Vegan World

The name of this blog was going to be Vegan World because the vegan concept involves more than just eating. It is all encompassing. It involves not only people, the planet, and our fellow travelers on spaceship Earth, but also the broader concepts of Peace, Prosperity for all, and Social Justice.
We all know about the health benefits of a vegan diet in overcoming cancer, heart disease, and diabetes: the main killers of both men and women in the U.S. Most of us also know that meat production does more to cause global warming than all of transportation combined. Many people are aware of the horrors of factory farms, and the immense suffering at slaughterhouses by our innocent fellow sentient beings.
I think that problem goes further than that. Last year I had the opportunity to moderate a panel at the United Nations annual Non-Governmental Organization Conference in Mexico City. Kevin Martin, the founder of peace Action - the largest grass roots Peace organization in the U.S., was one of the panel members. He referred to ‘peace on all levels’, and I repeated this concept in my closing remarks.
It is my belief that Peace, Prosperity for all, and Social justice will be impossible to attain while the results of extreme violence are in the bodies of the world’s population. Let me explain.
I am a member of Pax Christi, a national and international Christian Peace organization. At our last meeting, a book entitled Personal Nonviolence was recommended for the ‘study’ part of our Prayer - Study - Action mandate. The author is not a vegan, nor does he mention food in his table of contents, which I perused. Going against the crowd, I refused to read the book on the basis that I personally would prefer to read a book on Personal Nonviolence by someone who was personally nonviolent. My decision was met with ridicule, which I should have, but did not, expect. In response to this, I explained the Digestive System, and how whatever is ingested is broken down by digestive enzymes into smaller and smaller pieces, and finally becomes single molecules which are absorbed directly through the villi of the small intestine into the blood stream. There it is eventually taken to every cell in the body to provide nourishment. The end products of violence nourish every cell of the body. How is it possible, under those circumstances, to accomplish something which is totally opposite of what permeates the entire body?
Today I will be participating in another peace activity, because I doubt I will be welcomed back to the ‘peace’ organization which I have been a member of.
I sometimes wonder what side God is on. I often wonder if I am fighting with God Almighty in trying to end the violence and abuse of our fellow createes. Even if I have to take on Heaven and Earth, I will still do it. It is too much a part of me to do anything else.
You are cordially invited to share your thoughts, ideas, comments, and dreams. Vegan recipes are especially welcome.
www.veganretreat.org