Not Supportive/ hate feeling attacked (merged)

Chickens clearly have brains, any 101 Science or Biology class can explain that.

I think we get frustrated about ignorance & arrogance, over any topic. Especially when its coming from a friend, someone who is suppose to care.

Been a vegetarian since the 70s. Found out I had a lot of educating to do. At times I needed a break or to be around others who were vegetarians. Dont be too hard on yourself, do stick to your beliefs.

 

Strange as it may seem, the animal welfare argument just doesn't seem to register with a lot of people, and some people believe there is nothing wrong with eating animals.

I've found that people will listen more if you talk about the health benefits of being vegetarian. The fact that diseased animals, such as cancerous chickens, are used for food- with supposedly the bad bits cut out- usually gets people's attention! Or you can try the environmental/world hunger argument. It's definitely an uphill battle though, and it's amazing the number of people who just don't want to know.

Hilary

 

In the 5 and a half years that I've been a vegetarian, I've been asked why at least a hundred times, I think. Luckily, my family's always been pretty cool with it (it helps that a few people in my extended family are, also, and one is even vegan); my mother even stopped eating meat and fowl (she still eats fish) about a year ago.
The trouble I have is with religion. I don't know if anyone else on here is an Orthodox Jew, or whether people of other faiths have encountered similar problems, but when I try to brush questioners off with a vague reason like "ethical reasons", they nearly always want to get into a discussion. A few of them seem generally interested, and often say something about how they wish they could be vegetarian but can't manage to give up chicken soup or hot dogs or whatever it is. Most, however, seem to think that I see myself as morally superior to them, and start trying to prove me wrong by (mis-)quoting Maimonides at me. I've been doing research for a school paper on the topic, and I'm finding that these people clearly have no idea what they're talking about.

 

I admit I attack veggies on occasion, but, I only attack when provoked by over rightiousness. you are not better than me, and both fish and fowl are meats.

 

I eat neither fish nor fowl- I'm saying that my family encourages my food choices. And I don't go looking for an argument- if, in a buffet line, I ask a waiter what doesn't have meat in it, the person behind me frequently takes that as an excuse to start questioning me about my beliefs.
And I don't feel morally superior; most of my friends are omnivores, and the ones I respect are the ones who accept me for who I am.

 

Well, I accept you for what you are, but preach at me once and I am one surly SOB.

 

Many people here are making a huge assumption that everyone who eats meat eats crap.

I disagree that eating animals is cruel, but I do agree that factory farms are. I eat free-range buffalo from a local ranch (instead of beef), lots of fresh caught fish (whatever is running at the time), and whatever friends kill and have extra of (I used to go hunting with my old man, but no longer do for financial reasons). I hardly find this diet overly cruel.

I believe this diet is even better for the environment than a vegan one (although not everyone has the advantage of living in such a bountiful area).

 

Actually i'm a veggie simply because I feel that it's a healthier diet for me, I feel better for it and I feel the people in this country (UK) eat far too much meat in their diet, it can't be good for them.

For me it has nothing to do with the animal welfare argument because I feel even if you are a veggie that animals still suffer and are killed to harvest the fields, grow the vegetables etc. Think how many worms , ants and other insects and animals are killed in the fields...They are "just ants" you may argue, but then explain how there suffering and feeling is less important than a being with more intelligence...

But so far i've only encountered people assuming that i've quit meat due to the 'ethical reasons' which is actually really annoying. When I explain that it's just because I feel healthier because of it they seem to think it's weird as they can't envision a life without meat, then I explain how I went travelling in India and how the majority there are veggies and despite there poverty can live to very old ages (in my opnion this also has a lot to do with spiritual practices and lifestyles). Then they suddenly become much more open to the idea and less critical towards me.

 

Well just say, "I make my own shit, and I'll choose the ingredients!"

 

Lol! (people are funny). I go vegan from time to time just to give my body a break and it's funny how it tweaks people's minds. It's almost like they think you're part of some weird religion and they're afraid you're going to try to convert them.

 

I'm definitely looking forward to using that argument in a year or two when I have my own kitchen; for now, I'm 17 and living at home, where 4 members of my family eat meat (and, in the cases of my brothers, complain about my vegetarianism to their friends to get invited for Shabbat dinner somewhere where the chulent is "real").

 

I know a guy who will alwyas, always, say "Well I'm Catholic and animals don't have souls so therefore its okay to eat them. You can eat them too, that's what God wants." I of course feel that's a bunch of bs. Anyone know any good retorts for that?