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Meat and Dairy industry

porlino87

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Most people know that the USA eats a lot of meat and dairy. Most know about factory farming. Factory farms keep animals in tight spaces with limited daylight, use them for their eggs or slice them up. If these factories had glass walls, people would change their minds about supporting this industry. Its a bloody mess. Billions of animals are slaughtered a year.

We should be good people right? We should be good to animals, and limit their suffering. After all the pain and suffering these animals go through, I can't believe most christians will say something like "God put them there for us".

Please don't respond with some ancient bible mumbo jumbo, for that book was written in times of no factory farms, no mass animal suffering and murder. Back then, killing an animal was a personal thing, where the slayer took responsibility. Things have changed and it is wrong to treat animals like they do in factory farms.
 

Mr Dave

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You have come into 'Struggles by Non-Christians'. We don't believe the Bible to be 'mumbo-jumbo'; we use the Bible as a guide and so can do so on this occasion;

The Methodist Church in Britain | Animal Welfare
 
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drich0150

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porlino87

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Yes I agree about the price change that would occur if we didn't have factory farms. But, guess what? We don't need meat! In fact, studies show that meat is bad for you, and so is dairy, milk and eggs. Do the research and you will see that a plant-based diet is in fact healthy for all stages of life.

In addition to the ethical and moral aspects of the exploitation of animals, there is also the efficiency debate. Growing crops to feed humans is more efficient thatn growing grops, feeding animals, then eating the animals. The animal uses the food for its own bio available energy, thus resulting in a loss of energy. Take this to billions upon billions of animals...you see where I'm going with this I guess. Also consider how much water is wasted in the animals, as well as electricity to operate the massive machinery in the slaughterhouses.

All i'm saying, is if you believe you are following a religion that asks for the welfare of animals, you should most definitely stop supporting factory farming.
 
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porlino87

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drich0150

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Mr Dave

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And you're saying using animals for a tasty treat is not exploitation?

Firstly animals are not a 'tasty-treat' to meat-eaters, but a staple part of a meal.
Secondly, the Bible does not oblige us to be vegetarians or vegans, eating animals is fine, but animals when alive should be treated well.
 
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porlino87

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Yes I agree about the economic balance argument. It is obvious that this change would have to be slow.

And yes, you can show me links that meat is good for you. But, if you can be healthy without it, why not? And I'm sure you realize that obesity one of the top preventable causes of death in this country, so I'm sure most people will be better off without meat.

With regards to the Corn feeding issue, yes I agree that corn (and soy) is the most cost efficient way to feed animals. Although efficient and easy to grow, my argument is that meat and dairy is not necessary for our health, and these crops could grow other foods that is healthy and digestable by humans, thus bypassing the inefficient livestock industry.

"Lol, in what book chapter and verse is the welfare of animals considered, let alone commanded, especially over that of a person?" - I'm not saying "welfare of animals over people" I'm just saying, "Welfare of animals" - period! Given this country's obesity rates, less meat might even do some good.

"Life is a dirty business. In order for something to live, something else must die" - yes but it doesn't have to be a living, breathing animal. What would Christ think if he took a tour of the biggest slaughterhouse in the nation?

I see your argument, and I agree with it. If the meat and dairy industry disappeared overnight, yes the economy will collapse. What i'm saying, is there needs to be awareness and education on this principle. The change must be slow. These factory farms are disgusting, they pump the animals full of hormones and antibiotics, the animals don't see daylight and are crammed in tight spaces, they are forced to breed and produce offspring just so they can be taken away from the mothers, the workers at these factories have negative psychological consequences seeing so much brutality. Please watch some videos of these factory farms and you might change your mind.

When I eat meat, I close my eyes. I don't want to think about the suffering animals because I don't have to. The job was done somewhere else and it wasn't my responsiblity. I just enjoy my burger. I am realizing that this is not healthy anymore.
 
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Mr Dave

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porlino87

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Sorry if the thread has strayed from the original post. Let me just clarify the reason why I am posting this topic on Christian Forums. I have been christian all my life, and I just realized that I disagree with the meat and dairy industries from all points of view. I realized that religion gave me a set of rules to follow, and if I followed those I would be fine. Unfortunately, religion gives little room for social change because we are following what a human said 2 thousand years ago. Factory farms did not exist back then. This is a new problem, and I blame my religion for blinding me from it.
 
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Mr Dave

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These may be more relevant, e.g.

The Slaughter of Animals (Humane Conditions) Regulations 1990

The Welfare of Animals (Slaughter or Killing) Regulations 1995
 
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porlino87

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...and how do you know ALL suffer?

Because I know that I suffer when I cut myself. I know that my dog suffers when I poke it with a knife. Animals are social creatures, they need space to be happy.

Factory farms keep them in tight spaces, they force them to breed, they take away their offspring for veal.

Chickens have their beaks cut off so that they do not harm other chickens in their cages.
 
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Mr Dave

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Ok. I agree that there have been many problems with the farming industries (which would differ from country to country), but the last decade or so has seen a big push (at least over here) to promote to welfare of animals even amongst meat eaters. Farms became heavily industrialised but have moved back towards something vaguely more similar to the time of Christ where a farmer tends his animals, not shoving as many into a shed as possible feeding them badly.
 
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