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View Full Version : such a long read (Earthlings documentry)



miabella
12-05-2009, 03:51 AM
Firstly, I do hope that I am posting in the right section:)

I am just in the middle of watching "Earthlings". And I just need to share.

If you haven't seen "Earthlings", here is a brief overview that simply will not do the justice to this documentry that it deserves. It's basically about the animals and how the humans treat the animals with such cruilty for the purpose of serving humans.

If you are an on again off again vegan, this doco with surly make you see the light I'm certain as it has done for me.

Going on, Christmas is coming up. My inlaws will be staying for a couple of days. They eat what they (and I considered for years) to be an extremely healthy diet. They do not indulge in fast food, however they eat cooked with loads and of vegetable and salads and meat, cheese & dairy.

This Chrismas I was originally just going to prepare what was easiest to accomodate them as guests. This would have been, varieties of salads with a Leg of ham, prawns and oysters. This would have satisfied my family with all the salad and yeh I'm sure my husband and girls would have indulged in the meat side also.

Anyways, as I said I'm in the middle of watching "Earthling" and I've decided I just can't do it. I just can't buy the meat for them. I just really don't want it in my house. This is my house, my environment the only place where I really get to express and have my own world. Yeh I sound really crazy, I know , I'm listening to myself.

I've just reached a major mile stone on this journey now. I just don't want to accomodate others anymore. I don't want to at all push my views apon them. That is not my intention at all. I know the truth, it's my truth and I'm sick of letting my consideration of others sabotage my efforts to be raw vegan in every sence of the way.

Why is it such an issue? (If you're still reading ,you may be wondering) Because a couple of years ago my family visited with them over Christmas and at that time I had just finished the book "The ethics of what we eat?"

The inlaws commented that we weren't eating meat or any of the cooked foods and wanted to know why. So we shared all that we had learn't along with the recent book that I had finished. I gave the book to my father in law to read because he seemed curious. However after he finished it (in two days) he demanded to know why I would give him such a horribly, sad and confronting book. He raised the fact that he knew meat was necessary for the diet and that him, his wife and family were all perfectly healthy. And now he felt when he sat down to eat his meat that was vital to a healthy diet he would be confronted with the images the book had read.

I can't remember the details of our discussion. But I remember saying to my husband that I was sick of his father being so bossy and a know it all.

I was and still am so gratefull to my inlaws. as it was them that started me on my path to discovering raw vegan. Prior to this my mum brought me up on baked beans and toast. I was so sick, fatiged, lathargic and depresed as a child. And it wasn't untill I met my husband now and inlaws that these symptoms got so much better from this great diet that they shared with such enthusiasm with me.

But I didn't stop there. I continued to read and educate myself. ( A big feat for a person that did not receive a substantial education as a child due to the implecations of such an atrochious diet, such as inability to concentrate in school, lack of interest, lack of understanding, and believe me it goes on)

And my husband also continued to educate himself on diet and his parents, my inlaws, just can't accept that for some people, myself and my husband thier diet just wasn't giving us our optimal potential in health and vitality.

Sooo I have a question? Do I still serve meat on Christmas day to accomodate them and just get over myself and continue to be considerate. Orrrr, do I say no to meat. Silly question I know. The answer to me is not serve meat. However it's Christmas and we are supposed to be concentrating on consideration and getting along. But what about the big picture- the consideration of all species?

Should I just get them to bring thier own meat? It's just that this also draw attention to our diet? Ahgg!

I seariously have neuroses hey.:rolleyes: I have to just stand up for what I bellieve in. :D

If you got this far then, thankyou.:)

If you have any thoughts I would really love to hear them!

mia

spicyfull
12-05-2009, 06:46 AM
I Cook Meat ALL the time. My Family (siblings and friends) have dinner once a month and MOST of the time I am STUCK with the cooking. I fry, grill and boil it up. BUT I DON'T EAT IT UP. I don't give Sermons unless asked. They know My LifeStyle, I was a Vegeterian for MANY years before becoming RAW. They see How CUTE I am. So I don't bother their lifestyle. They WANNA BE ME BUT DON'T WANT TO PAY THE PRICE..........

Its a BIG Job being the Food Police.......I FIRED MYself. You're the Host so let their few days be without Trauma and Drama. The same rule should apply when you visit them.

I Sure Hope you guys have a Lovely CHRISTmas and Celebrate the REASON for the SEASON...................Merry CHRISTmas.

miabella
12-05-2009, 08:03 AM
I Cook Meat ALL the time. My Family (siblings and friends) have dinner once a month and MOST of the time I am STUCK with the cooking. I fry, grill and boil it up. BUT I DON'T EAT IT UP. I don't give Sermons unless asked. They know My LifeStyle, I was a Vegeterian for MANY years before becoming RAW. They see How CUTE I am. So I don't bother their lifestyle. They WANNA BE ME BUT DON'T WANT TO PAY THE PRICE..........

Its a BIG Job being the Food Police.......I FIRED MYself. You're the Host so let their few days be without Trauma and Drama. The same rule should apply when you visit them.

I Sure Hope you guys have a Lovely CHRISTmas and Celebrate the REASON for the SEASON...................Merry CHRISTmas.

Thank you for your reply Spicyfull! That is so lovely-a Very Merry Christmas to you and yours aswell!!!!

Central to my concerns is that I do not want to participate in anything that involves Specieism.

I also share your views very strongly indeed. That is why I feel so conflicted.

I was just already annoyed because I fell in to an old habbit and bought store bought, packaged. highly processed and preservitive laden fruit cake because I know the inlaws love that type of traditional stuff and there was no way I was going to purchase the ingredients and waste time making it. Time I just don't have. All because I love them. But is that really showing love? I mean that is really going to help them live a long life.

So I spoke to my husband just then and brought my delema to his attention. And he says "Just prepare what we always eat- let my parents know what's on the menue so that they can choose if they would like to bring any additional stuff to the table"

Problem solved. I feel so silly for getting my knickers in a knot.

So now I can look forward to preparing the chrismas menu using what I have available in our garden as inspiration.

Have a great night! (or is it day for you?:confused:) Mia

D'vorah
12-05-2009, 12:22 PM
This is my house, my environment the only place where I really get to express and have my own world. Yeh I sound really crazy, I know , I'm listening to myself.



mia


You don't sound at all crazy. I often struggle, because, as I just said in another post, my husband is a me*t eater and h*nter. Coffee grounds had recently gotten spilled all over the freezer, so I had to pull everything out to clean up the grounds. Dh has a big standing freezer in the garage that is too full to hold any more of his me*t, so it's begun migrating into the freezer in the kitchen, so, there's hardly any room for anything else. I'd let it go, because less and less I'm buying frozen fruits and vegetables, but, having to handle all of his me*t to clean up the spill grounds was unsettling to me. It's my house too, it's my space too. I don't use the coffee grounds or eat the meat, but if I don't clean it, my ice will have coffee grounds, so, there I was.

I completely get where you're at.

Deborah

D'vorah
12-05-2009, 12:28 PM
I Cook Meat ALL the time. My Family (siblings and friends) have dinner once a month and MOST of the time I am STUCK with the cooking. I fry, grill and boil it up. BUT I DON'T EAT IT UP. I don't give Sermons unless asked. They know My LifeStyle, I was a Vegeterian for MANY years before becoming RAW. They see How CUTE I am. So I don't bother their lifestyle. They WANNA BE ME BUT DON'T WANT TO PAY THE PRICE..........

Its a BIG Job being the Food Police.......I FIRED MYself. You're the Host so let their few days be without Trauma and Drama. The same rule should apply when you visit them.

I Sure Hope you guys have a Lovely CHRISTmas and Celebrate the REASON for the SEASON...................Merry CHRISTmas.

You know, this is a beautiful post in many ways.

I guess I have two issues, then.

One, a pull towards being food police. I love that "I fired myself." Awesome. I haven't embraced food policing, but I think it's a program running in the background, if you will, just waiting to come out and take over. Good to see it and squelch it before it begins.

But, two, the other issues is feeling trodden upon in my own needs and desires, feeling de-valued, unappreciated. I keep looking to the wrong source for my validity. What he does is his issue and about him, not about me, has nothing to do with me, but I'm prone to make it personal. He's not out to destroy me with filling up freezers full of me*t, he's just doing what he does without consideration.

I tend to make it all a whole lot more personal and defining than it is.

Deborah

lovenlife
12-05-2009, 01:01 PM
I didnt read the long post but will (and may edit mine after).

I loved being informed by the "Earthlings" movie. It changed me. I was already a vegan but it took my life, my profound respect for earth and all its fellow sharers to a whole new level.

Yes it is your house, your stand. You are not crazy. This is the raw journey....higher n higher.

I cannot harm a bug. I am super senstive to the plight of all animals on this earth. I cant even look at meat.

It is just my raw senisitivity taken to a whole higher level. I love what raw has done for me and created in me a need to do my part in being a responsible consumer and preparer of food with love.

So I stand where I stand and seek, only by example, to show people a better way to live (which I have decided that for is for me) and let them live how they live if they so choose. I lead not push.

Which means no part in any prep or anything to do with meat.
Oh and I highly recommend untying those knickers lest you fall flat on your face....teehee!!!

oceanluv
12-05-2009, 01:37 PM
Thanks, I just added Earthling to my netflix pics.

Green_Woman
12-05-2009, 01:40 PM
Mia - You must do what your Conscience dictates you do, but you ought not dictate the Consciences of others.

:)

RawSar
12-07-2009, 12:02 AM
Every time I see meat for sale those images from earthling is what I see. The meat, dairy, skin and fur industry is brutal. Its definitely an eye opener and is something I recommend people to watch, hoping it will change the way they look at meat for sale to buying leather.

My boyfriend(also a vegan) wanted to have the big christmas dinner at our house, he brought this up just the other week. I said no, only because I didn't feel I had enough time to really plan it all out.
One year we will host the big dinner at our place. Here's how I would plan it. I would serve both cooked and raw foods, all VEGAN.
We have a rule in this house and that is that no dead animal enters this home. period. That goes for any friend that comes over or stays a night to entertaining a large group for a special occasion. Ok so I wont go as far as leaving my auntie's leather purse outside the door or force an uncle to take his leather belt off and leave it outside. The only piece of dead animal that we own is the steering wheel in our truck is covered in leather - that's it!

So back to the dinner planning. I would make everything, no one will bring anything but their alcoholic drinks. I would make sure that I was clear on that with everyone. I will not say that there will be no meat. I will not tell them that the nog will be dairy free and that there will be no dairy in anything. When I go visit family they dont tell me what they are serving so why should I?

I would have a faux turkey and all the traditional side dishes that go along with a turkey. I will do as much raw food as I can but still have cooked dishes like potatoes and stuffing etc...

I dont think any members of our family would be upset that there was no meat. I dont know if they would vote to have the big christmas dinner at our house again lol.

I'm looking forward to the year that I host it and to see everyone trying all the vegan dishes. I know that they wont taste that much different if not better than the animal dishes. And if anyone of my family have a serious problem with what I serve them then I have no problems .. giving them the boot ;) Its a free meal for them and time spent together to visit. They can eat meat any day I dont care but not in this house! lol.

I will stand up for what I believe in, especially in my own home!

As for the dinner being somewhere else.. I my own food. They don't worry about serving me, they know. And I keep my mouth shut.

miabella
12-07-2009, 04:01 AM
Every time I see meat for sale those images from earthling is what I see. The meat, dairy, skin and fur industry is brutal. Its definitely an eye opener and is something I recommend people to watch, hoping it will change the way they look at meat for sale to buying leather.

My boyfriend(also a vegan) wanted to have the big christmas dinner at our house, he brought this up just the other week. I said no, only because I didn't feel I had enough time to really plan it all out.
One year we will host the big dinner at our place. Here's how I would plan it. I would serve both cooked and raw foods, all VEGAN.
We have a rule in this house and that is that no dead animal enters this home. period. That goes for any friend that comes over or stays a night to entertaining a large group for a special occasion. Ok so I wont go as far as leaving my auntie's leather purse outside the door or force an uncle to take his leather belt off and leave it outside. The only piece of dead animal that we own is the steering wheel in our truck is covered in leather - that's it!

So back to the dinner planning. I would make everything, no one will bring anything but their alcoholic drinks. I would make sure that I was clear on that with everyone. I will not say that there will be no meat. I will not tell them that the nog will be dairy free and that there will be no dairy in anything. When I go visit family they dont tell me what they are serving so why should I?

I would have a faux turkey and all the traditional side dishes that go along with a turkey. I will do as much raw food as I can but still have cooked dishes like potatoes and stuffing etc...

I dont think any members of our family would be upset that there was no meat. I dont know if they would vote to have the big christmas dinner at our house again lol.

I'm looking forward to the year that I host it and to see everyone trying all the vegan dishes. I know that they wont taste that much different if not better than the animal dishes. And if anyone of my family have a serious problem with what I serve them then I have no problems .. giving them the boot ;) Its a free meal for them and time spent together to visit. They can eat meat any day I dont care but not in this house! lol.

I will stand up for what I believe in, especially in my own home!

As for the dinner being somewhere else.. I my own food. They don't worry about serving me, they know. And I keep my mouth shut.

Thansks everyone for letting me know how you feel about these issues. special thanks to lovinlife and rawsar what you have said has empowered me no end. Thank you. I have decided I will serve up a beautiful vegan meal and as you have inspired me rawsar it may just be a mix of raw and cooked for Chrissy that I'm sure everyone will love after all that part of visiting with others is experiencing what they have to offer. And no I won't mention the menu to the inlaws it really doesn't have to be that big a deal I now realise after all your comments I feel so strong. Thank you again-Mia

seagle
02-24-2010, 09:07 PM
This has to be the most disturbing movie I have ever seen. I think I cried through the whole thing

PinguimPraiero
02-25-2010, 10:07 AM
Yes, me too. I cried with a pain in my chest, I sat wringing my covers and rocking back and forth.

I was truly disturbed.