PETA vs. The Bible
by Rit NosotroComparative Essay
Compare the Biblical view on animals against the viewpoint promoted by "People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals".
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Summary:
Tempers flaring, signs held high, clothes flying, children crying, and mothers hiding their children’s eyes. Not a rare scene or occasion for animal activist group “People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals” (PETA), who often choose to demonstrate their opinions publicly and many times, graphically. The scene just described actually did happened, and not too long ago, at a circus where PETA members choose to demonstrate their opinions of circus animals - in the nude. Many other similar displays are also common for PETA, and it seems to them, any action - no matter how violent/grotesque/or graphic – that may benefit animal welfare, is acceptable.
PETA is not the first or only animal activist group, although it is the most widely known and influential. Other animal activists do have a history though. The idea of Vegetarianism began as early as 3,200 B.C. in Egypt, and was mainly practiced by religious groups. Religious groups that were, and still are, vegetarians, are: Hindus, Zoroastrians, and Janis. Socrates, Plato and Aristotle were also some famous figures who lived “natural lives”, and therefore did not eat meat. Even during the Rome period, when gladiator games were popular, secret groups sympathized with the animal “victims”.
Over the centuries the vegetarians/animal activist were often persecuted for their beliefs, but they remained strong until the 1800s “Enlightening”. Activist took full advantage of the people’s open mindedness, and started to freely speak about how “Animals are intelligent feeling creatures” and should be treated with respect. Their voices were heard by poets John Gay and Alexander Pope; romantic poet Shelley; royal physician Dr John Arbuthnot; penal reformer John Howard; creator of the Methodist movement John Wesley; philosophers such as Voltaire, Rousseau and Locke; and Gandhi. All the mentioned were supporters and founders of either/both vegetarianism and animal rights.
By the 1900s, vegetarianism was becoming more popular, but it wasn’t until the 1990s that it was (almost) completely accepted by the public. Alongside the development of vegetarianism, humanism, and animal welfare also was becoming more and more popular and widely accepted. At the same time People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals was founded.
According to PETA, “PETA is dedicated to establishing and defending the rights of all animals. PETA operates under the simple principle that animals are not ours to eat, wear, experiment on, or use for entertainment. PETA educates policymakers and the public about animal abuse and promotes an understanding of the right of all animals to be treated with respect”.
America DID desperately need a organization to make animal treatment laws, for many farms animals, exotic animals, and even pet animals, were being sorely mistreated. But what America didn’t need was a profit seeking, power hungry, organization, more concerned with ruling the world than the welfare for animals. Does that mean PETA doesn’t do anything good for the sake of animals? No, PETA has been very successful in discovering gory labs, farms, and “animal factories” committing extreme cases of animal abuse. Does PETA only save animals from abusive situations? Unfortunately, no. PETA also “spies”, raids, (almost always on televised TV) places that experiment on animals (for the well-being of people), they harass celebrities that wear animal fur, they also are strongly against ANY ownership of animals – including animals who assist people with disabilities. PETA believes “better dead than bred”, and are hoping that over time the pet population of America (and eventually the world) will die out with forced spaying and neutering, so that animals “won’t have to suffer from abusive situations”.
Obviously none of them have ever experienced, or even researched the benefits – to both humans AND animals – the relationship of an owner and his/her pet/service animal. PETA makes the following note in their website to excuse their actions: “The Bible imparts a reverence for life, and a loving God could not help but be appalled by the way that animals are treated today”. Yes that is true, but that same loving God would also be horrified to learn how PETA places animals at the same level as humans! Since the very beginning of time, God placed humans above animals, and specifically said in Genesis 1:26 -“Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground".
PETA is also very much so against the killing of animals, whether that is for food or for clothing. The reason for that is they don’t believe animals should be bred to be killed. Although, animals were usually not bred for the sole purpose to be eaten (with the exception of maybe sheep), God did specifically provide animals for the people to eat in a few cases (i.e. Ex 16:13 – God “rained” Quail for the Israelites).
So, in short, yes we all do need to be reminded of the responsibility God gave us of caring for animals, He did NOT say animals should be above, or equal to humans. Animals do need our help, but stripping in public in protest, and harassing celebrities, is not going to save them.
Bibliography
"21st Century Vegetarian through the ages" World History. <http://www.vegsoc.org> (February 14, 2004)
Michael Bluejay. "A History of Vegetarianism with an emphasis on the U.S. from 1970+" World History. 1998 <http://michaelbluejay.com> (Feb. 14, 04)
"Vegetarian History" World History. <http://chinesefood.about.com> (Feb. 14, 04)
PETA. "People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals" World History. <http://www.peta.org/>
(Feb. 14, 04)
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