Truth is, I'm still learning about being vegan. I would consider myself mostly vegan. The funny thing I find is that people think it's either trendy or just plain strange. I didn't used to think much of what a vegan really was. I just assumed that the life of a vegan must be, "quite challenging" I'd say to myself. I couldn't comprehend how people could live without cheese or dairy chocolate! Neither did I understand their reason for it. I have to admit I had some admiration for people who could cook a dinner with what I thought were such great limitations. But I discovered that it was only my thoughts that limited me. To date I've explored my dinner options and they are far from limited.
I educated myself on the food industry further more and came to the realization that the dairy industry is just as corrupt as the meat industry. One of many interesting facts is that when society started to spend larger amounts of time indoors, it was discovered that cows milk contained vitamin D and could be a supplement for the loss of that mineral associated with not getting enough vitamin D from being outside in the sun.
Do I think it's wrong to drink cows milk? Not if the cow is free range, lives a good life and we can share with it's offspring. But that is not how mass milk is produced. The majority of these animals are confined to tiny cages where they are pumped full of unnatural chemicals that make the females produce milk constantly while it's body mass is, "bulked" for production. I think of it somewhat like a cow on steroids. This is not right. These cows are stressed to the max and in great pain mentally and physically. Baby calves don't get to feed from their own mothers and are taken immediately from birth to live a life of hell and then sent to the slaughter. Often the people who herd cattle to the slaughter use electric rods. They wet the animals faces with water and electrocute them just for their own abusive pleasure. How can anyone in their right mind support this? And this only touches what these animals have to endure.
When I had made the decision to try a vegan lifestyle I decided to dive into it the best to my ability and with a positive attitude. That's the way to do it...positive attitude!
This lifestyle works for me because first and foremost I have a deep compassion for animals. From the smallest of creations I have a great love for them. It is my belief that God loves all his creations with a love so profound we cannot comprehend that love. I believe we have the capacity to gain deeper love in this life and certainly on a much higher level as we enter the eternities. I do believe in what I refer to as a, "higher love". To me this is beautiful. Imagine the love you have for your family magnified. For your spouse and children magnified. Imagine love for all creatures magnified. Nothing is more beautiful than this in my eyes.
It was in the garden of Eden that Adam, Eve and all creations lived off the grains and plants of the land. I believe that in the eternities if food is required, it will possibly be as was in the garden of Eden. It is my understanding through my religion (LDS) that we will not eat meat in the eternities and that the Lamb and Lion will lie side by side without and ire. As a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saint who believes in the Word of Wisdom, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Word_of_Wisdom, we are taught that the Lord has ordained the flesh of beasts to man but that is is pleasing unto him that they should not be used, but only in times of winter, cold or famine. See D&C 89
I cannot forsake that the scriptures say God issued to us the use of animals for those who so choose to use them. For this I am not ungrateful and give thanks to him in all things for our temporal needs. However saying this, my God is not a God of abuse or violence and that is exactly what is entailed in the meat and dairy industry in our day and age. It goes beyond the slaughter itself to a mass abuse most people are not aware of or are willing to ignore. The easy thing to do is ignore such things. Ignorance is bliss as they say. But it is a life of pure hell for most all farm animals and to support this industry we are contributing to the cruelty. How can we think that God is ok with this? How can anyone say, "It will solely be the animal abusers who are punished for these vicious acts of cruelty and not myself because I am just the consumer?"All good things are of God and all evil things of Satan. There is no in between.
I choose not to ignore what's happening in this industry and try to avoid it all together. With all of the knowledge I have gained I cannot stand before a loving God one day and say, " I knew these things yet made no effort to condone them". For it is my belief that we will be held accountable for what we do know and understand. And we are wise to gain knowledge rather than have a lack of.
For me living this lifestyle works beautifully. I have come to feel more at peace with myself, the environment, and with my maker. I feel a more spiritual connection with Heavenly Father. In my experience I am healthier and happier. And I intend to keep it that way:)
Sarah
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