Tree Huggers and other Activists
So I'm driving home today from running some random errands, and I go past Wegmans (the big grocery store chain here in NY, kinda like Eagles, Krogers, etc...) and out in front of the store by the side of super busy Ridge Road West I spot people holding protest signs. Now that in and of itself is not so strange. Living in a larger, more liberal city than what I was used to growing up, I've seen a fair share of protesting of various kinds since being here in Rochester. This specific group was holding signs reading things such as "Say no to Cages", "boycott this store", "Check out our Website - www.wegmanscruelty.com".
Being the curious sucker that I am, I came home and hopped online right away to see what was so cruel about Wegmans and the grocery store chain I've grown to love. Apparently there is an animal cruelty organization out there that believes that the way Wegmans raises their hens and therefore produces their eggs is done in an inhumane way. Their hens are mass raised in huge sheds and admittedly, the facilities do not look so sanitary or great. However, it doesn't take long growing up in Illinois to realize that farming and raising stupid animals is rarely something that is kept sanitary, let alone on a mass level. This group has launched a web site, organized protests, and even produced a DVD that they sell all pushing for people to ban Wegmans because of their cruelty to animals. They're so behind this cause that 3 of them broke into a local Wegmans hen farm to film for their DVD and now they actually face up to 7 years imprisonment if convicted of the charges against them.
Now I ask you - is this all really worth it? Don't get me wrong, I love animals as much as the next person. But really? In the midst of world events lately (the tsunami, the war in Iraq, hurricane Katrina, etc...) where hundreds and thousands of human lives are being lost or ruined, is getting riled up about a few chickens really the right thing to do? If I remember correctly, we humans were the only thing created in the image of God, the only thing capable of receiving salvation, and probably most important, the only things going to hell if we don't know Jesus. I can't believe how narrow minded and short sighted we humans can be sometimes. There is more than enough in this world happening to humans that is totally inhumane and cruel. Maybe, just maybe, it would be a better investment of what God has given us to invest in those causes; to spend our money, time, and resources fighting for something that will have eternal consequences. That seems to be the heart of God - maybe we should turn that up a little louder in our hearts, minds, and pocketbooks.
(Yes, you are so right! Thank God for how Wegmans treats chickens cruelly, how they lie about it and how almost nobody cares!
And don't forget that we can't care about tsunami victims and other human victims of tragedy -- much less do anything for them -- and not buy Wegmans eggs! If we cared about animals at all, we just couldn't do all the wonderful things we are doing to help humans, that would just be too much for us caring people ..)
So I'm driving home today from running some random errands, and I go past Wegmans (the big grocery store chain here in NY, kinda like Eagles, Krogers, etc...) and out in front of the store by the side of super busy Ridge Road West I spot people holding protest signs. Now that in and of itself is not so strange. Living in a larger, more liberal city than what I was used to growing up, I've seen a fair share of protesting of various kinds since being here in Rochester. This specific group was holding signs reading things such as "Say no to Cages", "boycott this store", "Check out our Website - www.wegmanscruelty.com".
Being the curious sucker that I am, I came home and hopped online right away to see what was so cruel about Wegmans and the grocery store chain I've grown to love. Apparently there is an animal cruelty organization out there that believes that the way Wegmans raises their hens and therefore produces their eggs is done in an inhumane way. Their hens are mass raised in huge sheds and admittedly, the facilities do not look so sanitary or great. However, it doesn't take long growing up in Illinois to realize that farming and raising stupid animals is rarely something that is kept sanitary, let alone on a mass level. This group has launched a web site, organized protests, and even produced a DVD that they sell all pushing for people to ban Wegmans because of their cruelty to animals. They're so behind this cause that 3 of them broke into a local Wegmans hen farm to film for their DVD and now they actually face up to 7 years imprisonment if convicted of the charges against them.
Now I ask you - is this all really worth it? Don't get me wrong, I love animals as much as the next person. But really? In the midst of world events lately (the tsunami, the war in Iraq, hurricane Katrina, etc...) where hundreds and thousands of human lives are being lost or ruined, is getting riled up about a few chickens really the right thing to do? If I remember correctly, we humans were the only thing created in the image of God, the only thing capable of receiving salvation, and probably most important, the only things going to hell if we don't know Jesus. I can't believe how narrow minded and short sighted we humans can be sometimes. There is more than enough in this world happening to humans that is totally inhumane and cruel. Maybe, just maybe, it would be a better investment of what God has given us to invest in those causes; to spend our money, time, and resources fighting for something that will have eternal consequences. That seems to be the heart of God - maybe we should turn that up a little louder in our hearts, minds, and pocketbooks.
(Yes, you are so right! Thank God for how Wegmans treats chickens cruelly, how they lie about it and how almost nobody cares!
And don't forget that we can't care about tsunami victims and other human victims of tragedy -- much less do anything for them -- and not buy Wegmans eggs! If we cared about animals at all, we just couldn't do all the wonderful things we are doing to help humans, that would just be too much for us caring people ..)
posted by a compassionate consumer @ 7:17 AM
1 Comments:
At 6:41 AM,
Anonymous said…
I read your entry about "tree huggers and other activists". I understand that your primary concern is with humans, whom you believe to have immortal
souls capable of attaining salvation. But is there a reason why mercy and love cannot be extended to creatures with whom we share this world?
Have you heard of an author named Matthew Scully? He is a devout Christian and a former speechwriter for President George W. Bush. Scully wrote a book
called, "Dominion: The Power of Man, the Suffering of Animals, and the Call to Mercy". Scully argues that Christians have a responsibility to treat
animals with compassion. He writes:
"Animals are more than ever a test of our character, of mankind's
capacity for empathy and for decent, honorable conduct and faithful stewardship. We are called to treat them with kindness, not because
they have rights or power or some claim to equality, but in a sense
because they don't; because they all stand unequal and powerless
before us. Animals are so easily overlooked, their interests so easily brushed aside. Whenever we humans enter their world, from our
farms to the local animal shelter to the African savanna, we enter as
lords of the earth bearing strange powers of terror and mercy alike."
The book is described here:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0312319738/
Columnist George Will has called Scully "the most interesting conservative you have never heard of":
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/8525632/site/newsweek/
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