veganism: Take a morally superior stance to "non-believers:" Check Follow a whole bunch of made up rules: Check Try to convert people who don't live the same way: Check The similarities are striking|||no, it is a kind of "lifestyle" but not a religion. regards Joe|||No. There is no deistic or spiritualistic aspect of veganism, and that is the essence of what we think of when we talk about a religion. It often does come with a very pro-animal rights ideology (in fact, veganism is usually the consequence of this ideology, and not the other way around), but it wouldn't necessarily be so. One could imagine a vegan who was just psychologically put off by the taste of animal products or the idea of eating an animal/ animal products. I'm sure such people, if any exist, are extremely rare, but I mention the hypothetical case merely to point out that veganism is not properly considered a religion in any respect (and in the hypothetical case, it also does not necessarily conform to any of the items on your checklist). The items on your checklist are the result of adopting an ideology with zeal. It applies to some vegans since the ideology of many vegans is one of animal rights and animal liberation. At best, I would say that some vegans treat veganism with a reverence and zeal that resembles religiosity as a result of their concomitant ideological commitment to animal rights. But just saying hyperbolically that veganism is a religion is easier, sounds better, and gets the same point across. I was just having fun examining the semantic minutiae.|||I'm going to have to say no, unless you know some Vegans that are actually worshiping their vegetables. I'm also not sure what you mean about "non-believers". Did you mean that you don't believe in Veganists or you don't believe in vegetables? I think they do both exist although I try not to eat either one of them. Or do you mean like Atheism because you've lashed out against others because you feel persecuted that your beliefs are wrong by those who believe in things they can't prove are good for everyone. Oh, I see your point. We need to start a carnivorous Holy war that will fix everything.|||No. Also you lied in all of your examples. 1. No they don't. I was often assailed by insults and presumptions for being vegan, though I did not bring up the topic in conversation unless I was asked. Prior to being vegan, my vegan friends never once said anything nasty to me about eating meat, wearing wool, etc. Would you consider a person who does not buy blood diamonds snotty or superior to those who do not? 2. There are no special rules. Vegan is just what you call people who abstain from animal products in their diet and life style. Should a vegan eat a Snickers bar or wear a leather belt, no vegan police are going to come for them. I find most vegans just appreciate any effort to make responsibility and ethical treatment of animals a priority. 3. I have never once had a vegan tell me anything I did not ask them to tell me first and in my experience it is meat eaters who crowd around me at a dinner party or Bar-b-q to ask with wide eyes why I'm not eating meat, then proceed to mock me. They act like drunk kids at a party, making fun of the teens who don't drink. I always just laughed it off, joked with them and moved on. Still, I found the attitude juvenile. I lived vegan for a year and a half. I was vegetarian a year prior to that. Each month my family re-evaluated our stance and decided whether or not to go for another month. We did this to examine health benefits, to not give money to an industry we think is under regulated, over subsidized, abusive to farmers and often produces far too much pollution while also being inhumane to animals. We decided to try living as cruelty free as possible. It was fine. Now, we're breaking from living vegan to look for any differences in our health, weight etc. I know being vegan does not automatically mean being healthier, but it can be and often is, depending on the omnivore diet it is compared to. I've also found no substitute for animal testing, which has me considering a non-vegan, but still responsible, ethical lifestyle. I have never discouraged anyone from hunting, fishing or raising livestock on their own in the most ethical way possible or judged them for just buying what they can afford at the store. My solution to an ethical and practical problem is not automatically better than the next persons. Frankly, I think you're just an insecure bigot looking for a minority small enough for you to feel safe picking on.|||Except that the dictionary doesn't agree with your definition of religion. And there isn't a whole bunch of made up rules, there's one rule, don't eat animal products, and thats not even a rule, if you don't want to follow it, you're just not a vegan.|||The original diet before the fall was a raw vegan one (or fruitarian)----a raw plant-based diet is devoid of cholesterol, unnecessary saturated fat, etc----when you cook food you deplete it of enzymes and all nutrients and vitamins become INFINITELY less bio-available----a raw plant-based diet has been known to reverse diabetes, heart disease, skin problems, etc----don't call out others just because they're living healthier and happier lives than you are----|||Some people do seem to treat it like you are saying. But not all. It doesn't have to be a false religion, and a vegan person could serve God. Proverbs 15:17 "Better a small serving of vegetables with love than a fattened calf with hatred."|||Only in a figurative way. "Veganism" does not pertain to the supernatural or divine. But this is something you could troll Vegans with quite easily, if you wanted.|||seriously? my goodness gracious me oh my LOL, you dear seem to have some personal "issues", no?|||only, if you violate vegan rules, the vegan police comes and takes away your special vegan powers.|||Veganism has the same credibility as Atheism so no|||Of course it could be if there are a set of beliefs/rules and people in power and if someone is gaining money.|||Ramen|||That isn't the dictionary definition of a religion. Why not check that?|||You forgot self righteous|||the vegetarian section here is sadly lacking in trollism|||No. It is simply a choice.|||It's just 6 billion people who can't accept each other. You could call it a religion sure I'm not arguing.|||What about vegan atheists?|||and "Who" do you worship? The Jolly Green Giant? OK I'll join.|||it is more of a cult lifestyle