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[Anthony]

Dear acFriend,

I thank you for being prepared to discuss this issue and for giving me the opportunity to respond.

You recently wrote:

acfriend wrote:

Just as there would be better ways to promote a diet and lifestyle not involving the death of animals. That would be Education and promotion. and Scripture does show it in the book of Daniel, (just one case).

Bill kindly posted this text:

Quote:

But Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine, and he asked the chief official for permission not to defile himself this way. Now God had caused the official to show favor and sympathy to Daniel, but the official told Daniel, "I am afraid of my lord the king, who has assigned your [c] food and drink. Why should he see you looking worse than the other young men your age? The king would then have my head because of you." Daniel then said to the guard whom the chief official had appointed over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah, "Please test your servants for ten days: Give us nothing but vegetables to eat and water to drink. Then compare our appearance with that of the young men who eat the royal food, and treat your servants in accordance with what you see." So he agreed to this and tested them for ten days. At the end of the ten days they looked healthier and better nourished than any of the young men who ate the royal food. So the guard took away their choice food and the wine they were to drink and gave them vegetables instead. (Danial 1:8-16)

If I have understood correctly you are proposing ‘education and promotion' as the best way for advocating animal rights and welfare, and you have presented the story about Daniel as an example. I respect this proposal. I would be grateful if you could now consider how this should be done.

Is this not what the animal rights/welfare organisations and vegetarian/vegan societies are trying to do, however, who’s listening? Certainly not the flesh, fur, hunting, leisure or vivisection industries. How often do you see a TV advert ‘against’ flesh consumption, blood sports or animal testing, etc? I suggest none. How often are there vegetarian adverts as an alternative to ‘meat’? Very few, if any - the question is: Why? (It’s interesting that the original meaning of the word ‘meat’ was from the Old English mete, related to Old High German: maze food, and not flesh.) I wonder how often or widespread are educational programs in schools that deal with this issue, particularly from the perspective of the animals? Many biological classes still consider it acceptable and convenient to kill animals for dissection. Incidentally, how often are these issues seriously discussed in PMs, MMs or YMs? Violence is violence - is it not?

Animal rights or welfare advocates speak out on behalf of animals, they extend the protection of God's love to all of His creation. Some may be criticised for the violence of their outrage, but this shouldn't detract from the evidence and the need to speak out and be heard, to advocate on behalf of the victims who can't speak for themselves. The excuses and rationalisations of the apologists for continuing the exploitation and slaughter of animals are very interesting, and often frightening, and by them they reveal their depth of ignorance, and dependence on the animal industry; often, their rationalisations mirror the propaganda of the slave traders and the Nazis. This introduces the concept of inequality and how this is justified, usually a common factor is the worthlessness of a species, except perhaps as a commercial commodity.

Our God of love expects kindness and love toward all of His creation. In the vision and ideal of Eden and the Kingdom he found everything very good and no creature would be the cause of hurt to another (paraphrased). The God and Father of Jesus is aware of every sparrow that falls from the sky, therefore, how much more will he be aware of the billions of innocent and defenceless creatures that are being tortured and killed every day by man, who is ‘supposedly’ made in His image and likeness? It's time we stopped making excuses

[CelticNorth]

Animal sacrifice to the Gods dates to prehistory, and found its way into Judism through the Cannanites. One of the oldest texts on the subject, and still a classic, is "The Golden Bough" by Sir James Frazier. Fire was another primary means to summon God, as well as the demonstaitive ability to control water ( rains and floods ). Many of the rituals evolved around fertility rights associated with spring, and the planting of new growth to sustain local communities. This ritual has been passed down in the Christian tradition as "Easter". The resurrection, or rebirth, of life is symbolized by the risen Christ, which is offered to all who believe in Him. How did this change from the pattern of earlier sacrifical traditions? It provided for sacrifice to be performed symbolically as a matter of faith alone. This was one of the major revolutions of Christianity, which put an end to the blood alters of antiquity. How nice, the modern alter in today's Temples, Mosques and Churches, where words and prayer are offered to God instead. The transformation of this "alter" of sacrifice has been one of the most important developments in theological history. With food sacrifice relegated to the dust bin of history, it may well be that vegetarianism needs to be looked at in terms of ecology, nutrition and local economics out of nessecity, rather than through a spiritual lens.

[Anthony]

[orPowers]

[Anthony]

Dear Friend orPowers,

Many thanks for your post.

[CelticNorth]

The January 22, 2007 New Yorker Magazine has just come out, and there is a book review by Steven Shapin on a new book out by Tristan Stuart, titled " The Bloodless Revolution: A Cultural History of Vergetariansim from 1600 to Modern Times". ( Norton Press, $29.95 ). I love a five page essay whenever I do not have time to read the book, and the New Yorker seems to excel in this patrticular format of convience. The end game seems to be that humans partake of a food chain that provides not only choice, but luxury and status. In a world riddled with poverty and starvation, the world's per capita consumption of meat has risen. In 1981, it was 62 pounds a year;, in 2002 it was 87.5. In the USA it had risen from 238.1 to 275.1. The trend holds true for India and China. The brown rice and tofu revolution may be more myth than reality.