Why give up meat (and fish) for Lent?…
…Why give up “chocolate” again this year?
(Individual animals suffer. Cocoa beans don’t.)
See last year’s appeal to observe a Lenten fast from violence
Rescued hen, victim of standard forced-molting practices
(photo courtesy of Compassion Over Killing)
“… for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me…. Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these…, you did it to me.”
– Jesus
(quoted from Matt. 25:35-36, 40, NRSV)
“Alleviating the suffering of others is the essence of veganism and can be embraced by each of us. Regardless of any other beliefs we hold and however else we choose to lead our lives, we can make a conscious decision to act from kindness and compassion rather than habit and tradition. Making humane choices is the ultimate affirmation of our humanity.”
– from “Why Vegan?” published by Vegan Outreach
From our service of 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.”
Dare I link to some of Sue Coe’s artwork? Yes. What better time?
These haunt me:
http://www.graphicwitness.org/coe/meatfly.jpg
http://www.graphicwitness.org/coe/selectb1.jpg
http://www.graphicwitness.org/coe/cowtif.jpg
“Now what is it moves our very hearts and sickens us so much at cruelty to poor brutes?… There is something so very dreadful, so satanic in tormenting those who have never harmed us, and who cannot defend themselves, who are utterly in our power, who have neither weapons of offence nor defence, that none but very hardened persons can endure the thought of it…. Think then, my brethren, of your feelings at cruelty practised on brute animals, and you will gain one sort of feeling which the history of Christís Cross and Passion ought to excite within you.”
– from a Good Friday sermon by Cardinal Newman
The Rev. Al Sharpton speaks out, and takes a stand, against cruelty!
Click here
to hear his message.
TryVeg.com’s why’s and how to’s of vegetarian eating page has a lot of good resources.
Click here for a variety of movie clips from TryVeg.com
– Anne Frank
Tags: Lent