I was just as ignorant to question veganism at a point, as any other non-vegan/vegetarian would have, but it doesn't take much to realize how our questioning toward the views of veganism are practically moot.
Veganism is not to stop the killing of animals for meat, but instead to stop and stand against CRUELTY of the meat and animal produce industry. Veganism is not about not eating meat because meat is bad - it's about not eating meat because it's believed that the animal had suffered before becoming meat.
It's a coincidence for me to post this on Raya Haji, but also very appropriate.
The halal way of meat production is very different from modern day slaughterhouse industries. There is no cruelty toward the animals, because cruel animal butchering (like being bashed, fed drugs, or kept in small spaces) would make the meat non halal.
Halal meat derives from an animal placed in a comfortable, clean and peaceful environment.
Animals that will be slaughtered must be kept away from the eyes of other animals (to avoid anxiousness and fear in the other animals - this is something I admire very much, as animal empathizer), they are lied down facing the qiblat (the same direction muslims spend 5 times a day praying toward, so you can see how much the animals do matter to us), and are slit in the throat with a VERY sharp knife, and small word of prayer - this allows for minimal pain in a swift, quick death. The blood will then be drained out as to keep the meat clean.
Halal meat follows the circle of life, in which certain animals (humans included) eat meat. This is a natural thing that cannot be stopped - you can't stop lions from feeding on prey - same like you can't stop us omnivorous humans from eating meat. Even the method of slitting the animal at the throat, imitates that of wild animals biting their prey at the neck.
“The Circle of Life argument simply doesn’t take into account the brutal and completely unnatural way in which meat, eggs, and dairy are produced on the overwhelming majority of modern farms.”
The quote above is how vegans debunk the argument of the circle of life, stating, as I have also done before, that veganism is not about stopping the death or killing of animals for meat, but instead to stop the CRUELTY of the modern meat industry.
So if you are against cruelty, but do believe that the human body should survive on meat, as is the way nature had made us to be - then halal meat is definitely the way to go. Halal is not about the religion, but instead about how the religion had decided was the best way to maintain both the natural way of eating (through eating plants and meat), and also to stay cruelty free.
I myself have contemplated going vegan for quite some time now, but remembering how halal meat is treated and paid so much precise attention to, reminds me that it's ok - sure, life can be a little uncool, quote, "damn nature you scary!" but that's just how life works.
Like I said, we can't stop the wild animals from eating their prey, so neither can we stop ourselves too.
It's natural, and that's just the circle of life.
(ps: I do personally intend to go vegan someday, and have slowly been reading up and trying toward a vegetarian lifestyle as the least I can do for now. Despite knowing about halal meat, the produce industry on a more global scale does not conform to these halal laws. So unless I'm buying meat from a certified halal butcher, I do intend to go vegan)
