How many vegans/vegetarians consider themselves to be pretty religious?!

How many vegans/vegetarians consider themselves to be pretty religious?

I just noticed a trend that it seems the less religious you are, the more likely it is that you're open to vegetarianism/veganism. Any thoughts?

2 days ago
Oh, by religious I meant organized religion. I should have been clearer. I also know a lot of vegetarians who are religous in a spiritual sense.

The reason I think organized religous people, not all mind you, are against vegetarians because out of all the ones I met, and some people I read about in these forums, always state that "God put animals here for people to use/eat."

I'm not religious but I do take the time to learn about peoples lifestyles so I can relate to them better. Budism and Hinuism are primarily vegetarian cultures. They believe in the acceptance of suffering as a means to humble but don't believe we should cause suffering.

As for christianity here are a few things I found out.

" God said, ' Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the face of the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit; you shall have them for food '. " Genisis 1:29

Basically states that humans were meant to eat plants and not feed from the tree of life.

" And the fear of you and the terror of you shall be on every beast of the earth and on every bird of the sky; with everything that creeps on the ground, and all the fish of the sea, into your hand they are given.Every moving thing that is alive shall be food for you; I give all to you, as I gave the green plant." Genisis 9:2-3

"Have many children, so that your descendants will live all over the earth. All the animals, birds, and fish will live in fear of you. They are all placed under your power. Now you can eat them, as well as green plants; I give them all to you for food. Genesis 9:1-3

Do not eat anything that the Lord has declared unclean. You may eat these animals: cattle, sheep, goats, deer, wild sheep, wild goats, or antelopes - any animals that have divided hoofs and that also chew the cud. You may not eat camels, rabbits, or badgers. They must be considered unclean... Do not eat pigs... They must be considered unclean... Do not eat any of these animals or even touch their dead bodies. You may eat any kind of fish that has fins and scales... You may eat any clean bird. But these are the kinds of birds you are not to eat: eagles, owls, hawks, falcons; buzzards, vultures, crows; ostriches; seagulls, storks, herons, pelicans, cormorants; hoopoes; and bats." Deuteronomy 14:3-18

This was after god punished man for his disobedience by causing the floods which wiped out the crops. God also stated

"Only you shall not eat flesh with its life, that is, its blood and surely I will require your lifeblood; from every beast I will require it. And from every man, from every man's brother I will require the life of man and your life will I seek, at the hand of every creature you slay." ". Genisis 9:4-5.

This was meant as a mockery towards man. He was basically saying if you disobey me you might as well do this but if you do feast upon the flesh of beasts he will seek the life of whoever took the life of a beast. In other words man was to only eat animals that were already dead and declared us as scavengers as a last resort.. Later on the bible expresses gods intent.

"For the fate of the sons of men and the fate of beasts is the Same. As one dies, so dies the other: indeed, they all have the same breath and there is no advantage for man over beast, for all is vanity." .Ecclesiastes 3:19

This states that man does not have power over animals. A common term used by people is that humans have "dominion" over animals. Theologists have argued about the translation of the word "dominion" and believe the proper interpretation is that man has Stewardship to the animals meaning that we are here to care for and protect them.

"The wolf will dwell with the lamb, And the leopard will lie down with the kid, And the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; And a little child shall lead them. Also the cow and the bear will grazw; Their young will lie together; And the lion will eat straw like the ox. They will not hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain. " Isaiah 11: 6-9

This states gods intentions that in the end after man has learned his lesson and exercised his loyalty towards god that all will return to peace.

As I said I am not religious but I thought these verses were very interesting seeing as so many meat eaters argue that god put animals on this Earth to eat yet they choose to ignore everything after the floods that states goods intentions.