Vegetarianism/ Veganism

[7Deadly$ins]

I live in Japan where vegetarianism is basically unheard of, and in conversation with adults they CONSTANTLY tell me "seafood isn't meat". I've been to restaurants with (American) vegetarians and they tell the waiter, "I need this pasta to have NO MEAT IN IT. DO YOU UNDERSTAND? NO MEAT." and it comes back with the bacon picked out, but shrimp and scallops prominently displayed. The waiter is always absolutely mindblown when the vegetarian tries to explain that sea animals are animals (there's another point of contention in the language... they refuse to accept that anything other than a mammal is an 'animal'...including insects and shellfish) and they CANNOT EAT SHRIMP or something.

The waiter/chef is just always like "what...what do you mean... you can't eat scallops? Why?"

"Because it's MEAT."

"....whuh? ....no it's not."

 

repeat for 20 minutes.

There are animal products in EVERYTHING here. Lard in the white bread, fish broth in the powdered flour takoyaki mix, fish broth in the vegetable soup, pork broth in the vegetable curry, etc etc. You'd think in a country that is predominantly Buddhist they would have a concept of vegetarianism, but in fact the strict regulations for Buddhist practitoners that are upheld in other countries were thrown to the dogs when it was brought to Japan, and Buddhist monks are allowed to drink alcohol, smoke, eat meat, get married, etc. etc. so very very few people are actually vegetarian here. :c

 

This causes plenty of problems for foreigners who can't even FIND vegetarian food in the supermarket without making everything from scratch. Ironically, it's easier to just go to your local Indian restaurant where you know for sure a vegetarian dish will be vegetarian.

If you know it's an issue that they bring fish out, I think you need to start specifying sea food products as well when you tell the server.

[solarflare3000]

I would never last a day being a vegan or vegetarian. I like meat to much! I don't understand the health benefits. People need protein and meat has the most. Especially seafood. I don't really know much about the food industry, but I probably would feel better eating it if I knew where it came from and how it was treated. I hold nothing against vegans or vegetarians, but can someone explain the health benefits? I also don't understand why sea animals and insects do not count as animals to some people. But they are both in the animal kingdom.

[solarflare3000]

Same. I findit hilariouswhen vegatarions eat cheese with renet in it and deny it is there. my sister was vegetarian for a year. I have swornof one meat; KFC. I can hardly consider chicken.

My religion says i shouldn't eat meat eggs,or fish (for the sake of others) but my father saidit was alright so long as we didn't eat beef. I have had caribou, but never beef

May I ask, what religion is that? It's okay if you don't want to answer.

[Flamingo]

I am a full blown carnivore who is dating a dedicated vegetarian. He really does not care when I eat meat and aside from harmless, playful teasing on both sides ("Wouldn't you rather have this fried squash instead?" "Wouldn't you rather have this big juicy steak"?") there is no pressure or drama from either side. I will admit to eating more tofu and various "prey food" than I would like but I also get plenty of opportunity to feed my inner dragon.

 

I have not met face to face with any obnoxious vegetarian but I have seen comments and rants from many, and frankly the lengths that some veggies will go to push their beliefs on other people and even their own pets (I'm sorry but a strictly vegetarian diet is not healthy for dogs and cats) sets a negative precedence for the rest of them. But if my boyfriend and half of his family are any proof, there are some cool ones out there.

Edited May 2, 2014 by Flamingo

[sparkle10184]

It's interesting that the majority of rants I see on the internet are from omnivores saying that a lot of vegetarians try to push their views on others. I often have to deal with people telling me I need to eat meat, and many omnivores try to push their views on me. I guess it's just a cycle...

[Flamingo]

It's interesting that the majority of rants I see on the internet are from omnivores saying that a lot of vegetarians try to push their views on others. I often have to deal with people telling me I need to eat meat, and many omnivores try to push their views on me. I guess it's just a cycle...

Haha, I apologize on behalf of my kind. Every belief has their idiots.

[JavaTigress]

It's interesting that the majority of rants I see on the internet are from omnivores saying that a lot of vegetarians try to push their views on others. I often have to deal with people telling me I need to eat meat, and many omnivores try to push their views on me. I guess it's just a cycle...

Yeah, like Flamingo says, there are disrespectful people in every group I am thinking.

 

It is probably best not to judge ALL of a group by the idiots.

 

 

[ShadowEmpress]

Yes, always best not to judge everyone based on how some of the group acts. I'm Vegan, and aside from carnies always after me, I also have other Vegans who say I'm not Vegan enough. Excuse me? Perhaps, you are TOO Vegan, and can't see beyond your own stupid remarks. Every barrel has a few rotten apples in it...*smh*

[Nectaris]

Yes, always best not to judge everyone based on how some of the group acts. I'm Vegan, and aside from carnies always after me, I also have other Vegans who say I'm not Vegan enough. Excuse me? Perhaps, you are TOO Vegan, and can't see beyond your own stupid remarks. Every barrel has a few rotten apples in it...*smh*

Out of curiosity, what makes them say that you aren't vegan enough?

[ShadowEmpress]

Usually what they like to say is: "Your clothing isn't Vegan." Or, "You still have products in your home aren't Vegan." Oddly, I'd like to know exactly HOW they know this? I don't remember any of them being in my home.

 

Also, because my daughter has horses, they always tend to freak the hell out over that. The last time I looked, the horses don't pull carriages, they don't do races or anything like that. They roam freely about a pasture on my property, are very, very well taken care of, and are happy and healthy, and are all rescue horses(two were severely abused by their former owner). We also have rescue cats and dogs. Go figure.

 

There was also the crazed one who had a fit over the fact that I have a Koi pond, despite the other strict Vegans who happened to be with her, who said it was fine, and they she should shut up. My best friend is one of the strictest Vegans you'll ever meet, but even she gets annoyed/irritated by the militant ones.

 

Guess I'm not good enough to be included in the Vegan hierarchy?

Edited May 4, 2014 by ShadowEmpress

[JavaTigress]

Usually what they like to say is: "Your clothing isn't Vegan." Or, "You still have products in your home aren't Vegan." Oddly, I'd like to know exactly HOW they know this? I don't remember any of them being in my home.

 

Also, because my daughter has horses, they always tend to freak the hell out over that. The last time I looked, the horses don't pull carriages, they don't do races or anything like that. They roam freely about a pasture on my property, are very, very well taken care of, and are happy and healthy, and are all rescue horses(two were severely abused by their former owner). We also have rescue cats and dogs. Go figure.

 

There was also the crazed one who had a fit over the fact that I have a Koi pond, despite the other strict Vegans who happened to be with her, who said it was fine, and they she should shut up. My best friend is one of the strictest Vegans you'll ever meet, but even she gets annoyed/irritated by the militant ones.

 

Guess I'm not good enough to be included in the Vegan hierarchy?

Interesting... so some Vegans will even go after other vegans that they don't feel measure up?

[KageSora]

Interesting... so some Vegans will even go after other vegans that they don't feel measure up?

Not surprising, really. I mean just about every group has people who go after others who don't "fit" with how they feel it should be.

 

Sucks, though. They're also probably the people who give the rest of the vegans a bad reputation.

[ShadowEmpress]

Not surprising, really. I mean just about every group has people who go after others who don't "fit" with how they feel it should be.

 

Sucks, though. They're also probably the people who give the rest of the vegans a bad reputation.

That's exactly how it is. And indeed, they are the ones who give the rest of us a bad name/reputation. Those who are not Vegan, assume, because of the militant ones, that we're all like that.

 

The way I see it is, it's up to the individual to want to become a Vegan or not. It's not my decision, it's theirs. I'm not a militant Vegan, never have been and never will be. I don't see the point in being a hateful ass to people...if you're wanting to change their minds, screaming/shouting/name calling isn't the way to go. Having compassion for animals is great, but if you don't have it for your fellow humans...well, you've no business being allowed out of your house, let alone being Vegan.

[edwardelricfreak]

Usually what they like to say is: "Your clothing isn't Vegan." Or, "You still have products in your home aren't Vegan." Oddly, I'd like to know exactly HOW they know this? I don't remember any of them being in my home.

 

Also, because my daughter has horses, they always tend to freak the hell out over that. The last time I looked, the horses don't pull carriages, they don't do races or anything like that. They roam freely about a pasture on my property, are very, very well taken care of, and are happy and healthy, and are all rescue horses(two were severely abused by their former owner). We also have rescue cats and dogs. Go figure.

 

There was also the crazed one who had a fit over the fact that I have a Koi pond, despite the other strict Vegans who happened to be with her, who said it was fine, and they she should shut up. My best friend is one of the strictest Vegans you'll ever meet, but even she gets annoyed/irritated by the militant ones.

 

Guess I'm not good enough to be included in the Vegan hierarchy?

Part of that seems less likely to be because they're vegan and more because they're supporters of extreme animal rights (read more on the difference of animal welfare vs rights here). They're vegan because of their strong belief in animal rights. Being vegan is a dietary choice. It has nothing to do with the clothing you wear. That's something else entirely. It's possible to be vegan and still wear furs.

[Psyduсk]

Usually what they like to say is: "Your clothing isn't Vegan." Or, "You still have products in your home aren't Vegan."  Oddly, I'd like to know exactly HOW they know this?  I don't remember any of them being in my home. 

 

Also, because my daughter has horses, they always tend to freak the hell out over that.  The last time I looked, the horses don't pull carriages, they don't do races or anything like that.  They roam freely about a pasture on my property, are very, very well taken care of, and are happy and healthy, and are all rescue horses(two were severely abused by their former owner).  We also have rescue cats and dogs. Go figure.

 

There was also the crazed one who had a fit over the fact that I have a Koi pond, despite the other strict Vegans who happened to be with her, who said it was fine, and they she should shut up.  My best friend is one of the strictest Vegans you'll ever meet, but even she gets annoyed/irritated by the militant ones.

Edited May 6, 2014 by Psyduсk

[AppleMango]

Okay so I am coming to this a bit late, I was searching for a different topic and saw this thread on my way, so yeah.

 

I am a vegetarian and I have been since I was 4 or 5, I'm not sure(I'm almost 20 now.) What I do know is that I became a vegetarian the first time that I went to a petting zoo and I realised what I was eating. My dad is a vegetarian too, more for health reasons(so he will eat meat if it will go to waste otherwise) so that did make it easier.

Although I'm not the best vegetarian - I will eat things like jelly and other lollies with gelatin. It's more the thought of the meat being there that bothers me, and it doesn't happen with those, it does however make it so that I can't just pick the meat out if what I want to eat comes with meat in it.

 

I absolutely hate it when other people try and tell me that I should eat meat, and I also understand that what other people eat doesn't really affect me, so I never ever tell people not to eat meat. I also hate it when other people do.

I feel like you shouldn't be shaming people for what they're eating as a way to try and get them to change, you can educate them on the facts, and show them how to eat vegan/vegetarian, but if they ask you to stop, then stop. (I'm looking at you, Freelee the banana girl.)

[Moonlight_Eevee]

So, I am an omnivore, but I am really picky with my vegetables. I'm not saying that being a vegitarian is a compeltely bad thing, but I've heard people who has gone vegan has major health problems...? (if I'm wrong, I am terribly sorry, it's just what I've heard anyway not that I believe it) I don't think I can go vegan because I love my meat too much to go vegan

[Aquenee]

Okay I'm a little confused. I am personally an omnivore; meat is delicious, yaddayadda, that's how I am. I also know there are many reasons people become vegetarian, such as religion or family. But most commonly I hear either "It's healthier" or it's a protest against the mistreatment of animals.

 

As for the mistreatment of animals thing, I've heard there's some program to send meat to third world countries? I've googled for ages but I can't find what this thing is. It's something about building up reputations for small, un-"factorized" farms while anonymously sending meat from factorized abusive farms to 3rd world countries so that the abused animal meat goes to feed people who actually cannot live without it and the good farms get great advertising. I guess both farms still profit but good credit for good farms and helping 3rd world countries with no credit to the bad farms is a generally good thing. But does anyone know what this thing is called? If it exists? :s

[Infinis]

So, I am an omnivore, but I am really picky with my vegetables. I'm not saying that being a vegitarian is a compeltely bad thing, but I've heard people who has gone vegan has major health problems...? (if I'm wrong, I am terribly sorry, it's just what I've heard anyway not that I believe it) I don't think I can go vegan because I love my meat too much to go vegan

I'm not vegan but I looked this up the other day when talking with someone else! Vegans will have major health issues if they don't eat supplements of, or eat foods fortified with, vitamin B12.

 

Here's a helpful article on it.

 

Here are one and two more. c:

 

 

[kitsune93]

I've been a vegetarian pretty much my whole life.

I just don't like meat. It makes me gag. I have no interest in eating it.

I also love animals and I'm just not interested in eating something that one had to die for.

 

I've got no problem with people who eat meat though. I don't really care what other people eat.

[dragongrrl]

Okay I'm a little confused. I am personally an omnivore; meat is delicious, yaddayadda, that's how I am. I also know there are many reasons people become vegetarian, such as religion or family. But most commonly I hear either "It's healthier" or it's a protest against the mistreatment of animals.

 

As for the mistreatment of animals thing, I've heard there's some program to send meat to third world countries? I've googled for ages but I can't find what this thing is. It's something about building up reputations for small, un-"factorized" farms while anonymously sending meat from factorized abusive farms to 3rd world countries so that the abused animal meat goes to feed people who actually cannot live without it and the good farms get great advertising. I guess both farms still profit but good credit for good farms and helping 3rd world countries with no credit to the bad farms is a generally good thing. But does anyone know what this thing is called? If it exists? :s

While I am not currently vegetarian, I was for about 17 years. Humane treatment of animals is one of my concerns, and I currently raise my own chickens.

 

A couple of organizations to check out are Heifer International, http://www.heifer.org, and The Livestock Conservancy, http://livestockconservancy.org,, both working toward sustainable and humane livestock production around the world.

[Arwen17]

I was wondering if there were any vegans/vegetarians in the Dragon Cave?

 

I've been vegan myself for 3 years now. I lost 80lbs in the first year and have kept it off....after being overweight my entire life.

I specifically started doing HCLF vegan this year because I've found its the only way to keep weight off long-term and not be constantly starving.

 

 

[Sarah745]

I'm an omnivore. I won't be becoming a vegan any time soon for religious and my own personal reasons. I have no problem with people who are vegan or who otherwise go against my beliefs so long as they do not try to impose their beliefs on me.

I raise my own chickens and also believe that factory animals should be treated a whole lot better. Especially egg laying chickens.

I enjoy my daily eggs and love my birds to death.

 

My biggest problem with vegan is when they try to impose their diets on their pets. Chickens, dogs, and pigs are all omnivotes and NEED meat to stay healthy with a balanced diet and to get all the calcium and various nutrients they need. Cats are carnivorous and it's very unhealthy to be giving them a vegan diet.

I remember someone said that a vegan friend of theirs had chickens dropping like flies. They asked what they were feeding them and I was all plant based products.

 

I can't keep my chickens from eating what they find. Whether it be baby mice, bugs, etc. Even their own eggs.

 

Religiously, God specifically created animals and plants to provide us with food. I I will continue to feast on his bounty.

 

~Sarah745 ^-^

[Sarah745]

My local dairy has the best set up for Animals I have ever seen and the kindest people. Everything is clean and sanitary and all of the cows are treated fairly. Yes calves are taken as soon as they are born, but because they are taken so soon, the mother has no time to bond. After she calves, all she wants is the mill to be stimulated out of her. I know many people with goats that LINE UP to be milked.

[Arwen17]

I'm an omnivore. I won't be becoming a vegan any time soon for religious and my own personal reasons. I have no problem with people who are vegan or who otherwise go against my beliefs so long as they do not try to impose their beliefs on me.

I raise my own chickens and also believe that factory animals should be treated a whole lot better. Especially egg laying chickens.

I enjoy my daily eggs and love my birds to death.

 

My biggest problem with vegan is when they try to impose their diets on their pets. Chickens, dogs, and pigs are all omnivotes and NEED meat to stay healthy with a balanced diet and to get all the calcium and various nutrients they need. Cats are carnivorous and it's very unhealthy to be giving them a vegan diet.

I remember someone said that a vegan friend of theirs had chickens dropping like flies. They asked what they were feeding them and I was all plant based products.

 

I can't keep my chickens from eating what they find. Whether it be baby mice, bugs, etc. Even their own eggs.

 

Religiously, God specifically created animals and plants to provide us with food. I I will continue to feast on his bounty.

 

~Sarah745 ^-^

 

 

The Bible teaches God did not create animals for us to eat.

 

I'm a Seventh Day Adventist, who are protestant christians who believe only in the Bible, and the denomination has been preaching veggie-based diets since it first started 150 years ago. Long before modern medicine or vegan hippies came along. A young woman had a vision from God about plant-based diets and what people should really be eating.

 

 

Now, I think its great you raise your own animals and treat them right. That's awesome and infinitely preferable to what goes on in industrial farming. But you cannot hide behind the Bible for your meat-eating habits.

The most you can justify is "meat-eating might be necessary on some rare occasions since sin entered the world and corrupted the original creation." However, it still doesn't overturn the fact that a plant-based diet is what God designed humans for and still is the better diet for us, if available in your location.

 

Also, if you're not religious, science and thousands of years of history support plant-based diets over and over again.

Gladiators literally means "barley-men", and barley is what they always ate. There are records of Roman soldiers complaining about being fed meat, that they'd rather fight on grains.

Only the aristocracy throughout history has eaten meat in vast quantities and they've found the same signs of meat-driven illnesses in their leftover remains, such as mummies.

 

Raw veganism was the original diet of humankind for Adam and Eve in the garden.

Genesis 1:29 Then God said, "I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food.

 

The animals were also all plant-eaters before sin entered the world and they will be plant-eaters again after the second coming of Christ ends the current world.

Genesis 1:30 And to every beast of the earth and to every bird of the heavens and to everything that creeps on the earth, everything that has the breath of life, I have given every green plant for food.” And it was so.

Isaiah 65:25 "The wolf and the lamb will feed together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox, but dust will be the serpent's food. They will neither hunt nor destroy on all my holy mountain," says the LORD.

 

God did give man permission to eat meat after the flood, but he made certain restrictions. He certainly didn't give us permission to pump animals full of hormones and treat them cruelly.

Leviticus 11:1-47 has the list of clean and unclean animals.

 

Because humans would now try to eat animals, God made the animals fear us.

Genesis 9:2 And the fear of you and the dread of you shall be upon every beast of the earth, and upon every fowl of the air, upon all that moveth upon the earth, and upon all the fishes of the sea; into your hand they are delivered.

 

The animals did not originally fear us! Do you think when Adam was naming the animals, he was naming them "whooper", "nuggets", "big mac"??? Of course not! They were his friends and God commanded him to take care of the Earth and its creatures. God put Adam in the Garden of Eden, not the Farm of Eden. Farming didn't come later until after the fall. That's why they were RAW vegans. They just picked off the tree whatever they wanted to eat.

Genesis 3:23 So the LORD God banished him from the Garden of Eden to work the ground from which he had been taken.

Genesis 3:18 Both thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you, And you shall eat the herb of the field.

I think the best plan is the original Plan A of plants-only diet. But God also outlined a Plan B for those who would struggle to follow Plan A because of sinfulness.

But even if God allows something to slide because humans have weak self-control, he didn't suddenly redesign our digestive systems to deal with meat. We still reap the consequences of what we eat.

 

What Seventh-Day Adventists Get Right That Lengthens Their Life Expectancy

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/07/31/s..._n_5638098.html

 

Found this awesome, awesome sermon on veganism and healthy eating in the Bible! Excellent sermon from a Seventh-Day Adventist preacher who shows via Bible scripture that God cares very much for what we put into our mouths.

--just skip past the first 30 minutes of song service and go straight to his sermon.

 

I think my favorite point from the entire sermon is he mentions how sin entered the world because "someone ate something they weren't supposed to".

 

 

In conclusion,

if you think we're going to be running around in heaven killing chickens for our food, you're out of your mind.