John Darmanin Cospicua
Peace to all creatures great and small
Christmastime may bring a special longing for that illusive peace. Every year history teaches us how difficult it is for us to achieve peace. There are many, many reasons for this, mostly concerning our lifestyles. Peace may require a deep change of humanity, which is almost impossible to achieve collectively. But individually, changes are possible that lead to inner peace.
True peace cannot be achieved unless it concerns all creation. We cannot have inner peace if we continue to slaughter millions of animals just for the sake of our Christmas festivities!
If one realises the hidden cruelty, the misery and the suffering that that slice of turkey on one's Christmas dinner plate has gone through, from a hatchling to its killing, it will become really difficult to digest. While locally we are slowly awakening to the call for care and responsibility towards our home animals, let us not think that cows, pigs, chickens and turkeys are not animals too.
They are sentient creatures just as our pets. Animal cruelty laws are not the same for farm animals.
Sentient creatures long for a meaningful life, enjoyment, liberty, freedom from harm and cruelty. Yet, what we do to these creatures denies them everything that is rightfully theirs.
We industrialise them, reducing them to raw materials for the food industry.
More than 60 billion animals are slaughtered yearly for food, not counting fish! So massive is the meat industry that its impact on the environment and its contribution to global warming and climate change is more than that of the whole transport sector put together. And, yet, we speak of the integrity of creation! These creatures are just born to be killed and this is a mockery of that gift of life given by their Creator.
Make Christmas special for all creatures. Don't let Christmas be the worst time for these creatures. Be kind to all creation this festive season by choosing a vegetarian lunch or dinner. There is a host of delicious vegetarian cuisine to choose from. There are numerous vegetarian recipe books on the market or just visit the website of the local vegetarian society www.vegmalta.org.
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Franco Farrugia
Dec 29th 2008, 17:20
@ R Bartolo - Even human beings are made of meat. So??????????
John Darmanin
Dec 29th 2008, 09:24
Once again, Mr Cowie, in your haste to criticise me you did not read well what I wrote and you twisted and warped its meaning. I did not write abortion is a “plug and play issue” but I what I wrote is “The comparison with abortion has become a plug and play argument against the advocates of love towards animals”. Even though I am not writing in my mother language, the meaning of my words is clear. The issue itself is being repeatedly used as a stereotype argument against animal advocates without any consideration of relevance. I never devalued abortion as an issue; you need to be more precise in your criticism
R. Bartolo
Dec 29th 2008, 01:48
If nature did not mean for us to eat animals, she would not have made them out of meat... tasty meat.
isabella peresso fiorentino
Dec 28th 2008, 22:36
God created animals and humans to live side by side in harmony and surely not for the human to abuse, maim or torture animals for his own selfish needs.
Gerry Cowie
Dec 28th 2008, 12:32
Mr Darmanin,
You have very entrenched views and seem desperate to put your point forward with so many contributions!
Abortion is not "plug and play" issue! It is highly relevant when looking at how society cares for its own. I am justified in mentioning it.
You hold very strong views on animals, which I respect but do not share.
You are right that the treatment of animals and the treatment of the unborn are two very different issues. I just happen to think that your concentration on animals is far less important than the value of human life.
I am not negating the importance of animals, and I am sure that you are in favour of human life too. It has often been said that the way society treats its animals tells you a lot about how they treat human beings. There is far too much importance given to animals than to people. In the UK harming animals has far more severe consequences than does harming people!
My understanding that animals are here for us is perfectly sound, thankyou very much! I am not going to stop eating what is provided, though I shall maintain a healthy respect for creation!
isabella peresso fiorentino
Dec 28th 2008, 11:46
Well Mr Crocker, if you don't care about the suffering of a cow reared for slaughter, many others do. Even many meat-eaters care although they just don't want to know about it.
For your info, a diet based mostly on vegetables, fruit, grains and pulses is the best diet for the body, and this is proven no matter what you and other low-carb meat-eating so-called low protein experts say.
Well done Mr John Darmanin for such an enlightening letter in these days of gross consumption and gluttony with the excuse of the festivities.
Dion Borg
Dec 28th 2008, 10:27
@ G. Crocker
I trust you did not read the comments.....
You feel sick because someone has pointed out that a non carnivorous diet is more caring and ecologically sound - albeit there is inequity in the distribution of the earth's resources.
Yet, this inequity and wastage is partly due to the same carnivorous choice and excesses indulged in at the expense of others!
As to the dietary qualities of dead carcasses - pls do a good research - you'll find that a veggie diet has all the nutrients (without the unhealthy components associated with meat) to ensure a healthy and active life. Even vitamin B12 is not a problem these days.
If one does not care that an animal suffers (not just killed ‘humanely’), just to satisfy a craving for meat - it denotes the priority of one's own material 'pleasures' notwithstanding the suffering imposed on others. If this is the way one is ready to treat a peaceful animal, how will a potential human enemy or simply a competitor is dealt with?
“The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated” - Mahatma Gandhi
Graham Crocker
Dec 28th 2008, 00:29
We live such a comfortable life, that we care about the welfare of the chicken.
I for one, like eating meat I do not care if the cow suffers, when I know there are millions of children in Africa dying of hunger, people like you make me sick caring about the welfare of the animal, when us humans are dying of starvation. Go tell the children drying of starvation that St Francis thinks its a sin to eat meat.
Christmas is an occasion to be merry and fill your tummy with delicious meat and vegetables. A decent meal to celebrate an occasion.
Yes of course vegetables are efficient blah blah, let the Ethiopians eat grass on their barren lands along with their cows.
Why do I eat meat ? Same reason why the Lion doesn't eat fungus.
Meat is very nutrious, medium in fat, high in protein & low in carb, and the taste compared to that faggy tofu, is next to none. Soya is even worse, Soya sause inflamed my stomach lining when I was dieting, not to mention Soya milk tastes horrible.
John Darmanin
Dec 27th 2008, 22:37
…/cont
But really Mr Cowie your argument about food competition is the worst and the most miss informed. You might be surprised to know that meat is one of the causes of world hunger because it is 5 to 10 times more efficient to feed humans vegetable than first feeding them to animals to eat them. Therefore the earth can support more people on a vegetarian diet than a carnivore one. Besides it has all the bad effects on the environment that will bitterly affect human lives especially those already on the brink of starvation. I suggest you read Mr. J Borg comments in the same string.
Your “understanding that animals are meant to be a source of food…” is weak too. I have already answered this on the same blog.
John Darmanin
Dec 27th 2008, 22:36
…/cont
Although you seem to suggest that that advocates of love towards animals do not love humans, I think the opposite is true. Just remember Mahatma Gandhi he loved people deeply but he would not eat meat for the same love towards animals. St Francis of Assisi used to buy cage birds and then set them free, and implored the people to feed the animals even though he lived in starkest of poverty of the early middle ages. Rev Dr Albert Schweitzer is another example of an outspoken advocate of love towards animals just as towards humans. Dr Schweitzer left his brilliant career at an early age to set up a hospital for lepers in Africa. These great philantropists had no conflict of priorities like you have. I believe it is human pride that blinds one to see the truth. Many humans are to proud to call animals brothers and sisters like St. Francis did. Pope John Paul II reiterated the words of St Francis that for the love of God the same considerations of love towards humans must be extended towards all creatures. Cont/…
John Darmanin
Dec 27th 2008, 22:35
Mr. Cowie the balance is wrong really, but the other way round, there are comparatively very few people who give voice to animals. The comparison with abortion has become a plug and play argument against the advocates of love towards animals. But your argument is very weak. Using the same logic then you should not touch your food before you know that all mouths are fed. Billions of children die of hunger and malnutrition. Similarly you should not go to bed before you make sure that everyone has a roof over head - millions don’t. You would not drink your cup of tea before you make sure everyone has access to water – millions don’t. In that case then you might have a right to argue that the balance is wrong. But I am sure that is not the case. The abortion issue and the animal rights issue are two parallel issues and should not be mutually exclusive. Two wrongs never make a right!
No body is stopping you to put forward the abortion issue, I for one, would not because I would not criticize a good thing like you are doing. cont/…
John Darmanin
Dec 27th 2008, 20:42
.../continued
Therefore they were not created to suffice our needs.
Whether the Garden of Eden existed or not is not the issue. The issue is that theologically God is infinite goodness and wishes to have a holy earth were there is no violence, not even among animals. He put man as leader of creation to lead in his Image and that means to be just as kind. Now to me living the life of a predotor does not appear to be so kind. He gave us choice, because free choice is an important pre-condition for love. The love of God or not is a free choice not a forced one.
John Darmanin
Dec 27th 2008, 20:41
“... birds were created to suffice our needs” reveals that you do not know your bible or religion deeply enough. If you remember Genisis, God created an earthly paradise where only happiness reigned. And God gave man the vegetables and fruit to eat, and the vegetables and grasses to all the other animals. Therefore according to the Genesis it was not God’s intention to create preadation because predation is violence itself and the goodness of God excludes violence. If you continue reading you will read the account of Noah and the flood and just before that you would read that God was so displeased with human conduct that he regrets the fact that he created them! That is pretty hard stuff! Continue reading then you will come across the pact with Noah, and there you read that God conceeds Noah to eat meat emphasizing that it was NOT always like that. The pact with Noah was new, the earth was then currupt and things were unable to return to the state of Eden. It is only in this scenario that God conceeds the eating of meat. So it is a concession and not a right!
John Darmanin
Dec 27th 2008, 20:38
“I have a right to eat animals because animals eat other animals” what a puny argument! Using the same argument then you really should not eat beef, pork, chicken, turkey for the simple reason that cows, pigs, chickens and turkeys do not eat other animals so they have a right not to be eaten. But seriously Mr. Formosa the crux of the argument is this: Carnivores like sharks and lions etc are obligate carnivores, they have no choice, it not a question of right. But note also that although carnivores, they eat only to survive, always on brink of starvation. They do not eat meat to celebrate feasts, and their life is far from an easy one. But we humans do have a choice and we are supposed to have a heart or a conscience. Unlike carnivores we are conscious of the cruelty of killing for meat. Now your right is to choose; you can either behave like a predator or like a loving human being. And, if you choose the first, than you will behave worse than a carnivore because as a human you have free will which the carnivores don’t!
J. Borg
Dec 27th 2008, 18:26
Land Use
Livestock production is responsible for 70% of the Amazon deforestation in Latin America, where the rainforest has been cleared to create new pastures.
Deforestation increases greenhouse gas emissions by releasing carbon previously stored in the trees. It is also a major driver in the loss of biodiversity – just a few species of livestock now account for about 20% of total terrestrial animal biomass*8.
It is becoming more common for cattle to be denied the opportunity to graze by moving them directly into feedlots after being weaned. Intensive feeding on a diet consisting mainly of concentrates has been shown to be an inefficient way of producing dietary proteins*. In order to supply meat producers with cheap animal feed, large areas of tropical forests have been cleared*28.
Someone living on a vegetarian diet requires less than half the area of land to grow their food than someone following a conventional diet. A vegetarian population could farm less intensively and still have space to increase production of bio-fuel crops.
8. Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations. 2006. Livestock’s Long Shadow– Environmental Issues and Options. Rome.
28.The World Wide Fund for Nature. 2007. The Bio-DaVersity Code.
http://www.daversitycode.com/earthscope/
J. Borg
Dec 27th 2008, 18:23
Water-Use & Contamination
Farming accounts for around 70% of all freshwater withdrawn from lakes, waterways and aquifers14. Meat production, especially the feeding of cattle, is a particularly water-intensive process*16, Estimates of the water required to produce a kilo of beef vary, from 13,000 litres*14 right up to100,000 litres. Whichever figure, the damage is plain when you consider that the water required to produce a kilo of wheat is somewhere between 1,000-2,000 litres.
Fishing+Oceans
a third of tuna catches from the Mediterranean alone arise from illegal and unregulated fishing*23. Japan recently made a rare admission that its fishing vessels have exceeded quotas and has agreed to halve its catch of blue-fin tuna for the next 5 years. However, the WWF for Nature is concerned that this will still not give the fish population chance to fully recover. Farmed fish - the feeding of carnivorous fish intensifies pressure on the oceanic fisheries. It takes 5 tonnes of wild caught fish to feed each tonne of farmed salmon
14. Food and Agriculture Organisation. 22/03/2007. FAO urges action to cope with
increasing water scarcity. Rome. http://www.fao.org/newsroom/en/news/2007/1000520/index.html
16. Smil,V.2001. Enriching the Earth Fritz Haber, Carl Bosch, the transformation of world food production. Cambridge
J. Borg
Dec 27th 2008, 18:21
@ Anthony Formosa,
Whilst acknowledging that vegetarian diet involves plant life as well, anyone who seriously evaluate matters can realise that a carnivorous diet needs to be supported by greater area dedicated for animal fodder. The following is an extract from Ecological Economics
Worldwide food production requires 30% of the total soil available, 20% of fossil fuel energy and a major part of the fresh water flow. Raising cattle is one of the most damaging components of agriculture. They cause the most environmental damage of any non-human species through over-grazing, soil erosion, desertification and tropical deforestation for ranches, in addition to their gaseous emissions and manure products. Studies on world food security estimate that an affluent diet containing meat requires up to 3 times as many resources as a vegetarian diet.
Climate Change
Farmed animals produce more greenhouse gas emissions (18%) than the world’s entire transport system (13.5%). Cows’ flatulence, alongside animal excrement, makes the headlines due to both of them being extremely damaging. However, farming animals also generates gaseous emissions through the manufacture of fertilisers (to grow feed crops), industrial feed production and the transportation of both live animals and their carcasses across the globe
Franco Farrugia
Dec 27th 2008, 16:55
@ Anthony Formosa - 'Animals and birds were created to suffice our need.'
Where did you read that?
That argument does not hold water any longer. Human beings are animals too. It's our history and our religion which put man at the centre of creation.
Gerry Cowie
Dec 27th 2008, 14:35
Whilst I agree that we have a duty to treat animals with a certain amount of care and respect, I cannot share the almost absolute equality the writer and some supporters give to them.
It may well also be true that our diet could do with a greater mix of vegetable matter, though some might argue that we would then be competing with the animals even for vegetables, except for those which eat meat themselves!
My understanding is that animals are meant to be a source of food both for man and other living beings.
If only such fantastic respect were given to people living in the third world, who we often see starving on our television screens!
If only such passionate feelings were put forward to stop the slaughter of millions of babies aborted each day! We already live in a world which values possessions and animals above humans. So let us look to a world in which we first and foremost respect human life from its conception in the womb until natural death.
How can we shout about the diginity of animals when some of us have no respect whatsoever for human life?
The balance is all wrong!
emanuel magrin
Dec 27th 2008, 13:38
Unfortunatley animals are used in many different ways. At the time of writing these lines we have the yearly marathon STRINA going on. School children were given PIGGY banks to collect donations in. Yet the poor PIGS are not spared either since they end up as food to satisfy the greed of hamans.
No money from this marathon are directed to help the poorest of the poor - the strays who have nothing and the many animal carers who sacrificed their lives to give a better future to God.s creatures.
Perhaps KIA motors should also donate some vehicles to be used as animal ambulances since goverment still refuse to waive off dues - amounting to around Lm8000 - to let us commission two vehicles generoulsy donated by foreigners to be used exclusively as animal ambulances.
www.saintfrancisfoundation.com
lgalea
Dec 27th 2008, 13:34
A good number of recipes on the vegan website.
Anthony Formosa
Dec 27th 2008, 13:18
@ J Darmanin, If an animal has the right to eat another animal, then I don't see why I have no right to eat animals. Sharks attack humans when at sea, others attack humans on land. Animals and birds were created to suffice our needs, but if you have a different opinion nobody is stopping you to stick to veggies even though they 're also a living thing.
Els Serracino-Inglott
Dec 27th 2008, 12:32
Couldn't agree more with John Darmanin. Our diets were never so meat-centred as they are today and our health, the environment and animal welfare are none the better for it!
Franco Farrugia
Dec 27th 2008, 10:43
What an enlightening letter.
Even though I had no occasion to eat turkey this year, ... I bow my head ... in shame!
For, what Mr Darmanin writes in his letter is very true.