In his Nobel Peace Prize address, Dr. Schweitzer said: “The human spirit is not dead. ... It has come to believe that compassion, in which all ethics must take root, can only attain its full breadth and depth if it embraces all living creatures and does not limit itself to mankind.” It is apropos to talk about peace at this particular time of year — whether you celebrate Christmas religiously, spiritually, or commercially — the message of peace permeates all religions and cultures. In Schweitzer’s Philosophy of Civilization, he wrote: “We must fight against the spirit of unconscious cruelty with which we treat the animals. Animals suffer as much as we do. True humanity does not allow us to impose such sufferings on them. It is our duty to make the whole world recognize it.” There is no gentle way to tell meat-eaters who they are eating. The emotional discomfort people feel pales in comparison to the fright, pain, suffering, misery, injustice, and the final walk of desolation on the conveyor belt to meet their death by the 70 billion farmed land animals worldwide each year. It’s impossible to fathom the enormity of this indifference. But we can think of one turkey, one pig, or one cow. To you, it’s a meal. To her, it’s her life. Is a turkey’s 15-year or a cow’s 25-year life an equitable exchange for a few minutes of dining enjoyment when equally or more flavourful options are available? Perhaps it is time we examine our actions and align them with our faith and intrinsic values.
Posted on: Fri, 12 Dec 2014 20:06:29 +0000
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