Swift rebuttals of common non-vegan bullshit!

This post concerns something that desperately needs to be addressed.

I must admit that I audibly chuckle whenever confronted with a theist who has just discovered that I'm vegan.

Maybe it's not the first thing that comes out their mouth, nor the second or third... but, god as my witness 🙌, at some point early on during the interrogation regarding the 'what's, where's, why's and how's' of the mystery (to them) that is veganism, something along the following lines will be uttered - almost as though it was part of their programming 🤔 - which just... you know... fuck sakes... I give up:

"Well, it is written in the bible... you know, and god says... so, I mean, animals were given to us by the 'Lord'... to, like, sustain us and shit... but, anyway... animals have no soul... and, therefore, they are, like, our property... to do with as we please... so, like, yeah..."

(And, yes, before you ask, these people are usually the stereotypical ignorant blond white American girl from every early-2000's comedy-horror slasher film).

Moving right along.

No matter what is said or how it's said, when it comes down to it, most theists will assert that it is their god-given right to eat animals; that it is SkyDaddy™️ Approved.

Many even claim that animals have no soul and, therefore, it doesn't matter what we do to animals or how we choose to treat them.

Don't get me wrong, obviously some theists are experts in mental acrobatics and have adopted a more ethical interpretation of the bible, but a literal reading thereof makes it abundantly clear that animals really aren't deserving of even a modicum of the same respect (by god's people) as do humans.

Theists will argue that animals - somehow magically - willingly sacrifice themselves or that they want to fulfil 'their ultimate purpose' or the way animals are cared for in preparation for slaughter is a display of utmost respect.

The same argument has, historically, been used by the religious in justifying the poor treatment of women - that they are so pure, they need to be protected and the way we protect them is to limit their rights and perpetuate their abuse... you know, because god loves and respects them soooo much - as well as to justify slavery - because some people absolutely love being owned as property and couldn't be more thrilled and thankful to their masters for showing them such unprecedented love and kindness.

It's always the same shit with religion... and we continue to do the same abhorrent shit to animals in its name.

'such and such is for your own good' or 'hate the sinner, not the sin' or 'you just don't understand god's love; he only wants the best for you and all you want to do is sin' or 'your lifestyle goes against god's wishes and he doesn't want to see you get hurt'.

It's just hate and manipulation and bigotry and evil, thinly veiled as compassion and kindness and the best of intentions.

All religion does is allow 'good' people to do bad things in the name of their so-called god and think that this act alone - blindly following the writings of an ancient book, written down by bronze-age bigots and given the interpretation that best serves one's agenda, confirms one's biases and justifies one's prejudice - somehow gives them the right to do whatever the fuck they want with minimal consequences.

I'm sorry, but I DO NOT accept the excuse that 'god allows or prescribes or commands the eating of animals' to justify the continued exploitation, abuse and murder of sentient beings.

For people so adamant that theism holds dominion over morality, it's strange how so many immoral acts are allowed, justified or simply outright demanded by god and in scripture.

If Christianity or Islam, or any religion for that matter, is supposed to represent the height of morality and hold all the answers to living a good and virtuous life... then, to be quite honest, I want nothing to do with it!

Religion and culture and tradition has been used throughout the ages to justify and perpetuate some of the worlds most egregious atrocities and acts of cruelty, violence and evil...

So forgive me when I say that I don't give a single flying fuck about your god or your faith or your culture when there's an identifiable victim being harmed or is suffering unnecessarily because of it!

Traditions change and societies evolve... so it's about goddamn time yours does the same.

Animals exist in reality; science has confirmed their sentience; we know that they can feel pain and suffer like we do; and they are both capable as well as deserving of love and compassion.

Yet, on the other hand, god's existence is so improbable, it is practically impossible; science has discredited many of the major claims made in scripture; there's no good reason to believe religion has any value that could not be found in greater abundance and more logical form through secular means; and god - at least as he/she/it/they is depicted within the Abrahamic cults - is a petty, cruel, jealous, unjust and evil megalomaniac, unworthy of respect, let alone our worship.

Ergo, the lives and ethical treatment of animals and their right not to be raped tortured and killed for our mere sensory pleasure > your god, religion, traditions, culture and capacity to be offended by this post.

In fact, the moral treatment of animals is worth so much more than your faith that, if the two ever come into conflict, there should be no debate or hesitation about it... your religious freedom in this regard ought to be immediately, irrevocably and stringently limited.

Eating animals may be SkyDaddy™️ approved but, whereas animals live, breathe and exist in reality... scripture hardly even qualifies as a mediocre work of fiction and your god a scarcely-believable fictional supernatural character.

I mean, if we're just going to make shit up, surely we can do better than that!?