Christian Vegetarian Association Blog - Are Our Beliefs Reflecting Our Choices in Regards to the Treatment of God’s Animals?


	CVA BLOG

Are Our Beliefs Reflecting Our Choices in Regards to the Treatment of God’s Animals?
October 1, 2012

Welcome to the weekly CVA blog! In it you will find famous quotes, news and commentaries.

The Total Nonsense About “Happy Cows”

Famous Quote: Voltaire

The Pork Industry’s True Face

Bible verse: 1 Peter 2:9

Our Feminine Side

This Week’s Video: 10 Billion Lives

1. The Total Nonsense about “Happy Cows”

Gary L. Francione, Professor at Rutgers University, challenges the claims that there could be milk and meat from happy cows. Francione refers to the recent New York Times article by Kristof, who claims, Bob Bansen, a close friend of his, raises dairy cows in a way that makes them happy and therefore produce more.
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/09/opinion/sunday/kristof-where-cows-are-happy-and-food-is-healthy.html?_r=2&emc=eta1

However, this idyllic scenario of course has some faults. For once, dairy cows don't happily give their milk. It's taken from them. They don't happily give up their calves. They are taken from them. And at the end of their productive life? Slaughter comes not so happily.

Please visit Nicholas Kristof: Please Wince. Please.

Of course it is not possible for God’s animals to be happy when they are exploited for their milk, eggs or meat. While some farms are less abusive than others, in all of them animals are seen as commodities who are not allowed to exercise their God-given instincts. Even in the best dairy farms, cows are still impregnated against their will, their milk which was intended for their calves is stolen from them, they don’t get to raise their young and they all meet the same fate: the horrifying slaughterhouse.

I hope the claims of “happy cows” don’t push Christians to believe that as long as animals are given some consideration, it's fine to exploit them.

2. This Week’s Famous Quote

People must have renounced, it seems to me, all natural intelligence to dare to advance that animals are but animated machines…. It appears to me, besides, that [such people] can never have observed with attention the character of animals, not to have distinguished among them the different voices of need, of suffering, of joy, of pain, of love, of anger, and of all their affections. It would be very strange that they should express so well what they could not feel.

~ Voltaire

3. The Pork Industry’s True Face

Scientific evidence indicates that cramming pigs in gestation crates, where they are immobilized for 2.5 years of their lives, is inhumane. Although this causes severe mental, emotional and psychological pain to sows, the pork industry still defends this practice and still keeps 80% of breeding sows under unimaginable suffering in these torture devices.

Please visit National Pork Producers Council: Anti-Science & Anti-Animal:
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2012/09/08-0

Why does the pork industry try to defense what is obviously indefensible? The answer, very sadly, is simply profit. I hope those who call themselves stewards of God’s Creation refuse to give even a cent of their money to this industry that abuses God’s animals and deceives consumers.

4. This Week’s Bible Verse

(RSV) 1 Peter 2:9

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's own people, that you may declare the wonderful deeds of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.

We have been entrusted with a very important role to play on Earth: we are the stewards of God's Creation! We can shine God's light and love onto Creation by following Jesus' teachings of compassion, mercy, peace and love.

5. Our Feminine Side

When we pause and get in touch with our feminine side, the side that makes us feel empathy, compassion and tenderness, we can see why it’s incompatible to support industries like the dairy industries while standing for women’s rights. The author of this piece eloquently expresses the feelings of powerlessness and helplessness of a being who is being exploited, which is the case of every single dairy cow, who is raised for milk and later meat.

Please visit Feminism - The Next Step:
http://www.theveganwoman.com/feminism-the-next-step/

We are called to be good stewards of God’s Creation. We are called to show love and compassion to all beings. We are called to participate in the reconciliation and restoration of God’s Creation. We are called to do our best to live in peace, joy and harmony with all beings. So, if we truly want to follow our calling, the first step is to align our actions with our innermost values and faith. This, in turn, will call us to stand and protect all those who are being victimized. Just by adopting a plant-based diet we can do exactly that for the tens of billions of God’s animals every year who are victimized simply for taste, profit and power.

6. This Week’s Video: 10 Billion Lives

Farm Animal Rights Movement (F.A.R.M.) in partnership with Veracity Films created a short video titled “10 Billion Lives” that clearly exposes the horrors and cruelty of the meat, egg, and dairy industries while at the same time encourages the viewer to move towards a solution and hope.

Please visit 10 Billion Lives and share with friends and family!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AtWO83pf3Mc

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