An Argument For Being a Mormon Vegetarian

The following article is written by Nicole Loumeau

I get asked “Why are you a vegetarian?” almost every time I attend an LDS church function with food involved.  In order to avoid a long debate, I usually respond” “I have found many reasons to not eat meat and not one reason to eat it.”  And almost always the questioner will humorously respond, "Because it tastes good" and then I fake a laugh and change the subject.  

Six years of being asked the same question has given me time to articulate my thoughts on the matter. In this gospel, there are what I like to call "black and white commandments”.  With these we are very clearly told what is right and wrong without having to debate it (i.e. gay marriage, abortions, murder, adultery, etc.).  And then there are issues where God hasn't given us a direct commandment from the pulpit because He wants us to use our own discernment and judgment to help us grow.   I would say eating meat is one of these issues.

I always say, “Every reason to be a vegetarian is a good one.”  The one reason that no one will argue is my personal taste; I find eating dead flesh disgusting.  It’s all those other reasons that seem to be an issue.  I believe being vegetarian makes me a healthy person with strong moral and religious convictions.

1. Health Reasons - I've read many studies on the subject.  Everything I've read (including the Word of Wisdom) has drawn me to conclude that the optimal diet is plant based and that animal products are not essential.  All research I’ve seen that says otherwise has been countered by more recent discoveries. 

2. Moral Reasons - I do not believe that the spirit resides in today’s meat market.  I am opposed to the gluttonous abuse and murder of artificially manufactured animals.  Not all, but most of the meat we eat comes from a corrupt industry.  I cannot witness what goes on in these places and pretend that's how God "ordained" man to treat His creatures.

3.  Religious Reasons – I believe abstaining from meat is a higher law.  In the Garden of Eden, God commanded, “Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat”(Genesis 2:16).  Since there was no death in the Garden, we know they ate a vegetarian diet. Likewise, we are told in the millennium, lion will lie down next to lamb. If the lion won’t need to eat meat, neither will we.  Will we eat anything in the Celestial Kingdom? We will not need food for survival, but neither did Christ after His resurrection and He still ate. There will be no death/ meat in the next life.  Therefore, eating meat is only a temporal thing of this world.

One of the blessings of this gospel is modern day revelation.  We are not always asked to decipher the ancient Bible to explain our modern lives. God does not change, but the world changes and He gives us commandments to help us along the way.  Our most recent health code, the Word of Wisdom, is organized like this: First he says things we shouldn't have (alcohol, tobacco, etc.).  Then he talks about meat.  And then he talks about things we should eat (grains and plants).  Meat is that weird vague thing in the middle. 

He mentions meat three times; "Flesh also of beasts and of the fowls of the air, I, the Lord, have ordained for the use of man with thanksgiving; nevertheless they are to be used sparingly”.  He continues, “And it is pleasing unto me that they should not be used, only in times of winter, or of cold, or famine". And then again when he's talking about how grain is meant for man and animals, he reminds us that animals "hath God made for the use of man only in times of famine and excess of hunger."  (Doctrine and Covenants 89: 12-13, 15)

So, are animals ordained for the use of man? Yes.  But only when we need them.  Do I need to eat meat in my sunny home in San Diego just blocks away from the store? No.  

There are a few other scriptures that say animals are for the use of man. These should be read with perspective and in conjunction with all the revelation we have. The Doctrine and Covenants was given in a time with different challenges from what we face today. With the pioneers dying of sickness and starvation, would it be right for them to reject food God provided? Of course not. The scriptures say that man is God's greatest creation. No person should risk their own life to spare that of an animal. If I were in a situation where eating meat would save my life, I would. But right now, that is not the case. So I choose to not eat meat.

How Much Pleasure is Too Much Pleasure?

"It's a freaking punch in the face," said Joe McPherson, the founder of ZenKimchi, a Korean food blog, and an eventual devotee of the fish. "Like everyone else, I gagged the first time."

The mysterious quote above came from an AP article I read today about skate (a type of fish similar to a stingray) that in South Korea is fermented for so long, the aroma smells like rotting garbage...........and that is according to those who enjoy this dish!  As you can tell from the quote above, even enthusiasts experienced a constricting of the throat and severe gagging reflex when they initially tried this food.

By now you are wondering why on earth I am sharing this with all of you.  This story illustrated a point I have been thinking about regarding pleasure.  Despite how horrific this rotting fish may be, there are thousands of people in South Korea who are borderline addicted to the substance because of the rush they get from eating it.  That "rush" of adrenaline comes from the bodies strong reaction to try to combat the assault on the body.  Hence the phrase "it's a freaking punch to the face."

The same concept is true of people who, for example, engage in brutal hand-to-hand combat for entertainment.  Scientists discovered long ago that there is a curious link between pleasure and pain.  Some people consume spicier and spicier foods, not for the flavor but to chase that adrenaline that comes from the body reacting to heat levels above one's tolerance.  There are adrenaline junkies who engage in continuous extreme sports, double marathons, or simply push themselves during ever more dangerous activities.  I used to think that there was something deeply wrong with people who watch dark horror movie after dark horror movie.  Most of these films seem so evil to me.  And yet, when I have met on occasion individuals who spend their free time repeatedly watching various horror movies, I have found them to be pleasant people by and large.  They just enjoy chasing the rush.

This need to chase a rush for pleasure is an impediment to our spiritual well-being.  Not only does it dull our sensitivity to spiritual promptings but it also promotes a lifestyle that cannot stay still and that is looking for the next "high", not too dissimilar to a drug addict.  Obviously, this is milder than drug addiction but the concept is the same.  One of the biggest blessings of living the gospel is a quiet sense of peace.  That can be much harder to achieve if we are chasing these endorphin rushes.

On the other hand, so much of this life is about trying new things and new ideas.  Most human beings tend to play life safe and pay a big price as a result.  Some of the most enjoyable experiences a person can have come from challenging our comfort zones and pushing ourselves past our limits.  Perhaps not in an extreme way but pushing ourselves nonetheless.  However, this isn't necessarily a pursuit of new for the sake of being new or chasing adrenaline.  This is about growing and experiencing all of the many wonderful things God put on this earth for us to enjoy.

So what is the balance?  That can sometimes be a tricky question.  As is the case with almost everything in life, the answer comes from the age old missionary dilemma of how to teach investigators.  How much do you adhere to the strict outline that is given by our wisest leaders?  How much do you "teach by the spirit" and rely on inspiration and the mood of the moment?  Life always needs a balance.  But recognizing that there is a balance is important.  On my mission, teaching by the spirit had a bad wrap to a certain degree.  You could say the same thing about seeking pleasure in life.  It's important to understand why these things get bad names because neither one is inherently bad.  It takes level-headed decision making to ensure the best course.

LDS General Conference Theme

I've missed a lot of this general conference (April 2014) because I had to work on Saturday.  But I have noticed a continuing theme over the last several years of diversity.  Elder Wirthlin gave a talk not too long ago about how members of the church are like various instruments in an orchestra, each unique and perhaps serving different purposes and roles.  His talk was about embracing differences.  President Uchtdorf gave a talk recently about how we perpetuate false stereotypes about why people leave the church and that there are many reasons why this may happen.  Rarely do people leave the church simply because they are wicked or weak.  Today, Elder Perry talked about how rarely are there one-size-fits-all solutions in life and that there is necessary trial-and-error.

This theme seems to be in conjunction with the theme of needing to have Christ-like love above all else.  The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is above else a church that looks to embrace others.  Sometimes, members of the LDS church need reminders of this because we are all human.  Our nature is to be tribal and thus, we are blessed to have modern prophets and apostles that pull us away from our natural man tendencies and towards loving others, despite the high tensions we see in politics and society at large among differing groups.