Why Is Meat Murder for Vegans but Abortion Is Not?

Why Is Meat Murder for Vegans, but Abortion Is Not?

By Bobby Darvish
darvishintelligence.blogspot.com

As a former vegan, I understand well the convictions behind abstaining from meat consumption. My journey with veganism was deeply rooted in compassion, a desire to reduce suffering, and to stand for the rights of living beings. But as I grew in my faith and questioned the beliefs I held, I encountered a puzzling hypocrisy in the ideology I once followed. In veganism, we are taught that taking an animal’s life for sustenance is “murder,” yet many in this movement also support the “right” to terminate human life in the womb. This contradiction troubled me, and I struggled to reconcile how a worldview that cherishes the sanctity of animal life could disregard the sanctity of human life.

This inconsistency is no small matter. It raises profound ethical questions about the foundations of modern secular ethics and about our responsibility as Christians to uphold the sanctity of all life. For many vegan activists, “meat is murder,” a slogan designed to shock and to compel a rethinking of our eating habits. I once echoed those words with fervor. However, if consuming meat is considered murder, what then is abortion? Is it not also an act that ends a life, a decision that interrupts the natural development of a human being?

Selective Compassion

In my transition from veganism to Christianity, I realized that the ethical system I had once followed was selectively compassionate. For vegans, compassion often extends to animals—and rightfully so, for animals deserve humane treatment. But the movement’s leaders often align themselves with a secular progressive worldview that paradoxically supports abortion. How can one advocate for the protection of animals while denying the same compassion and rights to the unborn? The logic doesn’t hold, and it led me to re-evaluate the true nature of morality.

Many vegan advocates argue that animals are innocent and defenseless, incapable of defending themselves from human cruelty. Ironically, this is the very case with unborn children—helpless, vulnerable, and entirely dependent on the compassion and moral compass of others. Yet, mainstream veganism often turns a blind eye to this issue, compartmentalizing its compassion as if human lives, especially the most vulnerable among us, fall outside of its ethical purview.

The Religious and Moral Shift

My shift from veganism to Christianity was not only spiritual but intellectual. The Bible reminds us in Genesis 9:3 that “everything that lives and moves about will be food for you,” and in Psalm 139:13-16, it speaks of God’s intimate role in forming us in the womb. As I grew in my faith, I began to see that all of creation has its rightful place, and that the taking of life, whether animal or human, demands respect and reverence. For a Christian, the sanctity of human life is paramount because we are made in the image of God (Genesis 1:27). It is not merely a moral choice but a divine mandate to cherish and protect human life.

The teachings of the LDS Church align closely with this belief. The church is clear on the importance of family and the sanctity of life, emphasizing our stewardship over all creation, animals included, but placing special emphasis on the irreplaceable value of human life. This includes defending life at all stages—from conception to natural death.

The Modern Secular Hypocrisy

The secular world often tries to redefine morality without an absolute standard, leading to the inconsistencies that veganism and the pro-abortion stance reveal. Without a solid foundation, secular ethics fall prey to cultural fads rather than timeless truths. Vegans who advocate against “meat as murder” while simultaneously supporting abortion are living examples of this modern hypocrisy. When we reject objective morality, we open the door to contradictory ethical systems that suit our personal agendas rather than honor universal principles of good.

As Christians, it is essential to be wary of philosophies that manipulate compassion to fit a popular agenda. True compassion cannot be selective; it must embrace all life with humility and responsibility. The Bible’s ethical framework is complete, allowing for human dominion over animals but with responsibility, never cruelty. At the same time, it recognizes the unique sanctity of human life—a sanctity not subject to arbitrary social trends.

A Call to Consistent Compassion

My experiences have led me to a place of compassion for both animals and people. As an ex-Muslim and former vegan, now an LDS Christian, I believe that compassion for animals is compatible with our duty to protect human life, but only if grounded in a true respect for the Creator and His order. We can and should treat animals with care, but our reverence for human life should be even greater.

I invite those who hold to veganism’s values of “do no harm” to reflect upon this question: Can you truly hold to compassion while disregarding the unborn? If veganism’s compassion is genuine, it should encompass all life, and that includes the most vulnerable among us. Otherwise, “meat is murder” remains a hollow slogan, one that applies compassion selectively, rooted not in love but in ideology.

Conclusion

The journey from veganism to Christianity, from selective compassion to true compassion, is transformative. To love others, to stand for the vulnerable, and to cherish the sanctity of life requires courage and consistency. It is time to confront the contradiction within the modern vegan movement and to extend our compassion fully, not selectively. Life is sacred, both animal and human, and the right to life must start at conception if we are to be truly consistent in our beliefs. If we are to stand against “meat as murder,” we must stand even more firmly against the taking of innocent human life.

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Citations

1. Genesis 9:3, Holy Bible, New International Version.
2. Psalm 139:13-16, Holy Bible, New International Version.
3. Genesis 1:27, Holy Bible, New International Version.
4. "LDS Beliefs on the Sanctity of Life." The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/gospel-topics/sanctity-of-life?lang=eng
5. "Compassion for Animals and Stewardship," National Catholic Bioethics Center, https://www.ncbcenter.org