Christianity & Animal Abuse - CVA & The Peaceable Table

[Guest guest]

Animal advocates sometimes hear from our religious friends that God put animals

on Earth for human use, so it is okay to eat animals and treat them as we see

fit.

 

Whether one is religious or not, it is important for animal advocates to include

in our armamentarium of facts sufficient reason to demonstrate how this belief

is false, so that we are able to tactfully enlighten the misinformed. I am not

suggesting one actively proselytize, but to be ready with one or two succinct

points to politely demonstrate true Christian teaching.

 

Christianity does not espouse animal abuse. The Bible's new testament

repeatedly cautions against animal sacrifice and abuse. And, Pope Benedict has

written that animals have souls and are divinely gifted with sentience, so

animals deserve to be treated as such, just as humans do.

 

The Christian Vegetarian Association's Dr. Steve Kaufman has an immense

knowledge of scripture and presents cogent biblical interpretations of instance

after instance where Jesus directs us to not kill or eat animals (www.cva.org).

 

The below is an excerpt from CVA's most recent on-line newsletter. Please click

on the link as it is really interesting reading for animal advocates, whether

one is religious, spiritual, agnostic, or atheist.

 

Thanks very much. Margaret

********

 

The March 2007 Issue of The Peaceable Table

 

http://www.vegetarianfriends.net/issue30.html includes:

 

The Editorial " The Wall, " which deals with the artificial moral barrier humans

have erected between human animals and all other animals, making us " insiders "

and putting animals beyond the pale. But that which is made by our minds can be

unmade by them.

 

* NewsNotes includes a significant experiment in which human volunteers lived

for a time in a tent enclosure in a British zoo, eating largely the same diet as

the apes. The results for their health were very heartening.

* Book Review of Holly Roberts' Vegetarian Christian Saints, with accounts of a

hundred and fifty saints who followed a meatless diet.

* The Pioneer for March is Seraphim of Sarov, a much-beloved Russian saint who

lived in close intimacy with forest animals.

[Guest guest]

Excellent question, Christine. Thanks for your reply.

 

I'm not a physician, but I know a little about this. Human physiology and

biochemistry is that of an herbivore - we have grinding teeth and a long gut so

that food stays in our system for a long period of time. Carnivores have sharp

teeth, short guts, and can digest animal flesh quickly and efficiently.

 

Just because we can eat meat, doesn't mean we should. We can minimally survive

on animal flesh, but we weren't designed to eat it. So, as long as we do, we

will never be as healthy as we should be. Many diseases - arteriosclerosis,

cancer, type 2 diabetes, arthritis, and others are linked to diet - the standard

American Diet, which includes animal flesh. These diseases would not exist to

nearly the extent they do in the population if we did not eat the flesh of

animals.

 

What do other people think of this subject? Anyone with sufficient background

to comment on human as an herbivore?

 

Margaret

 

 

>Christine Bradley <chaag62

>Mar 11, 2007 5:14 PM

>Margaret Morin <margaret.morin

>Re: [ntar_network] Christianity & Animal Abuse - CVA & The Peaceable

Table

>

> How would you counter the argument that people have eaten meat for thousands

of years?

>

>

>

>

>Margaret Morin <margaret.morin wrote:

> Animal advocates sometimes hear from our religious friends that God

put animals on Earth for human use, so it is okay to eat animals and treat them

as we see fit.

>

>Whether one is religious or not, it is important for animal advocates to

include in our armamentarium of facts sufficient reason to demonstrate how this

belief is false, so that we are able to tactfully enlighten the misinformed. I

am not suggesting one actively proselytize, but to be ready with one or two

succinct points to politely demonstrate true Christian teaching.

>

>Christianity does not espouse animal abuse. The Bible's new testament

repeatedly cautions against animal sacrifice and abuse. And, Pope Benedict has

written that animals have souls and are divinely gifted with sentience, so

animals deserve to be treated as such, just as humans do.

>

>The Christian Vegetarian Association's Dr. Steve Kaufman has an immense

knowledge of scripture and presents cogent biblical interpretations of instance

after instance where Jesus directs us to not kill or eat animals (www.cva.org).

>

>The below is an excerpt from CVA's most recent on-line newsletter. Please click

on the link as it is really interesting reading for animal advocates, whether

one is religious, spiritual, agnostic, or atheist.

>

>Thanks very much. Margaret

>********

>

>The March 2007 Issue of The Peaceable Table

>

>http://www.vegetarianfriends.net/issue30.html includes:

>

>The Editorial " The Wall, " which deals with the artificial moral barrier humans

have erected between human animals and all other animals, making us " insiders "

and putting animals beyond the pale. But that which is made by our minds can be

unmade by them.

>

>* NewsNotes includes a significant experiment in which human volunteers lived

for a time in a tent enclosure in a British zoo, eating largely the same diet as

the apes. The results for their health were very heartening.

>* Book Review of Holly Roberts' Vegetarian Christian Saints, with accounts of a

hundred and fifty saints who followed a meatless diet.

>* The Pioneer for March is Seraphim of Sarov, a much-beloved Russian saint who

lived in close intimacy with forest animals.

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>Never miss an email again!

> Toolbar alerts you the instant new Mail arrives. Check it out.

[Guest guest]

While we're on a Chistianity kick, there's something that's always

bothered me about the supposed Christian restaurant Chick-fl-a

(besides the sensless captivity and slaughter of gazillions of

animals every day). Below is their mission statement:

 

" Our official statement of corporate purpose says that we exist 'to

glorify God by being a faithful steward of all that is entrusted to

us and to have a positive influence on all who come in contact with

Chick-fil-A.' That's why we invest in scholarships, character-

building programs for kids, foster homes and other community

services. Come to think of it, it's also not a bad motive for

striving to serve a really, really good sandwich. "

 

Here is the letter I never sent them (I wrote it as an exercise to

difuse my rage!):

 

November 21, 2006

 

 

Mr. S. Truett Cathy

Founder, Chairman and CEO

Chick-fil-A, Inc.

5200 Buffington Road

Atlanta, GA 30349-2998

 

Dear Mr. Cathy:

 

I acknowledge and respect that you have contributed a

great deal to the community in terms of mentoring

children, promoting family and worship, but I am

writing to express my anger and sadness that your

company, a supposed Christian-based company,

fraudulently boasts that it is carrying out God's will

as a " …faithful steward of all that is entrusted to

us… " .

 

Do you not realize that chickens are God's creation?

If Jesus walked through a factory farm today would he

approve of what he saw? Do you think he really

approves of the thousands of defenseless animals being

kept in horrendous and unnatural conditions, deprived

of their natural urges (which He gave them on

purpose), then slaughtered in the name of a greasy,

artery-clogging sandwich? Thank God your restaurants

are closed on Sundays! At least it is one less day

your company can wreak havoc on the bodies of both

human and non-human animals.

 

Your Christian-sounding " Corporate Purpose " is

embarrassingly misleading and it is obvious that, at

the end of the day, your true motive is to make money

no matter who suffers and use God's name while doing it. I will never

set foot in one of your restaurants and I will share my opinion of

your company with others whenever I can.

 

Sincerely,

 

 

Julia McCloud

 

cc: Dan T. Cathy

Donald M. " Bubba " Cathy

 

Enclosure

p.s. I am not representing the Christian

Vegetarian Association. I only enclose one of their

pamphlets with the hope of enlightening you.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

, Margaret Morin

<margaret.morin wrote:

>

> Excellent question, Christine. Thanks for your reply.

>

> I'm not a physician, but I know a little about this. Human

physiology and biochemistry is that of an herbivore - we have

grinding teeth and a long gut so that food stays in our system for a

long period of time. Carnivores have sharp teeth, short guts, and

can digest animal flesh quickly and efficiently.

>

> Just because we can eat meat, doesn't mean we should. We can

minimally survive on animal flesh, but we weren't designed to eat

it. So, as long as we do, we will never be as healthy as we should

be. Many diseases - arteriosclerosis, cancer, type 2 diabetes,

arthritis, and others are linked to diet - the standard American

Diet, which includes animal flesh. These diseases would not exist

to nearly the extent they do in the population if we did not eat the

flesh of animals.

>

> What do other people think of this subject? Anyone with sufficient

background to comment on human as an herbivore?

>

> Margaret

>

>

> >Christine Bradley <chaag62

> >Mar 11, 2007 5:14 PM

> >Margaret Morin <margaret.morin

> >Re: [ntar_network] Christianity & Animal Abuse - CVA &

The Peaceable Table

> >

> > How would you counter the argument that people have eaten meat

for thousands of years?

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >Margaret Morin <margaret.morin wrote:

> > Animal advocates sometimes hear from our religious

friends that God put animals on Earth for human use, so it is okay to

eat animals and treat them as we see fit.

> >

> >Whether one is religious or not, it is important for animal

advocates to include in our armamentarium of facts sufficient reason

to demonstrate how this belief is false, so that we are able to

tactfully enlighten the misinformed. I am not suggesting one actively

proselytize, but to be ready with one or two succinct points to

politely demonstrate true Christian teaching.

> >

> >Christianity does not espouse animal abuse. The Bible's new

testament repeatedly cautions against animal sacrifice and abuse.

And, Pope Benedict has written that animals have souls and are

divinely gifted with sentience, so animals deserve to be treated as

such, just as humans do.

> >

> >The Christian Vegetarian Association's Dr. Steve Kaufman has an

immense knowledge of scripture and presents cogent biblical

interpretations of instance after instance where Jesus directs us to

not kill or eat animals (www.cva.org).

> >

> >The below is an excerpt from CVA's most recent on-line newsletter.

Please as it is really interesting reading for

animal advocates, whether one is religious, spiritual, agnostic, or

atheist.

> >

> >Thanks very much. Margaret

> >********

> >

> >The March 2007 Issue of The Peaceable Table

> >

> >http://www.vegetarianfriends.net/issue30.html includes:

> >

> >The Editorial " The Wall, " which deals with the artificial moral

barrier humans have erected between human animals and all other

animals, making us " insiders " and putting animals beyond the pale.

But that which is made by our minds can be unmade by them.

> >

> >* NewsNotes includes a significant experiment in which human

volunteers lived for a time in a tent enclosure in a British zoo,

eating largely the same diet as the apes. The results for their

health were very heartening.

> >* Book Review of Holly Roberts' Vegetarian Christian Saints, with

accounts of a hundred and fifty saints who followed a meatless diet.

> >* The Pioneer for March is Seraphim of Sarov, a much-beloved

Russian saint who lived in close intimacy with forest animals.

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >Never miss an email again!

> > Toolbar alerts you the instant new Mail arrives. Check it

out.

>