I am definitely viewed as somewhat of an extremist lol, but yes, I still attend our church. A friend has gone vegan since I did (raw, no less), and my sil who also attends has recently gone vegan.

I've read everyone's comments to this thread with interest.

One thought that keeps me going is that the PRIMARY message of Jesus is His gift of salvation to us. There are many, many messages in the gospels that seem to be passed over, and this is one of them, but only one. We all (vegans included) have improvements we need to make in our lives, focus that needs a little altering at times. We can be blessed by messages we hear at church, Sunday School classes we take, etc., even if we're being taught by carnivores.

I'm sure we make others uncomfortable with the stands we take, especially when we can't be coaxed to compromise even a little bit "to get along". I ran into this the other day, when several sisters and I were doing a service project, and someone brought soup for us all to eat while we worked. I wouldn't eat any because it had butter in it. Even if it was only a little butter. Even if everyone else felt fine about it. Even if it was sooooo goooood. I see that as a way of blessing others. We're sowing seeds, and sometimes the trees don't grow where we see them, but in time changes will come we aren't there to watch. I think we also, though, need to maintain enough humility that just because someone eats pork (and I KNOW! It's DISGUSTING lol!) or works at a lab where they use animals (I'm as against it as you are), that doesn't mean there is nothing at all in THEIR lives that is worth emulating or learning from, or that because we'd never do either one that our own personal walk with the Lord is all but perfect. I think that sometimes--not always, to be sure, but sometimes--the discomfort we feel is something we cause ourselves, because the only message or subject we're willing to discuss is our favorite one.

I don't mean to offend, and I'm sure others will see things differently. I'm just throwing out my point of view.

Robin

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