Christian Vegetarian Association Blog - Stewards of God’s Creation Expose the Victimization of God’s Animals


	CVA BLOG

Stewards of God’s Creation Expose the Victimization of God’s Animals
June 18, 2012

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

Foie Gras Days are Coming to an End in CA

Famous Quote: Jane Goodall, primatologist

Horses: Food, Companions… Both?

Bible verse: 1 Corinthians 4:2

MFA Undercover Video Leads to Charges

This Week’s Video: MFA Exposes California Auction Atrocities to National Audience

1. Foie Gras Days are Coming to an End in CA

Foie gras, French for "fatty liver," is produced by force-feeding ducks using a pipe and forcing these poor animals to ingest several pounds of food at once, two to three times a day. Without a question, this causes tremendous suffering to these animals, whose livers become engorged and diseased, swelling up to ten times their normal size and resulting in much unimaginable emotional and physical suffering.

California's statewide ban on the sale and production of foie gras is set to take effect on July 1, 2012, making California the first state that bans this cruel practice. Please visit California Prepares to Say Farewell to Foie Gras as Ban Approaches
http://www.mfablog.org/2012/05/california-prepares-to-say-farewell-to-foie-gras-as-ban-approaches.html

What we do to animals is really horrific. While the ban of foie gras production and sale in CA is a great step toward a more compassionate world, we should ask ourselves, "Why is it that only one state is taking a stand on this issue?" The answer is because the exploitation of God's animals is supported by most people who virtually everyday of their lives have the flesh and secretions of animals in their refrigerators and in their bodies. Unless more people say "NO" to victimization and "YES" to compassion and mercy, we will continue to face corruption, disease, devastation, discrimination and conflict.

2. This Week’s Famous Quote

“Thousands of people who say they ‘love' animals sit down once or twice a day to enjoy the flesh of creatures who have been utterly deprived of everything that could make their lives worth living and who endured the awful suffering and the terror of the abattoirs.”

~Jane Goodall, primatologist

3. Horses: Food, Companions… Both?

Alex Brown, writer for the New York Times, points out the ethical inconsistency of our treatment to horses. Americans see horses as domestic animals for the most part, although some of these animals end up being food. However, their flesh is not even eaten in the U.S. but exported to Europe. Brown also shares what he experienced and witnessed when he visited the Sugarcreek Livestock Auction in Ohio that hosts its weekly horse and tack sale, which gives the reader a peek to what most people don’t get to see.

Please visit Some See Companions, Some See Food:
http://therail.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/05/13/some-see-companions-some-see-food/

God’s animals, depending where they are born, are seen as food, pets or both. Clearly, these man-made categories reflect our double standard based solely on our benefit. The inconsistency of our treatment to animals around the globe sheds some light about our lack of clear ethics in relationship to other species. When we apply Jesus’ teachings of compassion, mercy and love onto all Creation, then we are able to see God’s animals for what they really are: celebratory creations of a benevolent and loving God!

4. This Week’s Bible Verse - 1 Corinthians 4:2 (RSV)

Moreover it is required of stewards that they be found trustworthy.

Are we really trustworthy stewards of God’s Creation when we victimize God’s creatures so mercilessly for profit and taste? In order to be trustworthy we need to be true to our nature, which is one of love. It’s not possible to love God’s animals while exploiting them.

5. MFA Undercover Video Leads to Charges

The owner and 7 employees at Ontario Livestock Sales in Ontario, Calif., a livestock auction house that sells 1,000 to 1,300 animals every week, have been charged with 21 misdemeanor counts for allegedly abusing animals. These charges came after Mercy for Animals released an undercover video <http://www.mercyforanimals.org/auction/video.aspx> shot at this auction house showing workers treating these animals in unimaginable cruel ways. Please visit Secret video leads to animal cruelty charges for California livestock auction house:
http://www.opednews.com/articles/Breaking-New-MFA-Investiga-by-Nathan-Runkle-120530-665.html

For those of us who understand the repercussions of causing unnecessary pain and suffering to God’s farm animals it might feel that misdemeanor charges just don’t seem enough consequence for the egregious acts of cruelty depicted in the video; however we should never forget that these workers are also victims of this industry. The mere fact that charges were made and that this case made it to the news is an important sign that there is more awareness than ever about the inherent cruelty of animal agriculture. Hopefully, the time when abusing animals for food will be seen as the exception and not the norm is coming soon.

6. This Week’s Video

Watch Mercy For Animals’ Executive Director Nathan Runkle discussing with Jane Velez-Mitchell their latest undercover investigation at one of southern California's largest and oldest livestock auctions that led to 21 charges of cruelty to animals against seven auction employees and its owner.

Please visit MFA Exposes California Auction Atrocities to National Audience:
http://www.mfablog.org/2012/06/mfa-exposes-california-auction-atrocities-to-national-audience.html

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