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by Jan Fredericks LPC, MA and Jerold Terdiman, M.D. It is mind boggling and terrifying to contemplate the spiritual and
physical damage we humans are inflicting upon ourselves by indulging in
animal based diets. The short and long term damage to our health is only a
part of this disaster. There is also the devastation of the environment and
above all the spiritual holocaust upon our souls resultant from the
unimaginable cruelty perpetrated upon our fellow creatures who are entrusted
to our care by G-D. The Torah refers to this as "Tsa'ar Ba'ala Chyim" and "Chillul
Ha'Shem" -- a desecration of G-D's name. This is a most grievous offense the
consequences for which (if not repented and corrected) can hardly be
imagined. In the Garden of Eden man lived in harmony with his fellow creatures.
Adam and Eve were vegetarians (vegans). After the sin of eating the
forbidden fruit, Adam and Eve were expelled from the garden and the
aggressive side of their nature emerged. They changed from herbivores into
omnivores (meat and plants). G-D, in his mercy made a concession to this
change (which was needed for their survival) and allowed the consumption of
meat but ONLY when subjected to strict humane regulations. Is God calling us
back to a vegan diet? Living in harmony with animals is part of God's will
on earth as it is in heaven which we pray for every day in our Churches. Farm animals are herbivores - they don't eat flesh and perhaps we should
only eat what God intended us to eat also- grains, legumes, fruits and
vegetables (Genesis 1:29). The USDA would like us to think that this
slaughterhouse's abuse of sick animals is uncommon while this is common
practice in stockyards, auctions and slaughterhouses across the country.
Horses, donkeys and dogs are still being slaughtered as well especially in
Mexico. We should be concerned about our health, our cat food (dogs don't get
sick from eating sick cows they say) and of course, we should be concerned
about the suffering and abuse of billions of innocent animals who belong to
God, their Creator. Being told that no one got sick yet, is not comforting
since the vCJD (Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease from eating BSE infected cows) can
be ingested just once to begin the incubation period before showing symptoms
years or even decades from ingestation. Early stages include failing memory,
behavorial changes, impaired coordination and/or visual disturbances. After
these symptoms begin, death occurs within 12-14 months. The only way to be
sure you have the disease is by a brain biopsy or autopsy. Cerebral spinal
fluid testing positive can be inconclusive. Thus, we do not know for sure
how many people have died from eating sick cows. In Britain, 165 people died
from eating contaminated meat. If you want to be healthy, don't eat meat or any animal products (see
www.PCRM.org ) . We can't trust our government to tell us about how to be
healthy, since the agri-business is part of our government. However, we
should not just care about our health, but also how animals are treated.
They belong to God and it is our responsibility to treat them with kindness
and mercy. Our treatment of them (directly and indirectly) affects our
relationship with God. Religious leaders, politicians and the media, who truly care, should be
letting the public know the truth about the animals' lives we eat and not
worry about sponsors, advertisers, or people we 'serve'. Two great DVDs now
on-line related to this topic are "A Sacred Duty" - a Jewish perspective of
animals and the environment and "Christian Concern For All God's Creatures".
"Let everything that has breath praise the Lord." Psalm 150:6
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God's Creatures Ministry is committed to spreading God's compassion to all He has made based on The Scriptures. Although we are a Christian Ministry, we encourage all to have their own animal welfare committee in their community. We extend our resources to those who would like to learn more or begin their own God's Creatures Ministry as an extension of us. God created us to have a vegetarian diet and commissioned us to protect His animals. Instead, we have exploited them for our entertainment, fashion, appetite and useless, torturous research. These creatures have the right to live as they were created to live. Because we live IN this world, but are not OF this world, we strive to bring God's mercy and justice to all. We live in God's Kingdom now where Jesus, The Sacrificial Lamb, The Prince of Peace, The Lion of Judah reigns. We look forward to that day when all of creation will be 'set free from slavery to corruption and share in the glorious freedom of the children of God' (Romans 8:21) where a little child will lead and guide God's creatures (see Isaiah 11:5-9).
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