Vegetarian Life

One year ago today I was heading back to Sioux Falls, SD from a visit to my parent's and shopping for a wedding dress. As usual, I stopped in Watertown to give my old and tired car a break and to fill up with gas. On this occasion I also made a stop at McDonald's for some savory chicken nuggets as I had decided that the next day I was going to start my journey into vegetarianism.... and a delicious journey it has been thus far. For the last year I have repeatedly been asked "why?" and sometimes, "WHY?" For a good part of the year I knew my own reasons but was not sure how to articulate them. Ethical? Yes. Nutritional? Yes. People understand these reasons and they typically stifle further questions (bonus) but neither really get at the reason I became a vegetarian.

I have always had a soft spot for animals and if I thought about what I was eating while I was eating meat usually I suddenly became full. My brother's still tease me to this day about my first attempt at becoming a vegetarian. I was in about sixth grade and we were probably have pork or some meat I didn't like for dinner and in order to avoid eating it I claimed that I was a vegetarian. When it came to dinner the next night at McDonald's I claimed that I was a vegetarian... with exceptions and proceeded to order a cheeseburger. After suffering much ridicule from my brothers for my pseudo-vegetarianism, I surrendered and withdrew my statement about being one and continued to enjoy meat until one year ago. This time I went at it with a fuller understanding of my reasons, a little more self-control, and a little less desire for fast-food.

This may come as a shock to those of you who know me well, but scripture has become the source that allows me to articulate my reasoning for being vegetarian. In the first creation story of Genesis God says:


"I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food. ³⁰ And to all the beasts of the earth and all the birds of the air and all the creatures that move on the ground—everything that has the breath of life in it—I give every green plant for food." 

While I do not take a literal approach to the scriptures, I do think there is some weight in the fact that this ancient story, which has been preserved because of the wisdom it offers, suggests that humans might not have the right to seize life for their own advantage as we see fit. The Old Testament is filled with stories of sacrifice, rules about sacrifice, sacrifices gone wrong etc. Sacrifice was practiced not only to give offering to God but to prepare the meat being sacrificed and to give thanks for the life that was being given in order that others might thrive. So far in the Old Testament we go from no meat to meat that is properly appreciated and recognized as a sacrifice. Today, in my experience, people typically give no heed to the lives that are created, lived, and sacrificed just to give and nourish the lives of people. (This story is oddly similar to another pretty big one in the New Testament, please take note and feel free to wrestle with this). People too easily take for granted the sanctity of life in all beings. In this last year I have become so much more aware of the sanctity of life and have come to mindfully appreciate the sacrifices that creation undergoes in order for me to have life.

 SO... why am I a vegetarian? It humbles me, it challenges me, and it is one small thing I can do to protect and honor the sanctity of all life. Am I telling you that you should become a vegetarian? Not necessarily (although I fully support anyone's decision to become one). I do ask, however, that the next time you eat meat you sincerely give thanks and appreciate the life that was sacrificed in order to give you life and that you take only what you need.

Peace.