Can you be Pagan and vegan?

[Rory17]

Hello ,
I have been considering paganism. I also want to go vegan again.
Pagans believe in protecting and preserving nature. Pagans usually love nature.
However, I have been reading about it, and I am concerned that paganism and veganism may conflict.
I would also want to keep Buddhism, for now at least.
I also am hopefully going to get back into Goth (vampire goth), which I was into when I was younger.
Goths and vegans both have to go through bullying and prejudice by asshats online and in real life. How would you deal with bullies online and in real life?
Thanks.

 

[Lou]

I am not religious. (I may even fit into the category of anti-religious). But back when I was younger (than you) I went thru a period of exploration (including paganism and buddhism) so I am not totally ignorant of religions. In fact, I think my anti-reglious sentiments are an outgrowth of my familiarity of religions.

Anyway, IMHO, no religions are incompatible with veganism. And visaversa. In fact, I've seen arguments that being vegan is entirely compatible with religious teachings.* Sure there are religions that have ceremonies involving meat - but those are just ceremonies - certainly mock meats could be substituted. But to the best of my knowledge no religion actually requrires real animals to be sacrificed. but I don't know anything about goth - I didn't even know that was a religion - but I guess just like veganism - its a lifestyle.

My best advice for avoiding bullying is just to avoid negative spaces - and spend time in positive spaces. like this one!! Or if you insist on going to enemy country - grow a thicker skin. )

* Check out the documentary a Prayer for Compassion

New Documentary 'A Prayer For Compassion' Explores the Spiritual Side of Being Vegan

 

[Rory17]

I am not religious. (I may even fit into the category of anti-religious). But back when I was younger (than you) I went thru a period of exploration (including paganism and buddhism) so I am not totally ignorant of religions. In fact, I think my anti-reglious sentiments are an outgrowth of my familiarity of religions.

Anyway, IMHO, no religions are incompatible with veganism. And visaversa. In fact, I've seen arguments that being vegan is entirely compatible with religious teachings.* Sure there are religions that have ceremonies involving meat - but those are just ceremonies - certainly mock meats could be substituted. But to the best of my knowledge no religion actually requrires real animals to be sacrificed. but I don't know anything about goth - I didn't even know that was a religion - but I guess just like veganism - its a lifestyle.

My best advice for avoiding bullying is just to avoid negative spaces - and spend time in positive spaces. like this one!! Or if you insist on going to enemy country - grow a thicker skin. )

* Check out the documentary a Prayer for Compassion

New Documentary 'A Prayer For Compassion' Explores the Spiritual Side of Being Vegan

Goth isn’t a religion. It is a subculture and a lifestyle.

 

[Lou]

Goth isn’t a religion. It is a subculture and a lifestyle.

So, I don't know much about Goth so I googled it and found this.

The Goth Vegan Revolution - Attitude Clothing Blog

Vegan Goth Foods for Your Dark Aesthetic | PETA

The Spooky Vegan: Goth Gifts for the Strange and Unusual

The Anti-Unicorn Vegan Goth Trend is Finally Here | VegNews

Vegan Goth - Etsy

Just don't scare the bunnies

 

[David3]

Hello ,
I have been considering paganism. I also want to go vegan again.
Pagans believe in protecting and preserving nature. Pagans usually love nature.
However, I have been reading about it, and I am concerned that paganism and veganism may conflict.
I would also want to keep Buddhism, for now at least.
I also am hopefully going to get back into Goth (vampire goth), which I was into when I was younger.
Goths and vegans both have to go through bullying and prejudice by asshats online and in real life. How would you deal with bullies online and in real life?
Thanks.

.
This webpage discusses Paganism and veganism: Room for Vegan Paganism within existing traditions


The Unitarian Universalist (UU) tradition encourages people to search for truth and meaning within any religion(s), in any combination:

"The beliefs of individual Unitarian Universalists range widely, and can include humanism, Judaism, Christianity, Islam,[9] Hinduism, Sikhism, Buddhism, Taoism, syncretism, Omnism, Neopaganism, atheism, agnosticism, pantheism, panentheism, pandeism, deism and the teachings of the Baháʼí Faith.[10]"

Link: Unitarian Universalism - Wikipedia.

There are UU Churches all over the world. The churchgoers do tend to be older people.
.

 

[Lou]

.
This webpage discusses Paganism and veganism: Room for Vegan Paganism within existing traditions


The Unitarian Universalist (UU) tradition encourages people to search for truth and meaning within any religion(s), in any combination:

"The beliefs of individual Unitarian Universalists range widely, and can include humanism, Judaism, Christianity, Islam,[9] Hinduism, Sikhism, Buddhism, Taoism, syncretism, Omnism, Neopaganism, atheism, agnosticism, pantheism, panentheism, pandeism, deism and the teachings of the Baháʼí Faith.[10]"

Link: Unitarian Universalism - Wikipedia.

There are UU Churches all over the world. The churchgoers do tend to be older people.
.

I think Cathleen Patrick Goudreau is or was in the UU

 

[Danielle]

I don't see the conflict, from what I can tell there are a lot of pagans that are vegetarian or vegan.

You'd still cause less death by eating vegan even if you believe that plants are alive in the same way animals are. I personally can't see plants the same way I see animals

My ex brought up paganism and how they'd conflict, but I disagree with his stance

 

[Tom L.]

I thought a bit- and realized I don't know much about Paganism, although I'm under the impression that there are a few different things a Pagan might believe. So long as your Pagan beliefs and practices do not require you to use animals (or support industries/products which do), I don't see why there would be any difficulty.

 

[Lou]

One might think that Witch's brew is not vegan.
But it turns out the ingredients are all names of plants.

Here’s the surprise: All of the ingredients in the witches brew are simply ancient terms for herbs, flowers and plants:

• Eye of newt – mustard seed
• Toe of frog – buttercup
• Wool of bat – holly leaves
• Tongue of dog – houndstongue (a weed that’s toxic to livestock)
• Adders fork – adders tongue (spring flower from the lily family, used as an herb)

https://www.wytv.com/news/daybreak/nugget-of-knowledge-witchs-brew-recipe/

 

[Tom L.]

Whoa- it's been quite some time since High School English class, when we studied "Macbeth" (I think we did a different play of Shakespeare each year- we also did "Othello" and "The Merchant Of Venice). I have no idea how much Shakespeare actually knew about the craft (I'm thinking probably not very much), but the rest of that passage mentions some unmentionable, definitely non-vegan ingredients. I remember our teacher explaining to the class how it starts with various herbs, but then includes animal parts and finally parts of humans- things that might give Clive Barker or Stephen King a run for their money.

 

[Lou]

Whoa- it's been quite some time since High School English class, when we studied "Macbeth" (I think we did a different play of Shakespeare each year- we also did "Othello" and "The Merchant Of Venice). I have no idea how much Shakespeare actually knew about the craft (I'm thinking probably not very much), but the rest of that passage mentions some unmentionable, definitely non-vegan ingredients. I remember our teacher explaining to the class how it starts with various herbs, but then includes animal parts and finally parts of humans- things that might give Clive Barker or Stephen King a run for their money.

I actually left out just one of the ingredients cause it didn't support my case. lets just call it the exception that proves the rule.

I left off blind worm which is a tiny snake.

 

[peacefulveglady]

I been exploring paganism myself as I am tired of the way organized religions control people.
I do not see an issue being Pagan and Vegan at the same time.
There are many paths of paganism. I like the Goth and Vampire witchy stuff also and being nightowl.

 

[Second Summer]

I always thought paganism sounded a bit woolly, hard-to-define and ultimately a meaningless term as it seems to encompass everything from Wiccan beliefs to "Goth", to Norse, Anglo-Saxon, Germanic, Celtic, Roman, Greek deities. (And I'm sure I forgot someone in that list!)

That said, as it's really such a broad term, I'm sure there is a way to reconcile it with veganism.

 

[Lou]

That said, as it's really such a broad term, I'm sure there is a way to reconcile it with veganism.

Just as long as there are no animal sacrifices. Come to think of it almost every "organized" religion has some animal sacrifices included - at least in a historical, traditional, or symbolic sense. But I think all religions are if not compatible at least don't exclude veganism.

 

[David3]

Come to think of it almost every "organized" religion has some animal sacrifices included - at least in a historical, traditional, or symbolic sense. But I think all religions are if not compatible at least don't exclude veganism.

.
Yes, the Old Testament of the Christian Bible, and the Jewish Torah, include detailed instructions for animal sacrifice (I won't post the Bible verses, as they are graphic).

In Catholicism, the ritual of "taking communion" involves the eating of bread and wine, and the belief that this bread and wine are transubstantiated into the flesh and blood of Christ. This is symbolic cannibalism. Transubstantiation - Wikipedia.

The 16th century Aztec religion still included human sacrifice.

Animal sacrifice is practiced in at least one type of Hinduism: Buddha Buzz Weekly: Mass Animal Sacrifice in Nepal

The Newar Buddhists of Nepal practice animal sacrifice: https://college.holycross.edu/projects/himalayan_cultures/2011_plans/jclossic/documents/blood.pdf

 

[FlandersOD]

In and of itself there isn't any non-adhoc non-bizzaroland reason why their would be any incompatability to "Insert religion", assuming it's not some sort of ritualistic death cult.
However ritualistic death cults are an adhoc bizzaroland phenomenon.

 

[FredVegrox]

I don't know at all why there would be any issue that would have vegans not being being pagan. I have seen pagan expression where I can find vegan communication. Veganism is compatible with Christianity, yet I as one adherent don't just find other vegan Christians other than where we can now come to group communication online, still being really far apart.

 

[Veggyolky]

This is kind of an controversial question that will certainly have a million correct answers mate...
Im a converted jew and according to many of our traditions my vegan lifestyle doesn't fit or goes against them. But when asking my overheads about it they say its the faith that counts and if i might eat maple syrup instead of honey on Pesah im still a jew and loved by God. Its the whole ceremony and my thoughts and gratefulness during it that is important.

With concluding words >> YOU can make peganism and veganism work together or any other sect or religion.