It was bound to happen sooner or later. A response to a friend's Facebook post explaining why the use of animals for clothing -- in this case, sheep -- is not necessarily a good thing, at least for the sheep, resulted in a backlash of negative responses and name calling. Me, a vegan Nazi? Hardly.
In my short experience as a vegan I have learned that there are many who question my decision or feel as though they are being judged if they don't do as I do. Christian friends have been quick to point out in scripture the biblical justification for eating meat and wearing wool. That's not the issue here, but one I will address in another post.
No matter what we stand for in life -- whether it is our faith, our veganism, the LGBTQ agenda, or who's running for President -- people are going to come at us with negativity. The question is, will you continue to stand and fight for what you believe is right according to your values, or will you cave in and back down from that for which you are so passionate? Negativity comes with the territory. No matter how nicely we try to position our point of view or live out our convictions, there will always be people who oppose us.
It's up to us -- to you -- to decide where you truly stand in the fight for animal rights and to be ready to give an answer in defense of your position. It doesn't have to be a hostile defense, but we all need to be convinced that advocating for animals, the environment, and better health by embracing a more compassionate lifestyle is so important that we cannot be swayed from our conviction.
Don't let others shame or berate you. Often their negativity will come from eyes that haven't seen -- or choose not to see -- the atrocities committed against God's non-human creatures. Or they may oppose you simply because they do not understand how a vegan lifestyle can benefit them. All we can do is share what we have come to understand.
It is my desire to present what I have learned as lovingly and compassionately as I can, hoping that others will embrace a vegan or vegetarian lifestyle so that animals can have better lives, humans can have better health, and our environment will be sustained for the next generation. But that is all I can do. It's really all any of us can do. We are not here to judge or criticize anyone but to live as an example and hope that others will catch a vision of what could happen if they choose to leave meat off their plates and switch to cruelty-free products.
For a better life, better health, and a better world --
Dee Dee
Copyright 2016 by Dee Dee Wike and Joy Wike. All rights reserved. www.feelingveggiegood.com
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