What should I do?
Sinanthiel
Posts: 32 Member
Hello everyone!
I'm new to this group, but I wanted some advice from you guys. So, I'm a Christian meat eater (and I'm not a hater, I don't hate on people whom are not the same faith as myself), and lately on YouTube I'll watch a video on something that is in no way related to veganism, and I'll see videos on veganism pop up on the side bar. Well, I think God is trying to reveal something to me. I watched a lot of these videos a couple months ago, and over the course of these last couple months, and I'm still conflicted. Here's why:
1. I have seen a few videos of sheep being sheared in Australia a couple weeks ago, and the treatment they receive was so traumatizing for me, it made me cry, and gave me a massive headache. I watched it again today, and the same thing happened. It gave me mixed emotions of sadness, and anger.
2. I've seen other animal cruelty videos in the factory farming industry, and it also makes me cry, makes me feel nauseous, and gives me a headache. I get a headache every time I watch these videos. I'm wondering if it causes my blood pressure to skyrocket, and maybe that's why I'm getting headaches.
3. So, I'm 100% behind the ethical principle, and I'm also 100% behind the health benefits as well. However, this next reason is why it makes me feel conflicted.
4. Well, I live with meat eaters (my parents), and my dad is more supportive of what I want to do concerning transitioning to vegetarianism, and then to veganism, but it's my mum. I have been having some stomach issues, and I had to have a colonoscopy done, and they found a moderate sized polyp. I'm only 31 y/o, and 6 1/2 years ago (aged 24) when I had a colonoscopy for stomach issues as well, I didn't have any polyps, and they said I didn't need another colonoscopy until I'm 55 y/o. If I hadn't had this colonoscopy a couple weeks ago, and that polyp sat inside me for 25 more years, I could have ended up with colon cancer. So, on the way back home, my mum drove me, because I was still a little loopy, and I was telling her how I feel like God has been trying to tell me to cut out animal products. I told her how I'm afraid if I keep eating meat, that I could end up getting colon cancer since animal flesh rots inside us for a while before being eliminated. Well, she scoffed at me, and told me meat wasn't causing any issues, and that I don't need to cut out meat, or animal products. It kind of hurt my feelings, because I was being serious. I'm scared for my health. I already have PCOS, and I'm at risk for ovarian cancer, I have an under active thyroid (hypothyroidism), migraines that my doctor said a beta blocker would fix, and now I think the beta blocker has induced high blood pressure, because before my blood pressure was always on the low side of normal, I have acid reflux and I'm on a PPI called protonix, which I want to get off, and I have a ruptured disc in my L4-L5, narrowing of my spine, and arthritis in my spine, and it causes me extreme pain.
I feel like my mum doesn't care about my concerns for my health, and she won't support me trying to go vegetarian, then vegan. I told her how horrible the animals are treated, and she told me she hates it too, but there isn't anything she can do. I was pulling my hair out (not literally.. lol), because I tried telling her that going vegan is doing something about it. It's the most effective way of supporting animals. I told her how I am sure God looks down on animals being beaten, tortured, and killed in a slow suffering manner, and that it must sadden Him to see how we are treating his creation. Adam and Eve didn't eat animals in the Garden of Eden, and it wasn't until after their fall into sin that they started killing animals for food. I believe God originally created us to only eat plant based foods. Whenever I eat meat it makes me feel strange, and it gives me a stomach ache. I think it's hard for my body to digest it, and I'm also lactose intolerant, so I drink lactaid milk.
Anyway, I'm very sorry for the long message, but I wanted to know if anyone has advice for me on what I should do? I need my family to at least support me, and if they don't, transitioning is going to be hard when living with meat eaters. I wish my parents would at least try some of the vegan meals I want to prepare.
Thank you very much in advance for any advice you can give me!
I'm new to this group, but I wanted some advice from you guys. So, I'm a Christian meat eater (and I'm not a hater, I don't hate on people whom are not the same faith as myself), and lately on YouTube I'll watch a video on something that is in no way related to veganism, and I'll see videos on veganism pop up on the side bar. Well, I think God is trying to reveal something to me. I watched a lot of these videos a couple months ago, and over the course of these last couple months, and I'm still conflicted. Here's why:
1. I have seen a few videos of sheep being sheared in Australia a couple weeks ago, and the treatment they receive was so traumatizing for me, it made me cry, and gave me a massive headache. I watched it again today, and the same thing happened. It gave me mixed emotions of sadness, and anger.
2. I've seen other animal cruelty videos in the factory farming industry, and it also makes me cry, makes me feel nauseous, and gives me a headache. I get a headache every time I watch these videos. I'm wondering if it causes my blood pressure to skyrocket, and maybe that's why I'm getting headaches.
3. So, I'm 100% behind the ethical principle, and I'm also 100% behind the health benefits as well. However, this next reason is why it makes me feel conflicted.
4. Well, I live with meat eaters (my parents), and my dad is more supportive of what I want to do concerning transitioning to vegetarianism, and then to veganism, but it's my mum. I have been having some stomach issues, and I had to have a colonoscopy done, and they found a moderate sized polyp. I'm only 31 y/o, and 6 1/2 years ago (aged 24) when I had a colonoscopy for stomach issues as well, I didn't have any polyps, and they said I didn't need another colonoscopy until I'm 55 y/o. If I hadn't had this colonoscopy a couple weeks ago, and that polyp sat inside me for 25 more years, I could have ended up with colon cancer. So, on the way back home, my mum drove me, because I was still a little loopy, and I was telling her how I feel like God has been trying to tell me to cut out animal products. I told her how I'm afraid if I keep eating meat, that I could end up getting colon cancer since animal flesh rots inside us for a while before being eliminated. Well, she scoffed at me, and told me meat wasn't causing any issues, and that I don't need to cut out meat, or animal products. It kind of hurt my feelings, because I was being serious. I'm scared for my health. I already have PCOS, and I'm at risk for ovarian cancer, I have an under active thyroid (hypothyroidism), migraines that my doctor said a beta blocker would fix, and now I think the beta blocker has induced high blood pressure, because before my blood pressure was always on the low side of normal, I have acid reflux and I'm on a PPI called protonix, which I want to get off, and I have a ruptured disc in my L4-L5, narrowing of my spine, and arthritis in my spine, and it causes me extreme pain.
I feel like my mum doesn't care about my concerns for my health, and she won't support me trying to go vegetarian, then vegan. I told her how horrible the animals are treated, and she told me she hates it too, but there isn't anything she can do. I was pulling my hair out (not literally.. lol), because I tried telling her that going vegan is doing something about it. It's the most effective way of supporting animals. I told her how I am sure God looks down on animals being beaten, tortured, and killed in a slow suffering manner, and that it must sadden Him to see how we are treating his creation. Adam and Eve didn't eat animals in the Garden of Eden, and it wasn't until after their fall into sin that they started killing animals for food. I believe God originally created us to only eat plant based foods. Whenever I eat meat it makes me feel strange, and it gives me a stomach ache. I think it's hard for my body to digest it, and I'm also lactose intolerant, so I drink lactaid milk.
Anyway, I'm very sorry for the long message, but I wanted to know if anyone has advice for me on what I should do? I need my family to at least support me, and if they don't, transitioning is going to be hard when living with meat eaters. I wish my parents would at least try some of the vegan meals I want to prepare.
Thank you very much in advance for any advice you can give me!
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Replies
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Hey! I loved reading your story. My husband is a non vegan and at first he wasn't 100% on board with it. It's hard, but eventually your mom with accept it. I think meat eaters at first think the whole thing is crazy because they can't imagine a meal without meat, but if you have mealtime together and your mom sees you are actually eating fine I think she will get used to the idea. It's actually shocking at first how many things you can no longer eat, that you wouldn't even think about like cereals and boxed mashed potatoes lol but if you educate yourself and really do your research it isn't hard at all.
Feel free to add me or message me with any questions. Regarding your PCOS I follow a vegan YouTube that made videos on how going vegan helped her, Sara Lemkes (spelling?)
And I have tons of vegan documentaries and you tubers I can recommend!1 -
Hi! A Christian vegan here.
Always remember that first of all, you are doing it for YOURSELF! You cannot always rely on other people support...sadly but true. Do what feels right! Do what will benefit your health! I agree that your family is scared that now they will have to make the change too....and they are not ready. You will have to stay strong! My family still is kind of a bit mocking me a bit and always offering meat and etc...just to push it inside me...though after 3 years it has become finally little bit easier. I have health issues as well and I can tell you that since I transitioned it has become only better and I have blood tests and etc. to prove it. It is funny how everyone always tried to knock me down with things like- oh, you will run out of iron, you will this and that...but in reality,nothing has happened...I used to be anemic with all the meat and dairy eating, but now my anemia has improved!!!What we eat is directly linked to our health...I do not know what caused my problems...I guess I was just born that way, but certainly, my food choices help me to control my condition and not to make it worse! it means fewer complications and fewer medications.
If you keep your position strong your family will have to accept it sooner or later!
Feel free to add me!2 -
Hello, I realize I am a little late on this post, but if you are like me, this is going to be a long process. It is a difficult endeavor to change a culture. You are battling a world that has been raised with a skewed food pyramid and have been desensitized to animal cruelty. As long as they don't see it, it's okay. I live my life according to God's Will. He created earth as a paradise and meant for us to live harmoniously with all his creations. How cruel would it be that Adam name all the animals and then have to kill them and eat them. Even after the flood, when God allowed his people to eat meat, they had to respect that the animal was a gift from God. “The righteous one takes care of his domestic animals.”—Proverbs 12:10. Also, the earth itself is a gift from God and is under our stewardship. The massive scale in which we consume animal based foods is alarming and directly affects global warming. The population is growing and they need to be fed. That takes land. Too much land. As far as health is concerned, it is a shame that doctors receive almost no education on the benefits of nutrition in med school. Current studies are now proving that a change to a whole foods-plant based diet can reverse diabetes, lower blood pressure, decrease cholesterol levels, etc. I myself am trying to turn my mom to eating more plant based foods as she is diabetic. But she doesn't hear that from her doctor because they weren't educated on it. They turn to medications because that is where the money is. (at least in the U.S). So, as a Christian, we are to love all of God's creations. But we do not honor those creations when we mistreat our animals and support a lifestyle that is not sustainable as a planet. Furthermore, when we eat foods that do harm to our bodies we are not doing God's Will. Rom 12:1 Therefore, I appeal to you by the compassions of God, brothers, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, a sacred service with your power of reason. 1 Cor 6:19 Do you not know that your body is the temple of the holy spirit within you, which you have from God? Also, you do not belong to yourselves, 20 for you were bought with a price. By all means, glorify God in your body. Pro 23:20Do not be among those who drink too much wine, Among those who gorge themselves on meat, 21 For a drunkard and a glutton will come to poverty, And drowsiness will clothe one with rags.1
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Once, when I was at school, I had to buy essays online fast and I also was seeing a lot of pop up ads with this. But meat was something I needed to stay on, for health. Im sure god loves you the way you are, don't think too much0
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OK. Here is what I would do... Obviously you do not want to push a wedge between yourself and your mother.
You have a good understanding being offered from your father.
Why not invite them to do a little research with you and have an open discussion about how things are.
I would start gently and ask if they will watch forks over knives movie with you and then have a chat about what they think.
You may find they are only worried about you and do not understand why you want to be vegan.
I don't think it a good idea to use the argument of animal cruelty, though I also hate this is happening. But the argument is very confrontational and this is not going to help build a bridge here.
Instead use health as the push as this is you real concern.
Hope this is helpful?
I don't think your faith has a lot to do with your food in this case? Simply put, I can't find anything anywhere to say a Christian is expected to eat meat?
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