What will you give up for Lent?
During the 40 days leading up to Easter, many non-religious people choose to change what they eat out of tradition, but for Christians, Lent is a way of remembering the trials of Jesus.
Many Christians give up eating meat, eggs and dairy foods, which makes Lent the perfect time to celebrate life and go vegan. As Jesus People for Animals points out, the Bible is chock-full of reasons why we should all be vegan.
1. God’s Original Menu Was Vegan
“Then God said, ‘I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food. And to all the beasts of the earth and all the birds in the sky and all the creatures that move along the ground—everything that has the breath of life in it—I give every green plant for food.’”
– Genesis 1:29–30
2. Eating Meat Causes Climate Change
Christians are called to be caretakers of creation, yet meat, eggs and dairy foods waste valuable resources and contribute to deadly climate change. One of the single most effective things that Christians can do to steward God’s creation well is to go vegan.
3. Animals Don’t Want to Die for Our Dinner
Jesus understood how animals would much rather take care of their families than end up on your plate.
“[H]ow often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings.”
– Matthew 23:37
4. Raising Animals for Food Denies Them Opportunities to Express Every God-Given Type of Behaviour
Modern farming processes are like saying to God, “I don’t think you created chickens quite right!”
5. Would God Want Us to Eat Our Fellow Worshippers?
“Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, saying: ‘To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, for ever and ever!’”
– Revelation 5:13–14
6. So Instead of Abusing Animals in Horrific Ways, Show Them Mercy and Compassion
“Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.”
– Matthew 25:40
7. God Wants Us to Be Kind to Our Human Neighbours, Too
Raising animals for food is extremely inefficient. For every kilogram of food that farmed animals are fed, only a fraction of the calories are returned in the form of edible flesh. So why do we funnel huge amounts of grain, soybeans and corn through all the animals we use for food instead of feeding hungry humans?
Whether it’s for your own health or the planet’s or for animals, going vegan at Lent just makes sense. And it does not need to be a sacrifice. Order PETA’s free vegan starter kit, which is packed full of recipes, tips and advice, including nutritional information and ideas, for quick, tasty vegan meals. Take the 40-day vegan lent pledge, and we’ll support you with helpful e-mails along the way.
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