fields for plant food, among other situations that run many out of their homes, due to an ever increasing population. However we would rather ignore that root cause instead of addressing it. We whitewash it with indignation of things outside us ... instead of something we can control ... if we choose ... our libido. 

For instance, no land, air or sea creatures around to eat ... only plant life ... yet nature wreaks havoc on plant life, in a multitude of ways, leaving limited or no food available. What would be left to eat? Humans? 

Yes, I've had some serious conversations. 

Anyway, to continue, I was raised to think it was sinful to be cruel or wasteful, yet I'm a realist enough to know it happens. At seventeen, I was tested in my beliefs by helping my father kill two Easter chicks that turned into adult roosters. They were causing complaints in the neighborhood because of their early morning noise. Was I cruel to do what my mother asked me to do by helping my father? Would I have been disrespectful or disobedient by not helping? Should we have allowed them to be wasted with a large family to feed? 

I had watched a great aunt kill two hens when I was five, so I understood the value of a gift of life for another's life, but doing it myself? Yes, I did help my dad. Yes, I had remorse. Yes, I respected what God gave us that day by not wasting. There was no cruelty involved and we were grateful. Yes, I enjoyed eating them too. I didn't consider it destructive but a continuation of life ... just as consuming the life of vegetation that ends one form of life for another. 

Also, I was raised to believe everything in moderation. I was actually told that by God one day, many years ago, because I went to him about my dilemma on this topic. He had no judgments of what we as humans had to do to survive anymore than what animals had to do for the same thing. He knows the bigger picture. 

Believe what you will but many humans have sacrificed their lives and in many ways ... it's never been one sided ... ever. It's the cruelty that I sincerely feel people are objecting to and I agree completely. In fact, I felt the majority of humans were more understanding and respectful of their food sources then animals. I watch nature shows with my husband. Let's just say that meat eating animals/sea life etc., are neither kind nor respectful in how they treat their food sources. Take a walk in their territory and you could find out first hand.

I've also seen science shows on plant life. They've proven what I've known for years. There's a lot of plants that are more than just reactionary. They may not have a brain like a human, or talk like animators portray them, but they're capable of thinking in their own way ... some more so than others.

In fact, the Venus Flytrap is a meat eating plant. Should we judge a plant that eats meat (insects)?

So, I started looking around the Internet about how others feel and I've seen the gamut of lies and confusion, amongst the facts, on both ends ... including the projection of guilt being thrown around by those who don't understand the bigger picture of nature. I realized that plants, sea life, animals or insects are a big part of our existence ... without these, we as humans would cease to exist. They too could cease to exist without our intervention. So much life on this planet is sustained by other life.

This made me think of  the story of God putting Adam into the Garden of Eden to care for the animals. Yet, animals (etc.) create more animals ... just as humans create more humans ... ad infinitum.

Who protects the over population of any species? Nature!

To me, nature provides a balance. Humans are part of nature. Even though this may sound cruel, nature is kept in check by nature ... partly due to what is consumed by human, animal, sea life, and so on. Nature is also kept in check by wars (even land, air and sea life battle), pestilence, famine, and natural disasters ... among other things. Some may say it's not fair but it's still life on this planet and has been since the beginning of life here ... all created by a need to survive and/or to stop destruction by over growth in any species, including plant life. 

We think humans are smarter than Mother Nature ... smarter than God? 

Hmmm... When we want to be humbled, off our judgmental pedestal, just remember that we're not. 

Also, no one is perfect. I know that I'm trying to do what's right for myself using whatever I can to survive and so is everyone else. There is good and bad in everything. It's important to research and see both sides before making an educated decision as well as using our feelings to guide us in our purpose for being here. You may be here to be a vegetarian or vegan while another's purpose is to be a meat eater. Let your conscience be your guide. 

To say one's plan or purpose is better than another hasn't been proven and is condescending. Be human by being kind, being considerate, being thankful and being loving but unless we only want to live off of polluted air, we also have to live by being reasonable. 

Sometimes, I think God must be shaking His head at us with His hand on His face saying: I gave you all of this and you're still fighting?

Even if you don't believe in God ... it's to make you think ... because we all know you shouldn't mess with Mother Nature either. 

~~~~~~~~~~Links

What the Buddha Said About Eating Meat

http://www.urbandharma.org/udharma3/meat.html

Buddhism and Vegetarianism

http://www.urbandharma.org/udharma3/vegi.html

Rest In Peace?

Many times I've "heard" the words ... "let the dead rest." 

I think what guidance means, when that's said, is the unreasonable demands we put on enlightened souls, from the past, who have been placed on pedestals by humans. From those who may consider themselves unworthy of being as important as the ones they worship ... placing perpetual demands on these enlightened beings. 

We assume they are still spirits, not even knowing if they are currently incarnated or have ever incarnated since their precious historical one ... or ... if they are still "archangels in heaven" so to speak. This "drawing on their souls"  may create unrest in them no matter where or who they are today.

Think about it.

Certain cultures won't say the name of the deceased due to their belief of it calling them back to earth ... disturbing their souls ... not allowing them to move on. This is why many cultures have sayings like "rest in peace," which is similar to the Islam faith's saying "peace be upon his soul," when they talk about their prophet.

I wish we would all feel this way about the departed, especially the historical ones who may never get spiritual rest due to our feelings we place on them ....  whether they be good or bad feelings. When I hear these expressions, I wonder if it's all lip service because we forgot the true meaning behind them.

Do we really want anyone to rest in peace? To have a peaceful spirit/soul? It actually doesn't appear so. How can we, if we keep placing our demands on those, we consider good (or bad), to answer our prayers? 

Sadly, it made me think how very selfish we are.

It's as if they are supposed to be on the beck and call of billions of people on this planet 24/7. They have a name for that ... it's called slavery. We are enslaving our past prophets/prophetesses, gods/goddesses, saints, archangels or whomever in servitude of our needs ... keeping them from moving on because of our demands.

Selfish behavior?

Unloving behavior?

Indifferent behavior?

Lazy behavior?

I remember hearing once that atheism is God's best friend. At first, it made me chuckle, but then it made me wonder if it could be true. We don't always know the whys and wherefores of things ... even the greater purpose of things. Maybe our Creator assisted in this atheism creation to give him peace of mind/soul too ... the one being who carries the greatest servitude burden above all.

You may say no but it is plausible. After all, he's a pretty smart being. Right?

I think I know why there's so much unrest on this planet. As above ... so below. Whose soul are we creating spirit unrest in today with our prayers?

If I pray for peace to be upon all our souls ... no matter where or what we are today ... no matter who we were before ... will this too cause unrest?

I wonder. 

Unconditional Love?

Have you ever had feelings of doubt when hearing the words unconditional love? Have you felt an unrealistic burden because of it?

Maybe this will help.

Guidance has been telling me for many years that there is no such thing as unconditional love. The proported, and falsely stated, unconditional love is only because most don't know the complete facts ... including the reasons Jesus came to earth to teach (his conditions).

Just because we don't know what they are doesn't mean they don't exist. There are conditions placed on everything ... even subtle conditions ... some are just assumed or expected.

To me, telling people they are to be unconditional in their love of someone may open a door to abuse from another who will take advantage of their compassion or gullibility

To me, having someone tell me to love them unconditionally allows them to walk all over me and to have me believe I need to suck it up because, if not, I'm placing conditions on the situation.

There's more to life than most know but we are advised, many times, to ask and we shall receive. However, don't forget, it's not always the questions we're asking but the ones we don't think about asking.

Do you know what Jesus' conditions were? I do because I asked.

You can too.

Users

In my youth, a user wasn't someone who took drugs or operated a computer. They were people who manipulated others for personal gain and took more then they ever gave.

 

This is a word I'm "hearing" a lot lately. I have a feeling that guidance may be determining who are users around me, or others, and moving them on. They've done it before, at least around me.

 

Sometimes, you just have to move away from people who have no regards for you as a person and only have you around to get what they want ...when they want it. 

 

Allow them to fade away from your life. It's really okay to do so. If you sense yourself being pulled away from another, this could be the reason.

 

However, sad to say, the biggest users can be the closest to you and the ones who can do more harm because of it ... family. Only because we've bought into some "family loyalty system" which continually fails us due to it. Using the title of "family" as if it's okay to mentally or verbally be abused by them.

 

I hear this far too often.

 

I've learned that family should not be treated any different than friends. Respect, as well as loyalty, is a two way street regardless of any "birthright."

 

Don't forget, if we expect less ... we get less.

 

If we have users in our life, that continously abuse our kindness, whoever they are, then we are just as much part of the problem as they are. Don't be angry at them, after all we allowed it.

 

Yes ... we did.

 

It's best to move away whenever one can ... and with love ... by not allowing it anymore and just consider it another lesson learned. 

 

If you feel there may be anger involved, just allow the Universe to direct their attention elsewhere so they can be cleansed from our lives with no guilt ... no remorse ... no proverbial ties to bind us.

 

A Sign of Possession

There are numerous signs and degrees of possession but I will write about one in particular ... subjective thought. 

There are signs to look for in a subjective possession with any family or friend that you may be concerned about. One is a refusal to look at facts ... even scientific proven facts or data from multiple websites and various professionals ... while living in their "reality."

What you don't see in this conversation (picture below) is this person's statement of hearing voices and being guided by them. As well as who the voices are proported to be ... mythological creatures. 

This is the tail end of a conversation, as well as the end of it on my part, at least as far as I'm concerned. A discussion comes to an end, with me, when there is closed minded thinking even after presenting enough data to prove the person's reality is under subjective thought, but refuses to review or discuss it.

Seen this identical situation many times before ... due to "spirit" possessive.

All one can do is walk away and hope for the best. You cannot convince anyone they're being possessed when they close the gate to their mind to see beyond their current subjective reality ... or actually someone else is closing it.

This is the how possession controls. It doesn't allow facts or reasoning to enter the mind. It doesn't allow it's "victim" to investigate. It plays on low self esteem and when voices are involved it can entice the victim into believing it's the only one that cares for them ... sometimes inducing sexual favors from its target ... single or not. It plays on their mental programming, even if it's wrong programming.

Watch a video about a mythological being and the victim may be influenced by the voice that it is this mythological being. The victim may have already been influenced to believe this from subjective thought of the voice source or using others to convince them it's true ... due to their limited thinking. All playing into the voice source to victimize another prey, eventually bullying or attacking their prey if they stop playing along ... letting them believe the attacks are from another or it's to teach them enlightenment. 

How do I know? Been there done that over twenty five years of continually learning. However, I also learned to be a "show me prove it or shut up" realist that stays grounded and asks lots of questions. The answers better add up or I walk away from it. Some don't know to do this. 

Sad to say, these are the type who follow like sheep because they don't know their intuition can be subjected to, based on soul/mind growth. 

Yes, it can. 

It's no different then a child believing any fabricated story that's told to them ... allowing their innocence to be exploited. It's no different then the mentality of those that are convinced to "drink the Kool-Aid" due to blind faith. It's no different to those of low self esteem who desperately seek love or attention, even if it's all in the wrong places, because of misguided or blocked feelings. 

Where was their intuition or instincts then?

Those who are kept in the dark ... kept limited in awareness ... kept from seeing facts ... are ripe for the picking. Their intuition can be blocked. It is similar to a mental block. For instance, when you know a name of something or someone but can't say it.

If one is kept isolated from facts, by possible guidance around them, it's a good clue they're being used for selfish purposes.

I've learned that some guidance isn't always educated either; which may be a good reason for keeping their subject in the dark. No matter what dimension, we're only as good as our teachers and what we're allowed to learn.

Cannabis: Good, Bad and Ugly

Legal or not, I don't like "weed" in any manner, but to each their own. I don't like anything that can control me, based on some hard life's lessons. I like to have full control over my body and mind as much as possible.

Getting drunk when I was younger showed me this out of control situation and it scared me to pieces. I still have an occasional alcoholic drink but wisdom, or fear, makes me behave. I learned my lesson but, sadly, many do not. 

I'm the type of person who believes that one is considered smart when they learn from their mistakes but even smarter if they observe and learn from another's ... less painful too, hopefully.

Hearing about people driving high doesn't make me feel any better than hearing about people driving drunk. Under that influence, you can become oblivious to rational thinking. Malicious subjective thought can destroy anyone under that condition ... taking out others with him/her because of it. 

I had a subjective thought when I was in my thirties, while driving to work, that prompted me to think about what it would feel like if I drove my car into an oncoming truck on the interstate. It happened a few times until one day I thought: what kind of craziness is this to think that way? Those thoughts went away after that. I often think about that time and I wonder about anyone that is driving on any mind altering substance and how easily influenced they may be. Scary.

I'm sure cannabis is no different than anything that controls if abused or misused; even food can become an addiction. Anything can have an affect on the brain but some things more than others ... some deadly. I might get sick on too much chocolate, for instance, but can I overdose on it? Will it impair my ability to think reasonably? Maybe, and sensibility keeps me from putting it to a test.

However, maybe people are too blind to anything negative happening, due to the "medical" proponents hyping it's properties, which makes me scratch my head in wonder. I wouldn't want to stop anything from helping anyone if it truly works. I've been through the gamut of medications and know there's good and bad in everything. In the wrong hands, bad, or evil, things can happen and they normally do ... why would this be any different?

Maybe in moderation this could be medicinally beneficial, but is it all it's proported to be, including other benefits of hemp, or is this another way to legalize a substance that can be abused and taxed like alcohol?

Can it be beneficial by making it legal and taking the power out of the drug lords violent control and putting the control into governments?

Will prisoners be released from jail? After all, it was still against the law at the time. Will that change anything? I wonder. 

Additionally, we know smoking isn't good for people but we know people have been smoking marijuana for a very long time. What current scientific clinical reports, if any, claim they actually cured cancer by itself ... without any other substance being applied also? In addition, how many people, who have smoked it, etc., still died from cancer? Where are those studies? 

Many times, I've had "feelings" that this legalizing is a setup and not just for medicinal or tax purposes. I certainly am not one to jump on any conspiracy theorists bandwagon, but part of me wonders if it's just another way of dummying down civilization to keep the peon zombies out of the corporate hair that everyone gripes about controlling them? A hyped up placebo to enhance people to fall into the rabbit hole. One less idiot to deal with.

After all, who's going to bother anyone when they are happy and high?

Get it?

No wait! That's right!

Can't "get" anything if one's brain is in a fog.

I realize that people are going to do what they want regardless. I just wish they would invent a vehicle that couldn't be driven without a passing a test of mental competency first.

Maybe one day they will. Time will tell.

I've seen many things happen while observing life. So, I'll just sit in my little corner of earth and continue to quietly observe and see what happens next. 

Life: Turning Negatives Into Positives

Let's face it, we will all have what we consider negative situations occurring throughout life. History shows us that it's very much a part of life, whether we like it or not. 

I have had more then my "fair share" of them, so I know this first hand. Many of them, I felt, were so dark, that I thought I'd never move beyond it. Yet, I eventually did, and only because I allowed myself to keep moving forward out of the darkness. 

Long before Dory, in Finding Nemo, suggested to "just keep swimming," I had already made, determinedly and patiently, "moving forward" as a way to help me.

So, I thought about sharing my philosophy about this because it's helped me many times in learning to handle my negativity. It's all about attitude and being as "realistically positive" as possible; along with the help of positive and caring family and friends; which is generally the best way to combat negativity. 

I've learned that some things can be ignored, some things have to be met head on and some things need outside intervention but everything should be done for a positive outcome. If not, do all one can to remove oneself from the situation as best as possible. The object is to change the negative attitude to a better one. 

Furthermore, even if the positive steps one uses may seem minor, or slightly obscure, everything helps ... use them. 

For instance, instead of saying "oh no, not again!" ... with a depressive emotion, which may set your mind into relinquishing your control over a situation ... cancel out the negative with a positive by saying something like "here we go again!" ... with the emotion of what can I do to better this situation. 

Place positive notes around your room to constantly remind you of your goals, too. 

This turns one's thinking into focusing more toward a positive direction. Resolving issues instead of being buried by them. Planning and working towards a better outcome.

I think of life as the same feelings of riding a roller coaster. We can take those ups and downs with a better attitude. Either fear it or know it will be over in no time ... because you (or someone) are working to resolve it.

Hang in there and hold on tight.

Remember, we may not be able to control every event that occurs in life but what we can learn to do is control our attitude about it. We can learn to use our knowledge and instincts to guide us too. We can learn to separate ourselves from what doesn't make us happy or put on our battle gear and prepare for the bumpy road ahead. 

Similar to an explorer on an adventurous journey not knowing what may be around the bend but doing everything to be prepared for it with the right equipment and guides ... and the right attitude.

So, when you feel yourself in that downward roller coaster slide, and fear starts to set in, scream or cry if you must, but shake it off as soon as you can. 

Don't feed the negative monster any more than necessary. 

Tell that negative part of life: not this time, I've got better plans to make. Then start making them ... using possible goals ... one day at a time ... one foot in front of the other. Don't look too far ahead while working towards your goals because it could become overwhelming.  Look towards the next hour or the next day. 

Before you know it, you'll be looking back and wondering what all the fuss was about. I honestly cannot begin to tell you how many times I've heard this from people, much less experienced it many times myself. 

Remember, in the majority of life's trials ... "this too will pass" ... yet, not always as we think it should be.  

Try not to play the blame game ... it's a waste of precious time. 

It doesn't hurt to pray for guidance too, but don't forget to listen for it, because meditating can be a wonderful stress reliever.

Memes: Don't Believe Everything You Hear or Read and Only Half of What You See.

Just a reminder to please not get caught up in anything, or share anything, especially inflammatory, before applying further educational investigation. Don't forget that news articles, even from the past, may be used to control people's thinking and do not always write the truth. We should all know this by now and be politely educating anyone about it, as my father did with me when I was a teen. He advised me: don't believe everything you hear or read and only half of what you see.

 

Wise words to live by. 

 

Now, onto the reason behind this blog. A friend of mine shared on Facebook what she said was a lying meme, regarding Abraham Lincoln, and advised it was done to incite hate. She wisely shared a website to debunk that meme and reinforced her statement through intelligent education.

 

Wise woman. 

 

Yet, at times, I've noticed on her posts, as in other's posts, things to rectify an error miss the mark, based on comments that I've seen. They apparently didn't read everything and just jumped on the thing that struck out in their mind and harped on that instead. People seem to be in too much of a hurry anymore. Slow down, take the time to read everything someone has posted before commenting, you may be smarter for it.

 

Also, because of her post, I found it humorously appropriate to share a picture on my blog of a meme with Abraham Lincoln on it, which advises people to be careful. You would be surprised in how many innocent people could be duped by this meme, thinking it to be real, because of not being educated enough to know about Abraham Lincoln and that he didn't have Internet back in his time. 

 

After all, not everyone on the Internet lives in the USA or knows its history, in fact, not everyone living in the USA does either. They might consider it as factual data. This same thing applies to memes to incite hate through lies. 

 

I see this much too often; people sharing false memes to represent some, supposedly, historical subject to create negativity ... instead of really educating people. Those past situations may not have any connection to what people need today and are only used to feed into someone's current discontent in order to favor another's cause.

 

Sadly, I see many websites doing the same thing with their, "remember the Alamo" mentality. I don't mind remembering any past, history can be interesting, as long as it's done to help us understand and not illicit more trouble. Even if we do discuss these negative past situations, it should be used to educate and not inflame hate riots.

 

My question, regarding things of this nature, is why keep bringing any history up over and over again, especially to create anger in others from the way it's done? We don't live in the past. To me, using the past to hate is like how I feel about people's opinions of me.

 

Is it going to pay my bills?

 

No?

 

Why give it attention?

 

Obviously, it's not helping us to move on either if it's just stirring the hate pot around us. We must remember that, generally, these are mean spirited beings, unhappy with their lives, and are doing all they can to bring people down into their miserable state. It's like they can't find enough problems going on around the world to gripe about ... which there's plenty of it out there ... let's throw past history in it and use that to stir up trouble too.

 

Why?

 

Will it change the past?

 

No?

 

Then why do it? 

 

I think of history as a tool to hopefully teach us to be better humans and not be the same of what we were back then ... which is why we can't move on when memes are created to deliberately stir up hate. It only tells me we haven't learned diddly-squat with that type of mentality and we probably won't ever learn if we keep allowing ourselves to be pulled back into it ... over and over and over again.

We become part of a vicious circle of hate begetting hate.

 

Get the picture?

 

Programming carried over and over again because no one wants to allow peace of mind due to the "look at what you did to us in the past" mentality.

If we don't block those thoughts of hate, who will? There are no walls within the mind world ... only our will to shield it, to educate it, to learn from it and to move on from it whenever possible.

 

Other than learning to read emotions,  communications, compromise, and cooperation are the keys to resolving issues. I understand we can't move on until we can move beyond what's holding us down or back but hate and ignorance certainly isn't getting the job done, much less spreading rumors. History has already shown us this doesn't work. So, why do we keep allowing it?

 

     Maybe it's easier to believe lies?

 

          Maybe it's easier to be stupid?

 

               Maybe it's easier to hate?

                    Maybe it's easier to be led astray?

 

Worshipping Integrity?

The continuous reporting of misinformation in the news has some public comments appearing, to me, as if these commenters are worshipping those who stand fast to journalistic integrity.

Why?

I applaud anyone of this nature, to be truthful in reporting, but to think we have to revere anyone, or put them on some kind of truth seeker pedestal, for doing what's right, doesn't say much for the world we live in.

Think about it.

Mythology: Fairies

Fairies were once considered malicious human spirits. "Much of the folklore about fairies revolves around protection from their malice."

Medieval fairies were not considered small or friendly. They were not a thing like the cute mythological winged creatures depicted today. Their wings probably derived the same as angel wings due to their spirit aura as well as their ability to astral project making them appear to fly.

Apparently, changing it from a malicious spirit to a cute spirit didn't help the malice situation.

The word origin was from fey (below). Fey normally meant someone "appearing touched or crazy, as if under a spell." Someone who was fey was considered possessed by a malicious spirit ... (a fairy?) ... afflicted with or characteristic of mental derangement ... which sounds similar to the mental illness diagnoses of today.

It's interesting, when investigating word origins, how things have morphed to what we know today ... to what once was.

Word History:  The history of the words fey and fay illustrates a rather fey coincidence. Our word fay, "fairy, elf," the descendant of Middle English faie, "a person or place possessed of magical properties," and first recorded around 1390, goes back to Old French fae, "fairy," the same word that has given us fairy. Fae in turn comes from Vulgar Latin Fāta, "the goddess of fate," from Latin fātum, "fate." If fay goes back to fate, so does fey in a manner of speaking, for its Old English ancestor fǣge meant "fated to die." The sense we are more familiar with, "magical or fairylike in quality," seems to have arisen partly because of the resemblance in sound between fay and fey.

Also, try as I could, I didn't find any pictures of the "fairies" of old; the wingless tormentors of humans. The nearest was a 1788 picture called Prince Arthur and the Fairy Queen by Johann Heinrich. It depicts a tall human looking woman (no wings) and another wingless feminine spirit behind her.

It would probably be best to just think any spirit could be malicious or mischievous ... whoever they are or whatever they're called. Besides, today, as throughout history, they call these tormentors many other names.

Maybe we should call them schizophrenic spirits. Since that seems to be the going name in science today. After all, we sure can't fool science. They're absolute in their knowledge.

More information .... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fairy