New Documentary Calls on Religious Devotees to Go Vegan

Feature-length documentary A Prayer for Compassion—which examines the connection between religion and veganism—recently hosted test screenings for select groups with plans to officially debut in March 2019. The documentary follows filmmaker Thomas Wade Jackson on a quest across the United States, Morocco, and India to determine if people who identify as religious or spiritual can extend their circle of compassion to include non-human animals. “One of the most rewarding parts of making the film was getting to spend time and ask questions of many wise, compassionate souls who live their lives with passion and purpose,” Jackson told VegNews, “and to discover that veganism is in perfect alignment with all of the spiritual and religious paths I was able to explore.” Jackson interviewed individuals of various religions, and notable contributors include Bruce Friedrich, director of the Good Food Institute and a Roman Catholic; Milton Mills, MD, a physician and Seventh Day Adventist; and Will Tuttle, PhD, author of The World Peace Diet and former Zen monk. The documentary was produced in partnership with bestselling author Victoria Moran and Main Street Vegan Productions. “For me, veganism and spirituality have always been linked,” Moran told VegNews. “Comparative religions was my college major and I believe that despite the many shortcomings of organized religions, at their core is the very vegan value of compassion [and] unbounded love. A Prayer for Compassion seeks to awaken people to this value that already belongs to them, and inspire religious and spiritual people to expand that value to include all beings.”