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Vegetarians abstain from eating animal flesh: pig, lobster, cow, fish, chicken etc. There are several different types although the last two are technically NOT vegetarian:
*ovo-vegetarian (excludes all animal flesh and milk, but consumes eggs);
*lacto-vegetarian (excludes all animal flesh and eggs, but consumes milk);
*ovo-lacto-vegetarian (excludes all animal flesh, but consumes eggs and milk);
*pesco-vegetarian (excludes red meat and poultry, but consumes fish and other seafood); and
*semi-vegetarian (consumes some animal flesh and products, but generally consumes plant-based foods).
Vegans are strict vegetarians, in that they do not eat any animal product whatsoever: meat, fish, milk, honey, eggs etc.
Arguments
Pro
*do not support the suffering of animals
*help to save the environment
*can live for up to 15 years longer than meat-eaters
*save a lot of money
*reduce the risk of coronary diseases, cancer, diabetes, high blood pressure and stroke
*improve your sex life
*get to try out foods you have never even heard of before
*don't have to look at disgusting animal body parts
Anti
*meat is 'tasty'
*vegetable dishes often take longer to prepare
*difficult to find protein substitutes
*survival situations require meat
What I think
I am an ovo-lacto vegetarian, although one day I may become a vegan because I think it is more beneficial to health, the human population and the environment. I believe that it is morally wrong to kill animals, just as it is morally wrong to kill humans.
While I would agree that most meat is tasty, the fact that the animals have been killed for food dispels my desire to eat it. It takes quite a lot of willpower to resist the smell of roasted chicken and homemade beef burgers but thinking of the poor animals' lives, and cruel deaths, is reason enough for me to stay veggie.
Yes, vegetable dishes do take a while to prepare, but I am perfectly willing to wait 30 odd minutes to eat them.
There are plenty of protein and iron substitutes available for vegetarians; such as spinach (and other green leafy vegetables), lentils, nuts, grains, tofu and brands like Quorn and Redwood's (selling meat-like products consisting of mushrooms or soya).
Of course, there is always the issue of survival. In the highly unlikely situation in which your life is endangered, your instincts kick in and you are instantly focussed on self-preservation. I would then face the difficult choice of eating animals, or be eaten myself, and so it is possible in this instance that I would eat meat.
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Links:
General information
Animal Aid
P.E.T.A.
The Vegetarian Society
Famous vegetarians
Famous Veggie
Happy Cow
International Vegetarian Union
Recipes
Sainsbury's
The Vegetarian Society
Veg Cooking