[split] "Some people eat animals, some don't."

[Jade]

So your point is that, because we aren't face to face, eating dinner, people don't deserve the same level of respect? I mean, that's your point, right? It's just the internet, trolling is encouraged?

No, not at all. My point is that if I was at a restaurant eating dinner with some friends who eat meat, like I was last night for instance, I don't even say a word to them about what they're eating unless they bring it up. And they do bring it up sometimes, and we do have respectful discussions sometimes. In fact, here's something you might not know about me: I talk to about a dozen people about diet every single day. Most of them I have just met for the very first time, and nearly all of them are meat-eaters. We develop friendships and they often ask me for dietary advice. I've been doing this for 25 years. NOT ONCE, EVER, have I EVER gotten into an argument with anyone over meat!

Rather, I now have a large network of business associates and friends, some of whom are now vegan because of our association. Are they all vegan? Of course not. Most aren't. But many of them have taken baby steps towards changing their diet, and some have taken very large steps. The focus is on their health, but sometimes, if the opportunity presents itself, we talk about other aspects, such as the environmental impact of the meat/dairy industry, and, again if the opportunity presents itself, the animals.

In contrast, this is an INTERNET DISCUSSION. Good heavens, trolling? Seriously???

I am incredulous that you consider legitimate, ongoing participation in a discussion to be trolling.

Yes, this is a discussion. And I'm participating. You can say I'm off-topic, but I'm not. Also, I won't be eating a single one of those slaughtered sentient beings, so what's your point?

My point was simply to get back on-topic. The topic isn't about me or you. It's about THEM: the sentient beings who are being enslaved and slaughtered. Another 200+k since you posted and I posted again.

...

Well look, we have something else in common!

You don't have to justify the work you've done, I know you've changed people's minds, even here, in this thread, and in others. And to be fair, you are spending much more time defending yourself (if we're measuring time in animal deaths) than I am asking you to look at your methods. IMO you spend a lot of time self-aggrandizing, trying to quantify your results, and this action seems to be coming from the ego. Self-reflection is good, yeah? I'm here on these forums not to vegan crusade, but to raise my consciousness and reflect on my distortions so that I can be a clearer facet for the Creator.

Of course people have walked into this discussion willingly. But would you say this (with the exaggerated tone) to one of your friends at dinner?

Please, PLEASE, with a cherry on top, can you PLEASE quit eating animals? It's sooooo much nicer to just quit enslaving them. They are suffering soooooo much and every time you eat them, it makes me cry.

You admitted that you can't change minds, and that you are being facetious for the fun of it, so to me, yeah, that's trolling. I know trolling is completely subjective, though. I'm just stating my opinion.

*prays for all the animals I've killed while typing this post*