WHY ISN’T COMPASSION ENOUGH?

This past month, I had a conversation with a very intelligent friend who is a member of a new type of evangelical Christian religion.  Even though the new religion is a modern, hip interpretation, his concerns to me were just the same as “old-time” fundamentalists.  

          The zealously religious usually face their own unique set of hurdles before they can support animals having rights.  Of course, there are some religious people who quickly become vegan, but even religious blogs such as All-creatures.org speak about the problem of getting a good share of religious people to accept veganism.  

          Sometimes I wonder whether I should talk in their world, using Bible references, or just stick with trying to get them to face the reality of what is happening to animals on farms today.  It seems like it should be enough to just look at the cruelty of animal agriculture and see that it must be changed, but I find myself referencing how Jesus’s main message was love, and that love is not exclusionary. 

          When questions come up about Jesus eating fish, the first thing I have to remember to tell religious people is that they didn’t have grocery stores 2,000 years ago and did not have all our variety, so most food had to be caught and killed, or they had a few types of grains that grew in that area.  Whether you believe that Jesus actually fed the multitudes from five loaves and two small fish, whether you think the story is a metaphor, or whether you think it is just a story, there still was more of a reason to eat an animal during that time period than there is for the average person these days.

          Yet, there were vegans back then!  There were vegan groups, vegetarian groups and pescatarian groups, and many of the food rules went along with their religious beliefs.  This may be one reason why the Bible has rules about how to eat meat; it could have been a way to differentiate from the other groups and compete for converts; i.e., “We allow meat!”  It also could be why both meat eaters and those who don’t consume animals can both find passages that support their beliefs – it depends upon who was writing which parts of the Bible.

          A big hurdle is the “dominion” word and its common meaning versus its intended meaning.  Again, I wish I did not have to try to knock down these roadblocks to compassionate eating through biblical explanations and instead, just reach people by asking them to have compassion for animals.  This should be natural for religious people who want to help “the least among us” and to “sacrifice” for the sake of others.  

          Once I get past the religious barriers, then come the usual, nonreligious walls that I have to knock down with almost everybody, such as “circle of life” and “I am at peace with myself being a predator” and “Look at my canines!”  Sometimes I feel like they do not listen to my answers, but are thinking of their next defense while I am answering!  It can get tiring.  I also wonder why they know all the defenses, which shows that they have read “the other side” about the subject, but they have not watched factory farm videos! 

          Anyway, back to my friend.  I asked him why innocent animals had to suffer, when, if I were a god, I would immediately end suffering all over the world, especially of the innocent.  I know the typical answer about how “suffering is necessary in order to appreciate joy.”  Why so much suffering?  How about just a paper cut?  Why does this torture of animals never stop? 

          He gave me his answer, and I expected something more original out of him than the usual: “We don’t always understand.”  His exact answer was, “I don’t know the answer, but why don’t you go to the Alpha website, because I am sure they can give you a reason that will help you understand.”

          Later, I realized what he was actually saying to me. He thought some expert could give me some answer where I would say, “Oh, I see!  Now that I understand, I won’t worry about those animals anymore.”  I feel great and at peace and will eat some meat! 

          He did not realize that there will never be an acceptable reason that someone would, on purpose, make sentient animals suffer when it is not necessary.  Apparently, the important thing to this intelligent friend is that I learn a good excuse for the cruelty so that I can feel fine!  It’s all about the person again!  Our culture is human centered and we practice speciesism all the time.    

          You can see how annoying I can be on Facebook, getting into debates all the time!  But I don’t understand how some people can look at helpless beings who just want to live, and think “they are fine in the big plan” and the one I am told so often, “Life is but a second – they are in Paradise now for eternity.”  It is an excuse not to treat animals well right now and not to do anything about their conditions.  We have to get people sensitive enough so they can just look at an animal suffering, see the inhumanity of it, know that it is wrong, and be motivated to fix it. 

          Why must I learn about how to talk in religious ways for the religious, speak about health to a good share of the population, speak about climate to some before they care, speak about world hunger before others care, and speak about dogs before a good share of people care!  Why must I know everything from intestinal length to algal blooms in lakes when talking with people about caring for animals?  Why, if I don’t have an answer to one of their questions, is the entire idea of eating peacefully nixed in their minds?

 

          Really, though, I do understand.  I can relate to the refusal to think animal rights is important, because I was the same way.  I refused to read a book about animal rights my mother loaned to me.  I refused to look at any pictures and videos because I knew they would be awful.  I wanted to protect my way of life and my food and everything comfortable about my society.  

Changing my food was like changing me.  I did not want to deal with the issue. 

          Years later, however, I did change, so I know it is possible for all these other people to change too.  I just have to find the right words, something that will trigger a desire to change.  Until then, I will ramble away, and hope something I say hits home!