How To Respond To Non-Vegan Questions
Non-vegans are generally curious about the vegan lifestyle. Many love animals and are against animal cruelty. However, most are unaware of the extent of cruelty imposed on animals by the food industry, the fur and clothing industry and the pet industry. Most meat eaters prefer not to know too much about animal cruelty. It's easier to condone an act of cruelty if you are not aware of the details.
As a vegan, you should be prepared for questions and even ridicule from some meat eaters. Some are honestly curious about the vegan lifestyle. Try to respond to those with straight forward honest answers. Unfortunately, others are just being obnoxious. For these people it is best to just laugh and walk away rather than get into a pointless argument.
If a productive discussion begins to turn into an argument, walk away. Arguing with non-vegans only enforces their belief that your views are radical and their meat diet is proper. Finally, avoid getting into discussions about your beliefs on internet forums. The anonymity of the internet encourages some really sick people to get very offensive. Who needs that? Here are a few typical questions and suggested answers.
Q. Why are you Vegan? How did you get started?A. Just tell the truth. Most vegans have concerns for animal cruelty, their own health and the environment. Simply relate your story. At least no one can disagree with this. It is your reason for being vegan, no one can say you're wrong because no one else knows what you believe but you.
Q. Do you eat honey? Aren't bees animals?
A. This is an individual choice for vegans. Most vegans tend not to eat honey. Although the bees are not killed to produce the honey, they are enslaved and many potential queen bees are killed to produce the desired queen. To vegans, that is cruel.
Q. How about the plants you eat; they are alive and are killed for you to eat. Don't you care about the plants?
A. Conventional wisdom accepts that plants do not have a central nervous system. They do not feel pain or emotion as animals do. And, yes, I care about the plants as an environmental issue. I am capable of caring about both animals and plants.
Q. If animals are not suppose to be eaten, why are they made of meat?
A. The question assumes at the beginning that we are suppose to eat meat. Vegans do not believe that. Using your logic, you might as well ask if we are not suppose to drink blood, why are animals made of blood...or hair...or urine?
Q. "Sorry, I guess you can't eat that".
A. The person saying this is probably being considerate of your vegan beliefs. You might answer with a smile, "actually, I can eat that, but I choose not to. Thank you for you concern".
Q. Since you do not eat meat, milk and eggs, how do you get protein and vitamin B-12?
A. Easy. Nearly all vegan food is either loaded with protein or fortified. And while B-12 is essential, very little is required. A once a week supplement provides many times what the body requires.
Q. I like meat. I don't kill any animals for it and it's my decision. It's a personal preference so why do you condemn me?
A. I don't condemn you. I just don't agree with you. Society condemns certain personal preferences when they are inappropriate or morally reprehensible, especially when they cause injury or harm to another. When we take away the choice of another (animal or human) and then hurt or kill for our own pleasure, we're participating in an act of cruelty, whether we do it ourselves or pay others to do it. A personal preference is what color to dye your hair or kind of car to drive. A personal preference to hurt someone else and that results in the death to millions of animals is not a preference. It is a conscious decision to cause harm to innocent animals with which we share this planet.
Q. Doesn't the bible say that animals were put here for man's food?
A. Not really. First, the word "meat" in the bible generally means solid food to distinguish from liquid drink. There are many religions but one thing they all have in common is the message that we should live a life of love, compassion, and mercy. Today's factory farms display the horrid proof that we are supporting the torture of animals when we make the choice to eat them. It follows that supporting a lifestyle that is kind to animals and helpful to the environment is undoubtedly a the preferred path to a life of love, compassion and mercy.