a long never ending disaster…
Though examples of help given to handicapped animals are meant to inspire compassion, it also serves to highlight the moral confusion of dominion. The kindness shown to the few animals we own is rarely not shown to wilderness animals culled or hunted down for their showy body parts. It is not shown to the billions of animals consumed for their flesh, with moral righteousness and impunity. Nor is kindness shown to the millions of healthy, young shelter animals killed every year to conserve financial resources. With dominion, only the special survive… and they are very few indeed.
The source of such confusion resides in the genesis mandate relegating animals to the status of a commodity, provided for man to slaughter and exploit, should he feel the need.
Genesis 9:1-3 “The fear and dread of you shall rest on every animal of the earth, and on every bird of the air, on everything that creeps on the ground, and on all the fish in the sea; into your hand they are delivered. Every moving thing that lives shall be food for you; and just as I gave you the green plants, I give you everything.’
One group stands out for having defied the odds of dominion. The Jain community of India, guided by the sacred concept of ahimsa views all living beings as special. None are to hurt or killed, for all lives are important and worthy of protection and respect.
“All things breathing, all things existing, all living beings whatever, would not be slain or treated with violence, or insulted, or tortured or driven away. This is the pure unchanging eternal law, which the wise ones who know the world have proclaimed…” Jain Acharanga Sutra
This view has had a profound effect on Indian society, so that every effort is made to protect wilderness animals rather than hunt them down. The many forms of hunting inspired by dominion are against the law in India. There are more than 400 million vegetarians… and it is against the law to kill a healthy or treatable dog for any reason. The precious little chihuahua would have been given needed help, but the millions of dogs sacrificed to dominion in kill shelters throughout America, are also given needed help, not disposed of as trash.
Presentations of help to disabled animals, may make us feel good, but they do little to end the destruction of dominion:
Ruth,
You are welcome to use anything I have written.
I appreciate all you have done to help me and many
others understand what a disaster dominion is
for animals. A long never ending disaster.
Arthur
“We have in general no use for religion of any kind, but the only religion we do respect is Jainism. It must be understood that Jain children are not taught that animals are always harmless to them. They are taught respect and how to live and let live, giving animals their space and respecting (but not blaming) their capacity to defend themselves if disturbed in their living turfs.” Patrice Greanville
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a long never ending disaster…
Though examples of help given to handicapped animals are meant to inspire compassion, it also serves to highlight the moral confusion of dominion. The kindness shown to the few animals we own is rarely not shown to wilderness animals culled or hunted down for their showy body parts. It is not shown to the billions of animals consumed for their flesh, with moral righteousness and impunity. Nor is kindness shown to the millions of healthy, young shelter animals killed every year to conserve financial resources. With dominion, only the special survive… and they are very few indeed.
The source of such confusion resides in the genesis mandate relegating animals to the status of a commodity, provided for man to slaughter and exploit, should he feel the need.
Genesis 9:1-3 “The fear and dread of you shall rest on every animal of the earth, and on every bird of the air, on everything that creeps on the ground, and on all the fish in the sea; into your hand they are delivered. Every moving thing that lives shall be food for you; and just as I gave you the green plants, I give you everything.’
One group stands out for having defied the odds of dominion. The Jain community of India, guided by the sacred concept of ahimsa views all living beings as special. None are to hurt or killed, for all lives are important and worthy of protection and respect.
“All things breathing, all things existing, all living beings whatever, would not be slain or treated with violence, or insulted, or tortured or driven away. This is the pure unchanging eternal law, which the wise ones who know the world have proclaimed…” Jain Acharanga Sutra
This view has had a profound effect on Indian society, so that every effort is made to protect wilderness animals rather than hunt them down. The many forms of hunting inspired by dominion are against the law in India. There are more than 400 million vegetarians… and it is against the law to kill a healthy or treatable dog for any reason. The precious little chihuahua would have been given needed help, but the millions of dogs sacrificed to dominion in kill shelters throughout America, are also given needed help, not disposed of as trash.
Presentations of help to disabled animals, may make us feel good, but they do little to end the destruction of dominion:
Ruth,
You are welcome to use anything I have written.
I appreciate all you have done to help me and many
others understand what a disaster dominion is
for animals. A long never ending disaster.
Arthur
“We have in general no use for religion of any kind, but the only religion we do respect is Jainism. It must be understood that Jain children are not taught that animals are always harmless to them. They are taught respect and how to live and let live, giving animals their space and respecting (but not blaming) their capacity to defend themselves if disturbed in their living turfs.” Patrice Greanville