Movie and Veggie Grill

On Sunday, it was a movie and a dinner for me. I went to see the film first, then decided to go to Veggie Grill to have a dinner meal for a change.

This is what I had (all vegan of course): Crispy Chickin' Plate,  Mac-n-Cheese, carrot cake and lemonade. The greens shown is kale; it was OK as it was typical tasting greens. 

Would a vegan explain to me why all the fuss is over kale?? 

Honestly, it so not a big deal. Cabbage is just as good, but I don't hear any vegans worshipping cabbage. My goodness, you'd think that kale taste better than this carrot cake by the way many vegans act regarding kale. Oh well, to each their own, but give me carrot cake any day! Now that's something to get very excited about! 

Also, Veggie Grill's own Crispy Chickin' was absolutely delicious with the gravy. So was the Mac-n-Cheese. The lemonade was nice and fresh.

Another fabulous meal at Veggie Grill!

Fierce Food and Fierce Animals

I went downtown today, having lunch at one of my favorite vegan restaurants, Veggie Grill. This was my "fierce food": Vegan cheesburger with yam fries and carrot cake. This is my favorite order at Veggie Grill. Drink is H20.

After having a fabulous fierce meal at Veggie Grill, I went to Portland Art Musuem. Since I hadn't been there in a few years, I wanted to go, so I chose this day for no special reason. As I was going to pay the $12.00 to get in, the lady at the desk said I can put my money back as it's a free day today! The museum was having a Free Family Community Day with music, merchandise, face painting and all sorts of other stuff going on outside. I had no idea about this special day, and apparently not many did as there was no line at all..no crowds. What a fierce day!

I spent several hours--as usual--there, but especially came to see the Fierce: Animal Life from the Collection exhibit.

FIERCE

Animal Life from the Collection

MAY 4 – AUG 25, 2013

Animals have held a significant place throughout the history of art, from the painted horses and cattle on the cave walls in Lascaux, France, to the Internet Cat Video Film Festival held at the Walker Art Center in 2012. FIERCE: Animal Life from the Collection, an installation of more than 70 photographs, celebrates the many distinguished animals—both domesticated and wild—that have enlivened the history of photography. From 19th-century documentary views to richly conceptual photographs created since the mid-20th century, the animals of FIERCE are presented as perceptive, spirited, dignified, and predatory beings existing in respectful but sometimes tenuous proximity to humans. Each photograph invites us to revel in the striking complexity of the furry and feathered beings that surround us, relate to us, and enhance our lives.

Here are my favorite photos from the Collection.

The following 4 works of art was not from the Fierce collection as the Fierce exhibit is only of photos, but I think it's apropos in adding them with my favorites from the exhibit (below is Owl Family).

By the way, today in general is a fierce day as it's Friendship Day, so I took this photo to honor this day.

Religious Animal Liberation Quotes

“The greatest progress of righteousness among men comes from exhortation in favour of non-injury to life and abstention from killing living beings.” 

(Asoka, 3^rd century Buddhist emperor, as quoted in Steven Rosen, "Food for the Spirit-Vegetarianism and the World’s Religions" – New York: Bala Books, 1987). P. 80)

“We, the Christian leaders, practice abstinence from the flesh of animals to subdue our bodies......the unnatural eating of flesh-meat is polluting.” 

(St. John Chrysostam, 4^thcentury Father of Eastern Church, as quoted in Steven Rosen, "Food for the Spirit-Vegetarianism and the World’s Religions" – New York: Bala Books, 1987). P. 18)

“And remember; when you hunt and kill,

Your punishment will depend

on where [on the scale of evolution]

you have struck your blade-high or low!...

You are not a vulture, to stoop on carcasses,

And do not, like a crow,

Dip your feet in others’ blood.

Even if your hunger has reduced you to a mere skeleton-

Bloodless like a picture image-

You will, at least, be spared the punishments

Of a carcass eater.” 

(Nizaami Ganjavee, 12^th century Sufi poet, Original translation by Shiv Singh Dhatt of Nizam Ganjavi, Makhzan-i Azrar (Kanpur, India, Munshi Naval Kishore Press, 1872, p. 123, 185)

“You violently slaughter animals

And claim it to be in keeping

with the cannons of your creed.

But when God places before you

The record of your cruel deeds,

What will your fate be?” 

(Kabir, 15^th century Indian mystic)

Vegan Voodoo

Good Things Come in Pink Boxes

I was at the Portland Saturday Market today (it's open on Sunday's too but they never changed the name to Portland Weekend Market). But before it opened, I went just a couple blocks north to wait in line for 1 1/2 hours (thank you tourists!!) to get my one & only favorite Voodoo Doughnut:

The Vegan Cock-N-Balls

When you bite into it, creamy white filling oozes out! It's sinfully delicious!

After Voodoo, I went strolling through the huge Portland Saurday Market. I was looking for (as I always do) something for my animal kiddies. But I have been also looking for a cruelty-free, plush fabric, soccer-like ball to play indoors with to add variety to my excercise program. 

Lo and behold! I found it! Actually, it's a dog toy ball to play with very large dogs, but this is a full soccer-size ball--the only one they had left--as if it was waiting for me! I had picked one out online at Amazon to get soon, but Amazon would have cost a few dollars more.

It was a great day to get out indeed!

Veganism and Spirituality

Here is an interesting blog post on:

Vegans who identify themselves as religious and/or spiritual. Do they believe that their veganism is the result of their faith or vice-versa? Do they see veganism and spirituality as being completely separate? How do they inform each other?

*I don't agree with everything said by the ones being interviewed, but still interesting to read other's opinions.

The Thinking Vegan

http://thethinkingvegan.com/ttv-consortium/veganism-and-spirituality

Unitarian Universalist's Animal Ministries

Unitarian Universalists have two animal rights ministries! Not all of the UU churches worldwide have these animal ministries but many do. It is a part of their huge social justice activism which includes human rights as well.

The two animal rights ministries are:

Unitarian Universalist Animal Ministry
www.uuam.org



From their website:

"UUAM is a group of concerned Unitarian Universalists and UU friends who desire to grow and express their faith as compassion towards all beings. We do this not just for nonhumans, but for ourselves and all of life. For as we live a life of awareness based on our interdependence (UU 7th Principle) and the inherent worth and dignity of all beings (UU 1st Principle) we live fully, deeply, and authentically. As we come to love our neighbors as ourselves, we liberate not just others, but ourselves as well.

We serve as a central source of nonhuman animal awareness and education for UUs by relating the religious and spiritual aspects of our tradition to justice and ethical issues.

We provide a community to support one another. Whether we are undertaking personal changes in our everyday choices, or engaging in advocacy for nonhuman animals, we cannot do this work alone. We need one another.

We promote and support justice making efforts for nonhuman animals within congregations and within UU Association as a whole.

The seventh principle of Unitarian Univeraslism calls us to respect the interdependent web of existence of which we are a part. We of UUAM understand that human beings are only a strand in the intricate web of life.

While our Unitarian Universalist principles affirm the "inherent worth and dignity of every person and call us to seek justice and compassion in human relations, we extend these principles to include other species who also possess an intrinsic value.

Recognizing the beauty and interconnectedness of all species that call us to wholeness and toward justice for all beings, we dedicate ourselves to:

Growing our Unitarian Universalist faith in the interdependence of all life that reveals itself in the inherent worth and dignity of all beings.

Informing ourselves about nonhuman suffering

Seeking and promoting ecological justice

Inspiring respect and reverence for the earth all its creatures

Living in harmony with the natural world, which includes a deep respect and commitment to human as well as nonhuman animals"

Ethical Eating
www.uua.org/environment/eating



From their website:

"Ethical eating recognizes the moral dimensions of our food choices. The ways our societies raise, buy, and consume our food has direct effects on the earth, plants and animals, and humans who work to make our food available.

Delegates at the General Assembly in Charlotte, NC, approved Ethical Eating: Food and Environmental Justice as a 2011 Statement of Conscience.

You can download the UUA Ethical Eating Study Guide and Ethical Eating Worship Resource Supplement (PDF, 33 pages)."


Some of the material mention minimalist activism...but the fact that the UU church is doing this as a religious organization for the animals and obviously is aware of the synergistic link in religion and animal rights is wonderful! But I would highly recommend you do further research into animal rights to go beyond the minimal knowledge of animal activism to help animals even more.

Charles Fillmore: 19th Century Strict Vegetarian

Charles Sherlock Fillmore (August 22, 1854 – July 5, 1948) founded Unity, a church within the New Thought movement, with his wife, Myrtle Page Fillmore, in 1889. He became known as an American mystic for his contributions to spiritualist interpretations of Biblical scripture.

Charles and Myrtle both had health problems and turned to some new ideas which they believed helped to improve these health issues. Their beliefs are centered around two basic propositions: (1) God is good. (2) God is available; in fact, God is in you. About a year after the Fillmores started the magazine Modern Thought, they had the inspiration that if God is what they thought--the principle of love and intelligence, the source of all good--God is wherever needed. 

Both Charles and Myrtle became strict vegetarians in the 1890s, long before the practice caught on in the West. The Fillmores' nutritional convictions were based on their spiritual beliefs. Charles Fillmore was an ethical vegetarian who did not eat animal flesh. He also refused to wear leather and fur.

For over forty years, from the late nineteenth century into the 1930's, Charles Fillmore wrote passionately about the physical, mental, social, and spiritual harmfulness of eating animal foods, and the necessity of a plant-based diet for anyone serious about developing spiritual maturity and contributing to world peace. He and Myrtle were conscientious vegetarians and encouraged their students to be so. 

There was once a village called Unity Village, where it would be a recreational place for Unity workers and in the future, it would develop into a spot where unity people from all parts of the world may come and commune with nature and study Unity principles.

A Unity Inn lunch menu from 1916 included:

vegetable broth

nut loaf

cucumber 

salad

rice peach pudding

rhubarb sauce

fruits

A dinner menu included:

soup

fried eggplant

browned potatoes

cabbage

stewed tomatoes

salads

desserts

In his later years, Fillmore felt so young that he thought that he might be physically immortal, as well as believing that he might be the reincarnation of Paul of Tarsus.