tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6919673094294171167.post2067545251375726513..comments2023-11-27T11:49:41.252-05:00Comments on Feel My Faith: On "Inside the Minds of Animals" from TIME 8/16/2010Brian Branamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09365695527021008661noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6919673094294171167.post-4250507520930461922010-08-18T19:18:22.146-04:002010-08-18T19:18:22.146-04:00My book, They Shall Not Hurt or Destroy, was publi...My book, They Shall Not Hurt or Destroy, was published in 2003. (I'm grateful to have become a published author before turning 40.) Similar to Steven Rosen's Diet for Transcendence (formerly Food for the Spirit), the book discusses animal rights and vegetarianism in the Western religious traditions: Judaism, Christianity, Islam, the Baha'i faith, Pythagoreanism and neo-Platonism. Bruce Friedrich of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) wrote the preface, and the late Reverend Janet Regina Hyland (1933-2007, author, God's Covenant with Animals--it's available through PETA) wrote the foreword. <br /><br />When I gave a talk on religion and animals at a San Francisco Vegetarian Society potluck in February 2001, I told the audience that I deliberately chose to focus on the Western religious traditions, because for too long, the stereotype of "religious vegetarians" is that they are all followers of Eastern religions, believing you might be reincarnated as a cow in your next life if you're not careful. (This drew a chuckle from the audience.) I wanted to show that the Western religious traditions also support the vegetarian way of life. <br /> <br />The book has been endorsed by Jewish and Christian clergy. The purpose of They Shall Not Hurt or Destroy is two-fold: to bring animal rights and vegetarianism into the mainstream (churches and synagogues) and to provide animal activists with inspiration and support for their own activism. <br /> <br />There are all kinds of fictitious "gospels" floating around, like the Aquarian Gospel, the Gospel of the Holy Twelve, the Essene Gospel of Peace, etc. Some of these "gospels" depict Jesus as a vegetarian, others say he traveled to India, or that he taught reincarnation (I believe reincarnation IS compatible with Christianity--on an abstract, theological level). <br /><br />Mainline churches aren't about to take these "gospels" seriously. And with good reason. The Gospel of the Holy Twelve, for example, was received by seances and mediums in 19th century England! There's a book by Swedish New Testament scholar, Per Beskow, entitled Strange Tales About Jesus, where he effectively debunks these "gospels." <br /> <br />When I wrote They Shall Not Hurt or Destroy, I made it a point to stick to orthodoxy: Scripture, theology, church history, secular history, the lives of the saints and religious reformers, etc. -- and leave all "strange" elements behind. I sent a copy of my book to Per Beskow, and he acknowledged that I have not written a "strange tale," but he didn't think I provided enough compelling historical evidence to demand that Christians be vegan. He admitted, however, that his area of expertise is historical, not theological. The book has gotten a very positive response from Christian vegetarians and vegans, of whom I have the deepest respect. <br /> <br />Norm Phelps, Spiritual Outreach Director for the Fund For Animals, has endorsed the book, saying the animal rights movement will never succeed until we have religion on our side. Reverend Frank Hoffman, the retired vegan Methodist minister and owner of the www.all-creatures.org Christian vegetarian website, gave the book a glowing review in Veg-News shortly before the book's publication. He wrote to me, "For a non-Jew and a non-Christian, you have a remarkable grasp of Biblical interpretation." Rachael Price, a born again Christian, has endorsed the book. <br /><br />You can purchase a copy for $15 (this includes shipping and handling) from:<br /><br />Vegetarian Advocates Press<br />PO Box 201791<br />Cleveland, OH 44120<br /><br />We've deliberately kept the price low to reach a wide audience.<br /><br />The animal rights movement -- like the civil rights movement before it -- could use the inspiration, blessings, and support of organized religion.Vasu Murtihttp://www.vasumurti.orgnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6919673094294171167.post-54886277077237691572010-08-18T19:10:49.876-04:002010-08-18T19:10:49.876-04:00Brian,
I'm not necessarily saying Christians ...Brian,<br /><br />I'm not necessarily saying Christians should all be circumcized and following Mosaic Law. The Reverend Andrew Linzey, an Anglican priest and author of Christianity and the Rights of Animals, rejected such an approach in a 1989 interview with the Animals' Agenda.<br /><br />I'm merely saying Christian theology for the past 2000 years has been based on a misunderstanding: putting Paul ahead of Jesus!Vasu Murtihttp://www.vasumurti.orgnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6919673094294171167.post-13995947746840394152010-08-18T18:59:28.633-04:002010-08-18T18:59:28.633-04:00Vasu, could you please summarize in a sentence or ...Vasu, could you please summarize in a sentence or two what you are saying in reference to the article itself? Are you arguing that since Christians are not exempt from the Mosaic law that they should not eat meat? I am just trying to follow what you are saying so that I may respond properly.Brian Branamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15395341405064832871noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6919673094294171167.post-85567306373383771662010-08-18T16:15:18.453-04:002010-08-18T16:15:18.453-04:00Christians argue they are no longer under Mosaic L...Christians argue they are no longer under Mosaic Law (with its humane commandments, dietary laws, etc.), because Paul referred to his background as a former Pharisee and previous adherence to Mosaic Law as "so much garbage."<br /><br />Nothing in the synoptic gospels suggests a break with Judaism. Jesus was called "Rabbi," meaning "Master" or "Teacher," 42 times in the gospels. Jesus' ministry was a rabbinic one. He went to the synagogue (Matthew 12:9), taught in the synagogues (Matthew 4:23, 13:54; Mark 1:39), expressed concern for Jairus, "one of the rulers of the synagogue" (Mark 5:36) and it "was his custom" to go to the synagogue (Luke 4:16). <br /><br />Jesus himself said, "Do not suppose I have come to abolish the Law and the prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill...till heaven and earth pass away, not one jot or tittle pass from the Law till all is fulfilled. Whoever, therefore, breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches men so shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven...unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 5:17-20) <br /><br />Jesus also upheld the Torah in Luke 16:17: "And it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for the smallest portion of the Law to become invalid."<br /><br />Nor do these words refer merely to the Ten Commandments. Jesus meant the entire Torah: 613 commandments. When a man asked Jesus what he must do to inherit eternal life, Jesus replied, "You know the commandments." He quoted not just the Ten Commandments, but a commandment from Leviticus 19:13 as well: "Do not defraud." (Mark 10:17-22)<br /><br />Jesus' disciples were once accused by the scribes and Pharisees of violating rabbinical tradition (Matthew 15:1-2; Mark 7:5), but not biblical law. Jesus never says anywhere in the entire New Testament that the Law is abolished; this was Paul's theology.<br /><br />Sometimes Christians cite Matthew 7:12, where Jesus says "Do unto others..." and this "covers" the Law and the prophets. But Jesus was merely repeating in the positive what Rabbi Hillel taught a generation earlier. No one took Hillel's words to mean the Law had been abolished--why should we assume this of Jesus?<br /><br />If Jesus really came to abolish the Law and the prophets, Simon (Peter) would not have resisted a divine command to kill and eat both "clean" and "unclean" animals (Acts 10), nor would there have been a debate in the early church as to what extent the gentiles were to observe Mosaic Law (Acts 15). When Paul visited the church at Jerusalem, James and the elders told him all its members were "zealous for the Law," and they were worried because they heard rumors Paul was preaching against Mosaic Law (Acts 21). None of these events would have happened had Jesus really come to abolish the Law and the prophets. <br /><br />Paul says if anyone has confidence in the Law, "I am ahead of him."<br /><br />Would that mean Paul places himself ahead of Jesus, who said he did not come to abolish the Law and the prophets? Would that mean Paul places himself ahead of Jesus, who said whoever sets aside even the least of the Law's demands shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 5:17-19)? <br /><br />Would that mean Paul places himself ahead of Jesus, who taught that following the commandments of God is the only way to eternal life (Mark 10:17-22)? Would that mean Paul places himself ahead of Jesus who said that it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for the smallest portion of the Law to become invalid (Luke 16:17)?<br /><br />Paul may have regarded the Law as "so much garbage," but it should be obvious JESUS DIDN'T THINK THE LAW WAS "GARBAGE"!<br /><br />Christians believe in Paul, not Jesus. Bertrand Russell called Paul the "inventor" of Christianity.Vasu Murtihttp://www.vasumurti.orgnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6919673094294171167.post-82672113779120079002010-08-18T15:43:06.196-04:002010-08-18T15:43:06.196-04:00Please visit The Vegetarian Mitzvah at www.brook.c...<b><br />Please visit The Vegetarian Mitzvah at www.brook.com/veg as well as the Society of Ethical and Religious Vegetarians at www.serv-online.org<br /></b>Veghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12655013930204990362noreply@blogger.com