Comments on: Compassion Will Cure More Sins than Condemnation

By: Judith

Judith — Sun, 20 Feb 2011 18:44:52 +0000

Vegetarian Single Mom,

I am sympathetic to your situation, as I have had some similar types of experiences with children and with some vegans. I think it’s important to note that not all vegans are alike, just as all vegetarians are not alike. I am getting a little dismayed that so many comments here generalize in this way. I really don’t think one can assume anything about all vegans.

By: Vegetarian Single Mom

Vegetarian Single Mom — Sun, 20 Feb 2011 18:36:58 +0000

I have been a vegetarian by my own choice since I was 14. I am now 37, which means this is my 23rd year of being a strict vegetarian. I live in Portland and have a young child, and he sometimes has a hard time because he doesn’t know any other vegetarian kids, and he feels a little weird. All of our friends with children are meat eaters, and the veg (both vegan and vegetarian) group I belong to is all adults. I even asked if it was ok to bring my son to a breakfast at a local pancake joint, and other people (who had never met me or my son) emailed the organizer to say that they weren’t comfortable with my child coming and asked her to tell us not to come!!!! The leader of the group tried to remedy this and told me as far as he was concerned, kids were welcome, but I simply don’t feel comfortable bringing my son to this group’s events after that incident. Since I am a single mom who has my child 24/7, this greatly impacts my ability to go to veg outings.

After this experience, I was looking for a vegetarian family Meet Up group and found a local group that caters to families, but alas, they were vegan. I asked if a vegetarian would be welcome, and said I’d be happy to eat vegan when I was with the group, and they said the group was “only for vegans or people in the final stage of transitioning to vegan.” Ok, so being judgmental of my family’s vegetarian lifestyle is more important that supporting a young vegetarian child and helping him feel less like a freak when he attends a school with all carnivore kids?

So it looks like either way you slice it, I am running into either kid-haters or vegetarian-haters! Seems like a pretty pathetic situation, if you ask me. Like you’ve mentioned, where is the HUMAN compassion? Like many of you have said, isn’t it better to have people 70-80% on your team rather than not on your team at all? How many animals have not been consumed because I’ve been a vegetarian for 23 years? That should mean a lot, as far as I am concerned! We definitely have the vegan snob thing going on here, and after being raised fundamentalist Christian (a belief system that was no longer part of my life after about age 13) I see a lot of similarities: either you’re with God (vegan) or with the Devil (not 100% vegan). There is no gray allowed, just black and white. I think that’s ridiculous and is probably more likely to push people away from being vegan than anything else. Does that help animals? I think not!

By: Karen

Karen — Sun, 23 Jan 2011 05:17:57 +0000

It was great to read all these comments. I have just started the Vegetarian/Vegan journey recently and it is so encouraging to read such positive feedback. It really makes me even more convinced of the new path I am chosing.

By: Gigi

Gigi — Sat, 13 Nov 2010 16:00:24 +0000

Vegetarian, Vegan, Raw Vegan, Fruitarians are all reaching for the same goal better health,to end animal cruelty & to heal the planet we just go about it differently not better not worse.No one is better than instead of division let’s respect each others difference & keep it moving.No one has a heaven nor hell to put us in so stop feeling condem by people with huge egos (pride before the fall) (judge not less ye be judged). We should all practice compassion towards those who don’t practice the above lifestyles.I admit sometimes it’s hard to have compassion but if we want to see change then Compassion is the only way. PEACE & LOVE

By: Liza

Liza — Fri, 22 Oct 2010 04:34:52 +0000

I certainly can relate to the pain you have from feeling attacked and judged based on your choice to eat a non-vegan meal once in a very long while. Your efforts to promote veganism and live a vegan lifestyle are clear and for that dedication to be questioned seems mean-spirited and based in ignorance.

At the same time, are you practicing compassion towards those who have hurt and angered you? Or are you practicing condemnation?

By: genevieve

genevieve — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 21:20:25 +0000

it is difficult, when i am at work they have animal tested soap in the loos, which i use even tho i don’t contribute financially. maybe we should be thinking further afield as vegans and maybe asking our employers to source cruelty free???

By: genevieve

genevieve — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 21:19:11 +0000

hi you’re still a vegan. i do speak to vegans who by choice make exceptions to their diets eg a certain brand of chocolate, or the choice between sitting safetly in the shade and buying an animal tested sun cream.

i draw the line at, who would suffer most? you missing one meal or the cruelty to animal? if ur sick that’s another story.

i usually try and hold out as long as i can. when i was in india i was ill so i had to drink milk and eat eggs, cos i was vomiting and starving. i feel bad and will try and think ahead next time. i think the higher our standards are the more we achieve.

By: nadir

nadir — Thu, 21 Feb 2008 06:34:02 +0000

@lane: their is a dirty word for it too: fascism

nice to know that we get to live our lives the way we see fit though.

By: lane

lane — Thu, 21 Feb 2008 06:31:05 +0000

It’s interesting how many people are so passionate about their particular cause that if you don’t follow their exact path, they’d rather have you in the other camp.
Personally, I don’t understand that behavior, but to each his own.

By: nadir

nadir — Thu, 21 Feb 2008 06:17:00 +0000

the damned vegangelicals make me want to slit my wrists.

they even often make me want to gorge on anything that will make their hearts go up in agony and make their faces all awash.

about 8 years ago i stopped even calling myself vegan, as i hate how others view me in the same grouping with the vegan food police. eff you guys.

seriously, no one is better than anyone else, so while you one can judge anyone, by doing so you lose any credibility you had.