My ‘beef’ with pork
The following article is one of the highlights from the current AFA email (1/26/03), which has all kinds of topics that people can take action on. I’ve moved it to its own separate page in case you’d like to take a look. One thing that caught my attention, is the reference to the article titled ‘Workers Upset by Conditions at Hog Farm’….
If you eat any kind of pork products, please read that article, and think seriously about boycotting eating pigs’ flesh. It is time to think long and hard about the conditions under which billions of animals in this country are forced to live and die, when you say “grace” before your meals. Is that too radical, or too blunt a recommendation? Maybe if you read the article you won’t think so. This is typical of stories I’ve read about hog “farms”, and not just an isolated case. How you decide to spend your grocery money is either a vote in favor of mercy, or mercilessness, because as I’ve said elsewhere on this site, consumer demand drives the meat industry’s supply. And nothing will change for the animals until there is a change of heart in our society. What would it take for that to happen? Even without the “wanton cruelty” that is described, one pig dies every 3 seconds from legalized cruelty in slaughterhouses in this country.
Eating pigs is a “distinctively Christian” pastime. (Our traditional Christmas and Easter celebrations are topped off by eating pigs’ butts. I was surprised to hear a non-vegetarian from my parish make the same comment!) Pig-eating isn’t condoned or practiced by any of the other major world religions….
So, in some sense, the torment of pigs is perpetuated basically for the benefit of Christians, pagans and those who practice no religion at all (strange bedfellows), even though it is not anything anyone would think about consciously, except maybe if they roast whole pigs, with “faces left on”.
Imagine looking at such a face….
(photo courtesy of PETA)
Why is it considered acceptable (and legal) to treat farmed animals in this way?
Where do you see God in this picture?
Where does the Church stand on this?!
And how does it respond?
(Or doesn’t it?)
Q&A from our service of Holy Baptism, BCP pg 302:
Question Do you renounce the evil powers of this world which corrupt and destroy the creatures of God?
Answer I renounce them.
The following was included on the AFA email, too. I will leave it here, because it expresses an important concept that will help to change the world-view toward animals:
It is the policy of Action for Animals to no longer use language that accepts the current concept of animals as property, commodities and/or
things. Rather than refer to ourselves or others as “owners” of animals,
we now refer to ourselves and others as “guardians” and to animals as “he”
or “she” rather than “it.” Guardians do not buy or sell animals; instead
they rescue and adopt. We urge you to do the same.This policy adopted from In Defense of Animals.
For more on their campaign, please visit:
http://www.idausa.org/property.html