Humans and animals

[Guest guest]

Hi,

 

I have believed for almost all my life that all should be treated equally

humans and animals, and that animals deserve to be treated with compassion and

regard, yet over time, I have been challenged over this belief by society in

general; especially through people who use practical cases to defend the idea

that people come first. For instance, in a Catholic school, I would be asked,

if

a person and an animal would be drowning both at the same time, which would

you help first? As a Catholic, I would have to answer; the person first, but I

have never felt comfortable with this answer and with the idea that people

have to come first. As a Christian and Catholic I believe that God created us

in His own image, but I also believe that God created animals to be in harmony

with humans, although many Christians do not believe in this theory.

 

Another question difficult to answer is when people defend the idea that the

economy of a country for instance is founded partly in the consumption of

meat; and at least when I was in school, the teachers used to tell us that

nature

gave us the animals such as cows to help us have food and other items such as

leather. If society inculcates teachings such as this as children, I'm afraid

the day is farther than we think when animals will be treated the same as

humans. What do you think?

Patricia

[Guest guest]

Hi Jeremy,

 

Thank you for your reply. From what you tell me I gather that most

religions, ( in this case, Christianity and Buddhism) see eating animals as a

way of

life, as you say, " no need to feel sad " (for them). I guess it depends on each

individual on how he or she decides to treat animals.

Thank you also for the information about IFAW.

Regards,

Patricia