Guest guest Posted January 24, 2005 Report Share Posted January 24, 2005 Hi all! I'm new to this board, but must say I really enjoy being here! I was just wondering if any of you have suggestions on how to deal with all the overbearing, know-it-all meat eating people in the world who are so quick to tell you how wrong you are for being a vegetarian. I would think that being a vegetarian coupled with my intense belief in kindness and compassion for all creatures would bring out a kinder, gentler side to those around me, but in many cases, it brings out the opposite. I'm not very outspoken in my beliefs unless asked. I'm non-confrontational in most circumstances. I just feel very alone in many circles, including work and my extended family. Thank goodness my husband and son are with me on this and are devoted vegetarians and animal lovers, too! Any insight on this would be most appreciated! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 24, 2005 Report Share Posted January 24, 2005 Marie, I know exactly how you feel. At my last job, my boss said being a vegetarian was unAmerican. And here, in Iowa, a co-worker's husband asked us, " don't you want to be a part of the food-chain? " I've also had people a religious diatribe on why eating meat is a christian duty. Well, I shock them even further by telling them I'm not christian. I feel that most people who are hostile towards those who are different are that way because they feel threatened. People who feel threatened will either use humor or dogma to overpower their target. I'm sure these meat-eaters would never admit to feeling threatened. A couple of responses I give when I'm faced with an ugly interaction. When I'm feeling kind and gentle: " I respect what you say and eat and I only hope that you can respect my personal choice on what I eat and how I choose to live. " When I'm feeling sarcastic or dismissive: " Buddhists (and other religious groups) have been vegetarians for centuries and they live perfectly, healthy lives. " - or- " I don't support the inhumane farming practices and mass murder and filthy slaughtering conditions and until I can raise an animal myself and kill it, I won't eat meat. " When I'm feeling like a know-it-all vegetarian: " Actually more studies show that a vegetarian diet high in fiber and plant protein reduces risks of heart disease, cancer, and diabetes and that there are more risks to eating meat, especially due to the filthy slaughtering practices kept today. " And of course the best suggesting with dealing with an overbearing know-it-all is to just walk away. When I first joined this group, some of us would post on a regular basis silly things meat eaters would say to us trying to tell us we're " wrong. " It was good for me to get it off my chest so I didn't hang on to the feelings and then when I re-read it on the list and people's responses I had a good laugh and felt much better. I hope that helped lighten things up for you. I'm sorry that things can be so difficult but do hang in there. The most important thing is that your husband and son are loving and supporting and that is all that matters. You know that you are doing the right thing for yourself and family. Denise , " Marie " <countrydreamingspirit> wrote: > > Hi all! > I'm new to this board, but must say I really enjoy being here! > I was just wondering if any of you have suggestions on how to deal > with all the overbearing, know-it-all meat eating people in the world > who are > so quick to tell you how wrong you are for being a vegetarian. I would > think that being a vegetarian coupled with my intense belief in > kindness and compassion for all creatures would bring out a kinder, > gentler side to those around me, but in many cases, it brings out the > opposite. I'm not very outspoken in my beliefs unless asked. I'm > non-confrontational in most circumstances. I just feel very alone in > many circles, including work and my extended family. Thank goodness my > husband and son are with me on this and are devoted vegetarians and > animal lovers, too! > Any insight on this would be most appreciated! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 24, 2005 Report Share Posted January 24, 2005 When dealing with meat-eaters don't take what they say personally. It often reflects the views they were raised on and are set in; very few of them have even tried being vegetarian for a short while. Eating meat is a Christian duty? Hardly! Catholics, which follow a branch of Christianity, fast by not eating meat, or certain kinds of meat, on some holy days. It was a treat - something that they didn't get often - in older times, so as a sign of respect they would not eat it on days like Good Friday. I was raised Catholic, though I'm not anymore. I live in Canada - the west coast - and there are a lot of vegetarians here. I don't see how being vegetarian is 'unamerican' when so much of the American charter is about freedom of speech and, well, free will. Another good argument is pointing out how the production of meat strains the enviroment - think about all the water and grain that go into producing a little bit of meat, not to mention the waste the animal produces, the methane gas in the case of cows, and the land it takes up. There's plenty of food to go around this world, but it needs to be distrubted properly and we need to stop wasting resources on making meat. When all else fails, calmly walk away and reassure yourself that they're hurting their own bodies. Good luck! --Lily Frost Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 24, 2005 Report Share Posted January 24, 2005 , " Marie " <countrydreamingspirit> wrote: > > Hi all! > I'm new to this board, but must say I really enjoy being here! > I was just wondering if any of you have suggestions on how to deal > with all the overbearing, know-it-all meat eating people in the world > who are > so quick to tell you how wrong you are for being a vegetarian. Well, this one sometimes ends the questioning: 'I noticed that the smell of a large wound in a human body was exactly like the smell of a raw piece of meat before cooking'. or: 'Just something about eating an animal that's been dead for a few weeks that bothers me'. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 24, 2005 Report Share Posted January 24, 2005 My friend in England gets picked at quite a bit at work in the cafeteria so he responds by saying, I'd rather not be known as a " corpse cruncher " and they usually just turn and walk away with their mouth hanging open.....LOL ..... Donna gzuckier <gzuckier wrote: , " Marie " <countrydreamingspirit> wrote: > > Hi all! > I'm new to this board, but must say I really enjoy being here! > I was just wondering if any of you have suggestions on how to deal > with all the overbearing, know-it-all meat eating people in the world > who are > so quick to tell you how wrong you are for being a vegetarian. Well, this one sometimes ends the questioning: 'I noticed that the smell of a large wound in a human body was exactly like the smell of a raw piece of meat before cooking'. or: 'Just something about eating an animal that's been dead for a few weeks that bothers me'. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 25, 2005 Report Share Posted January 25, 2005 I have conflict with people on many political issues. I deal with diet conflicts the same way as any other--with as much love and compassion as I can muster. " Winning " is never the goal--treating others with kindness is the best way to get someone in the mood to listen and learn. A good book to read that touches on this subject many times is the autobiography of Ghandi. ===== Be here now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 25, 2005 Report Share Posted January 25, 2005 well, people at my office still make jokes to me but they are quiet about it now because our new boss is a vegetarian. I suppose if they had the conviction of their ways(yes, eating an old dead animal is a good thing to them, I guess) then they would speak up around him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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