Vegetarianism was developed by the ancient Greeks. Pythagoras and Porphyry were the best-known practicing vegetarians, but the list of those who advocated a vegetarian diet includes Diogenes, Plato, Epicurus, and Plutarch, all for ethical reasons. Throughout time, there have been many, many great philosophers such as Plato, Socrates, Leo Tolstoy, and George Bernard Shaw who have taught the morality of veganism/vegetarianism and ethical eating.

I must say, my reasons for being vegan is purely ethical. We do NOT need to eat animals for survival. We have no nutritional need for meat, eggs or milk. Eating meat means eating a corpse! It means robbing the animal of his or her life, and then devouring the body. The torture and slaughter of massive amounts of animals on a daily basis, is senseless to say the least. Since we do not need to eat meat to survive, when we choose to, we are choosing to inflict death and suffering on others simply for the pleasure of tasting meat. Actually, though, most people do not consciously choose to eat meat.........they were raised that way from childhood. There are no outings to factory farms or to the slaughterhouse when you are young.....as a child, we don't really think about where our food comes from. How many people associate a hamburger or a steak with a cow that is suspended from a meathook, it's bood being drained into a big vat? If we had to hunt and kill these animals ourselves, I'm sure there would be a lot more vegetarians/vegans in the world! However, all the "dirty work" is done for us in places that are hidden away, that we will never visit, that have no windows, no signs, no advertisements of the grotesque ongoing process that occurs day after day within their walls.

As human beings and stewards of the earth, we need to research and learn just where food comes from. Ignorance is not an excuse! We have a moral and ethical responsibilty to protect the voicelss and the innocent. We must realize that when we drink a glass of milk or eat a cheeseburger, we are actually eating the suffering and death of once living, breathing, feeling creatures. Compassion and peace begin on our plate! 140 billion animals are killed each year by the meat, egg and dairy industries. That is a mind blowing number that most people are completely unaware of. 140 billion!! And that is just for food.........that does no include the millions abused and killed for animal research, within the entertainment industry, the clothing and fur industry, etc.

Ethical reasoning to be vegan and animal welfare go hand in hand. To be vegan one must take on a deeper level of conscious thinking that concentrates on the importance of the interconnectness of all living things and respect for all life. It's very simple......just as we must think before we act, think before we speak, we must think before we eat!!! How can we morally justify involving ourselves in the infliction of injury, suffering, pain and death, even indirectly, by eating other living creatures?

There also are many health and nutritional bonuses, and environmental bonuses to gain by abstaining from meat and meat products, but that's what they are for me......bonuses! I am vegan because the horrific mistreatment of animals in this world is unacceptable to me. Even if it were not benefical to either my health or the environment, I would still be vegan!

On my "Links Page", there are numerous links that focus on animal cruelty/abuse not only in the farming industry and the pharmaseutical industry (animal testing) but also the entertainment industry (circuses, rodeos, horse and dog racing and others), the fur trade, hunting, etc. Animal cruelty is a worldwide epidemic that surrounds us. Please check out my links page to educate yourself if you already are not aware.

Two exceptional films that I highly recommend you watch are: (1) EARTHLINGS. "This is the single most powerful and informative movie about society's treatment of animals, and a must-see for anyone who cares about animal welfare". Written and directed by Shaun Monson, and narrated by Joaquin Phoenix, using hidden cameras and never-before-seen footage, EARTHLINGS chronicles the day-to-day practices of the largest industries in the world, all of which rely entirely on animals for profit. You can also visit the website at: Earthlings.

(2) A DELICATE BALANCE-THE TRUTH.. "Thought-provoking and life changing is a common description about Australian director Aaron Scheibner's latest film with its strong pro-vegan message"..."I decided to create a film that clearly illustrates how diet and non violence are critical to the well-being of all Life on earth."

Please check out these "You Tube" videos if you are not aware of what goes on every day around us all:

• You Tube-Animal Cruelty



• You Tube-Stop Animal Cruelty



• You Tube-Rodeos



• You Tube-Animal Abuse



• You Tube-Circus Abuse



• You Tube-Shelter Animals



• You Tube-Animal Abuse



• You Tube-Animal Abuse



• You Tube-Horse Racing Abuse



• You Tube-Greyhound Racing Abuse



• You Tube-Violence Towards Animals Leads To Violence Towards Humans



• Another powerful You Tube video by Dr. Tom Regan can be seen at: A Case For an Animal Bill of Rights.

Even after being vegan for 30 some years and being very aware of the animal cruelty that exists in our world, I can not watch these vidoes. They're unbelivably heartbreaking. My wish would be for everyone who is NOT aware of the animal abuse that exists, to watch each and every one. As human beings, we pride ourselves on being the intelligent species, a technologically advanced society, the most evolved life form on earth, a species that can reason, has a conscious...one that has higher moral status, compassion, and can love..........yet it absolutely astounds me just how much animal abuse and cruelty we allow and accept in our world., day after day. Where is our conscious? how do we reason this? where are our morals? our comapssion? Although I know many do not associate veganism with spirituality, I do, and the question that goes through my mind more than nay is "Why would God put animals on this earth who are aware, who feel pain, who squeal and squirm in agony when we try to slit their throats, if he intended them to be killed every day for our benefit?

Most people, if forced to witness the entire process through which a piece of meat is produced, from birth of the animal to the slaughterhouse, would choose not to eat the meat! Many people either choose not to think about it, or do, but not enough to eliminate the "pleasure" of eating meat. Eating meat is either the result of true ignorance or wilful ignorance. It's not just eating meat, although that is a huge part of animal cruelty.........ethics are also at hand when we observe how animals are exploited and abused by man in other ways. Some are obvious (hunting, fur trade) but if we could go "behind the scenes" and see the abuse that occurs for entertainment, I think most people would refrain from events such as circuses, rodeos, horse racing, dog racing, zoos, etc. If we could see the totured animals as a result ot "animal testing" perhaps we would not purchase products tested on animals.

Yes, my choice to be vegan was so simple and at a very young age....I did think about what I was eating, what I was wearing, etc. For those of you who are not vegan, watch these graphic vidoes and tell me that they are not, at the very least, extremely thought-provoking. When one is outraged enough, they are compelled to change to a vegan diet.

Philosopher Peter Singer believes that if alternatives of survival exist, one ought to choose the option that does not cause unnecessary harm to animals. Singer first established himself as a bold thinker with his argument that animals share equal moral status with human beings (and that it therefore is unethical for people to kill and eat them). His book "Animal Liberation" (a must-read) is widely referenced by animal rights groups. He says "When non-vegetarians say that human problems come first, I cannot help wondering what exactly it is that they are doing for human beings that compels them to continue to support the wasteful, ruthless exploitation of farmed animals."

Another good book to read is: Without a Tear: Our Tragic Relationship With Animals", by Mark H. Bernstein. Bernstein begins with one of our most common and cherished moral beliefs: that it is wrong to intentionally and gratuitously inflict harm on the innocent. Another "hero" of mine is Tom Regan, whose books include: "The Case For Animal Rights"; "Defending Animal Rights"; "Compassion For Animals"; and "Animal Rights, Human Wrongs: An Introduction to Moral Philosophy" . To quote Dr. Regan, "Everyone who picks up Empty Cages loves their companion animal and would never want anyone to hurt any dog or cat. That’s a given. All that animal rights activists do is take compassion and extend it to other animals. The animals who are turned into food. The animals who are turned into clothes. The animals who are turned into tools." "The animals that we raise for food or trap for fur are like us in fundamental ways," says the gray-bearded professor. "They are in the world, they're aware of the world, they're aware of what happens to them as beings in the world.... They have a life whose quality matters to them, just like you and me."

I am a firm believer that the way we treat our animals reflects how we treat each other. Or vice-versa. There is a direct correlation between violence towards animals and violence towards humans. When you thnk about it, we truly live in a very violent world, filled with abortion, child abuse, crime, human injustice and murder, domestic abuse, elder abuse, war, etc. Sadly, there is NO respect for life today. Respect for life begins with animals and nature. Animals are more LIKE us than not like us. They experience all 5 senses, feel pain, are intelligent, and feel affection not only for their own kind, but also for humans. When we can learn to respect animals we will learn to respect all life. Respect for animals means not eating them! It means exercising good morals and ethics so not to support industries that neglect and exploit animals for human greed.

“The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated.” ~ Mahatma Gandhi

The definition of "vegan", according to the Vegan Society is "someone who tries to live without exploiting animals". We all should be living a life such as that!

Following is a timeline of some of the animal rights groups/publications promoting veganism for ethical reasons:

• 1975 “Animal Liberation,” by philosopher Peter Singer is published.
• 1976 Vegetarian Information Service founded. It would become Farm Animal Reform Movement in 1981 and then Farm Animal Rights Movement in 2008.
• 1979 Animal Legal Defense Fund is established.
• 1980 People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) is founded.
• “Animal Factories” by attorney Jim Mason and philosopher Peter Singer is published.
• 1981 Farm Animal Reform Movement is officially founded.
• 1983 Farm Animal Reform Movement establishes World Farm Animals Day on October 2.
• “The Case for Animal Rights,” by philosopher Tom Regan is published.
• 1985 The first annual Great American Meatout is organized by Farm Animal Reform Movement.
Farm Sanctuary is founded. "Diet for a New America" by John Robbins is published.
• 1989 "Old McDonalds Factory Farm", by C. David Coats, published.
• 1992 Animal Enterprise Protection Act is passed.
• 1993 Voice For Viable Future founded.
Animal Liberation Action was founded. It later became Vegan Outreach in 1995.
• 1994 VIVA (Vegetarians International Voice for Animals) was founded.
• 1995 Compassion Over Killing is founded.
• 1997 Peaceful Prairie Sanctuary founded. Tibe of Heart organization that produced such films as Peaceble Kingdom and The Witness.
• 1998 Compassion Action for Animals founded.
• 2002 "Dominion" by Matthew Scully is published.
• 2004 Woodstock Farm Animal Sanctuary was founded. Nation Earth (Shaun Monson) produces "Earthlings" documentary.
• 2008 Phoenix Philms (Aaron Scheibner) produces "A Delicate Balance-The Truth".

One last thought.....though vegans are often accused of placing more importance on animals than on their fellow humans, most vegans are very aware of human rights issues and seek to avoid companies and organizations that exploit others and to be "ethical consumers". Many find themselves becoming increasingly active in the fight for human rights as a direct result of embracing veganism and the vegan lifestyle.

I am blessed to have visited a slaughterhouse when I was 10 years old while going on a "farm tour" with my family. Of course, it was not in operation when we visited, but I could still imagine the brutality that took place there every day. That day changed my life forever. I stopped eating meat shortly afterwards (when I was almost 12) So, I was already vegan for many years before reading the book "Slaughterhouse:The Shocking Story of Greed, Neglect, and Inhumane Treatment Inside the U.S. Meat Industry" by Gail A. Eisnitz, but had I not been, I certainly would have been before I had finished the book! It is THE MOST GUT WRENCHING book I have ever read, and I had a hard time finishing it.

An exert from that book reads: The testimony of a horse slaughterhouse worker: "You move so fast you don't have time to wait till a horse bleeds out. You skin him as he bleeds. Sometimes a horse's nose is down in the blood, blowing bubbles, and he suffocates." Another worker, on cow slaughter: "A lot of times the skinner finds a cow is still conscious when he slices the side of its head and it starts kicking wildly. If that happens, ... the skinner shoves a knife into the back of its head to cut the spinal cord." (This paralyzes the animal, but doesn't stop the pain of being skinned alive.) And still another, on calf slaughter: "To get done with them faster, we'd put eight or nine of them in the knocking box at a time... You start shooting, the calves are jumping, they're all piling up on top of each other. You don't know which ones got shot and which didn't... They're hung anyway, and down the line they go, wriggling and yelling"(to be slaughtered while fully conscious). Another on pig slaughter: "If the hog is conscious, ... it takes a long time for him to bleed out. These hogs get up to the scalding tank, hit the water, and start kicking and screaming... There's a rotating arm that pushes them under. No chance for them to get out. I am not sure if they burn to death before they drown, but it takes them a couple of minutes to stop thrashing."

These vidoes are grusome, but are something that everyone should see.

This is an Affidavit from a slaughterhouse worker: "I estimate that 30 percent of the cows are not properly knocked and get to the first legger alive....To still be alive at the second legger the cows have gone alive from the knocker to the sticker to the belly ripper (he cuts the hide down the center of the cow's abdomen) to the tail ripper (he opens the [rectum]) to the first legger (he skins a back leg and then cuts off the foot) to the first butter (he skins from the breast to the belly and a little bit on the back) to the worker who cuts off both front feet. Those cows then go to a worker who sticks a hook into the joint where the first legger took off the foot and the cows are hung from the trolley hook. I can tell that these cows are alive because they're holding their heads up and they make noise."

This is testimony from Raymond Moreno, slaughterhouse worker for over 20 years: “They blink. They make noises, the head moves, the eyes are wide and looking around. Still [the worker] would cut. On bad days dozens of animals reach the station clearly alive and conscious. Some would survive as far as the tail cutter, the belly ripper, the hide puller. They die piece by piece.”

Slaughterhouses, as you can see and hear from those who work in them are "houses of horror". There is NOTHING moral, ethical, or humane about them since there is NOTHING moral, ethical or humane about eathing animals! We do not need more laws to try to "protect" them............we need to stop breeding them and murdering them because "they taste good". There is absolutely NO way to justify the brutaly, the cruely, the abuses, the torture, the agony, the many injustices we have bestowed on our fellow inhabitants of this earth. If aliens were to come to Earth from another planet and assume their supremacey over humans claiming they were the more intelligent being.....if they were to take control of our lives, take away our freedoms, take away our rights to be who we are, if they were to enslave us to work for them, have the right to torture us, kills us, and consume our flesh, it would be the equvalent as to what we have done to our all non-human animals!

I am a Christian and my core beliefs on veganism stem from my faith. My Christianity teaches me this: "A God who is loving, compassionate, and merciful does not condone human beings killing or enslaving one another, and also does not condone animal exploitation. The Garden of Eden, God's perfect world, was vegetarian (Gen. 1:29-30). Immediately, God calls this ideal and non-exploitative relationship "good" (Gen. 1:31). This is the one time when God makes such a statement. There follow many years of fallen humanity, when people held slaves, waged war, ate animals, and committed various other violent acts. Although there are passages in the Scriptures that endorse eating animals, war, slavery, polygamy, animal sacrifice, and other practices that most people find immoral, these passages are a representation of what existed as a part of fallen humanity, not of God's ideal plan or vision. Despite the fall, the prophets tell us to expect a new age, a return to Eden, God's peaceable kingdom, when even the lion will lie down with the lamb and there will be no bloodshed or violence at all, "for the Earth will be filled with the knowledge of God" (Isaiah 11)."
(source: www.jesusveg.com)

Unlike war, poverty, homelessness, starvation, and many other problems that plague our world, torturing and slaughtering billions of animals every year is something that ordinary people can change just by making more compassionate food choices!

One of the primary reasons to live a vegan lifestyle, for some of us, is because of religious/spiritual beliefs. Being in harmony and peace with the other animals around us often makes us feel spiritually and mentally well, and give us an overall feeling of inner peace knowing we are living a more gentle lifestyle. Most vegetarians/vegans are people who have understood that to contribute towards a more peaceful society we must first solve the problem of violence in our own hearts.

The spiritual side of vegetarianism/veganism, is much harder to define than the ethical or the health/medical reasons. There are no lists of statistics to explain this journey of peace and compassion that our spirit encounters when we fully appreciate a vegan lifestyle. We realize our oneness with nature and the world around us, and open our eyes to the great beauty of it. The key is to truly open our eyes.....to realize that nothing should suffer to fill our plates.........to look at our four legged friends as not something to sustain us with their flesh, but rather to sustain us with their beauty. Whether we believe in a higher power or not, whether spirituality can be defined by a particular religion we follow or not, all vegans have one thing in common.......reverance for all life. Having respect for animal life means having respect also for human life. The compassion we show towards animals spills over in how we treat human beings. Non-violence towards animals means non-violence towards other human beings as well. Compassion for animals will make for more compassion among people, weaving more empathy, respect, dignity, and love into all our lives

Many organized religions support healthy eating and a vegetarian/vegan diet, including Seventh-Day Adventists, Jews, Christians, Hindus, Buddhists, Jains, Quakers, Mormons and Muslims.

The vegan diet is based on non-violence and respect for all creation. When we are non-violent, we are loving to all life forms. This helps our mind remain calm and filled with peace. Meditation, yoga, and other practices that aim to integrate body, mind and spirit become easier, less of a struggle to Westerners who choose to avoid meat and meat products. Many religious/spiritual groups advocate a vegan/vegetarian diet to encourage compassion, mercy, respect for all life and thoughtfulness.......most advocate "what goes around comes around", "do unto others as you would have others do unto you", "karma", and "thou shalt not kill".

(above source: "Vegan 2000".Check out website for entire article)

(1) Christianity......... Vegetarianism/veganism and the Bible is a very debatable topic among today's Christians. Did God intend for us to eat meat? Was Jesus Christ a vegetarian? Is being a vegetarian following the teachings of Christ to be compassionate and loving? There are those who will show evidence that the Bible supports eating meat and those who will show evidence supporting vegetarianism. According to the Bible, in the beginning, humans and animals were vegetarian. The Garden of Eden, God's perfect world, was vegetarian (Gen. 1:29-30). Immediately, God calls this ideal and non-exploitative relationship "good" (Gen. 1:31). This is the one time when God makes such a statement. There follow many years of fallen humanity, when people held slaves, waged war, ate animals, and committed various other violent acts. Although there are passages in the Scriptures that endorse eating animals, war, slavery, polygamy, animal sacrifice, and other practices that most people find immoral, these passages are a representation of what existed as a part of fallen humanity, not of God's ideal plan or vision. Immediately after the Flood, God permitted the eating of meat.

According to Steven Rosen;s book, "Food for the Spirit": "The early Christian fathers adhered to a meatless regime...many early Christian groups supported the meatless way of life. In fact, the writings of the early Church indicate that meat eating was not officially allowed until the 4th century, when the Emperor Constantine decided that his version of Christianity would be the version for everyone. A meat eating interpretation of the Bible became the official creed of the Roman Empire, and vegetarian Christians had to practice in secret or risk being put to death for heresy."

The “Church father” Hieronymus spanned the time from the great flood to the coming of Jesus and explained: “Up until the great flood eating meat was unknown; but since then our mouths have been stuffed with the fibers and stinking juices of animal flesh, like the quail that were thrown to the rebelling, sensual people in the desert. Jesus Christ, who appeared when the time was fulfilled, again joined the end with the beginning, so that we are no longer allowed to eat animal meat.”

Some Christians believe that the Bible explains that, in the future, humans and animals will return to vegetarianism.

Reverend William Metcalfe, a pacifist and a prominent member of the Bible-Christian Church, preached vegetarianism. He and Sylvester Graham, the mentor of the Grahamites, were among the founders of the American Vegetarian Society in 1850.

All *Oriental Orthodox*, *Eastern Orthodox*, and *Eastern Catholic Monastics* abstain from meat year-round, and many abstain from dairy and seafood as well.

*The Seventh-day Adventist Church* is a Christian denomination that recommends the vegetarian diet as a holistic lifestyle choice within its teachings. Whatever is done in eating or drinking should honor and glorify God and preserve the health of the body, mind and spirit. Ellen G. White, one of the founders of the church, became an advocate of vegetarianism, and the Church has recommended a meatless diet ever since.

*The Christian Vegetarian Association* (CVA)was founded in 1999 by Nathan Braun and Stephen H. Webb, Professor of Religion at Wabash College. CVA is an international, non-denominational Christian ministry that promotes responsible stewardship of God's creation through plant-based eating. The CVA advocates vegetarianism from a biblically based, Christian perspective and sees dietary choice as a valid way to bear witness to Christ's ministry of love, peace, mercy, and compassion. Their mission is to support and encourage Christian vegetarians around the world; To share with non-vegetarian Christians how a vegetarian diet can add meaning to one's faith, aid in one's spirituality, and enhance one's moral life; To show the world that plant-based diets represent good, responsible Christian stewardship for all God’s Creation. (you will find a link on my links page).

The Order Of The Crossis an informal Christian fellowship founded in 1904 by John Todd Ferrier. All members of the Order are pacifist and vegetarian or vegan. The Headquarters of the Order is in London, England and there are local groups of members in the United Kingdom, North America, Australia and New Zealand. The Order has for its service in life the cultivation of the Spirit of Love towards all Souls; helping the weak and defending the defenceless and oppressed; abstaining from hurting the creatures, eschewing bloodshed and flesh-eating, and living on the pure foods so abundantly provided by nature.

Catholic Concern for Animals (CCE)was founded in 1929 in London by Cardinal Bourne. They believe that all life is God-given and therefore to be highly respected – and that life, of course, includes all human life, particularly that of the most vulnerable, the unborn, and the terminally ill or dying. We hold strongly to a pro-life approach, both for humans and for sentient non-humans, and resist any suggestion that we care ‘only’ for animals at the expense of human life.

Christian Animal Rights Effort (C.A.R.E.) founded by the Rev. Michael Shaw in London, Ontario. C.A.R.E. is a Christian ministry designed to liberate animals from suffering by recognizing and promoting their rights amongst believers in Christ. C.A.R.E.'s mission is to inform other Christians of the following two teachings of God. ***Humans and animals are equal and mankind has no advantage over the beasts. (Eccles. 3:19) ***All professing Christians are to be vegetarians. In accordance with this teaching, Saint Paul says: "I will never eat meat any more, for I will not be the cause of my brothers' downfall." "The right thing to do is to keep from eating meat, drinking wine, or doing anything else that will make other believers fall." (1st Cor. 8:13 & Romans 14:21.

(2) Hinduism....... Most major paths of Hinduism hold vegetarianism as an ideal. There are three main reasons for this: the principle of nonviolence (ahimsa) applied to animals;the intention to offer only "pure" (vegetarian) food to a deity and then to receive it back as prasad;and the conviction that non-vegetarian food is detrimental for the mind and for spiritual development. Nonviolence is a common concern of all the vegetarian traditions in Hinduism. Approximately 70% of the world's vegetarians come from India.

(3) Buddhism........ Though the Buddha never made it a compulsory rule that all His followers have to be vegetarians, He strongly encouraged us to be. In the Bodhisattva practice of minimising harm to all beings and benefiting them as much as possible, the practice of vegetarianism as far as possible plays an essential role. All true practitioners of the Bodhisattva path eventually relinquish meat-eating. Mahayana Buddhists also follow a strict vegan philosophy of life.

(4) Islam......... In January 1*996, The International Vegetarian Union announced the formation of the Muslim Vegetarian/Vegan Society. They noted that the Quran states that "There is not an animal (that lives) on the earth, nor a being that flies on its wings, but (forms part of) communities like you. Nothing have we omitted from the Book, and they (all) shall be gathered to their Lord in the end. Qur'an 6:38

(5) Judaism....... Generally speaking, Judaism has not promoted vegetarianism. However, some prominent rabbis have promoted vegetarian lifestyle, among them the first Chief Rabbi of Palestine, Abraham Isaac Kook, his student David Cohen (known as "Ha-Nazir") and Chief Rabbi of Israel Shlomo Goren. Rabbi Isaac ha-Levi Herzog said, "Jews will move increasingly to vegetarianism out of their own deepening knowledge of what their tradition commands... A whole galaxy of central rabbinic and spiritual leaders...has been affirming vegetarianism as the ultimate meaning of Jewish moral teaching." "Man ideally should not eat meat, for to eat meat a life must be taken, an animal must be put to death."

(6) Jainism.......Jainism traces its roots to ancient East India. It contains many elements similar to Hinduism and Buddhism. One of the five principles of living they follow is Ahimsa, which is "non violence in all parts of a person -- mental, verbal and physical." 3 Committing an act of violence against a human, animal, or even vegetable generates negative karma which in turn adversely affects one's next life. Jains follow a strict vegetarian diet.

(7) Sikhism .......Sikhism evolved in India as a solution to the catastrophe that plagued Indian society in the fifteenth century. It is a way of life based upon the highest principles of Divinity. It helps to overcome the problems and terrible diseases which the mortal is facing in day-to-day life. It is a new way of looking into the identity of self, the creation and the Creator. Its ultimate aim is of merging one's soul (Atma) with the Supreme Soul (Parm-Atma). It is a new mode of humanitarianism which changed the thought, conduct, outlook, organisation and cultural patterns of man.' It was founded by Guru Nanak Dev Ji. Many adhere to a vegetarian diet.

(8) Hare Krishna......... The Hare Krishna are a group of people who try to propagate a simple and healthy lifestyle which promotes equality with all living beings. Some of the ways we do this is by encouraging a vegetarian diet and simple living.

(9) The Society of Friends (Quakers) .......Some members of the Religious Society of Friends practice vegetarianism or veganism as a reflection of the Peace Testimony, extending non-violence towards animals. Historically, the early vegetarian movement had many Quaker promoters. The Peace Testimony is a commitment to act in a certain way, in this case to refrain from participation in war and to actively oppose it and those who participate in war, in the support of peace and active non-violence. The Quakers are considered one of the traditional "peace churches".

My personal feelings are: I believe that God intended for man to be vegetarian. After the flood, meat eating was allowed, but I do not believe that God "commanded" it, but rather a "concession" was made to man for eating it. This all happened because of man's disobedience to God and man's sinfulness. The change in man's diet to include meat was the result of man's sin (the Fall) If there had not been the Flood, the change would not have been needed. I could go on for hours on this topic and it is one that will be argued forever.......but the bottom line for me is I believe God's intentions for his people were to be a peaceful. loving, compassionate people as Jesus taught us. The gross mistreatment and killing of animals, especially as they are today, only creates a disrespect for life and for God's creations. How can one be a compassionate and peaceful person when they partake in the killing of anything? A great (and very disturbing) book to read is: "Dominion: The Power of Man, the Suffering of Animals, and the Call to Mercy", by Matthew Scully. What a powerful book! In it he brings to light how man has abused the Creator's intentions and how we have misapplied the notion of our ‘dominion’ over the universe.......people reduce creation to commodities, giving wild and domestic animals alike no more than financial value.

All of the following videos are all brought to you by Liberation Of Brother & Sister Animals (LOBSA.org) LOBSA a non-profit international Buddhist animal equality vegan group. We believe in total abolition of non-human slavery and the end of speciesism. Their focus is international animal rights activism and the promotion of veganism.

"We are against all forms of nonhuman slavery. We promote non-human and human equality as well as respect of diversity, peace, compassion, cruelty free plant-based diet and lifestyle (veganism) and environmental protection."

This is a fantastic website that offers numerous You Tube videos that support veganism from the spiritual standpoint, the ethical standpoint and the health standpoint, and you can check them out at: Live Vegan