Lets go back to when I was around 6 or 7 years old, during Christmas family and I will go back to Kampar my grandparents place to celebrate. I remember this one year, we went over to grandparents friend's house for Christmas party. Food was of course prepared, but me and my brother wouldn't eat. One of the aunties came asking us, why don't you eat. I answered her we don't eat meat. She said oh why? Jesus/God (I forgot which one) allowed us (Christians) to eat (meat). She continued saying something like how can you not eat meat, you can't grow properly, yadda yadda yadda... By the way, it was from then I started to hate Christians. LOL. Now, I don't hate them no more because not everyone is like that aunty. ^^
*My brother and I did not look like siblings when we're younger. I'm big and he's sickly looking and skinny. So ppl would comment something like see vegetarian is no good for children, look at him. Then I would say, no look at me, I am just fine. LOL.
Even then at 6 or 7, my mother still allowed us to have KFC during school holidays when Heay and fam came visit us. How weird huh? She knows it will take us sometime to get use to not having meat, poultry, fish in our diet.
Fast forward a bit to 8-9 years old, IN SCHOOL, that's where the fun starts. We started to have more friends. We eat together during break time. There was once. My classmate challenged me, he said, it will be ok for you to eat meat because you don't ACTUALLY kill them! (Ooh how smart) You just eat. At that time I was confused. So I went home asked my dad why? My dad said if all of us do not eat animals then those butchers would have nobody to kill for and no reason to kill... And so I told myself, that will be how I would answer them back next time.
By the time I get to high school or college (can't remember), someone challenged me. He said plants is ALSO living things and how could you kill them? Ooh I was speechless then. In my religion, animals have soul, animals feel pain, animals think... Plants don't have soul. There are somethings, ya just can't explain in English. Hahahah. Well yea. =)
You are probably wondering why am I talking about this? You are probably wondering why I call it challenges?
Last night, as I was chatting with baby. This issue came up. He's another person that asked me how is plants different? How do you know plants don't feel pain? I was feeling a bit offended at first but I was over it in no time. No no, not coz he's my babe. Just that, ppl have minds of their own, I cannot expect them to not wonder. I am grateful that my best/good friends NEVER EVER questioned me, NEVER challenged me. We respect each others beliefs. We do not allow different beliefs to get in between our relationships. ;)
I call it challenges because ppl should maybe just try to understand. Don't you think so? AND stop asking me how do I know if plants don't feel pain. lmao. Nah seriously, I used to tell ppl I am a vegetarian because of religion. Now, I tell ppl I am a vegetarian because that is my way of life. I chose not to eat people's flesh, I chose not to kill for food. Yea, I might kill a plant or two but. It is my choice. =)
Though my baby challenged me. He still respects my decision. Just like I respect his. We even joked said, I will stop eating food and start eating steels, iron, and diamonds. LOL.
Just a side note. I used to hate Christians is because they are the only ones that go around telling ppl who to believe and what to eat. I haven't seen any Muslims or Hindus telling me what to do. However, after I moved to the states. I met really awesome Christians, I used to go to church with my roommate Lisa during Thanksgiving or Easter. They all know that I'm not one of them, yet they didn't try to get me to abandon my beliefs. I mean I was in a church and not one person made comments about my religion. =) I thank them for changing my negative perceptions about Christians. Thank you. I am grateful.
So there! I am a lacto-ovo!!!!!
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