Convenient Vegetarian

[militantsparrow]

I was a strict vegetarian for almost 6 years. I stopped because it was beginning to be too burdensome on those around me.

I've spent the past few years eating a regular American diet. I've gained 40 pounds and feel less at peace spiritually speaking and I feel glutinous. I'm trying to go back to vegetarian, but this time I will allow myself to eat meat if it's a burden on someone else to accommodate my diet.

Has anyone else tried this approach? What were your results? Any advice?

God bless.

[4elise]

As I prepare most of the food for my husband and myself I would say more than 90% of the time this is how we eat - so no burden to anyone there -

When we eat out with others who are not vegan - we just make a vegan choice from the menu.

When we eat with others in a setting where someone has prepared food - we choose the foods which contain no animal or animal products that are part of that meal - with family and extended family we now do pot lucks - with others this sometimes leads to discussions which we try to keep light - but still know that the 'burden' to them is often just the inconvenience that we don't eat like them..

Now - one situation where I am the 'convenient' vegan - I travel internationally for work, and in that capacity I am often in remote areas where I am offered a piece of fish or chicken and I always accept and share (taking as little as possible) - to do otherwise would be completely unacceptable - I pass on all dairy because I just say my stomach won't tolerate it - which is true now having been away from that for a long time.

So - there are ways to be a vegan and not be offensive, or burdensome to others - just find your own path to this that works for you so that you are making the choices that your conscious is most comfortable.
Blessings

[creationlover]

I have told my son to do exactly what you are doing in order to help him gain confidence on who he is as a person and what his choices will be. He has found that for about 90% of the time he can eat vegetarian.

For me, most respect my choices; when I go home to visit relatives I do end up eating veggies cooked in a meat broth.

[4elise]

Originally Posted by creationlover

I have told my son to do exactly what you are doing in order to help him gain confidence on who he is as a person and what his choices will be. He has found that for about 90% of the time he can eat vegetarian.

For me, most respect my choices; when I go home to visit relatives I do end up eating veggies cooked in a meat broth.

At some point with family - not wanting to make things more challenging - but also hoping to receive the respect that we deserve as human beings - we can strive to ask that they just steam our veggies!

Creationlover - it is a challenging path to be people who strive to walk in peace - and still ask (expect) that others will offer us the same respect...
Blessings my friend!

[militantsparrow]

I appreciate the advice. I'm trying. I think maybe the best approach for me is to just not tell anyone I'm vegetarian. Then most people would not feel any obligation. I'll just eat vegetarian and leave it at that. I am doing it for religious reasons after all so it seems like I could always just tell them that when and if they do ask questions.

[4elise]

Originally Posted by militantsparrow

I appreciate the advice. I'm trying. I think maybe the best approach for me is to just not tell anyone I'm vegetarian. Then most people would not feel any obligation. I'll just eat vegetarian and leave it at that. I am doing it for religious reasons after all so it seems like I could always just tell them that when and if they do ask questions.

It is so unusual the way people react to people who make a choice - for religious or conscious reasons - they say that they feel judged - I've had people tell me ( a good friend who could be completely honest ) that when I say that it is a choice that is based on my convictions - it seems like I am saying that I am better than they are - so now I often say that it is a choice based upon what I've learned, and can't unlearn - usually that stops them - but again I try to do it lightly - but we have no control over how others will hear or interpret our choices - we can only keep trying to be peaceful, mindful, people - Blessings!

And with your 'name' here militantsparrow - where does the militant come in for you?

[militantsparrow]

Originally Posted by 4elise

It is so unusual the way people react to people who make a choice - for religious or conscious reasons - they say that they feel judged - I've had people tell me ( a good friend who could be completely honest ) that when I say that it is a choice that is based on my convictions - it seems like I am saying that I am better than they are - so now I often say that it is a choice based upon what I've learned, and can't unlearn - usually that stops them - but again I try to do it lightly - but we have no control over how others will hear or interpret our choices - we can only keep trying to be peaceful, mindful, people - Blessings!

And with your 'name' here militantsparrow - where does the militant come in for you?

I had more than one person say the same thing to me. I've been criticized for my choice to be vegetarian, for not drinking when I was abstaining, and even for my faith. I don't understand it.

I think it's possible to sin by eating meat but I believe it's entirely dependent on your knowledge, convictions, and circumstances. For me and everyone I know, I don't believe it is a sin. However I do believe it is better to be a vegetarian for reasons of stewardship and temperance. I chose to be vegetarian because For those reasons as well as an effort to live a more ascetic life. But I never expected or told anyone else to do the same. I never thought I was better. In fact, I felt I needed to live more ascetically because I was worse.

[militantsparrow]

4elise,
I'm sorry I forgot to answer your question. I used militant in reference to the church militant, those of us still on earth.

[4elise]

Originally Posted by militantsparrow

I had more than one person say the same thing to me. I've been criticized for my choice to be vegetarian, for not drinking when I was abstaining, and even for my faith. I don't understand it.

I think it's possible to sin by eating meat but I believe it's entirely dependent on your knowledge, convictions, and circumstances. For me and everyone I know, I don't believe it is a sin. However I do believe it is better to be a vegetarian for reasons of stewardship and temperance. I chose to be vegetarian because For those reasons as well as an effort to live a more ascetic life. But I never expected or told anyone else to do the same. I never thought I was better. In fact, I felt I needed to live more ascetically because I was worse.

Like you I don't think it is sinful to eat meat given knowledge ( or lack of it) & circumstances.... However for me -knowing what I now know ibeing vegan "feels" like the only choice for me on a path that respects all life and God's gifts of creation... So given that this makes sense to us how do we speak honestly about this, respectfully, yet honestly?

This is where - for me - there exists a challenge.

[militantsparrow]

Originally Posted by 4elise

Like you I don't think it is sinful to eat meat given knowledge ( or lack of it) & circumstances.... However for me -knowing what I now know ibeing vegan "feels" like the only choice for me on a path that respects all life and God's gifts of creation... So given that this makes sense to us how do we speak honestly about this, respectfully, yet honestly?

This is where - for me - there exists a challenge.

Great question. Despite some of greatest saints and most ascetic religious orders being vegetarian, vegetarianism and veganism have a stigma associated with them. Vegan's are un-Christian, un-American, un-Western, and etc. These unjust stigmas make it next to impossible to carry on a reasonable conversation with most people. Especially if, like you, you're trying to promote the lifestyle.

I think we just need to keep doing what you're doing. We need to be clear on our priorities (i.e., we feel abortion is a grave evil and always sinful, but we do not believe eating meat is objectively a sin), but other than that I think we just keep engaging people in dialog and living out our lives as best as we can. That is to say, living our lives as closely aligned with Christ as possible.

[creationlover]

Originally Posted by militantsparrow

Great question. Despite some of greatest saints and most ascetic religious orders being vegetarian, vegetarianism and veganism have a stigma associated with them. Vegan's are un-Christian, un-American, un-Western, and etc. These unjust stigmas make it next to impossible to carry on a reasonable conversation with most people. Especially if, like you, you're trying to promote the lifestyle.

I think we just need to keep doing what you're doing. We need to be clear on our priorities (i.e., we feel abortion is a grave evil and always sinful, but we do not believe eating meat is objectively a sin), but other than that I think we just keep engaging people in dialog and living out our lives as best as we can. That is to say, living our lives as closely aligned with Christ as possible.

Sometimes it is so easy to confuse our national culture with our religion. Christianity is not a culture; it should affect cultures in a positive way. However, when national cultural mores (like eating meat, especially on holidays) get confused with Christianity, we get people thinking we are antiCatholic/Christian if we are vegan. The more we tell our story or at least make a strong silent stand, the more people will think seriously about how Catholicism should affect everything we do, to include what we eat or don't eat. On the back my van, I have a vegetarian bumpersticker sitting right next a prolife sticker. I've had no one comment on it, but I think I'm making a stand, of some sort anyway.

[Christine85]

Originally Posted by creationlover

Sometimes it is so easy to confuse our national culture with our religion. Christianity is not a culture; it should affect cultures in a positive way. However, when national cultural mores (like eating meat, especially on holidays) get confused with Christianity, we get people thinking we are antiCatholic/Christian if we are vegan. The more we tell our story or at least make a strong silent stand, the more people will think seriously about how Catholicism should affect everything we do, to include what we eat or don't eat. On the back my van, I have a vegetarian bumpersticker sitting right next a prolife sticker. I've had no one comment on it, but I think I'm making a stand, of some sort anyway.

I actually spoke to a Brother of the church about how I saw some videos on PETA about animal abuse. He said..that God intended animals for our use not abuse, also here is a website actually aimed at encouraging Christians to not eat meat, as some people regards Christ as teaching this. Although he did eat fish. http://www.jesusveg.com/

[4elise]

Originally Posted by creationlover

Sometimes it is so easy to confuse our national culture with our religion. Christianity is not a culture; it should affect cultures in a positive way. However, when national cultural mores (like eating meat, especially on holidays) get confused with Christianity, we get people thinking we are antiCatholic/Christian if we are vegan. The more we tell our story or at least make a strong silent stand, the more people will think seriously about how Catholicism should affect everything we do, to include what we eat or don't eat. On the back my van, I have a vegetarian bumpersticker sitting right next a prolife sticker. I've had no one comment on it, but I think I'm making a stand, of some sort anyway.

This is very well said my friend - PRO ALL LIFE!
Blessings!

[4elise]

Originally Posted by Christine85

I actually spoke to a Brother of the church about how I saw some videos on PETA about animal abuse. He said..that God intended animals for our use not abuse, also here is a website actually aimed at encouraging Christians to not eat meat, as some people regards Christ as teaching this. Although he did eat fish. http://www.jesusveg.com/

You may find people who, as Creationlover said, try to mix things up - culture and faith.

I have found many Catholic bristle at the name PETA because of some of their ads and other campaigns - Fr. John Dear, SJ on that video is not someone that some main-stream Catholics consider Catholic enough - so they will discount his input on the issues of animal cruelty -

We have had these discussions and I am sure you will too, plese don't get discouraged if you meet with people who discount out of hand your reasons - I do believe it is a calling to compassion - just lead by your example. Try to remember you weren't always there either, and when you feel it will have a positive impact share you own reasons - learn more, read more, be well informed so you can answer the questions - and it will help you develop your own reasons more clearly as well, it did for me.

For example - on the issue of dairy, some people have access to small farms where the dairy cows eat grass, live a pastoral life, but few of us do - and even those cows are in a perpetual state of being impregnated and having their calves removed so they can produce milk - the female calves are raised to do the same but the male ones are sold usually for veal - so even though the milking does not cause the direct death of the cow - there is death in the industry that produces the dairy - / wool - well the sheep are sheared, not killed - yet when they ge older they are often sold - in many cases shipped to the middle east where this is a larger part of the diet, where they are meat - so again their is death in the industry of wool - / I have many other ways to keep warm, and fed that can have nothing to do with any of this - and that is my preference.

Blessings!

[militantsparrow]

I have decided to go back to being a full-time vegetarian again after a 3 year hiatus. I'm considering transitioning to vegan, but I'm afraid of some of the health issues. The data seems to be mixed.