eating mercifully
Following is a short film (26 min.) produced by the Humane Society of the United States for the Christian community, Eating Mercifully. I'll add a bit more response below, but please - if you watch one video posted this year, watch this one. It's very moderate in presentation, and I couldn't recommend it more highly:
Last Summer I posted a preview of the film in which Elaine and Dale West are featured, who operate a rescue for pigs in Archer, Florida called Rooterville Sanctuary. Please look it up, especially after hearing Elaine's moving, firsthand response to industrial animal farming: "I was so ashamed that, especially as a Christian, that ... I was supporting that. That I didn't know about it, and here I was supporting that kind of horrific abuse and cruelty."
Eating Mercifully also shows part of a sermon from Greg Boyd, an evangelical pastor, theologian and author: "I've always believed ... that one of the surest benchmarks for how we're doing as a species in terms of our relationship with God, concerns how we're treating animals. And on that benchmark we're not doing so hot, folks." As the week goes on, I'll be posting an awesome series from Boyd written in response to a question he's often asked about his personal diet.
Speaking of which, Dave Kelly, pastor of worship at King of Kings Church in Omaha, Nebraska wrote an excellent reflection after watching Eating Mercifully:
About a month and a half ago I completed a long journey towards vegetarianism, one which started when I was 18 years old and culminated in my decision to refrain from eating any form of meat (including fish). ...
My decision to refrain from eating meat does not make me more holy, more righteous or more Christ-like than someone who does not, and Paul warns us about judging each other. This said, I am passionate about my decision.
The reasons he goes on to give for his decision: God's voice in his life, his commitment to non-violence, health factors, the horrors of factory farming and his desire to see God's kingdom continue to come, are all very compelling. And the practical advice he offers for others who might be considering adjusting their meat-eating habits is very helpful, broad-minded and non-judgmental.
(A shorter (7 min.) preview of Eating Mercifully is also available on YouTube. And the Humane Society has graciously made free dvd copies of the entire film available by request, if you'd like to have a personal copy on hand to share with others.)
September 7, 2009
Reader Comments (11)
I just posted a link to this video on FB and my blog!...how weird is that??
Thanks, Ben...the church has ignored this issue for too long....
That is weird, Tracey, and I just saw your Facebook post! The spirit must be moving ... Thanks for your affirmation, I very much agree. Our blind eye towards, or perhaps ignorance of, factory farming is as much a matter of Christian conscience, community and personal, as any other. Well said - Ben
I want all of you to tell me where they are going to get enough food to feed 300 million people in the United States? Remember the HSUS stated that "all of us will eat the grain the animals eat." The grain the animals eat is grown by Monsanto. The grain is genetically altered with DNA from animals. The grain will kill humans. Monsanto controlles 75% of the seed market. So I ask where is the food going to come from? Or don't you care?
Skippy, I'm not sure who you are exactly or where your question is coming from, but could you please identify yourself before I reply much further? In general, I ask all commenters to identify themselves with their comments, and I think this is even more important when raising such a strong critique. You'd want to stand behind it, right?
A brief word of response in the meantime: should massive changes take place in our current animal and grain consumption habits (Lord willing), that change would no doubt be gradual enough to allow the new grain which is grown to be of the variety which meets human dietary needs - Ben
I'm a trained terrorist investigator who is also writing a book about the subject of animal rights. I also have not eaten meat for over 25 years. The problem with give the animals more room or treat them like pets is they are not pets. Give them more room will put seven eights of the farmers out of business. More room means more barns to build, more land to buy, more expense. The average farmer makes $10 PER HOUR. Your telling the farmer to put up a million or shut down. Wheres the money going to come from? I dont eat meat but that doesn't give me the right to tell others not to eat it. Nor is the situation in the United States that they could feed 300 million vegans. Be realist. You can't tear down a food system without A dire starvation situation coming forth. It's about the money farmers don't have it.
As far as the new grain coming forthe, tell me who's going to take it from Monsanto? He controls %75 of the seed in the United States? Whos going to tell Monsanto they are wrong. Or whos going to go out and work the grain fields? The labor needed will be 3 times what it is than with Monsantos grain. Why you ask? Monsanto is splicing herbacide and insecticide into the DNA of the grain seed. Labor is down to slight. Humans can't eat the Monsanto grain. The humans in the Unted States won't work for mininum wage. So anyway you slice it you are looking at huge price hikes.
As far as the new grain coming forthe, tell me who's going to take it from Monsanto? He controls %75 of the seed in the United States? Whos going to tell Monsanto they are wrong. Or whos going to go out and work the grain fields? The labor needed will be 3 times what it is than with Monsantos grain. Why you ask? Monsanto is splicing herbacide and insecticide into the DNA of the grain seed. Labor is down to slight. Humans can't eat the Monsanto grain. The humans in the Unted States won't work for mininum wage. So anyway you slice it you are looking at huge price hikes.
Skippy, you raise some interesting points, and certainly the livelihood of honest and compassionate farmers should be a concern which is of importance to all of us. Again, please represent yourself by name. Dialogue which is civil, courteous and of integrity demands as much from all of us. I've informed you of the policy twice now, and please know additional comments will be deleted otherwise - Ben
Hello. The idea that animal agriculture is the "apex" of food production is only because we haven't been challenged enough to discover better systems. As it is now, if we continue on this unsustainable path there will not be enough resources to feed the anticipated 9 billion people in 4 decades. And as it is now, a child dies of starvation every 10 seconds. Clearly something is amiss.
Animal agriculture is not how our species will survive. A plant based diet uses 1/2 acre while a meat based diet uses 3.5. Expected drought conditions will also necessitate a vegan diet as meat requires a vast amount of water to process. There are also health issues which are also a concern, as animal consumption is linked to heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and a plethora of other ills.
We need to shift our economic structure to accomodate to the needs of feeding people "real" food. We should stop fattening animals the quanity of 6 times as much grain as would sustain humans. Not to mention the billions of untreated waste that filters into our ground water or the 18% methane and CO2 issues created by animals raised as "food". Or the pharmacuticals, zootonic diseases of animal agriculture - and the list goes on & on.
I have hopes of a future of urban hydroponic farms and vertical gardens. Surely this is the way we will thrive in a healthy and compassionate future:
VerticalFarm.com
Bea, what an excellent and thorough response. I greatly admire your proficiency in this discussion and its many implications, and appreciate your presentation voice as well. Thank you for fleshing out the discussion that much further - Ben
I'm totally with you on this, About two years ago I decided to become veggie as I was disgusted by the way animals get treated across the world, now I can't imagine eating something's leg, wing, and all those bits that they were given by their creator. He created them first and we are supposed to be stewards of all animals, how far we have dropped from God's beautiful plan.
Thanks very much, Kim, and well said. I couldn't agree more personally - Ben