„Living vegan is good for the animals, the environment and your own health,“ I summarized on that day at the information stand my arguments, which I had exchanged for half an hour with a lady who had shown obvious interest. I had the impression that I had contributed a little to raising awareness and was already beginning to suggest that I take a few recipe books with me when I noticed that her eyes darkened.
„I’m not going to let you proselytize me!“ She throws at me as suddenly as a sudden cloudburst tears up a bright summer day.
„What do you mean by proselytizing?“ I asked when I finally managed to overcome my irritation about the change of mind that was so unexpected for me.
„You want to talk me into your way of life now,“ she replied, „But you can be sure that I won’t let myself be persuaded, not persuaded, because I can think for myself. In general, you in your sect who constantly want to brainwash normal people. Leave me alone.” She spoke and stalked away. I had a lot to reply, but she didn’t give me the opportunity. That’s why I used this moment to think about their allegations.

“Missioning in an arrogant, intrusive way means trying to gossip someone out of the religious content of a religious community,” I thought. “It is about content that has no real basis, that demands faith for something that is purely human work, for whatever purpose, mostly to force him under an obscure, supernatural power that tells him what to do or not to do. This means that this type of missioning serves to incapacitate people. Well, I wouldn’t want to put up with that either. And hopefully no one who is clear-headed and grown up, but most people, like young children, are looking for someone to tell them what to do or not to do. Strangely enough, many people have no problem with this type of missionary work. It is also called tradition or culture. But now the question arises whether we will do missionary work if we explain the benefits of a vegan lifestyle to people? Religious communities demand complete submission to unproven doctrines. In contrast, the vegans have the facts on their side. It is undisputed and indisputable that a vegan way of life benefits animals, the environment and health. It does not deprive people of freedom, but gives it to them to deal with their fellow creatures, with the environment and with themselves as freely as possible. It enriches and promotes life. Therefore, the news about it is not a mission, but an appeal, an appeal to live life and let it live. So vegans do not do missionary work, but rather appeal to common sense. But why then do people perceive it as a mission? That is actually easy to answer. On the one hand, the vegan lifestyle shows that their lifestyle contributes to causing billions of times of suffering. Cause suffering, but that doesn’t make a good person. But you want to be good people, but still leave everything as it is. This creates a cognitive dissonance that needs to be bridged. There are two ways to do this. Either they accept the appeal and now turn to a vegan way of life, or they make bad of the one who gave them this cognitive dissonance. You have the impression that you are being told that they are bad people. Hence the accusation of proselytizing. However, the vegan community does not need to do missionary work; instead, it appeals to insight, common sense, or simply to let the examples of people who have preceded this path take effect. The next time someone would accuse me of proselytizing, I could confidently reply that I am not ministering, I am appealing. ”
„May I take one of the recipe books?“ A gentleman’s voice snapped me out of my thoughts.
„Yes, sure, very happy. You are welcome to take everyone with you,” I replied happily.
„You know, I want to surprise my wife,“ he explained to me, „I recently tried it, eating vegan and it was super tasty and I didn’t feel tired after that, but full of energy.“
That can also happen and gave me back a little confidence.