Sacrifice is the theme of Sunday’s readings. Sacrifice means the priestly ritual of “offering something (especially a life) to a deity” and thus lessen the deity’s wrath and violence. The taking of sacrificed life in death rituals, is the primary ritual of the religion of Militarism and it is practiced throughout the Old Testament. It includes human and animal sacrifice. Lest we think Militarism’s ritual of human sacrifice is ancient, it persists – on the battlefield. Lest we think animal sacrifice is ancient, it too persists – on the dinner table. In the same way we need to stop sacrificing or using up people’s lives in gruesome death rituals on the battlefield, do we also need to stop sacrificing or using up animals’ lives in gruesome death rituals on the dinner table?
To speak of our dinner tables as places of animal sacrifice sounds, in the least, unappetizing. Yet, eating animal meat is considered by the vast majority of people as quite appetizing. Between 97% to 99% of the U.S. population are meat eaters with only Luxemburg eating a greater percentage. Other countries deliberately decreasing their meat consumption are doing so, in part, because they are becoming more aware of its dangers – on their bodies and on the planet. In 2015 the World Health Organization declared processed meat a “carcinogen.” Processed meat producers strip it of nutrients, especially those that can protect against cancer at the same time they inject into their animals unhealthy cancer promoting hormones which meat eaters then ingest. Meat eaters also ingest high levels of animal protein, saturated fat, and various chemical compounds injected during meat’s processing all of which increase heart disease. European studies showed vegetarians were 40 percent less likely than meat eaters to develop cancer and also less likely to develop heart disease. Dangers to the planet from meat consumption include the meat industry’s increased use of valuable land to grow insecticide laced animal feed instead of nutritious human food. In addition, massive amounts of water and energy are consumed by the meat industry. Over 50% of global greenhouse-gas emissions are caused by the meat industry. The worst offenders are Contained Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs) which are responsible for great suffering. Animals are used and abused with ample evidence their owners too are used and abused by the corporations with whom they contract. Promoted as an alternative to the U.S.’s meat obsessed diet is the Paleo Diet – foods of our early ancestors. These are high nutrition foods of fish, vegetables, nuts, oils, eggs, fruit, and meat – but much less of it. Eating more microbes is additional advice, best gained from fermentation; yogurt, kimchi, sauerkraut, pickles. Opting for meatless days is also a recommendation. Also promoted as an alternative is developing a relationship with a local organic farmer, specifically for meat eaters as they raise grass fed cattle. One such organic farmer, Joel Salatin, reminds us of the reason many people offer a prayer of thanks before our meals, “I live because something else dies.” But do I have to live because something else is killed? Harvesting plant life is different than eating abused and disposable animal life. Animal rights activists assert it mimics abused and disposable human life. Is it best to entirely eliminate meat from our diet? Might I adopt the Paleo Diet?
“Hmmm “finger food!” I can only guess at what that means Surely, we don’t actually eat human fingers If that’s the case, it would be cause enough for me to become a vegetarian Then I could devour a whole “head” of lettuce Or a bunch of celery “hearts” How about an “ear” of corn Or a “hand” full of grape tomatoes Wait a minute!!! That’s still sounding a bit cannibalistic to me Think I’ll just stick to grass and rain water EEEUW! That don’t sound too appetizing! (Hmmm Finger Food – Jack Ellison)
Prayer: Spirit of Nonviolence, help us to convert from deadly rituals to life-giving ones.
Question: What are some connections between using and abusing animals and using and abusing humans?
June 03, 2018 Gospel Mark 14:12-16,22-25 Feast of the Body & Blood of Christ / Corpus Christi