Hi, Ohad-
I don't know what to suggest.
I've had unusually strong feelings for animals since before I was 10 years old, so when I went pescatarian at 16 and vegetarian around 20, my parents weren't surprised. They were supportive (although I tried not to be a bother for them: I often bought and prepared my own food). But they never became vegetarian themselves, and I didn't try to persuade them since they already knew and understood my reasons for being veg.
I would have loved it if they had gone veg, but almost everyone I know and care about eats meat. All of them couldn't have convinced me to keep eating meat even if they had tried to do that, and even though I had always enjoyed eating it- so I figured I wouldn't be able to change them either. I don't like the way this post sounds!!!... it sounds defeatist when I read it!... but I went veg because my intrinsic love for animals made this inevitable for me, not because anyone else prodded me.
Still, there are things you could do:
We animal-loving vegetarians are sometimes seen as often being unhappy because we care about the bad things humans do to animals. I honestly don't quite know how I did it... but over time, my passion for animals changed so that although it was more than strong enough to keep me on the path, it didn't make me depressed or angry.
And let's face it: people eat meat because it tastes good. Many think (incorrectly, I would say) that being vegetarian, let alone vegan, is some sort of ascetic exercise. I guess I was lucky- I've always loved vegan foods too. But non-vegetarians sometimes lack imagination about how good vegetarian foods can be. As @David3 suggests, you might be able to give him some new ideas.
I don't know what to suggest.
I've had unusually strong feelings for animals since before I was 10 years old, so when I went pescatarian at 16 and vegetarian around 20, my parents weren't surprised. They were supportive (although I tried not to be a bother for them: I often bought and prepared my own food). But they never became vegetarian themselves, and I didn't try to persuade them since they already knew and understood my reasons for being veg.
I would have loved it if they had gone veg, but almost everyone I know and care about eats meat. All of them couldn't have convinced me to keep eating meat even if they had tried to do that, and even though I had always enjoyed eating it- so I figured I wouldn't be able to change them either. I don't like the way this post sounds!!!... it sounds defeatist when I read it!... but I went veg because my intrinsic love for animals made this inevitable for me, not because anyone else prodded me.
Still, there are things you could do:
We animal-loving vegetarians are sometimes seen as often being unhappy because we care about the bad things humans do to animals. I honestly don't quite know how I did it... but over time, my passion for animals changed so that although it was more than strong enough to keep me on the path, it didn't make me depressed or angry.
And let's face it: people eat meat because it tastes good. Many think (incorrectly, I would say) that being vegetarian, let alone vegan, is some sort of ascetic exercise. I guess I was lucky- I've always loved vegan foods too. But non-vegetarians sometimes lack imagination about how good vegetarian foods can be. As @David3 suggests, you might be able to give him some new ideas.
