Vegetarians are weak? Please!

By Mriana

Vegetarian Bodybuilders

One of my older son’s friend’s mother said vegetarians are weak to me almost a year ago and tried to tell me that not eating meat is a sin. She even quoted chapter and verse, from the Bible, that justified her inane belief (Romans 14:2), as well as other verses that state all foods “are made clean” and alike. I was irate! As soon as my son came home and walked through the door I said, “Keep that woman away from me!” He said, “What did you do now?” I replied, “I didn't do anything!” Then I explained to my fellow vegetarian son what happened between us. He asked to see the verse and saw the following verse after it, which she did not read, “Let not him who eats despise him who does not eat, and let not him who does not eat judge him who eats; for God has received him.”

That still did not help my anger with that woman, for the imposing of her religious beliefs was not the whole of it. I did not once judge her for being a carnivore and she had no right to tell me I was “sinning” for not eating meat. She asked and I thought the fact she is a Native American, she would understand a simple reply of “spiritual reasons” without further explanation. Instead she went into Christianity, totally forgetting her ancestral way of life, including and especially what the White Christians did to her people. Yet she judged me, when her “White man’s” book, which was imposed on her and her ancestors rather forcefully, even in Carlisle schools, tells her not to judge others, less she be judge herself?

No, I am not a vegetarian for any religious reasons or ancestral beliefs, even though I myself am part Native American, as well as White. However, it is a way of life for me and I do appreciate that feeling of being one with the earth, as well as the feelings I get in relationship to other animals. Love of nature is a big thing for me and although I know such feelings of transcendence are neuro-chemical I appreciate them as a human being. I am part of nature and when I die I will become part of the earth via fertilizer for plants. I have had such feelings all my life and I defy any ignorant Christian to take that from me because they believe their god wants everyone to eat meat, treat animals badly, and destroy the earth. For me to do otherwise would be to go against my own nature and conscious, just as it would be unconscionable for a Native American, who tries to practice the way of life of his or her ancestors, to do otherwise.

Irrespective of spirituality, conscious, way of life, or whatever, one who does not live on meat or eats very little meat is healthier. Little or no meat contributes to less risk of heart disease, coronary artery disease, as well as other disease related to over indulgence in animal products. No, I am not a vegan, for I do eat dairy products and eggs. There is no chick if there is no rooster around, so anyone who asks if I am concerned about eating a baby chicken needs to comprehend that too. So, I do have the excuse of health reasons instead of a simple “spiritual reasons”, but I feel that would be more imposing on those who do eat meat and the last thing I wish to be is imposing on others.

Be that as it may, I get so sick and tired of Christians, especially those who had Christianity forced on them, jumping on vegetarians, or people in general for whatever reason, with their religious views without getting to know them first. This particular woman, who supposedly cherishes her ancestry, should have known better, yet she had no clue about me since it was our first encounter via phone and she was way out of line assuming my son and I are Christians. The audacity of her behaviour nullified her invitation for us to come to her home, have dinner with her family, and get acquainted better. I would sooner have dinner with Wiccans! And have too, as well as Native Americans who honour their ancestors’ way of life. Sadly, her daughter’s relationship with my son has been almost halted, even though her daughter is 18 now or close to it.

This was a year or so ago and her daughter tried to call my son the other day when he was not home, but I was and answered the phone. I have no issues with the daughter, because she has never once been imposing and according to my son, is not religious, but the mother bothers me greatly and I do not wish to have another encounter with her mother. For better or worse, my son did not return her call when he returned home, but her phone call brought back the memory of that one and only encounter between her mother and me.

Sadly, she is not the first Christian who has stated and attempted to impose asinine beliefs here in Bible Belt Hell, with chapter and verse, on me and in this area I seriously doubt she will be the last. I come across it so often, but that one irritated me greatly, because she was treading on my own way of life, as well as my son’s, much like some of my White ancestors treaded and stomped on our Native American ancestors’ way of life. That common ancestral history was obviously lost with her, but none was lost with our Pagan friends, even though that history dealt with religious differences, for they do not behave in a manner that attacks one’s way of life and they are even accommodating too. Some people should know better, but obviously they forget what happened to their ancestors, which made this incident with said mother even more asinine than the others and I do not care to speak to her again or I might be showing her who has the bigger grey matter. Then my son will have reason to ask, “What did you do now?” Except they might not come around anymore than Jehovah Witnesses do after I got done with them.