I didn't have a blog prepared for today, so I'm just going to let some of my thoughts out.
The textbook definition of Mercy is; "compassion or forgiveness shown toward someone whom it is within one's power to punish or harm". I going to simplify that to Compassion is shown toward someone who is weaker or unable to protect themselves against harm. Is this not the Golden Rule; the biblical rule of “do unto others as you would have them do unto you” (Matt. 7:12). I'm not religious but I think this is a great rule to live by. Why would I do anything thing to anyone I would want to be done to myself. I do not want to feel pain, so why would I conflict it upon others. I would not want to be treated less than just because of how I was born, so why would I be Racist, Sexist or Speciesist.
As an Activist, I hear a lot of remarks from the religious excuses about God put the animals here for us, or that we were given permission to eat them. This I just don't understand. If you believe God made this wonderful world and all of its creature for you, then would you not have to take care of it? I think Lewis C.K. Says is better than me.
Even when I do open a bible the frist thing I read is, In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. Gen 1:1 (Skip to Gen 1:20) And God said, “Let the water teem with living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the vault of the sky.” So God created the great creatures of the sea and every living thing with which the water teems and that moves about in it, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. God blessed them and said, “Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the water in the seas, and let the birds increase on the earth.” And there was evening, and there was morning—the fifth day. And God said, “Let the land produce living creatures according to their kinds: the livestock, the creatures that move along the ground, and the wild animals, each according to its kind.” And it was so. God made the wild animals according to their kinds, the livestock according to their kinds, and all the creatures that move along the ground according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good. Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground. ” So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.” Then God said, “I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food. And to all the beasts of the earth and all the birds in the sky and all the creatures that move along the ground—everything that has the breath of life in it—I give every green plant for food.” And it was so.
In my understanding, God made animals frist not humans. So that means the animals were never created for us but we were created for them. If we were made in God's image, then lets frist define what God's role is. What I was taught when I was young was God is there to watch over us, helps guide and protect us from harm, help us learn to love and compassion, and is aways there when we need. So then are we not here to watch over, help guide and protect from harm, help teach love and compassion, and aways be there when needed for the animals?
I believe in a world where animals live free and humans live in harmony to work together for the planet and all of its life. Do you?
I'm going to stop here before I go into human digestion compared to carnivore digestion. But I have learned and changed my ways because of the original thought; If I love animals why do I eat them? I love animals and now I am here watch over, help guide and protect from harm, help teach love and compassion, and aways be there when needed for the animals. This is my vow! Will you vow the same?
