Christian Vegetarian Association Blog - Misery to Animals Means Misery to Humans


	CVA BLOG

Misery to Animals Means Misery to Humans
March 26, 2012

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

Factory Farming Methods Should Be Changed

Famous Quote: George Bernard Shaw (1856 –1950), Irish playwright

Atrocities at Pig Farms

Bible verse: John 8:34

What a Minister Learns about Hunting

This Week’s Video: Paul Shapiro and Dr. Michael Greger on Antibiotic Overuse

1. Factory Farming Methods Should Be Changed

Amazing, surprising and very encouraging are the recommendations by Dan Murphy, founder of the Meat Industry Hall of Fame, in regards to some of the abusive standard procedures in factory farms. He believes that gestation crates, veal crates and battery cages among many others, need to be changed in response to consumer pressure and animal advocacy groups.

Please visit Commentary: A Matter of Triage:
http://www.cattlenetwork.com/cattle-news/Commentary-A-matter-of-triage-139703123.html?ref=123

The practices to which God's factory farmed animals are subjected are very abusive and indefensible by spiritual and ethical standards. We should never forget that God's animals were put on Earth first and foremost to be companions of humans and to share, enjoy and rejoice in God's Creation.

2. This Week’s Famous Quote

The worst sin towards our fellow creatures is not to hate them, but to be indifferent to them. That’s the essence of inhumanity.

~ George Bernard Shaw (1856 –1950), Irish playwright

3. Atrocities at Pig Farms

Marc Bekoff, author, former Professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of Colorado, Boulder, and co-founder with Jane Goodall of Ethologists for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, writes about the inherent, systematic, legal, egregious abuse in factory farms. He mentiones a recent undercover investigation at the Harling farm, in Norfolk, UK, where undercover investigators took 200 hours of footage showing despicable acts of cruelty to pigs. Bekoff clearly states that this farm is not an exception but instead a typical factory farm and that "No one has to eat bacon, pork, or sausage."

Please visit Makin' Bacon: Unspeakable and Grisly Abuse in a Pig Farm:
http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/animal-emotions/201202/makin-bacon-unspeakable-and-grisly-abuse-pig-farm

Sadly, the abuse at Harling farm happens all across the globe in factory farms. When God's animals are commodified and treated as mere objects, we are clearly harming them and harming ourselves in the process. Unless we realize that our acts toward all sentient beings have consequences, we won't be able to have peace, love and joy in our hearts.

4. This Week’s Bible Verse(RSV) John 8:34

Jesus answered them, 'Truly, truly, I say to you, every one who commits sin is a slave to sin.'

Indeed, we become slaves of our sins because they end up controlling our hearts and therefore our actions. Instead, by focusing on Jesus' teachings of compassion, mercy and love, we are letting these guide us and our choices; thus actively participating in the reconciliation of God’s Creation.

5. What a Minister Learns about Hunting

A minister in rural Canada shares her experience of hunting and processing a goose. Although the experience seems to be enjoyable for her, even thrilling, it ends with contradictory feelings. The flesh of the animal she killed is in her freezer but somehow she’s unable to bring herself to prepare it and eat it. Instead, she decides she’s going to leave it for the coyotes to eat. However, as contradictory the experience was, she says: "Frankly, I consider the existence of ducks and geese positive proof that God does not intend for us to be vegetarian." ... "Have also decided that if you eat meat, it does not mean for a minute that you have to kill it. It does mean that I’ll be grateful in future to the people who do." To read the full article please visit Church minister learns there's more to hunting the pulling the trigger:
http://www.thestar.com/news/insight/article/1143971--church-minister-learns-there-s-more-to-hunting-than-pulling-the-trigger

I think that most people would never hunt or do the job that is required of workers at slaughterhouses. The act of killing is of profound spiritual and psychological consequences. In order to rob the life of God’s animals, one has to deaden those areas in our hearts that encourage us to be compassionate and kind. In essence, the act of killing hardens our hearts and desensitizes us not only to the suffering of God’s animals, but ultimately also to the suffering of people.

6. This Week’s Video: Paul Shapiro and Dr. Michael Greger on Antibiotic Overuse

Paul Shapiro and Dr. Michael Greger of the Humane Society of the United States were on CNN Headline News with Jane Velez-Mitchell discussing the overuse of antibiotics in factory farming and its implications for our health.

Please visit http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/bestoftv/2012/03/12/exp-jvm-animal-feed-antibiotics.hln

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