My geog prof showed us a disturbing video today (this is the first module that has me cringing everytime the prof says "we're gonna watch a video today"). I think most of us have seen it or some versions of it - "Earthling/s", an inside look on how we treat animals in our modern society. I appreciate that he allowed those who felt uncomfortable, to leave the LT, and allowed us to make our own minds up about what we saw. True, it's never about indoctrination or forcing you to take up a view. It's making available the knowledge and information and allowing people the chance to make their own decision.
I stayed even though I had some inkling of what was gonna be shown & I always avoided viewing this kinda scenes of animal abuse etc. shown on youtube/facebook. I mean, who seeks out a guilt trip right? But something the narrator said, "If we all could see behind the scenes, we would all be vegetarians." and there was a trust there, in the moral responsibility of the viewers, that if we sat through the documentary, we would make the right choices. So I stayed.
I think no matter how many times you read about murders, rape, and the things we do, seeing it graphically in motion just hits the message home. I found myself stunned by what the Bible means by the 'evil' that is in the heart of humans, that we are capable of not just violence, but unnecessary harm inflicted on animals to vent anger, or derive pleasure from. Yet I asked myself, if I were placed in the same job environment, with virtually no future prospect but to slaughter thousands of animals as part of making a living, would I be able to stand there undamaged mentally and emotionally?
Whether we think things through or not, no matter how we try, we will live a life where every action and inaction impacts somebody, something or the environment that we live in. I found myself asking God, how am I to engage and be shrewd in all the dealings of our society now, yet fundamentally reject almost every value that is upheld. A sense of justice obviously isn't the answer: you can act but you'll find it almost impossible to be fair to all parties. I certainly don't want to be a pro-animal-rights person at the expense of honest, working people. And I just simply don't want to go around angry and thinking that I have to, can or should carry the weight of huge issues on my back.
What then? Try going vegetarian? Sure, but that's just the practical, physical thing. What kinda person do I become after watching something like that? I don't know, but I sure don't wanna stay the same. I think life's too short to go about it wrong continually, and not keep seeking to improve and admit I'm wrong.
I stayed even though I had some inkling of what was gonna be shown & I always avoided viewing this kinda scenes of animal abuse etc. shown on youtube/facebook. I mean, who seeks out a guilt trip right? But something the narrator said, "If we all could see behind the scenes, we would all be vegetarians." and there was a trust there, in the moral responsibility of the viewers, that if we sat through the documentary, we would make the right choices. So I stayed.
I think no matter how many times you read about murders, rape, and the things we do, seeing it graphically in motion just hits the message home. I found myself stunned by what the Bible means by the 'evil' that is in the heart of humans, that we are capable of not just violence, but unnecessary harm inflicted on animals to vent anger, or derive pleasure from. Yet I asked myself, if I were placed in the same job environment, with virtually no future prospect but to slaughter thousands of animals as part of making a living, would I be able to stand there undamaged mentally and emotionally?
Whether we think things through or not, no matter how we try, we will live a life where every action and inaction impacts somebody, something or the environment that we live in. I found myself asking God, how am I to engage and be shrewd in all the dealings of our society now, yet fundamentally reject almost every value that is upheld. A sense of justice obviously isn't the answer: you can act but you'll find it almost impossible to be fair to all parties. I certainly don't want to be a pro-animal-rights person at the expense of honest, working people. And I just simply don't want to go around angry and thinking that I have to, can or should carry the weight of huge issues on my back.
What then? Try going vegetarian? Sure, but that's just the practical, physical thing. What kinda person do I become after watching something like that? I don't know, but I sure don't wanna stay the same. I think life's too short to go about it wrong continually, and not keep seeking to improve and admit I'm wrong.
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