Is Religion causing Animal Cruelty?

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Religion can be blamed for much evil in the world. One evil I hate above all others is Animal Cruelty. So I come here to ask you if you believe that Religion is causing Animal Cruelty.

I have seen religion used countless times as a justification and defense for animal abuse, it really is very noticeable. Religion seems to encourage people to believe ''God'' made us as a higher species, that the other species are lower lifeforms, inferior.

So...what do you think?

I agree. We shouldn't test potentially dangerous products or potentially harmful treatments on animals. We should test them on humans instead to avoid hurting those precious mice and rats. Or we could not test medicines on anyone at all and just let humans suffer death and serious illnesses from them.

I'm sure religions gave us the belief that we are superior. Athiests know we aren't any better than rats.

I don't think religion has anything to do with it. Seriously, how can you believe that we aren't superior to animals?

I'm not trying to be mean or anything. I was really offended when I saw a commerical that said we shouldn't test medicines on animals before giving them to humans because we would all suffer because of it. I assume that's what you mean by animal abuse because no religion I know of tells its believers to physically abuse animals or treat them cruelly for no reason.

Please, you seem to be all-knowing on this subject. You should have no problem then, barking up a list of reasons of why we're superior?

I don't agree. The animals are Nephesh Chayyah, living souls, and are not to be abused. Proverbs says that a wicked man is even cruel in his kindness but a righteous man loves and cares for his animals. Just because our soul is in the Imago Deo, does not give an excuse for anything. The dominion mandate God gave was to have authority over the Earth and life that exists on the Earth. He originally commanded us and all Nephesh to eat vegetation, so it would seem the dominion would be a peaceful caring relationship rather than the tyranny seen today.

Yes. I think animal sacrifices in the name of any religion is cruel.

I witnessed an animal sacrifice first-hand during my time in India. The family next door bought a goat and...I won't get into the gruesome details.

Really cruel unnecessary, IMO.

I am in general agreement. The thought of hurting an animal is absolutely horrifying, though there are lifesaving vaccines and treatments that wouldn't be here had it not been for animal testing. However, saying we are "superior" to animals is a bit too vague for my scientific tastes; we are all equally "evolved" to suit our environment, however, we do possess superior intelligence.

Actually, I could go about this another way: prove that any being besides oneself is worthy of any respect. I can justify human rights by arguing that such benefits me, but I don't think I could do the same with animals and therefore animal cruelty could effectively be argued. Heck, if I worked from a more universal perspective then I could make the argument that I have value, therefore other beings of the same nature as myself do based upon a rough equality of man and only justify human rights off of that too, but that animals are essentially different. The real issue for animal rights is proving what elements are morally important and what elements are not and why these are so, but animal rights are harder to prove than human rights because every human being gives their own lives positive value, and the debate is on extension more than retraction, unlike how animal rights activists like to set it up.

I would say that human nature causes animal cruelty more than religion necessarily does. Whether or not religion existed, people would regard tasty cow flesh as tasty cow flesh but not necessarily give the cow much importance. The argument is that religion establishes man as above the other animals, but I think that man outside of religion would do the same thing, just as man has historically valued those in his moral grouping and devalued those outside of his grouping.

Honestly, I would argue that religion can only be defined as the source of evil if there are wrong religions and correct ones. If there are no correct religions then there are no evils as I would define a religion as simply being a faith-based concept of something transcendent, and thus would see morality as semi-religious. If this paradigm is accepted then our complaint is not on religion, but wrong beliefs.

I oppose animal cruelty because of my religious beliefs.

Don't Jews and Muslims have humane butchering rituals?

Jainism is very much against killing animals. They won't even harm the tiniest bug.

Well, although I do not practice any religion that deals with killing animals, I will say this...

I have very close friends who do practice this type of religion. They are the most animal loving people you would ever meet. They are good, decent human beings. I for one, I'm as close to PETA as you could get without being a member, and yet I have these friends...I know it seems a bit odd, but here's something...

Unfortunately many people see religions and sacrifices of animals as something barbaric and inhumane because they don't understand what really goes on. Only what the news says about these religions.

The people I know who do practice these rituals, do NOT slaughter animals like they do today in millions of farms, etc. around the world, for meat consumption or even for luxuries...They do so in the name of "their gods" (and everyone does have a right to freedom of religion) and are very well trained to treat these animals with respect and when killing them, they are no different than Rabbis who kill the animals in such a way so that the animals do not suffer. It's not that they beat the animals and make them suffer...In addition, most of these animals are later eaten by the congregation as a meal following the service.

No, anyone out there who actually eats meat, has any leather goods, etc...and buys these products from stores is actually a more cruel person than at least the "santeria" religion I have seen...Those animals which are killed for public consumption and luxuries are given a very cruel life and then butchered, not in humane ways.

Again, I do not belong to this religion, and honestly, I can't ever imagine being present during anything to do with killing an animal, I couldn't take it...but there is nothing evil in the majority of these people...unfortunately, alot of misunderstandings.

My friends were accused by their neighbors of foul smells coming from their house and noises, etc...funny, but I was friend with these people over 4 years, went to their house all the time and I never even KNEW these practices took place at their home...yet the neighbors complained?

I'm not so sure rabbi's are always very humane about how they kill the animal. Jewish tradition of slaughtering cattle for beef entails SLOWLY slitting the cow's throat with a long blade. I've seen this documented. I'm also not trying to make this into an "attack jewish people" thing, there are bad practices and good practices within ALL cultures, we're all the same human race and group affiliations do not place someone in the realm of "unquestionable virtue", so please don't get all PC on me for this statement, because I'd just as quickly criticize white christian traditions (although I am not christian and can't really be put into a religious label anywhere).

Curious. What religion? Probably not Hinduism - I'm guessing Islam or Judaism.

It was Hinduism, in fact. My neighbours would sacrifice a goat on a yearly basis.

They would eat the goat afterward, but having its throat gotten slit and its head eventually sawed off was needless cruelty, IMO.

Hastening to point out that I'm not religious in anyway, and my knowledge of religions aside from Christianity come from a botched RE GCSE, I'd like to say that I disagree.

First of all, christianity teaches stewardship - that humans are responsible to protect and look after animals (and the earth). It's in the first book of the bible - Adam and Eve were told to be stewards of the animals before they named them. Therefore anyone who follows the bible should prevent animals from harm.

Secondly, what about religions that believe in reincarnation? Wouldn't the idea that the dog you kick could be your mother stop you?