a pastor's view on eating mercifully

I am considering eating mercifully.  I'm considering what it might change in my life.  I'm considering that it may just cause me to care more about life in every sense of the word.

So begins an excellent perspective by Justin Bills, a young associate pastor at Canyon Creek Christian Fellowship in Calgary, Canada.  It's titled "A Pastor's View on Eating Mercifully", and is published in the Humane Society's Animals & Religion Francis Files.  I very much recommend reading it in full, it's a very thoughtful and gracious piece, and a great introduction to those who are new to the question of whether our faith touches on consumption of animal products. 

Justin describes growing up as a "typical Christian" in most respects, including not paying much serious attention to caring for God's creation or creatures (I can relate).  He says the focus was always on caring for humans, which makes sense to him (and to me).  But at some point he found himself asking, "Imagine if we cared and showed mercy to everything that had breath.  Imagine what that would do in softening our hearts towards people."

(photo courtesy and copyright Christin S., with her two pampered, and much beloved, chickens)