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By Joni - 9 Jul 2014

Hello again,

I struggle with the fact that nearly all Christians are unwilling and actually show me fear in their face when I mention that I am vegan and am vegan because I care for the animals. 

We attended a Lutheran church for about 9 months after moving to Paso Robles.  I talked to the pastors wife several times about my need to get connected to women's ministries...Bible studies or any other way I can connect.  At Easter time they observe Lent and have soup suppers.  I mentioned I wanted to help with that and would it be OK for me to make vegetarian soup as I am vegan.  The pastors wife literally backed up and had sheer fear cross her face.  I was not really encouraged to participate in the soup suppers so my husband and I did not go to the suppers.  I also again and again tried to connect with the women in church and was promised that I would be contacted...well I never once was.  Finally decided I am not attending that church, so for 2 months we have not gone to church.  I also had gone 6 months to a non-denominational womens breakfast group and lunch group once a month for each.  After attempting to connect with these women (they knew of my being vegan due to the social being meals), no one wanted to include me in their lives outside of the brief hour or two of these events.  Also the topics of the luncheon were very depressing...about suicide or abusive marriages and divorce and that type of topic.  I just was not getting much out of these two groups so after attending 6 months I dropped from both of them.

Well, I need to connect with people that will not shun me.  So I went online and found out about a vegan potluck at a town near me which was at a Seventh Day Adventist Church.  My husband and I attended it   felt such a bond with these people.  It was refreshing to actually meet couples that are vegan and care about their health, and the animals.  (I do think though that they are more health conscious than animal).  These people were mostly in the medical field.  They welcomed us and I even made a friendly acquaintance with one lady and we plan to go out for a nice lunch at a nearby vegan café together and share more about our vegan lives.

So my struggle is this...all my older friends and family are so called Christians but really do not want to discuss my being vegan.  The Christians in most places are also against this.  I want to know why killing and eating animals is such a thorn to overcome for them.  They bring up Bible verses galore and tell me when I share Bible verses to support veganism that I am misinterpreting the Bible and I am unbiblical.  I struggle so often with this.  I shared your web pages with a Christian lady and she has not responded...unless she is in the right to eat meat then she does not want to learn otherwise.  She states emphatically that she supports my choice to be vegan and wants me to support her choice too. 

I am thinking can the whole world be this blind, that they (Christians included) believe with all their heart that God is pleased with their eating animals?
To me it is so clear that God would not want us to kill and eat or use or abuse any of His creation.

I just watched the video "Cowspiracy" and non Christians seem to be more in tune with the Holy Spirit than the Christians.  How is this ever going to change?  When will the Christian Church ever be strong enough to side with life and see that all life is sacred?

Thank you,

Joni

Go on to comments: By Frank and Mary Hoffman - 9 Jul 2014
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