Humane lifestyle

We are living in a time where animals are exploited and abused of and this is surely not the way it was intended. Is it Christian to stuff these animals in overcrowded cages, make them go through severe mutilation and let them live in prolonged, unalleviated misery?

Animals are fed drugs to fatten them faster and to keep them alive in conditions that would otherwise kill them, and they are genetically made to produce much more milk or eggs than they would naturally. Many animals become crippled under their own weight. When these animals finally grow large enough, they are crowded onto trucks and transported to the slaughterhouse. Those who survive this nightmarish journey will have their throats slit, often while they are still fully conscious. Many are still conscious when they are plunged into the scalding water of the defeathering or hair-removal tanks or while their bodies are being skinned or hacked apart.

Cows are constantly kept pregnant in order to keep producing milk and are milked two or three times a day. Their babies are dragged away so that we can drink milk that nature intended for the calves. Male calves, the "by-products" of the dairy industry, endure 14 to 17 weeks of torment in veal crates so small they can't even turn around. Female calves often replace their old, worn-out mothers, or are slaughtered soon after birth for the rennet in their stomachs (an ingredient of most commercial cheeses).

Vegetarianism reflects respect for creation - the diet benefits humans, animals, and the environment. Vast areas of land are needed to grow crops to feed the billions of animals we raise for food each year. Entire ecosystems are being destroyed to fuel our addiction to meat. Raising animals for food is inefficient, because while animals eat large quantities of grain, they only produce small amounts of meat, dairy products, or eggs in return.

There is more than enough food in the world to feed the entire human population. So why are more than 840 million people still going hungry? Our meat-based diet is partly to blame, as land, water, and other resources that could be used to grow food for human beings are being used to grow crops for farmed animals instead.

It no longer suffices to quote the bible on meat eating and sacrifices. Things in those days were different! Without movements for social change we would still have human slavery, child labour, no voting rights for women, experiments on orphans and the poor. Without progress we would not have cures for certain diseases, we wouldn't be able to travel by air...

Modern factory farming is not necessary, merciful, or compassionate. We can and I believe it is our duty to raise our collective voices to change the situation for animals too! And I am sure everyone is up to date with the deliciously satisfying tasty alternatives to the animal ingredients (and in the case that you are still lost on what vegans/veggies actually eat (no it's not vegetables) e-mail me (jan@euroweb.net.mt) and I'll be glad to help!