Weekly Newsletter from Christian Vegetarian Association CVA - October 14, 2023
From Christian Vegetarian Association (CVA)

  1. Nonhuman Suffering Matters
  2. All-Creatures.Org Ministry

1. Nonhuman Suffering Matters

If nonhumans were fundamentally different from humans, then mistreating nonhumans would not necessarily predispose to mistreatment of humans. Those trying to justify harming nonhumans sometimes assert that we cannot know what nonhumans are really feeling. Some go as far as Descartes, who claimed that the screams of vivisected animals before the days of anesthesia should be ignored, because they could not feel pain. Their sounds, he claimed, were like the squeaking noises made by mechanical objects that needed oil.

However, even a child easily recognizes that nonhuman behavior closely resembles that of humans. The same experiences that result in pleasure or pain for humans result in behaviors of nonhumans that clearly indicate that the nonhumans are experiencing pleasure or pain. The same holds for fear, rage, and a wide range of other emotional states. As human knowledge has grown, the case for animal sentience, very strong as it has always been, has grown stronger. For example, neuroscientists have identified close parallels in the anatomy and physiology of pain between humans and nonhumans. Indeed, nonhumans are used in researching pain-causing and pain-relieving drugs.

The Bible has many passages that forbid cruelty to animals, and the later prophets condemned animal sacrifices. To those who would say that we cannot prove that nonhumans suffer, I would say that we cannot prove that anyone other than ourselves can suffer. We very reasonably believe it when someone says, “That hurts,” and similarly we should believe the overwhelming evidence that nonhumans can suffer.

Stephen R. Kaufman, M.D.

2. From All-Creatures.Org Ministry

We hope you enjoy this week’s newsletter. There is always so very much to share including …

How are whales, dolphins and cows related? — Bobby Calves ‘four awesome days’ — The Curious World of Seahorses [book] — extent and cost of trophy hunting in the UK — Goodbye to Turkey Cornelius — Tiger’s social behaviors — wild Horse herd in Colorado eradicated — Elon Musk’s Neuralink Monkey deaths — going vegetarian after working in a chicken slaughterhouse — Sparrow tortures at LSU exposed — racehorse trainer videotaped beating Princess Laa — and more….

All-Creatures.org Newsletter, October 4, 2023

Do you have things that you would like to see included in future newsletters? Then send it to us at veda@all-creatures.org. 

In the Love of the Lord,
Frank L Hoffman
All-Creatures.org

and

Kindness,
Tams Nicholson
Executive Directress
All-Creatures.org 

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