The Dutch government political party, The Party of the Animals, whose focus is animals rights, recently introduced a bill (which was supported and will soon take affect), that would mandate that all animals slaughtered in the Netherlands would need to be stunned before slaughter, a practice that is not allowed under Kosher and Halal dietary law (both require that an animal must be conscious at the time of slaughter). Dutch Jewish and Muslim citizens decry the move, which they see as limiting their religious freedom, while animal rights activists claim there is no motive outside of humane considerations. Here is the article -- what do you think about this?
Personally, i disagree completely with this ban. In the kosher practices, the religion is sure to kill the animals the most humane way possible. In addition to this, it is their own religious belief. Like we just learned in gastro, there is countries that strap down monkeys and eat their brains alive! There is no ban on this, even though its WAY more inhumane than a quick painless kill. But because its there custom, its okay. Why not with Judaism?? Part of me thinks people are still discriminatory towards jews.
ReplyDeleteI found this topic very interesting because I am jewish and I'm familiar with the kosher diet (even though I do not follow it).
ReplyDeleteAfter reading the article I think both sides have very good reasons to defend their points but I am inclined towards the religious part because of several reasons.
First of all it is a way of restricting the freedom of religion, secondly if they knew better they would know that animals slaughtered with the kosher method suffer little to no pain whatsoever because the edge the knife is extremely sharp (kind of like when you have a paper cut and don't even realize until you see blood). And lastly because there are a bigger problems in the agriculture industry than how to slaughter animals; like how they live or what they are fed.
I am a lot more concerned for a cow that lived in a tiny place being fed massive quantities of food with hormones and slain "humanely" while stunned than for a cow that lived free and feeding of foliage and just suffering for an instant at death.
Mark Stein (790224)
In reference to this article, I think all religions should have no say in how an animal is slaughtered. There are to many religions to base slaughtering practices on one religions view.
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kr721207
ReplyDeleteI am sided towards the religious side in this conflict in the Netherlands. I believe that the law has to respect the kosher and the halal practices. Animals have been slaughtered without being stunned for thousands of years. Secondly, how kosher and halal practices kill the animals, it is very clean and precise, unlike other slaughter practices. I doubt the animal feels much pain at all before it dies. We need to concentrate on the life of the animal, not the death as much. If an animal is more happy when it is alive then it usually has better quality compared to an animal that was unhappy. Quality is important to a consumer. I understand that many animal rights activists are backing this completely but they have to take into consideration religious freedom and ritual as they are an important aspect to many people in society.
I think that this article is very interesting, because the Netherlands already have a certain worldly reputation of slightly ignoring problems until they do not exist. But in this case it seems as if they created a problem just to solve it democratically. Animal rights will always be an issue around the globe but what this all boils down to is do animal rights over turn human and civil rights? It is of a persons own accord to practice any religion they choose and to make a law that infringes certain regulations of a religion is in my opinion prejudice and unfair.
ReplyDeleteCorrine Williams(867703)
It makes me cringe to think that it is in the criteria of one's religion to have an animal slaughtered only when its conscious. People are entitled to their own belief system, but many will side with what is humane on this one. At least, I do. If it was in my culture to kill a conscious animal, well personally I'd be questioning my religion, but that's just me. What it really boils down to is morality-- does one lean towards what is right or are we to trust that it is right because our religion 'justifies' it? Consequently, I'm an animal lover. If their lives are to be sacrificed so that I can have some fried chicken or a burger, I would sleep better at night knowing that it was stunned before it was killed. Quick and painless.
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