The Vegan View

What is the vegan opinion on animal byproducts for medical puposes? The best examples I can think of would be bone grafts and vaccines. Some bone graft materials are bovine and porcine. Many vaccines contain animal products. Do you abstain from these things?

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Lisamarie:
Actually there are several references in the Bible to vegetariansim, where God has said, in so many words, that He gave us the food that grows in the ground, in the soil and on the trees, and that should be our "meat". Also, there is no religious "common thread" among vegans. We are all of different faiths, and some none at all, as some vegans are even atheists. To learn more about vegetarianism from a spiritual standpoint, go to www.all-creatures.org. This is a site created by Frank and Mary Hoffman, who are former church ministers who left the church becaue they didn't feel the foundation was following the Holy Spirit by promoting hunting and meat-eating, and they therefore now spread their ministry via the site for which I gave the link above--hope this helps!

Marion:
I suggest that anyone who is serious about this questin read "Dominion" by Matthew Scully. What it definitely says in all spiritual traditions is that we should not inflict cruelty and suffering on other beings. All are God's Creatures and should be treated as such. In the Buddhist Way, we wish all beings to be free from suffering. It is not a question of eating meat, it is a question of how the animal is treated. Native Americans eat meat, but traditionally they pay great respect to animals. Whenever I eat anything I ask "Where did it come from" I don't eat animal products at all because the answers to that question were not things I could support.

Christy:
My husband and I have both been vegan for just over ten years and we are both atheists.

Karri:
No, the Bible DOESN'T say we SHOULD be eating animals. They Bible does allow for it, though. 'Everything is permissible, but not everything is beneficial'. I am a vegan for multiple reasons, I am also a Bible believing Christian.

Katrina:
I have read the entire bible, and find nothing at all that contradicts being vegan. In fact, Daniel asks his captors to send him and his friends only vegetables and plain food like grains and water instead of meat and wine. They turned out the be the healthiest of the bunch. In the new testament there is some talk of what food is okay to eat, basically should the new Christians stick to kosher laws or not. To me it seemed clear that the important thing is not what goes in your mouth but what comes out of it, ie your attitude and speech. Another example is of Adam and Eve and how they only ate plant matter and it was only when they were kicked out of the garden that animal flesh came in the picture. That was also when the life span of humans was shortened. In conclusion, I feel that the Christian life is greatly benefitted by being vegan, because vegans are healthier and live longer, and thus are able to spend more time helping others and in prayer and meditation. Veganism has also helped me to be less of a consumer and materialist, which are both part of biblical Christianity (though not necessarily demonstrated by American Christians as a whole). I also believe that it is part of the Christian religion to take responsibility for the planet and veganism is vastly better for the planet than a meat and dairy consuming diet. So, in conclusion, I believe it is totally awesome to love God and be a vegan.

Susan:
Unitarian Universalist Pagan

Jaime:
Well, first of all the Bible is just a book rewrote over and over again throughout time. To take anything it says as literal would be foolish and having it decide what we are to be eating is even more foolish. Secondly, there are more religions out there then the Christian religion, Buddism to name one is a religion that promotes being vegetarian and there are other religions that do the same. The bottom line is that what you eat should be a decision that comes from YOU and what YOU feel is right in your heart. My heart tells me that eating an animal is uneccessary, I can live just fine off of vegetarian food and be happy doing it.

Mandy:
I'm now an atheist, but I used to be a Christian and a vegetarian. I was challenged by other 'Christians' on this very question. If you choose to follow the Bible then you have to interpret it as best you can - it's not a simple list of dos and don'ts. The Bible does not say you have to eat animals, it says you can. My interpretation was that I could eat animals if I needed to, but I didn't as in our western world there are plenty of alternatives. The Bible was written way before we invented Factory Farming!

Helen:
I did not think the bible condoned the killing of gods creatures so thats a new one on me I thought it said that good loved all his creatures whether animal or Human at Jesus birth the story in the bible tells you in the stable was cattle and sheep etc it does not anywhere say Mary & Joseph eat the animals around them I am a Spitualist and I believe in treating People and animals with respect and the way society treats animals in all aspects ie eating hunting and Vivisection I do not believe god would be happy. Jacki:
Actually, the ideal diet laid out at the beginning of creation (before the fall) was vegan and included food from the trees such as fruit, nuts and seeds. After the fall of man, food grown from the ground (i believe) was added to the diet. It wasn't until after the flood when all living plants (and thus food) had been destroyed that God allowed his people to eat animals. This is all based on the biblical book of Genesis. So, based on the Bible, the ideal diet laid out for man by God was plant based and did not involve killing animals for food! I have been a vegetarian my whole life partially because of my religion, and I know many other Christians who are also vegetarian. Veganism is another step that some of them have taken, as eating milk products and eggs doesn't seem to be really talked about as clearly in the Bible. That's my two cents!

Reggie:
Actually the bible states (only AFTER Noah) that if we are so weak minded and really feel the need to have animals, which would hurt G-d then we are permitted to do so. It actually doesn't say go out, eat animals.... I do believe there is a higher power. I don't believe she/he suggests we should kill or allow suffering to her/his 'creatures'. I believe there must be a higher power of sorts, guiding us and existence. I found peace in Krishna consciousness where there is more focus on Ahimsa.

Andrea:
I'm a devout Catholic. To clarify: Catholics do not belive in sola scriptura, but follow both the Bible and the teaching authority of the Churh. I am vegan because though the Church doesn't have an official teaching on the subject, we are called to be good stewards of God's gifts (food, animals, our bodies, etc) For me, in this place and time, being a vegan is being the best steward I can be.

Abbey:
Although I am now agnostic, back when I read the bible for "educational" purposes I never came across anything specifically telling me to eat meat. It isn't a commandment. My nutritionist is a devout Seventh Day Adventist and swears his bible tells him NOT to eat meat of any kind, he even gave me references- which I can't recall of course, because my brain won't store information that is useless to me. I suppose that answers your question about whether or not I've personally got the faith. However, it absolutely isn't fair to assume all vegans aren't religious. As I've been making this transition, I simply haven't come across anything pertaining to the issue of religiousness vs. veganism. I don't think these two things have anything to do with one another. Read around and you'll find that more often you'll hear of certain religions telling their followers NOT to eat certain types of meat (animals with cloven hooves and so forth). "I eat meat because the bible tells me so" sounds hoky and like Oscar Meyer is trying to yank some conservative christian chain. It is an easy marketing scheme, used often...

Marisa:
I am a Christian vegan. Adam and Eve were vegan. Although God gave us dominion over all the animals of the earth, this does not mean that we have to eat them.

Mandy:
I'm now an atheist, but I used to be a Christian and a vegetarian. I was challenged by other 'Christians' on this very question. If you choose to follow the Bible then you have to interpret it as best you can - it's not a simple list of dos and don'ts. The Bible does not say you have to eat animals, it says you can. My interpretation was that I could eat animals if I needed to, but I didn't as in our western world there are plenty of alternatives. The Bible was written way before we invented Factory Farming!

Allyssah:
i'm a strict vegan, but a strict christian as well. and if u read the old testement, or ketch up on info. bout a thing called the hallelujah diet, u'll know tht veganism is actually considered a pure way of living. i mean adam and eve were vegans i'm pretty sure, until they were kicked out of the garden of eden.

Amy:
I'm a non-denominatinal Christian and I'm vegan. My decision to go vegan wasn't influenced by anyone really. I just educated myself on factory farming practices and saw some pretty disturbing undercover footage from several slaughterhouses and not long after that, I was just done eating meat. It just grossed me out after that.

Lansdale Mom:
I am a christian vegan. The people in the bible did eat meat. I also know that God did give us the animals to eat, and he even goes into detail on which ones were meant for human consumption. However, I do not believe that God intended for his animals to be horrifically abused and chemically altered like they are. I do not eat meat or dairy products, because I do not want to contribute to the pain these animals suffer. God is a loving, peaceful God, and I am sure that He did not want his creatures to suffer the torture that they do.

Lisa:
I just don't believe someone as great as Jesus Crist will ask the humanbeing to eat meat that can infflict suffering to other beings. Jesus wouldn't let people at thus time to slaughter animal to prayed to God, don't even say to eat.The Bible has been translated & censored many times. It's so clear God said "I have provided all kinds of grain and all kinds of fruit for you to eat; but for the wild animals and for all the birds I have provided grass and leafy plants for food. God didn't say "I have provided the animals for you to eat." People have really misunderstood God, that's why Jesus was crucified.

Sarah:
For me, I am Vegan because I am Christian. I do not eat meat except for the rare occasion of wild game that has fairly and humanely been killed the way God intended. Myself, I am vegan and also a Christian Missionary. God wants us to be healthy and thankful. Genesis and Numbers both have examples of this. I don't think anyone is doing anything completely wrong by eating meat, but I do believe that people should hold themselves more accountable to where their meat comes from and how the animals "live".

Sarah:
I am a Christian and follow the teachings of the Bible. In Genesis 1 starting at chapter 26 God states that He has given all green plants for our and the animals food. This was during creation at the beginning of time. Many Christians Vegetarians believe that we began eating animals after we were kicked out of the Garden of Eden and sin had entered the world.

Isha:
I'm Muslim. I came to vegan eating out of learning how animals suffer at the hands of today's farming and slaughtering. Islam does not advicate veganism or vegetarianism but it does discourage eating meat other than occasionally and it certainly does not condone the practices that create animal suffering.

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