Why I am not a vegan

[Shemaya]

Well maybe that is something to focus on, the concept of non-violence?

Any suggestions on how to go about that?

Hi Diana, yes. We can exam within ourselves , where are the roots of violence and oppression. I think violence and oppression are rooted in our disconnection from Source, each other , and all life.

So we can examine what will connect us or disconnect us to/ from our other-selves.

Whatever causes duality, ie. us/them perspective, I feel is a source of disconnection. So how can we foster oneness, connection and community?

We all personally contribute to violence. If we can't see that, than we are kidding ourselves

Perhaps that's true, even just by existing here. But we may try to do the least harm, which is related to what we are aware of.

Yes that is a good point, striving to do the least harm. Once we have reached a level of awareness, perhaps by seeing that the violent food system we have is not 4D compatible, we can strive to manifest changes that will lead us there. You seem to be saying being a vegetarian is the only choice or first step available, however that is not true and also it is not fostering community and wholeness, but in my opinion it is contributing to a consciousness of duality, ie. us/them.

That being said, I agree that you are absolutely right as far as the torturous and horrid, inhumane , evil, ungodly system of farming animals that we have on this planet.

However,I am saying that the root of the system is profit.(which you did not comment on in my post) The system is there to make money and profit, to extract energy from others(including animals) rather than to nurture and sustain.

So if we buy into the for profit system in any way, then we are supporting the System. In truth there is no us/ them, we are in it together and we collectively support a System that enslaves and oppresses.

It's not about blame, in my opinion. It's about spreading awareness. As far as I can tell, any changes in the human condition have happened first by becoming aware of the situation.

That is certainly true. But also the changes that manifest come from within, if it is a true change. A true change is pure, flows freely, is natural and not forced, and certainly not forced by others. So it will manifest as the changes occur within.

It's like the chicken before the egg. One must start somewhere. For my part, I like to be practical. I know factory animal farming is massively cruel. Therefore I don't want to contribute to that system. It isn't always practical in every given situation, but here is where making a conscious choice to do the least harm comes in. If I had no other food than an egg from a free-range chicken and a leg from a caged chicken, I would choose the egg. I have more choice than that in my life, and I endeavor to choose the least harmful.

Let's go back to the fact that more crops of vegetables are grown to feed the animals eaten for their meat than humans consume directly. It IS the most logical first step—to stop the production of meat and the crops that feed them—in order to minimize the waste, the cruelty (to both vegetable and animal life), and the violence.

The cereals and grains that are fed to animals are much more likely to have automated, machine harvesting rather than humans.

Humans harvest the fruits and vegetables that humans eat. I don't think you would suggest stopping eating fruits and vegetables because of the rampant injustice that occurs with migrant farmworkers. We have to eat!

I think the logical first step is local farms and farm markets after the necessary changes are made in our awareness and consciousness. I think the really big problem is that people aren't aware that we recreate these systems on a daily basis and we need all of us collectively to manifest a different way of doing things.

Someone who is vegan might look with contempt on me because I raise chickens and eat their eggs. But is that a consciously aware judgment? Probably not, imo. To me it is a very life-affirming, conscious choice. A way to remove myself from the horrors of the system. A way to help others be more aware and get my family involved. It's been good for us.

Once again, this goes back to making choices. Perhaps one doesn't make much money and has to eat commercially grown non-organic vegetables because they are cheaper. There can be no blame. But if we stopped growing vegetables to feed the meat animals, less vegetables would be being harvested on commercial farms, and less children would be working on them.

Like I said, the cereals fed to animals(in the US) are likely harvested by huge commercial machinery, and children would unlikely be involved with that.

I think there is also collective responsibility.

Absolutely agree

That's why I feel less badly about human suffering than I do animal suffering. (Don't get me wrong here, it's all horrible and breaks my heart.)

Oh my. I think compassion is compassion. the 4D we are creating is a society for humans. Animals will be there, I'm sure, but we have to get the humans up to speed.

I think that means, getting out of duality, realizing we are in this together, and make life-affirming choices which are probably different for different people. A farmer who raises chickens on a small scale, organic free range, who does it compassionately to support his family has a honorable profession if you ask me.

On the other hand, a for profit company who imports quinoa to make profit for stockholders, I am not so sure those actions are as evolved toward 4D as the above named farmer. If I were making an aware and conscious choice, I personally would choose buying eggs from the farmer, rather than the quinoa.