Ummm.... going vegan?!


Question: ive wanted to go vegan for eight months now... but im unsure how to tell my parents, the still are upset about me being a vegetarian, also, and I know i've posted this question before, but people from church always tell me (at random times, when no eating is involved) that god created animals so we could eat them, what can I say back to them? Its getting to the point where I just want to slap them in the face.


Answers: ive wanted to go vegan for eight months now... but im unsure how to tell my parents, the still are upset about me being a vegetarian, also, and I know i've posted this question before, but people from church always tell me (at random times, when no eating is involved) that god created animals so we could eat them, what can I say back to them? Its getting to the point where I just want to slap them in the face.

Just ask them to read Genesis 1:11 and 1:29.
God created every kind of vegetation, bearing seed & fruit, and said "See, I give you every seed-bearing plant plant on the earth, and every tree which has seed-bearing fruit to be your food".
Deuteronomy 14: 4,5 says "these are the animals you may eat" and lists the "clean ones". Notice the word "may". It does not say MUST eat it says MAY eat.
God gave us all kinds of foods, plant and animal, to eat, and it's our own personal choice which ones to put in our bodies.
If they still give you a lot of flack, have them remember Jesus' words "it's not what goes into a man that defiles him, for all things pass through, but what comes from a man's heart (and out his mouth) is what defiles him"

That should shut them up once and for all about your choice to become vegan, they can't use the bible as an argument.

just tell them all the reasons why u want to go vegan. provide them info on all stuff u could eat and do while a vegan.

Just tell them. I am sure that if they are still upset about the vegetarian thing then well, they should not be so upset about it. And as for the church folk: ask them since God put animals on earth for us to eat, then why did he put vegetables here??

Good luck

First of all, are you able to buy all your own food and prepare it? If you still live at home, eat with your family, your diet changes place a huge burden on the main food preparer.
You tell those ignorant people God created all creatures for balance of the earth. Just because we're human does not make us special.

I believe animals were made for us to eat but that they should be treated humanely and slaughtered humanely. But there is nothing wrong with wanting to not eat animals either and I dont see why your parents would mind one way or the other. We do get our best sources of calcium and protein from animals though..There was a case of a baby that starved to death because the parents fed it a vegan diet..babies need animal protein and fat either from their mom or in formula...so I think adults do too....but its your body so do what you want....

Don't listen to those idiots (or these either!)
I've heard everything people can imagine because they aren't vegan!

I was able to get started, able to ask questions, get recipes, and get all the support I could want at vegsource.

There are people of all ages including young teens and preteens at this site who can give you insights on a daily basis.

There are also many doctors (like Dr. McDougall), check the bottom right column for a list, and the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine.

They are all ardent supporters of veganism, and give many valid, documented cases and evidence, hundreds of studies, that ALL
say vegan is the healthiest diet on the planet.

These aren't quacks. They are established, knowledgeable, intelligent professionals who have written books, do seminars,
cruises, speeches etc.


Please check it out, you will be glad you did!

It can be tough dealing with parents. I would do your research and print out some things to give them.

-The American Dietetic Association is one of the nation's leading experts on nutrition. According to them, "Well-planned vegan and other types of vegetarian diets are appropriate for all stages of the life cycle, including during pregnancy, lactation, infancy, childhood and adolescence."
http://www.eatright.org/cps/rde/xchg/ada...

-Four vegan food groups:
http://www.pcrm.org/health/veginfo/vsk/f...

I'd find out what your parents' concerns are and try to address them. You could offer to help with shopping and cooking, especially if they say that will be too much trouble for them.

About the people from your church, you could say something like, "Animals are God's creatures, too. Do you think He would approve of the way we treat animals on factory farms and slaughterhouses?"

Also see http://ar.vegnews.org/why_create_animals...

Good luck!

I'm not quite sure how your parents could be upset about you becoming a vegetarian, unless they have a misconception of what it means to be one. Try explaining to them that you just want to eat fruits and vegetables and nuts and herbs. If they still fuss over it, you can look up plenty of examples of famous people on the internet who were intelligent amazing individuals and were also vegetarian as well. (Albert Einstein is one such example.)

They might also be upset because as food is often used to express appreciation, they may be at a loss now for how to
act towards you when it comes to food. For example, if your Mom makes a great meat lasagna every Sunday, she might be put off that you won't eat it, irregardless of whether or not it's for a good reason, because she is trying to express love through her cooking. You could try introducing her to recipes that are wholly vegetarian/vegan, although if most of the family are meat eaters, you might want to do your own cooking for a while. Making up your own tasty dishes of potatoes, broccoli, and salads, you'll be offering your family new ways to look at food while still satisfying your preference to adopt the vegan lifestyle.

As far as church goes, a lot of people will say stuff like that about killing animals, but not many people will actually go out and kill their own food. They rely too much on the supermarkets to supply it ready made. You can try telling them about how much better the vegan diet is, but in the end, they may just think you're nuts for trying it. But who cares? It's your body, not theirs. After a while of being vegan, the health benefits of it will undoubtedly start too show, and then they'll get more curious. But until then, you might find it easier to change the topic when it comes up and keep your eating habits private.

Below is a site on veganism that can help you determine what to eat and how to continue a vegan lifestyle.

Good luck!

Well, you could tell the folks at your church that god's original intent was to hang out in the garden with two naked vegetarians. You could tell them that if he did create the animals for us to eat, he certainly didn't mean for us to treat them the way we do today (factory farms, crowding, hormones, antibiotics, slaughterhouses). You could remind them of the Alice Walker quote that the animals of the world exist for their own reasons.

As for your folks, try to find out why they're upset you're vegetarian and what concerns them about your going vegan, do the research and answer their questions. And I'm pretty sure there are Christian vegetarian organizations, and maybe you could find one to help you out. Seventh Day Adventists are primarily vegetarian (not vegan), so they seem not to subscribe to the god-gave-us-animals-to-eat theory.

Don't go vegan...your hair and skin will look very dull and dry.

Vegetarian is great!

Tell them that it is a personal choice, and that they torture animals like they did to Christ before they crucify them! Seriously, what they do to those animals is disgusting. Also remind them about all the bacteria, puss, blood, insects, and poop they ingest when they drink milk, or eat a steak...gross. Not to mention that everyone will have no immune system due to the antibiotics that are injected.

what the big deal so what you want to deprive yourself of proper nutrition but its gonna be extremely hard

just tell your parents that you want to be a vegan, theyre your parents theyre still gonna love you
as for the religious people, tell them that god isnt real


i dont know how you could be a vegetarian meat is so delicious, but different strokes for different folks





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