Alrighty bloggers,
Today's topic is one which (if you know me) strikes cord with my inner spirituality as well as how my faith integrates with my being in the world. It has to do with: animal welfare.
There's quite a bit out there both in published well researched arguments against the Factory Farming Industry (hereafter FFI) as well as the more edgy, blunt and in your face approach (PETA being the most well-known example).
However, while I could go on and on about the evils of the FFI, while I could show hours and hours of animal abuse, torture and dismemberment documented about the FFI, and while I could list (minus the extra abuse I just stated) the terribly hellish daily lives from birth until death that the big 3 go through (that'd be your cow [involving dairy, veal and standard beef], your pig and your chicken [both broiler and egg laying]). But that's not the point...at least of this blog.
Today's blog is about how to engage those don't know, about those who do know and are unsure and finally (the ever fun) bunch who know - but do not care.
First group: "Don't cows live on farms?" Those who don't know...
This was me 4 years ago. The key is sensitivity! People who don't know facts don't need to be raked over the coals about how their McDonalds' Big Mac is the terrible remains of a cow who's life was epitomized by lack of dignity and pain. They just are doing what is normative of the culture - good or evil. You're role, if you are a a Conscientious Omnivore or some form of No-Meat-atarian isn't to force knowledge down anyone's throat (especially if you're a Christian!) - it's to love the person where they are, and to try to offer as loving as possible the better, more God-centered alternative.
First things first, most people who don't know many things about the FFI, will ask questions when you first have any kind of conversation about what you do/don't eat. It may be sparked by what you bring to work for lunch, or if you go out somewhere with some friends/co-workers what you don't get! So just let them ask the questions!
Second, it's **so** very important that when you are communicating your disgust with the FFI that you don't focus on the person(s) who buy (and thereby support) Factory Farmed meat, eggs, dairy. The issue to sharpen your critique on is the FFI itself. "I don't eat meat largely because the way that nearly all meat in the US is breed, treated and killed is so horrific that I just can't allow myself to support them," - I use that sentence all the time. I have a more over-arching reason of living a Mercy based life that factors into my explanations also, but as a general principle, pointing to the FFI as the evil and not to the people they sell that meat to, is much more disarming to a listener.
Lastly, be patient. I went through a slow progression from any kind of meat eater, to what is termed a Conscientious Omnivore to (now) a Vegetarian. But it was a progression, and one I had to come to terms with. I've known people who took the knowledge of the FFI and acted on it almost immediately...and others who took a year...and some, who still don't want to change their eating habits.
Maybe in a few days I'll blog on a the other two groups I spoke of, but for now (so this isn't too long) we'll call today's blog done. Listed at the bottom you'll see a host of information oriented websites so if you are one of those millions of people who don't know about how the billions of animals killed yearly end up shrink wrapped and labeled in the meat isle can know.
Some images are hard to see, but there are also more summary oriented parts to these websites to it is not just a gore-fest.
Thanks for reading,
K
http://www.hsus.org/farm/multimedia/
http://www.goveg.com/factoryFarming.asp
http://farmsanctuary.org/issues/factoryfarming/
http://www.fao.org/docrep/010/a0701e/a0701e00.htm
http://www.nrdc.org/water/pollution/cesspools/cessinx.asp
