Religion And Being A Vegan - My Thoughts

I have been reading through many vegan article comment threads and honestly I can't believe all the biblical references people throw about to defend their personal choices. As a new vegan, it is all to common for people to say:

• "But where do you get your protein?"
• "We are Carnivores, we were meant to eat meat."
• "G-d made animals for us to eat."
• "The Bible (Holy Book) tells us we are meant to eat animals."

But ask yourself, is that the only reason you eat animal products? Because the Bible says it's OK? You don't maybe like the taste, or find it comforting, or have family traditions centered around Turkeys, Hams, or Barbeques? Maybe you feel you are at the top of the food chain, or just have been indoctrinated by the Agribusiness community's slick decades of campaigning.  There is a whole lot of money put into to advertising the wholesomeness of Eggs, Milk, and those Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts that are so "low" in fat.  Maybe you have followed the news and seen the campaign in the last few years that says that "Women who eat dairy and least 2-3 times a day are more likely to lose weight than those who do not".  [American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, October 2010]. Did you ever look further than the campaigns and quoted studies, perhaps wonder who funded the study, how big the sample population was, where the study was done, how long it lasted, whether the results were clinically significant, or whether there were corroborating studies or studies that proved the converse relationship.

Image Reference: InsufferableVegan

I don't judge those who still are choosing to eat meat an animal products like milk and eggs. I did it for 40 years, who am I to judge them. My eyes were opened, and I made a choice to get educated, vegucated, and see the truth of the cruelty massively farmed animals experience for the sake of human over-consumption, and the destruction of our planet. But the big thing is, I am choosing this lifestyle for myself, not because my religion says I should or shouldn't. It's so odd to me that anyone would think living a vegan lifestyle is anti-religion, any religion.

Hindu's are vegetarian, Jainists are vegan to the point of avoiding killing even the smallest insect by accidentally stepping on one on the sidewalk. Jewish people have strict rules of Kashruth (Kosher), but even they eat meat free when they consume dairy out of respect for the Mother/Child relationship between Calf and Cow. So as a Jew I grew up eating 2/3 of my meals as a vegetarian, and only had meat for dinner, and even then it was not always a meat dinner, we had a lot of pasta and casseroles growing up. I am not Christian, but I think Jesus would be just fine with a compassionate lifestyle, which may include being vegan or vegetarian.

The idea that any religion would look down on someone for not eating animal products is ludicrous, if a child has allergies to animal products like milk (the most common childhood food allergy), would that make them a bad Christian or Jew or Muslim or what have you? Would they miss their chance at getting into heaven?  I strongly believe that religion is about loving ourselves, our fellow man, our community, our planet.  If there was nothing else to eat but animals (a ludicrous premise since those animals have to be eating something too, like grass and grains, likely non-meats) then things would be different, and our bodies would be designed to find nourishment best from those sources. The fact that our biology is obviously telling us we are at the very least omnivores, if not herbivores, is undeniable.

You can be religious and vegan, you can be atheist and vegan, you can be on the fence and undecided and vegan, or you can be agnostic and vegan. They are not mutually exclusive and no one individual's choice to follow a compassionate course in lifestyle or diet will invalidate that person's religious beliefs.

If you believe that G-d created all creatures, then you have to recognize that they have a right to the same things we all claim to have. A right to live a life free of fear, pain, persecution, abuse, torment, restricted movement, forced breeding, and genetic manipulation.  The same people that protest cloning humans and stem cell research are unknowingly eating genetically modified animals and crops. It should not matter if it is a horse, a pig, a puppy, or a human being, you can't pick and choose which species your bible or holy scriptures apply to, to suit your own politics or notions of supremacy.

Sure you can eat meat and dairy, eggs, and animal byproducts, and if you choose that, then by all means you should be allowed to make that choice based on your own values and while being fully aware of where your products come from and how it is brought to the consumer.  I would never try to convert someone to something I myself didn't practice for the first 40 years of my life. I admit, I enjoyed cheese and milk, eggs and meat. I went to culinary school, I learned how to use all these ingredients in the best possible ways. I learned to butcher whole chickens in under 5 minutes, I had a class where I had to butcher an entire side of pork (it was not easy for me, I am 5'2" and weighed just 130 pounds at the time). I know how long it took me, how much force it took to use my chef's knife, and to be careful to maintain cleanliness and reduce any wasted meat. So there was no denying that it was an animal in my hands, not some prepackaged boneless cut of meat on a Styrofoam tray with shiny plastic wrap over it in the grocery section under flattering lights. It baffles my mind that slaughterhouse churn on meat by production lines moving so fast that the workers can hardly do their jobs. I made that connection back then, and I make it now, but in a different way. You have to decide for yourself, and ask any vegetarian or vegan, even cutting out meat one day of the week when you normally would is a step in the direction of demanding healthier farmed products and reducing the environmental impact of an animal based diet. This is not about being judgmental.

So if those of us who have chosen to go a vegetarian or vegan path are the minority, why are meat eaters so threatened by it? How does it affect you to the point of your need to criticize, ostracize, or bully the vegans.  I suggest that if you are personally threatened by my choices, then perhaps you may want to examine your own, try to figure out what it is that is making you so uncomfortable in your own convictions that you must resort to taunting or worse.  I think a little soul searching may be in order.

I know many of my friends are not vegan, and this by no means applies to every non-vegan I have met. Most people are on their own journey, doing what works for them and their families, and looking for health for themselves and others just the same as I am. You have to live your own life, your own way. If someone asks me why I chose to go vegan, I will happily share, but I am not trying to convert anyone or make anyone feel a certain way about the choices they make. I am only asking that you return the favor. Surely we all want the best for each other, and that is something we can all agree on.