Myth #12: “Veganism is a cult.”
(also heard as “You vegans are in a religion that brainwashes people”)
For the record, there is no “vegan church” and there is no “vegan theology”. Veganism is a practical, ethics-based philosophy initiated by Donald Watson in 1944 – stating that veganism “is the doctrine that mankind should live without exploiting animals”. As such, veganism is simply a way of life that is open to any person who does not want to participate in the exploitation of other sentient beings and who wants to add themselves to a powerful social justice movement that is taking root and flowering all over the world …
Essentially, it has nothing to do with religion at all.
Indeed, when we look at their basic characteristics of both veganism & religion in general, we can readily see that calling veganism a religion or a cult actually couldn’t be further from the truth … Consider the following examples:
*Religion is based on faith; while veganism is based on facts (the animal suffering caused exclusively by non-vegans is very, very real) …
*Religion is a theological response to spiritual matters (most often related to the creation, nature &/or purpose of the Universe); while veganism is a practical response to a tangible social injustice …
*Religion worships a celestial godhead (or godheads) who resides elsewhere (often in “heaven above”); while veganism cherishes justice and equality and kindness for ALL beings right here & now on good-old planet Earth …
*Religion is generally closed to all but those who accept its particular tenants; while veganism is a way of cruelty-free & compassion-filled living that is completely open to people of every age, every race, every gender, every nationality — and indeed … every religion.
Current status of this Myth: Demystified
Justification it provides for eating animals: NONE
“To live as a vegan is not to subscribe to a rigid belief system; it is rather to eradicate previously held, often dogmatic belief systems by replacing them with opinions and behaviors that are grounded in facts that can be scientifically & morally substantiated.” ~ anonymous
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