The Oxford Center for Ethics

[Guest guest]

FIRST, DO NO HARM "

 

The recent trend in the animal activist community is a

policy called 'incremental improvements'. This policy

is similar to the model of compassion in the

monotheistic religions (Judaism, Christianity and

Islam). Simply stated: animal life has less value than

human life. Despite some measures of compassion, an

animal can be killed to meet human need. In this

paradigm, when a human intentionally kills another

human for any reason it is called murder.

 

Compassion: a deep awareness of and sympathy for

another's suffering

 

Animals suffer terribly when they are killed. By

definition the allowable killing of animals to meet

human need is not compassionate.

 

Because of small improvements consumers ignore the

horrors of slaughter. The sale of products derived

from animal suffering often goes up when the public

perceives them as 'compassionate'.

 

" “For there is nothing inaccessible for death.

All beings are fond of life, hate pain, like pleasure,

shun destruction, like life, long to live. To all life

is dear.†Jain Acharanga Sutra

 

The only model which has been shown to reduce violence

to animals is the one of total respect for the lives

of all beings. With this model animal lives are not

defined in terms of human need, but have intrinsic

worth. This model extends the right to remain free

from harm equally to humans and animals.

 

The Jains of India have beeh following this model for

many millenia. In areas of India where they have

influence, life is appreciably better for animals.

 

Professor Andrew Lindsey is a Christian theologian, at

Oxford University, who believes that only a model

which grants animals total compassion will result in a

reduction of animal abuse. He has created the Oxford

Centre of Animal Ethics to explore the possibility of

inluding this model of compassion within the

monotheistic tradition.

 

For more information on his ground breaking work

please refer to the following website:

 

http://www.oxfordanimalethics.com/index.php

 

Respectfully,

 

Ruth Eisenbud