The Fellowship of Life
a Christian-based vegetarian group founded in 1973

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Literature

The Better Way

"They shall not hurt nor destroy in All My Holy Mountain" 
-
Isaiah 11,9.

The following is an effort to open hearts and minds to the fact that instead of the cruel exploitation of animals for food, clothing, healing and cosmetics and toileteries there is a BETTER WAY of living based on justice and mercy to animals - on "living and letting live" in fact.

 
For
 
Factory Farming
 
Substitute
 
Products of free range animals and birds where possible, otherwise see below.
 
For
 
Slaughter for Food
 
Substitute
 
Vegetarianism.
 
(1) Lacto-vegetarianism - protein obtained from eggs, milk and cheese, nuts, pulses, whole grains, textured proteins.
 
(2) Veganism - no dairy products permitted, protein obtained from nuts, pulses, whole grains, seeds, textured protein, and soya milk substitutes. It is felt that a period of 1and 1/2 - 2 years on lacto-vegetarianism is advisable in order to enable the body to adjust itself to the finer foods, before adopting veganism.
 
For
 
Slaughter for Skins
(including trapping)
 
Substitute
 
Nylon, acrilan, terylene etc., simulated leather and furs.
 
The suggestion is not made that one must throw out articles already in possession - that is up to the conscience of the individual - but when buying new articles every effort should be made to avoid the products of animal exploitation.
 
For
 
Vivisection
 
(1) Cosmetics and Toiletries
(2) Medicine
 
Substitute
 
(1) Cruelty-free products by "Beauty Without Cruelty" or by firms listed in Beauty Without Cruelty" brochure.
 
(2) Spiritual Healing - Prayer, Meditation, Silence, Laying-on of Hands. Absent healing. Bach Remedies; Biochemistry; Exultation of Flowers; Herbalism; Homeopathy; Naturopathy; Vegetarianism; Vita Florum etc.
 
Spiritual Healing heads this last list whilst all else is in alphabetical order in order to avoid bias, because the writer feels strongly that it should be sought and practised by the individual Christian and the Church much more than it is today, and not left as a last resort which is usually the case when it is sought. It can be practised on its own or in conjunction with orthodox medicine, but how much better, if it has to be accompanied by a healing method, that the method should not have involved animal experimentation.

The writer herself has had experience of it on its own, combined with orthodox medicine and, in later years, combined with one of the healing methods mentioned. She does not claim to have experience of all the methods, but she feels sure that they all have something to offer either alone or combined. She was brought up in a shooting and fishing family, her father was a chemist and she never left home without carrying a chemist's shop in her case! Writing this within a few weeks of Christmas she can well remember the thrill of Christmas goods arriving and the dressing of windows, and of being allowed to peep into the fancy boxes of toiletries and cosmetics - I especially remember children's soap in the likeness of such favourites as Mickey and Minnie Mouse. There was always a wee tinge of regret that I was a chemist's daughter and could not expect to receive such delightful novelties as Christmas gifts! Little did I know then of how those charming things were made and the suffering caused to the creatures.

But since learning about spiritual healing, and then vegetarianism, she has not taken a drug of any kind for over twelve years nor has she used soap or toiletries of doubtful origin. It is all a matter of how deeply we believe, whether we are truly open to the guidance of the Holy Spirit to reject much of what was doubtless right for us at an earlier stage in our spiritual development for new and better ways. In pointing this out we do not wish to decry all orthodox medicine with its roots in herbalism and in any case much of which is not based on cruelty, although it is difficult to know just how to draw the line. Perhaps some day all methods, the orthodox and unorthodox will put up a united front against both cruelty and disease!

 
"He that believeth in me, the works that I do shall he do also: and greater works than these shall he do because I go to my Father." 
 
John 14:12
 
What greater than the BETTER WAY of JUSTICE, MERCY AND COMPASSION towards ALL CREATION?
 
Margaret E. Lawson
 
Published by the Fellowship of Life in 1974.

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