In Much Wisdom There Is Much Grief
Articles Reflecting a Vegan Lifestyle From All-Creatures.org

Vegan lifestyle articles that discuss ways of living in peace with humans, animals, and the environment.

FROM

Frank L. Hoffman [email protected]

"In much wisdom there is much grief" are the words of King Solomon as they appear in Ecclesiastes 1:18.  These words come from the latter years of Solomon's life, at a time when he was obviously depressed as, one would imagine, anyone with 700 wives and princesses and 300 concubines would be.  Solomon's grief came because he had the wisdom to know better than to over-indulge his life as he did; thus, as he looked back upon the mess he had created, he became depressed, and it gave him much grief.  But, I have also found that in much wisdom there is much grief without behaving as Solomon did.

Every week I'm asked to pray for someone who has a health problem that is diet related.  I try to speak to them about their diet, but rarely does anyone want to hear what I have to say.  Most of them only want to have me lay my hands upon them and pray for a miracle from God that will heal them, and at the same time allow them to continue to over-indulge themselves in their present lifestyle.  I watch them get sicker and sicker.  I see the effects of their over-medication, and it grieves me greatly.  My knowledge and wisdom concerning a vegan diet has made me aware of their problem, and their refusal to listen causes me grief.  If I didn't have this understanding, it probably wouldn't bother me, but I do know, and thus I grieve.

I have the wisdom and knowledge to know that the animals suffer and feel pain just as we do.  I know that they want to live their lives in the same freedom that we do.   They want to love and be loved.  And as I look at the world around us, I am filled with pain and I grieve at the pain and suffering we are inflicting upon these precious creatures of God.  In a way, those who meet untimely deaths probably consider it to be a relief.   I see my fellow humans laughing and joking as they cook and eat the flesh of these innocent creatures.  I see their smiling pictures in the newspaper, as they proudly display the results of their recreational killing, and I grieve for this world.  I grieve for my fellow humans because of their refusal to acquire the knowledge and wisdom that will enlighten them concerning the carnage we are causing to our fellow creatures and the environment; and I pray for the suffering world.

I know I'm not alone in my feelings of grief, for I have heard many an animal rights and vegan health advocate express similar feelings.  I know that what is going on in the world today is not what God originally intended, nor is it what He desires for today.  And I know that since we are created in His spiritual image, that God must be grieving even more then we are.  But in our grief there is still hope, just as Isaiah expressed it (11:9):  "They will not hurt or destroy in all My holy mountain, for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea."   Our hope is in the Lord.  Our hope is the Lord.

Hang in there; we're doing the right thing!


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