Specific to "Religious and Spiritual Beliefs," two documentaries that I found enlightening, and dealt with those issues with a gentle open-mindedness: "A Prayer for Compassion" and "Christspiracy."
Veganism faces a major obstacle rooted in biological evolution. We are born with a craving for sweet, salty, fatty food, and a mother's milk provides all three. The craving remains after we are weaned--it it becomes an addiction. The Biblical story of Abel and Cain tells us that God prefers animal sacrifices; this is a god who loves the smell of burning fat, and, no doubt, the salt in charred meat. This powerful craving is harmful, and it leads to premature death. You must focus on the health problem, tell people that this is an addiction, and that vegetable oils, though less fulfilling, are much healthier (fish oil might be an exception). .
You’re right to frame our cravings as evolutionary and even addictive. Craving fat, salt, and sugar helped our ancestors survive scarcity. Today, that same drive leads to heart disease, obesity, and premature death. And yes, the Bible’s sacrificial passages reflect human culture, not divine morality. A god “loving the smell of burning fat” speaks more to human projection than spiritual truth.
Veganism offers a path out of this addiction. It doesn’t deny pleasure, it redefines it, by removing the harm. Instead of indulging cravings shaped by scarcity, we can nourish ourselves through abundance: whole plant foods, healthy fats like flax or olive oil, and the natural sweetness of fruit.
This isn’t just a health issue; it is also a liberation from conditioning, biological, cultural, and religious. The addiction is real, but so is the freedom that comes from breaking it.
Thank you for your thoughtful reply. If you have been a vegan for quite some time you may have forgotten how strong the craving is. It is important to tell people that this is an addiction, that it may be hard to overcome it at first, but that, with proper substitutes, it can become just a memory, and that a healthier, happier life may lie ahead..
Specific to "Religious and Spiritual Beliefs," two documentaries that I found enlightening, and dealt with those issues with a gentle open-mindedness: "A Prayer for Compassion" and "Christspiracy."
Veganism faces a major obstacle rooted in biological evolution. We are born with a craving for sweet, salty, fatty food, and a mother's milk provides all three. The craving remains after we are weaned--it it becomes an addiction. The Biblical story of Abel and Cain tells us that God prefers animal sacrifices; this is a god who loves the smell of burning fat, and, no doubt, the salt in charred meat. This powerful craving is harmful, and it leads to premature death. You must focus on the health problem, tell people that this is an addiction, and that vegetable oils, though less fulfilling, are much healthier (fish oil might be an exception). .
You’re right to frame our cravings as evolutionary and even addictive. Craving fat, salt, and sugar helped our ancestors survive scarcity. Today, that same drive leads to heart disease, obesity, and premature death. And yes, the Bible’s sacrificial passages reflect human culture, not divine morality. A god “loving the smell of burning fat” speaks more to human projection than spiritual truth.
Veganism offers a path out of this addiction. It doesn’t deny pleasure, it redefines it, by removing the harm. Instead of indulging cravings shaped by scarcity, we can nourish ourselves through abundance: whole plant foods, healthy fats like flax or olive oil, and the natural sweetness of fruit.
This isn’t just a health issue; it is also a liberation from conditioning, biological, cultural, and religious. The addiction is real, but so is the freedom that comes from breaking it.
Thank you for your thoughtful reply. If you have been a vegan for quite some time you may have forgotten how strong the craving is. It is important to tell people that this is an addiction, that it may be hard to overcome it at first, but that, with proper substitutes, it can become just a memory, and that a healthier, happier life may lie ahead..