Hi Everyone,
I'm a new vegetarian! I've been vegetarian for the last three weeks and I've found it to be rather easy, largely because the only meat I have been eating for the last few years has been turkey and, even more rarely, chicken.
But this is the part where I enter my disclaimer. My rationale for becoming a vegetarian may be different from yours and I mean no disrespect with any of my questions, hand-shaking at the sky, opinions, or vents of frustration.
My spirituality informs me that all life is, indeed, sacred. This much, I believe, to be an indisputable component of my spirituality. I believe that this sanctity of life requires the utmost respect and honor. While I do not necessarily believe that eating animal meat is a violation of this sanctity, I do believe our current farming practices do. I believe the methods by which we raise and treat farm animals--without compassion, without respect, without honor, and without appreciation of the gravity and solemnity of the action of one creature's death in order to sustain the life of another--to be abhorrent and immoral. Thus, I have decided to become a vegetarian and, as I have said, this part has been easy.
I have just started today to eliminate dairy and eggs from my diet as well, so today marks the first day of my vegan journey. But, this is the part where it gets messy and frustrating!
I just recently discovered that food items that I never ever would have thought would have animal parts in them do! For example, I learned that gelatin is animal-derived and in gum, mints, and other products! It seems like a life's endeavor to try and learn which products have 'hidden' animal parts in them!
But what bothers me the most is that I feel even going this extra step into veganism is not enough! Why ought I bother if it's not enough? If I benefit from the enslavement and torture of animals through secondary and tertiary products, what do I help? How do I really live up to this ideal if I still benefit from these products that are made or transported by other products of animal abuse and torture?
If I do not ensure that everything I purchase--not just food, but clothes, kitchenware, household products, personal care products, shoes, books, and even inane things I never would think would have any relationship to a farm or animals--what good is any of it? I'm still contributing to the cycle of torture, abuse, and suffering even if it's through secondary or indirect means!
And, what if I extrapolate even further? Doesn't the land required for plants contribute to deforestation and/or loss of habitat for animals? Doesn't the transport of those plants--be it to vegan producers or regular supermarkets--contribute to the suffering of animals in both direct and indirect ways? Doesn't the plastic that much of my vegan products come packaged in contribute to the suffering of both domesticated and wild animals at some point, be it pre-consumption or post-?
It almost seems as if I am given no ethical choices in a world built upon unethical practices! I'm not sure I can be satisfied 'doing enough' or 'the best I can'. Were they humans beings abused and suffering, would 'the best I can' be a valid excuse?
How can I honestly say that becoming a vegan prevents the torture and suffering of animals when I am still contributing to this immoral cycle?
So, while I will not go back to eating meat or dairy, I'm not sure whether trying to turn my entire life completely cruelty-free is possible. In fact, given my above self-criticisms, I don't think it is. I can make conscious decisions to choose products I know to be cruelty-free when given this alternative but I question whether there's any value in putting my entire life under a microscope except perhaps to give myself a false sense of absolution.
I don't think I have any answers to these self-criticisms but I come here wondering if anyone else has struggled with these issues. And, if you did, how did you resolve them?
I'm a new vegetarian! I've been vegetarian for the last three weeks and I've found it to be rather easy, largely because the only meat I have been eating for the last few years has been turkey and, even more rarely, chicken.
But this is the part where I enter my disclaimer. My rationale for becoming a vegetarian may be different from yours and I mean no disrespect with any of my questions, hand-shaking at the sky, opinions, or vents of frustration.
My spirituality informs me that all life is, indeed, sacred. This much, I believe, to be an indisputable component of my spirituality. I believe that this sanctity of life requires the utmost respect and honor. While I do not necessarily believe that eating animal meat is a violation of this sanctity, I do believe our current farming practices do. I believe the methods by which we raise and treat farm animals--without compassion, without respect, without honor, and without appreciation of the gravity and solemnity of the action of one creature's death in order to sustain the life of another--to be abhorrent and immoral. Thus, I have decided to become a vegetarian and, as I have said, this part has been easy.
I have just started today to eliminate dairy and eggs from my diet as well, so today marks the first day of my vegan journey. But, this is the part where it gets messy and frustrating!
I just recently discovered that food items that I never ever would have thought would have animal parts in them do! For example, I learned that gelatin is animal-derived and in gum, mints, and other products! It seems like a life's endeavor to try and learn which products have 'hidden' animal parts in them!
But what bothers me the most is that I feel even going this extra step into veganism is not enough! Why ought I bother if it's not enough? If I benefit from the enslavement and torture of animals through secondary and tertiary products, what do I help? How do I really live up to this ideal if I still benefit from these products that are made or transported by other products of animal abuse and torture?
If I do not ensure that everything I purchase--not just food, but clothes, kitchenware, household products, personal care products, shoes, books, and even inane things I never would think would have any relationship to a farm or animals--what good is any of it? I'm still contributing to the cycle of torture, abuse, and suffering even if it's through secondary or indirect means!
And, what if I extrapolate even further? Doesn't the land required for plants contribute to deforestation and/or loss of habitat for animals? Doesn't the transport of those plants--be it to vegan producers or regular supermarkets--contribute to the suffering of animals in both direct and indirect ways? Doesn't the plastic that much of my vegan products come packaged in contribute to the suffering of both domesticated and wild animals at some point, be it pre-consumption or post-?
It almost seems as if I am given no ethical choices in a world built upon unethical practices! I'm not sure I can be satisfied 'doing enough' or 'the best I can'. Were they humans beings abused and suffering, would 'the best I can' be a valid excuse?
How can I honestly say that becoming a vegan prevents the torture and suffering of animals when I am still contributing to this immoral cycle?
So, while I will not go back to eating meat or dairy, I'm not sure whether trying to turn my entire life completely cruelty-free is possible. In fact, given my above self-criticisms, I don't think it is. I can make conscious decisions to choose products I know to be cruelty-free when given this alternative but I question whether there's any value in putting my entire life under a microscope except perhaps to give myself a false sense of absolution.
I don't think I have any answers to these self-criticisms but I come here wondering if anyone else has struggled with these issues. And, if you did, how did you resolve them?