Vegetarians and vegans. Controversial Topic

MoreBean13

I have a hard time believing this actually happened.. but whatever. I'm vegan and I always get interrogated by strangers. It usually always starts out with "You know, God made animals to be eaten". So now the tables are turned.. lol.

I get that argument too. "Not my god." is my standard response- no room for further discussion.

monty619

Quick Poll: any republican vegetarians/vegans out there?

I hope not. If so, I might have to rethink my diet.

agreed:laugh:

ha i knew this type of eating was politically motivated! :noway:

Mera_Mera

what is your purpose for being vegetarian? Do they just taste that good to you? Is it about being healthy? WHY!?!? Don't get me wrong I have no problems with it, and everyone is entitled to eat what ever they wish. I however am trying to understand the madness.

I saw my grandfather snap the neck of a chicken and then chopped it off and it continued move. That's when I stopped eating meat. I've been a vegetarian since. I think veggies taste great and that's my opinion. You don't have to call it madness. Not all vegetarians and vegans are crazy. See, your first post was descent, but you had to douche it up with your last comment.

TheFunBun

My planned home is rural, and I intend to be friends with my milk producing cows and egg producing chickens.. My grass maintaining goats, and my completely useless but very cute wild boar I intend to find and raise as my very own friendboar. They will be my family, so I figured I would stop eating their friends and family. I have no intended attachment to fish or seafood, so I continue to eat them.. but feel bad about it as sealife as food is not very environmentally friendly. Like consumer electronics, seafood is a part of my life that I feel bad about but continue to partake in.

THAT SAID, you can be pretty healthy and vegetarian/vegan. There are plenty of protein sources, and you get some nice variety trying to get it all in. You can also be a fat or unhealthy vegetarian/vegan, which is just like any omnivore or carnivore.. it's your choice whether to be healthy or not.

I also agree that meat eaters are MUCH more inclined to pitch a fit about you not eating their beef than a vegetarian is about you eating meat. I also express disbelief in this story, since there would be PLENTY of people to harass about their eating habits in a Jimmy Johns. However, if you were sitting in a vegan restaurant eating a Jimmy John's sandwich, it becomes believable.

_VoV

First, let me say that I'm sorry that woman was so rude to you. Whenever I go into a restaurant that serves meat, I expect to see people eating meat. If she found that offensive, she shouldn't have gone in. She was wrong to have called you out randomly like that and interfere with the enjoyment of your lunch.

I have been a vegetarian for almost 40 years. Most of the time, I have been mostly vegan, eating no animal products of any kind. While a vegetarian diet can be very healthy, there is wide variation in how vegetarians eat. You could eat chips, donuts, and French fries all day long, and still call yourself a vegetarian. Obviously, that isn't an optimal diet by anyone's standards.

I understand that this woman got you off guard, and you were probably angry, and justifiably so. But, some of your statements about vegetarian diets being unhealthy, and not recommended by health professionals, just aren't correct. Also, plenty of vegetarians are hale and hearty--it would take a mighty powerful wind to blow them over.

For ethical vegetarians who wish for a world where animals are not used to serve human interests, I understand the frustration very well. Some people want to see change yesterday, and actually hurt the cause by alienating people. Perhaps she is one of them.

schpanks

That's funny in a really shocking, socially weird way. I have been a vegetarian for 15 years for moral and ethical reasons. As someone else said, I don't eat my friends. That does not give me any right to speak to your choices, though, and I only elaborate on my decision to be a vegetarian if someone asks. She's making the rest of us look bad.

veganbaum

(that wasn't word for word but its the same damn gibberish she was spouting at me)

Being a educated fellow I smiled real big and just knew this was going down right then and there.

My response "What makes you think that this is unhealthy? Because its high in calories? My food is cooked to kill the germs that might be harmful to me. As far as taste goes I believe its very good and I might just get another."

"I'm a vegetarian and vegetarians are just more fit and healthier than those who are not" she said.

I eat all the nutrients my body needs. Without sacrificing my size. If I were like you and eat only veggies I would be a puny twig that can be pushed over by a strong wind. I like my chances of being healthy without being a vegetarian. I like having protein in my body, it allows me to do hard labor work without being strained, and if I am strained I can recover very quickly. If I were you I'd start eating meat so you can be healthier than you are now

Baffled and stunned this lady was forced into retreat.

I finished my meal and I walked over to her and her friend. I reach into my wallet and I pull out a trainers card from a gym. I said trainers and nutrionists do not recommend being a vegetarian, neither do doctors. Here is card for a trainer at my gym if you wish to learn more about why your not healthy give him a ring... And I left

Her reaction was rude. No argument there.

Your reaction was equally as rude and uneducated.

I eat all the nutrients my body needs. So do all the vegan and vegetarian athletes out there; they have no problem keeping up. I have protein in my body, otherwise I would be dead. A blanket statement about veg*ns and protein is absurd. What do you think veg*ns eat? Do you think eating animals is the only way to get protein? There is protein in all foods in varying amounts, not to mention specific sources of protein such as legumes (maybe you don't know what those are since you seem to think eating animals is required to get sufficient amounts of protein).

Veg*n =/= automatically mean a "twig," otherwise there wouldn't be so many of us on here trying to lose weight.

And finally, trainers =/= automatically knowledgeable about nutrition (in fact few really are), doctors =/= automatically knowledgable about nutrition (in fact doctors as a whole do not receive much of anything in regards to training on the subject), and finally nutritionists =/= automatically knowledgable about nutrition (yeah, their title sounds good, but nutritionists are all over the map. There is no national standard to be a nutritionist). You want information about diets? Educate yourself and go to a dietician.


What did you post this for? To be a troll and get people riled up? Or to get a pat on the pack for being equally rude to a rude person and demonstrating your own ignorance?

schpanks

I have a hard time believing this actually happened.. but whatever. I'm vegan and I always get interrogated by strangers. It usually always starts out with "You know, God made animals to be eaten". So now the tables are turned.. lol.

I get that argument too. "Not my god." is my standard response- no room for further discussion.

I used to do factory work while I was in college. There were a group of guys who would try to argue with me that I was going to hell because I didn't eat meat. Why? Because Jesus was a fisherman. Ooooooooookaaaaaayyyyyy. I can't argue with your irrationality! :laugh:

pantsdailyon

Textures is also something else I can understand. I hate eating green foods...

I'm not totally sure, but I don't think "green" is a texture.

AnnaMaus

The trolls on these forums just ain't what they used to be.

_VoV

I have a hard time believing this actually happened.. but whatever. I'm vegan and I always get interrogated by strangers. It usually always starts out with "You know, God made animals to be eaten". So now the tables are turned.. lol.

I get that argument too. "Not my god." is my standard response- no room for further discussion.

Great response.

pantsdailyon

Quick Poll: any republican vegetarians/vegans out there?

I hope not. If so, I might have to rethink my diet.

So glad to have you as a friend

If I dropped friends because they didn't share my political views, I'd lose probably 75% of my friends. I don't share my political views with many of them, because I've had other friends like them drop me for the same reason. That's one of the differences between people on this side of the aisle and that side. They *think* they're more tolerant, but are actually less so.

_VoV

Quick Poll: any republican vegetarians/vegans out there?

I hope not. If so, I might have to rethink my diet.

So glad to have you as a friend

If I dropped friends because they didn't share my political views, I'd lose probably 75% of my friends. I don't share my political views with many of them, because I've had other friends like them drop me for the same reason. That's one of the differences between people on this side of the aisle and that side. They *think* they're more tolerant, but are actually less so.

Party affiliation has nothing to do with this topic, anyway. Let's just say that vegetarians are a diverse group and leave it at that.

Elizabeth_C34

.

Brechin89

(that wasn't word for word but its the same damn gibberish she was spouting at me)

Being a educated fellow I smiled real big and just knew this was going down right then and there.

My response "What makes you think that this is unhealthy? Because its high in calories? My food is cooked to kill the germs that might be harmful to me. As far as taste goes I believe its very good and I might just get another."

"I'm a vegetarian and vegetarians are just more fit and healthier than those who are not" she said.

I eat all the nutrients my body needs. Without sacrificing my size. If I were like you and eat only veggies I would be a puny twig that can be pushed over by a strong wind. I like my chances of being healthy without being a vegetarian. I like having protein in my body, it allows me to do hard labor work without being strained, and if I am strained I can recover very quickly. If I were you I'd start eating meat so you can be healthier than you are now

Baffled and stunned this lady was forced into retreat.

I finished my meal and I walked over to her and her friend. I reach into my wallet and I pull out a trainers card from a gym. I said trainers and nutrionists do not recommend being a vegetarian, neither do doctors. Here is card for a trainer at my gym if you wish to learn more about why your not healthy give him a ring... And I left

Her reaction was rude. No argument there.

Your reaction was equally as rude and uneducated.

I eat all the nutrients my body needs. So do all the vegan and vegetarian athletes out there; they have no problem keeping up. I have protein in my body, otherwise I would be dead. A blanket statement about veg*ns and protein is absurd. What do you think veg*ns eat? Do you think eating animals is the only way to get protein? There is protein in all foods in varying amounts, not to mention specific sources of protein such as legumes (maybe you don't know what those are since you seem to think eating animals is required to get sufficient amounts of protein).

Veg*n =/= automatically mean a "twig," otherwise there wouldn't be so many of us on here trying to lose weight.

And finally, trainers =/= automatically knowledgeable about nutrition (in fact few really are), doctors =/= automatically knowledgable about nutrition (in fact doctors as a whole do not receive much of anything in regards to training on the subject), and finally nutritionists =/= automatically knowledgable about nutrition (yeah, their title sounds good, but nutritionists are all over the map. There is no national standard to be a nutritionist). You want information about diets? Educate yourself and go to a dietician.


What did you post this for? To be a troll and get people riled up? Or to get a pat on the pack for being equally rude to a rude person and demonstrating your own ignorance?

Yes my comments toward her were rude. But it was one of those days where you just take so much crap in then you just snap back at them. I was thinking of every think I could say to be a douche to her without being a douche.

Yes, I know they can get their protein from somewhere else other than animals. Most cases vegetarians really lack protein so I was wrong to stereotype her. The conversation was a lot more in depth than what I posted and lasted much longer. She doesn't even know what nutrients she is putting into her body. When I asked her what she supplemented her protein with she had no answer. Plus she was a twig... couldn't have been more than 90lbs and she was about 5'6". So I certainly am not going to take nutrition advice from her.

Oh and trainers and nutrionists being knowledgable about nutrition is correct, but they are not fully correct. Most of the time you go in to the gym you ask a trainer about losing weight they are going to stress the myth of "starvation mode" so I really don't listen to them either. I take my advice from a doctor and do my own research.

maidentl

After reading only read the first post and a few of the following replies, I have to say this post seems to me to be complete troll bait. You felt like having an argument with vegetarians, so you set up a "straw man" (or straw lady) to represent the way you feel vegetarians are, so you can present your anti-veg rant. I seriously doubt this incident actually occurred.

Precisely. That story was just too detailed. I smelled troll too.

Count me too amongst the skeptics. :huh:

Brechin89

After reading only read the first post and a few of the following replies, I have to say this post seems to me to be complete troll bait. You felt like having an argument with vegetarians, so you set up a "straw man" (or straw lady) to represent the way you feel vegetarians are, so you can present your anti-veg rant. I seriously doubt this incident actually occurred.

Precisely. That story was just too detailed. I smelled troll too.

Count me too amongst the skeptics. :huh:

You both can choose to believe what ever you like. It was detailed because I took the time to write it out... Sorry for actually putting forth the effort.

Also, this post was to find out why people choose to be vegan. If its because they think its a healthier way of living or they hate the smell of meat. They love animals blah blah blah...

This wasn't meant to be a troll topic or to stir trouble.

Thank you,
Brechin

P.S I have nothing against vegetarians. My mother and my gf are both vegetaraians...

veganbaum

Also, this post was to find out why people choose to be vegan. If its because they think its a healthier way of living or they hate the smell of meat. >>>>>>>>>>>>>They love animals blah blah blah...

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>This wasn't meant to be a troll topic or to stir trouble.

Thank you,
Brechin

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>P.S I have nothing against vegetarians. My mother and my gf are both vegetaraians...

The first statement appears to contradict your later statements. "blah, blah, blah" kind of demonstrates what you think of veg*ns.


And I don't even know why I'm adding to this topic.

pantsdailyon

After reading only read the first post and a few of the following replies, I have to say this post seems to me to be complete troll bait. You felt like having an argument with vegetarians, so you set up a "straw man" (or straw lady) to represent the way you feel vegetarians are, so you can present your anti-veg rant. I seriously doubt this incident actually occurred.

Precisely. That story was just too detailed. I smelled troll too.

Count me too amongst the skeptics. :huh:

I didn't think think "troll." I thought it was one of those "as I play back that encounter in my head, this is what I wish I had said" kind of deals.

california_peach

My husband is a vegetarian and he can out run you.

Brechin89

Look my ENTIRE life my mom has been a vegetaraian. My entire life she has been less than 100lbs. One of her boyfriends also vegan... He also was tiny. So I'm sorry if it has somehow become a stereotype in my head that all vegetarains are small. I have met some pretty big vegetarains before and I've met a few athletes and a few fellow service members as well.

So if your done trolling please move on....

Brechin89

My husband is a vegetarian and he can out run you.

The best i've done in my life was 10:56 on a PT test... After doing 72 pushups in 2 min and 78 situps in 2 minutes...

MisterTEZ

ScatteredThoughts

Look my ENTIRE life my mom has been a vegetaraian. My entire life she has been less than 100lbs. One of her boyfriends also vegan... He also was tiny. So I'm sorry if it has somehow become a stereotype in my head that all vegetarains are small. I have met some pretty big vegetarains before and I've met a few athletes and a few fellow service members as well.

So if your done trolling please move on....

I find this curious. Why did you make the following reply, if the above is the case?

what is your purpose for being vegetarian? Do they just taste that good to you? Is it about being healthy? WHY!?!? Don't get me wrong I have no problems with it, and everyone is entitled to eat what ever they wish. I however am trying to understand the madness.

Contrarian

I am a vegetarian because I like animals better when they are alive. I don't care if other people eat them, though. I know they are delicious. I just prefer not to.

Also, I have Radiohead tickets.

hiker282

Meh, there are unhealthy meat eaters, there are unhealthy non-meat eaters, and verse visa. As long as you don't try to change the way I eat without my soliciting advice, I.D.G.A.R.A about what you put in your mouth.

Brechin89

Look my ENTIRE life my mom has been a vegetaraian. My entire life she has been less than 100lbs. One of her boyfriends also vegan... He also was tiny. So I'm sorry if it has somehow become a stereotype in my head that all vegetarains are small. I have met some pretty big vegetarains before and I've met a few athletes and a few fellow service members as well.

So if your done trolling please move on....

I find this curious. Why did you make the following reply, if the above is the case?

what is your purpose for being vegetarian? Do they just taste that good to you? Is it about being healthy? WHY!?!? Don't get me wrong I have no problems with it, and everyone is entitled to eat what ever they wish. I however am trying to understand the madness.

because someone was making it out like I put them in a stereotype so I told them exactly what I think of when someone says vegetarain...

TheLongRunner

I've been a vegetarian for 30 of my 32 years and I would NEVER do something like that. Sounds like this lady had a bad day and wanted to take it out on someone!

sarose611

Vegetarians and vegans report having a "healthier" diet simply because cutting out meat products drastically cuts the fat in one's diet. and the American Heart Association and the American Diabetes Association both make a big deal about the health risks of a high fat diet. 30 years ago, that was the nurtritional hot button. More recently, it has been verified that fat in the diet assists in transporting fat soluble vitamins, and helps keep the body well lubricated if you will. It provides taste (reducing the need for salt) and satiety, and keeps one feeling full longer. At 9 calories a gram, fat is twice as "fattening" as protein or carbs, and about 20% higher than alcohols. So it should be eaten in moderation. But mono- and polyunsaturated fats are GOOD for you, and keep cholesterol levels in the correct balance. Vegans in particular are frequently low in these good fats, and also in Vitamin B12, which is only naturally found in animal products. Vegans MUST supplement their diets with this vitamin. Also look at the skin of most vegans and many vegetarians. The collagen levels are poor, the skin looks wrinkled, drawn and dry-because it is. Those fats help maintain that youthful texture and appearance of skin. No one has the right to attack someone else's food choices, and this woman was waaaaaay out of line and incorrect in her arguments as well.

clobercow

People became intelligent when they evolved from plant eaters to carnivores. Its true. Google it. The dense calories in meat allowed prehistoric people to spend less time looking for food and more time being creative.

I can understand why you would not want to eat the family pet, but we are built for eating meat and it does sustain us.

Of course this is the present and we don't need to fill our belly with meat before our next hunt in 3 days. (google fasting, and its health benefits).

I also support people NOT eating meat. Its not sustainable and pastures are not doing this planet any favors. That's a different topic though.

For me? Well. Meat is much more satisfying and curbs my hunger easier. However, I do love great big salads and many fruits. My house as a bit of everything in it!