For some of us the road to veganism was almost instantaneous. For others it is a longer and more drawn out process. I think Deb belongs to the latter group but her story along the way I found interesting. You may too.

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There is so much in the world which saddens not only me but I imagine a lot of
us -the poor state of the economy, the Congress and the president unable to move
the country forward, and for some of us -we are continually saddened by the realization
of the never-ending cruelty we inflict on innocent animals including companion pets
and those in the horrible factory farm system.  

Just yesterday I read where 2 seventeen year-old Michigan teens have been charged
with animal torture.  They allegedly used a broken steel bar to beat and kill two pregnant
cows and a bull named Bubs,  They had been stabbed several times and impaled with
a steel bar.  They managed to perform this utterly cruel and dastardly deed by corralling
the cows and bull into a cattle chute used  for vacinations.  What terribly unfeeling and
cruel teens.  Sadly, their parents put up bail for their removal from jail.  No, that was
a wrong move.  These two sickos needed incarceration time to consider what they had
done to three innocent animals.  I hope they will be convicted and spend real jail time
for animal cruelty. 

When I was growing up in the 40's, I don't believe there was so much teen cruelty or
bullying for that matter as there seems to be now.  If ever there was a nerd, I was it
 and yet none of my classmates ever made fun of me or bullied me.  I think the
upbringing of our immigrant parents had a lot to do with this.  We respected them and
they taught us right from wrong.  Oh yes, occasional spankings also did us a lot of good.
Today the ball has swung too much to the left where we are afraid to use corporal
punishment within reason to teach our young right from wrong.  None of us to my
knowledge were battered by our parents and our psyches survived in tack with the
occasional physical punishment. 

I really think the two boys in question who tortured cows need some physical discipline. 
If they know how to inflict physical pain to others, they need more then "time out" discipline.
Maybe they'll get it in jail.

As for the parents of these cruel teens, they quickly bailed them out.  Wrong. If they
were the least bit compassionate and horrified by what their children had done, they
would have let them stay in jail to give them some time - a lot of time to think over
what their heinous actions have caused to innocent animals. 

This morning after an early morning rosary walk, I turned to the computer before
liturgy.  Quite by accident, I saw a link on the Yahoo bar that I had saved so long ago
to my Favorites and had forgotten about it.  I probably had been searching for something
vegan or vegetarian and there it was for me to click again.  I just loved reading this
"joyfulvegan" link again about Deb's journey to a compassionate lifestyle which she
entitled "Christian Vegan- Not an Oxymoron!"  

Her path was anything but direct and lasting, until she finally realized it was the only
lifestyle for her.  At least I hope that it still is.   She recounted at the beginning of her
blog how upset she was to see her family slaughter 100 "old" egg laying hens in one
day, and said it was really disgusting.  For awhile she couldn't eat chicken, but finally
started again because what she considers then a lack of knowledge and support. 

In 2007- needing to lose weight, she surprisingly turned to a bible study at her
church for inspiration.  The study was based around the food pyramid.  However,
that didn't really work for her.  Then she discovered food combinations.  The
author also recommended an almost whole vegan diet -eating only fish -no meat
or dairy products. Following this prescription, she lost 30 pounds.  She must have
been so happy and grateful, but despite this success with a largely vegan lifestyle,
she was still not yet wholly committed.

I was intrigued to read that in the following January her church began a 3- day water
fast followed with an 18- day Daniel fast (vegetables only).  I liked the idea of 18 days
of only vegetables and would encourage others to try it, but the 3-day water fast would
have been very difficult for me and I imagine for most of us.  However, with pure
motivation and prayer, I guess it is doable.

Still not vegan, Deb's life was about to move in that direction.  She was very
reluctant to watch "Earthlings." a film her sister recommended her to view.  She
always found it difficult to watch anything of a cruel nature to the animals, but in
this case, she asked God for strength to do so, and He gave it to her.  I loved her
remarks after viewing it-- "What a tragedy in epic proportions!  I know God did
not intend the world to be so cruel." 

I agree - now to get the teaching majesteriums of all the churches, synagogues,
and mosques to watch it as well.  If it had such a profound impact on Deb, why
not on those who are suppose to lead us spiritually? I still cannot understand why
basically our spiritual leaders are not leaders in animal compassion.

Sadly, some Christians seem to justify eating meat because of what God said to Noah
after the flood:  "Everything that lives and moves will be food for you.  Just as I gave
you the green plants, I now give you everything."

But Deb has a ready response for this and reminds us that this new injunction came
after the fall.  She wrote that the world now was not in God's perfect will and we will
have to go back to the beginning of Genesis to find it.  In Genesis 1:29, God said, "I
give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has
fruit with seed in it - I give every green plant for food."  I love that she also reminds us
that in Genesis 1:30 God makes it clear that all animals were vegan as well.  What a
beautiful peaceable kingdom we could have had, but for the sin of Adam and Eve.

She writes more with a biblical orientation and addresses the horrible animal sacrifices
in the Bible -Hebrews 10:7-8: "Sacrifices and offerings, burnt offerings and sin
offerings you did not desire, nor were you pleased with them" (although the law
required them to be made).   I've always been uncomfortable with this period in
Jewish history, but at least the last quote speaks of the complete lack of need for
these animal sacrifices to God.  I've always felt it was man's way of pleasing
God - not God's way. 

At the end of her blog are some interesting comments.  I don't know about you,
but I often find them very interesting:

Mary on April l3, 2008 wrote:

 "Thank you so much for that.  Several times I have had fellow Christians, many of
them very stubborn -argue with me that I have made the wrong choice to be
vegetarian because they believed that God did not will it...and this is before I turned
vegan!  I never knew quite what to say to them...now I do."

(Well Mary -unlike you, I don't care what fellow parishioners think of my vegan lifestyle.
If they were compassionate, they would try to search out posts such as Debs, but I think
they find it much easier to continue to indulge their palates with food which causes
so much animal suffering.  How is that Christian?)

Karen from Finland on June 21, 2008:

It is a constant battle for me.  I am 35, very seriously considering to get baptism from
our local Lutheran parish BUT all the Christians I have met until now are so human-
centered in their way of thinking that I am drawn back to Eastern Religions."

(I like that "human-centered" description.  In truth, so many people are.  They seem to
leave out God's animal creation in their thinking and concerns.)

Tierra on March 1, 2008:

"I fight against hunting and what annoys me the most is when they say Jesus was a
'hunter' lol.  Or the "Christian bow hunting."  It makes me sick how they use God's name
for pain, suffering, and death when He was all merciful.  There is nothing "merciful"
about hunting or flesh eating."

Thanx Deb for this blog.  I always get new insights re veganism from people like you.

Authors Bio:
I have been concerned about animal suffering ever since

I received my first puppy Peaches in 1975. She made me take a good look at the animal kingdom and I was shocked to see how badly we treat so many animals. At 77, I've been a vegan for the past 30 years and I thank God every day that I am. I am most disturbed at how little the Catholic Church and Christian churches generally give to concern re animal suffering in their ministry. I wrote to 350 bishops in 2001 and only 10-13 responded. I feel that the very least they can do is to instruct that the priests give one sermon a year on compassion to animals. I am still waiting for that sermon. I also belong to Catholic Concern for Animals - founded in England in 1929. (They are on the internet) I recently sent a sample copy of their bi-monthly publication called the ARK to the 8 Catholic bishops of Ohio. Only ONE kindly responded. Somehow we have to reach the Christian teaching magisterium. There is next to nothing re animal concerns and compassion for them. They basically believe that animals are the lesser of God's creation and that gives us the right to do anything we want to them. Way wrong. We need to change their mindsets. The animals are God's first and He expects us to treat them compassionately.