Questions for vegans: do you think that eating meat is a SIN?

Question

I'm not a vegan nor a vegetarian and I personally have nothing against anybody who is one, but I'm kinda pissed off at the vegans/vegetarians who always preach on my face and try to "convert" me to becoming a vegan/vegetarian like them. Not ALL vegans/behave like that, I’m aware of it. I have many vegan/vegetarian friends who are nice to me and don't treat me differently just because I'm not like them. But the "extremist" and "radical" vegans, boy they sure really get me on my nerves. They talk to me as if eating meat is a form of crime or even sin and they try to play with my guilt.

I respect anyone's value or point of view and I wish other people do too. If there are certain people who wish to avoid meat or any kinds of animal products for good, then hey I'm fine with it. But I wish they would do the same to me. I wish they would also respect my decision for not becoming a vegan/vegetarian like them. I'm okay if they want to preach in front of me but I cannot tolerate if they "attack" me for not being a vegan/vegetarian and treat/look upon me low just because I eat meat and eventually try to change/convert me. That just totally cross the line. Why can't people respect other people with their personal values and/or point of views? Never in my life have I tried to manipulate or influence my vegan/vegetarian friends into eating meat so why can’t they do the same to me?

Answer 1

Most people are too selfish/ignorant to consider whether it's morally wrong to eat meat and maybe that is the sin? But what is sure is that by not eating meat or dairy products, you are doing something which is truly noble and should be admired by non veggies/vegan, rather than shunned or scoffed at, which is the usual recation I get as a vegan.

Answer 2

I'm sorry you feel offended. I'm not a big fan of people pushing their agendas on me either.

For the record, as a vegan, people are often very hostile about my eating choices and make fun of me, degrade me, or think I'm weird. At Thanksgiving, my friends and family STILL try to talk me into eating turkey even though I've been veg for 14 years! So please don't feel like you are isolated in your experience of people "pushing their values on you". Believe me, no one understands that more than us!   :)

To provide some perspective on WHY some vegans/vegetarians are so upset or "in your face", it's often because people, upon going vegetarian or vegan (for animal welfare reasons) have just learned about "factory farming" and are very upset by the practice. They realize that it isn't common knowledge - heck, they've just learned about it themselves - so they feel like if they TELL you, then it will change your mind and go veg with them! (I don't want to go too far off topic, so if you don't know what is meant by factory farming, I would encourage you to google it.)

They don't see it as a "point of view", they see these cruel practices as something that should be stopped, and that they should intervene....In the same way that people should  intervene when someone beats a child. (I know not everyone is going to agree with this analogy, but this is to provide perspective.)

So while I agree, it's not really "fair" that people push it in your face, what happens to the animals is not fair either.

Your best bet, when confronted by these folks is to mention that aggression and yelling never changed anyone's mind, but kindness and compassion often do. My guess is that these are new vegetarians or vegans and will start phasing out this type of confrontation when they stop getting invitations to dinner by their omnivorous friends. (At least, that's what happened to me!)    ;)

Best of luck to you.

Answer 3

i agree, I'm not a veggie nor a vegan and i respect their choice to be a vegetarian or vegan, and i will try and accommodate them as much as possible...the problem is that most of these extremists are very young and have almost been brainwashed into thinking  veggie/vegan = good, meat eater = bad

there is not much you can do about these types of people except ignore them

personally i dont understand them myself when they ask for us to respect their decision...and then these same extremists are the ones protesting outside kfc telling us were evil for eating meat

how can you expect respect when you show none in the first place?

just to make it clear I'm only talking about the extremists

Answer 4

You're right, you are ranting.

But there are a couple of questions in there somewhere, so...

Do I think eating meat is a sin? No, I'm an atheist and sin isn't a concept I recognise.

Do I judge other people for doing it? No. Most of the people I love, like and respect eat meat.

You've obviously encountered vegans and vegetarians who were preachy and judgemental. I agree with other people who've said people like this are usually young and/or recent converts, with all the zeal and yearning to convert people that usually goes with being  a recent convert to anything.

And in a way that's fine; if you can't be zealous and idealistic when you're young, when can you be?

You acknowledge that most veg*ns aren't like this. Is it not possible to ignore the ones who are? Not to become involved in arguments?

There are often questions on this board from (usually young) veg*ns asking why meat-eaters are nasty to them, judgemental, trying to convert them back. As a veg*n of many years I have to say this is something I've never experienced, but I say to them what I'm saying to you: don't let it become an issue, don't react. They'll get over it, and accept that you're who you are - and if they don't, they're not worth your frienship, simply don't spend time with them.

And don't, whatever you do, allow it to colour your opinion of all veg*ns; don't start to make generalisations - and I do appreciate that you're not, but we get so many questions on here beginning 'Why do vegans do/think/say/feel ...', as if we were all the same and all of one mind

Answer 5

First, you have to admit (and you have) that not all of them are like that.

Second, that many of them too have been looked down upon for being vegetarians/vegans and may have developed a defence mechanism/response to any omnivore they meet. An " attack them before they attack me" mentality

Third, IT IS morally repugnant (read a "sin") to them. It is the main reason why a  lot of vegetarians/vegans became one in the first place. It is not so different as Christians frowning on certain practice Christianity considers a sin. Or a practice by some cultures that most Americans would consider socially and ethically unacceptable. I am not making excuse for them. Everybody her knows I've had some pretty heated arguments with some of the more fanatical but mindless vegetarians/vegans here. But I do understand the principles behind the practise.

As one poster mentioned, there is no fanatic like a convert and most vegetarians/vegans you will meet especially here are converts. Add the inexperience and zeal of youth and the issue gets even more volatile.

It all comes down to tolerance and respect. I have vegetarian and vegan friends and we never get into the types of debates and argument that you often find in this forum.

If they talk down to you, ther is no rule that says, you have to talk back. If they look down on you, there is no rule that says you have to look back. be the bigger man and simply walk away.

Answer 6

In this particular section on Yahoo Answers, I find a vast majority of questions eqaute discrimination and hatred towards the fellow vegetarians and vegans.

I am seventeen and a proud vegan, however, as being vegan I feel as though I am constantly being judged, ridiculed, and bullied for my choices. I have even lost best friends due to the choices I've made for going vegan. So it's nice to know that there are people out there, like you, who don't judge people based on their diets. For that I thank you.

Your detailed question has really opened up my eyes and has restored my faith in humanity.

Do I think that eating meat is a sin?

To answer your question, I'd like to state that I am not Catholic. Never have been, never will be. I was never baptised as a child, however, I did attend a very strict Catholic primary and high school for my education. I do know that God and Jesus never opposed the consumption of meat (they caught bucket loads of fish once), but if they were around today; alive... breathing and walking and actually witnessed the slaughter, torture, and exploitation of the animals in the dairy and meat industries, I think they would think differently.

Bare in mind that back in the days of God, they didn't have weapons of mass destruction, they didn't have machinery or guns, and they certainly didn't farm animals and confine them in small cages to produce and manufacture future meals.

God is the mascot for peace, love, and prosperity... is he not?

What do the dairy and meat industries promote?

Violence, cruelty, and slaughter.

That's everything God and Jesus are against.

I think that answers your question for you...

What makes me angry is the vegetarians who are vegetarian just to reduce suffering. Cows used for dairy go through the same amount of pain as the cows used for meat. They are both treated inhumanely and are both eventually slaughtered. I don't understand why they continue to drink cows milk but not eat meat? That poor cow used for milk has been injected with homrones, which allows it to produce more than 10L of milk per day, and that's inhumane and un-natural. These cows are in a lot of pain due to the weight of their udders, so why do vegetarians choose not to eat meat but still drink their milk?