Do you think people think of veganism as more of a belief/religion rather than a diet?

Typically, the more invested in veganism people are, the more they view it as a moral/philosophical position, whereas people less involved tend to view it as a diet. This is reflected in the Vegan Society's definition --

[quote]a philosophy and way of living which seeks to exclude—as far as is possible and practicable—all forms of exploitation of, and cruelty to, animals[/quote]