“Vegans = white, privileged, atheist, teeva-wearing, hippie minority passing fad”? I am a meat-cheese-eggs-seafood-honey-leather-gummicandy-loving vegan woman of color, of faith, and for faith. I believe that Moses, Jesus, Mohammed or whoever is your moral idol would make plant-based food choices today. I believe plant-based is the new kosher/halal, and here is why…
2019 was declared the year of the vegan after veganism officially went mainstream last year, and all signs point to further growth. If you are still an unabashed carnist (a meat-eater per psychologist Melanie Joy), chances are this year you will no longer be able to escape the confrontation.
Despite statistics showing a booming industry and rising demand for vegan products, many of us in religious communities couldn’t care less. Muslims and Jews are unlikely to have their hearts melt by pictures of people kissing pigs or have their compassionate minds blown by arguments about dog-meat (It’s a nice try, but most of us don’t have pets!). Veganism has the reputation of an annoying trend some hope to just sit out or even fight. To us, veganism might be yet another of those passing fads reserved by and for a white, privileged, teeva-wearing, atheist, hippie minority that has nothing to do with religious values. Or does it?
The vegan movement is the fastest-growing social movement of our time. You could call it a religion. It started small, like Judaism, like Christianity, like Islam. Like all those, it has haters. The crusaders against this religion still include pig-eaters, but today the enemy is any and all use of animal products. Today, vegans across the world understand the struggle of people of faith who are used to being unpopular for beliefs/values, for living life by seemingly restricting it and following rules. In their fight and values, vegan atheists are stronger allies to people of faith than people of faith who are cruel to animals.
Veganism has everything to do with our collective values as human beings and especially people of (any) faith. Whether you are a hater, debater, or contemplator, whether you know the first thing about veganism or not, let this person of faith tell you—from meat-lover to meat-lover (and cheese-lover to cheese-lover)—that you should never have to do or not do anything you feel is not right just because others say so. Instead, consider for yourself…
Faith Is Nothing If Not Care for Creation
The most basic tenet of veganism is to refrain from consuming any animal products—either for the good of health, the environment, or animal welfare. Protecting animals’ rights and dignity is particularly core to religious values. Most animals that we eat or use (yes, even fish!) experience fear, feel physical and emotional pain, and have an escape reflex because they want to live freely.
You might not know of the tremendously disgraceful conditions under which our animal products like dairy, eggs, leather, and often even honey are produced. Since understanding the inevitable cruelty done to animals for our food consumption is key, I encourage you to do the research (perhaps here, here, and here). The abundance of footage and data speaks for itself.
In most parts of the globe, it is no longer necessary to eat animal products to survive (in fact, it can drastically improve your health if you don’t). You can choose to refrain from buying animal products either for yourself (nafs, health, beauty) or for “others” (animals, the environment) because it makes rational sense or because you care emotionally. The prophet of Islam himself vocally discouraged meat-consumption, but because no religious authority today forbids it, we sheepishly don’t draw a connection between animal product consumption and religious law. In the Islamic context, veganism should at least qualify as encouraged (mustahab) if the prophet suggested that excessive consumption of animal products is makruh (discouraged). But how have we not even started the conversation about veganism in our religious communities?
Religious Law or Spiritual Integrity?
Raised in a religious family, I grew up with more rules than most of my peers. They often involved restrictions—not doing things that to everyone else might be perfectly normal, like drinking, gossiping, or eating the meat I was offered at my schoolmate’s home. Although the rules of religious life often made sense, I could always challenge and question them, so I learned not to settle easily. But I also learned that higher values require intentionality about my life choices. I began to ask myself: Why are there rules around consumption of animal products and intoxicants? Might there be more to halal/kosher than a magic legalizing spell over a dying body? I am not going to tell you that going vegan is easy and fun right away. But neither is being religious, and you know it and take it on anyway—including many similar “restrictions.” What matters most is never easy but worth it.
I love meat. I love dairy, eggs, seafood, honey, leather, and gummy bears. In fact, I loved some of those so much that I had high cholesterol level as an average-weight teenager. Nevertheless, today I choose to refrain, and I believe refraining is my moral, ethical, and religious obligation. To me, choosing not to participate in the godless industry of animal exploitation is the act of adding to the rules myself, or rather seeing them extend beyond the obvious. It is about having the integrity to say—while the majority of religious authorities seem to be sleeping on this issue clearly concerned with our religious values—that I am going to act on them on my own to justify my own deeds. By applying the framework of justice, which my religion (amongst other entities) has equipped me with and requires me to apply to every area of life, I am bringing my faith and spiritual practice of radical justice to my holistic consumption.
Why Expand?
While halal and kosher dietary and slaughter laws were innovative for their times in their attempt to minimize cruelty, none seem to fully fit to eliminate animal suffering the way eliminating animal products does. Even so-called humane and “ethically” sourced halal and kosher is mostly not what we expect if we look behind the curtains and witness conditions on the ground. Furthermore, the integrity of eating meat is also seriously undermined when we have to admit most of us would not be able to eat meat if we had to slaughter on our own. Let this sink in.
Neither Islamic nor Jewish law has conventionally dealt with the suffering that animals undergo apart from slaughter (as, historically, no factory farming or mass dairy or egg production existed). The dietary laws of each seek to reduce cruelty—to inflict the least fear, pain, and suffering possible. Of course, this should not be news. But it seems like we need reminders for what we claim to stand for: loving-kindness, justice, mercy. Except for the purposes of survival or self-defense, cruelty—let alone killing of any beings—is unjustified. (For thoughts on the ancient practice of sacrifice, see this post.)
Given the fact that I can survive (even thrive!) on a vegan diet, I strictly refrain from buying any animal products. I believe it is the most effective way to avoid participating in unnecessary (and so, unjustified) cruelty and to push for both secular and religious legislation reform.
To be sure, only those who have choice over their food consumption must contend with the moral implications of that choice. A vegan diet is furthermore no guarantee for perfect health, nor is vegan processed food exempt from having an impact on the environment. I am neither calling for nor practicing vegan dogmatism. After harm, waste is the number one concern, so feel free to enjoy what would otherwise be disposed. But choose not to participate in the industry’s system; every store receipt is a ballot.
Consider Your Own Religious/Ethical Standards
If you identify as Muslim/Jewish/a follower of Jesus/a person with a guiding moral worldview and if you came out of this post unmoved, let me be the first to tell you: Don’t worry about going vegan! If, however, a part of you was touched, it means that you recognize that it concerns you—it means that you care.
I challenge you to join me in the conversation by taking it to your family, to your religious communities, other circles. I urge you to learn more about how our choices affect others and the world, to join me in encouraging others to do the same, and to begin your process to go plant-based now. For me, this is about veganism technically being the only halal/kosher option. This is not kindly giving up something you don’t have to; it’s about embracing the struggle to refrain from doing something which, by your own religious/ethical standards, you cannot allow yourself to do.
Our religious leaders, scholars, and lawmakers are people of their time, and just like us, they grew up not knowing what the future of animal slaughter and farming would look like. Today, knowing what we know calls for updating laws. I am calling on religious and spiritual leaders with integrity, with a sincere conscience, and in the true way of whatever faith they follow to join me in bringing this conversation to our communities, to ditch double-standards, and to raise awareness on the unethical consumption of animal products as incongruent with faith.
Wallahu A’lam, רק ה׳ יודע and (only) G-d knows