Subject: Preaching the Gospel of Violence... Gretchen McKay: I recently became aware of your story on Father Mike Zavage who claims to
find spiritual peace in the violent act of hunting. Please consider the
implications of his callous disregard for the lives of the innocent
creatures he hunts down without remorse. What does it say to a community, when the person entrusted with their
spiritual development and guidance finds peace in killing, violently taking
the life a living being who has harmed no one. This is not idle speculation.
A deer is a gentle animal who peacefully makes his/her way through the
forest while foraging for greens, running and communicating with its fellow
deer. Deer value and seek to preserve their lives just as humans do. Rather
than show appreciation for this graceful creature and find joy in the living
deer, Father Mike Zavage has chosen to 'hunt' down this animal for the
pleasure he derives from the experience... His casual acceptance of the violence of hunting indicates a profound
lack of understanding on the nature of compassion. Violence to animals and
humans is profoundly connected. When the slaughter of animals is endorsed
and sanctified, it often acts a precursor to human on human violence. It is
therefore morally irresponsible to teach people to kill any living being,
especially so in the name of sport. Ideally religious teachings profess to guide followers to a higher
spiritual and moral state. Some religions extend compassion to ALL living
beings and deliver a message of unconditional compassion for both animals
and humans. The Semitic religions extend compassion only to humans, and as
defined by the concept of dominion, grant man the right to harm and kill
animals for his own benefit. The three Semitic religions which includes
Judaism, Christianity and Islam are not strangers to violence. In the
beginning, 5000 years ago, the slaughter and abuse of animals for human need
and entitlement was first sanctioned in genesis: "God blessed Noah and his sons, and said to them: 'Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth. 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.''" Since this mechanism, based on fear and dread, which so devalues animal
lives, was set in place, every manner of animal abuse and slaughter has
relentlessly increased. Some would argue that it is necessary to kill
animals to be eaten, but this is hardly the case. The Seventh Day Adventists
are vegetarian/vegan and have the best health statistics in the USA: lowest
rates of cancer and heart disease and greatest longevity. The reason for hunting according to Father Mike Zavage is based on the
enjoyment he derives from it. The pleasure and peace he claims to find
during the hunt is most troubling. His position is both contradictory and
cruel, for peace resides in compassion, not killing. Compassion is defined
as deep awareness of the suffering of another coupled with the wish to
relieve it. There is nothing peaceful about inflicting pain, fear and
suffering on a creature that is as entitled to be on this earth as are
humans. Furthermore the act of stalking and killing does little to increase
compassion and spiritual awareness, rather it stifles and suppresses them.
The claim that the act of killing an innocent being creates a bond between
the humans involved is yet another indication that he does not understand
the nature of gratuitous violence. There are plenty of ways to bond without
violence, such as observing and photographing these graceful and gentle
creatures. What are the social skills and mental state of someone who has to
dominate and kill a harmless creature to feel a bond with another human
being? One has to wonder if the endorsement and promotion of hunting is a
responsible position for a religious authority with the power to influence
his congregation, especially given the recent spate of random and gratuitous
violence in the USA. It is no secret that there is an epidemic of violence in western society,
particularly the USA. Virtually every day there is a story of gratuitous
violence in the news, which often involves angry and alienated individuals,
who for their own reasons, seek out the innocent bystanders in shopping
malls, schools, churches and the work place and hunt them down. The first
victim in an act of violence or abuse is compassion. Once one is acclimated
to the act of killing, the next act becomes easier. The act of killing, once
it receives endorsement by religion does not have boundaries. It is not a
great leap from killing a harmless animal to killing a child, one's spouse
or even a total stranger. To an individual who perceives s/he has been
wronged, hunting down a human is no different than hunting down an innocent
deer for the gratification derived.
Reverend Christopher Wenthe also finds peace in violently taking an innocent life. (see appendix A) Taking pleasure in violence whether towards humans or animals is sadistic
and gratuitous. Where does one draw the line? Father Mike Zavage is from a
religious tradition with a terrible track record of animal abuse in the
countries where blood sports are seen as a form of religious worship. In
these countries, such as Spain, Mexico, Portugal and much of Latin America,
religious festival days are celebrated with sports such as 'fire bull'. A
bull is set on fire and the frenzied crowds cheer as the bull charges
through the crowd in terror and pain. Each of these fiestas, along with bull
fighting has a patron saint associated with the celebration. It is no wonder
that notable human genocides such as the inquisition, the crusades and the
holocaust originated in such a tradition. One has to wonder about the root of the moral confusion displayed by
Father Mike Zavage. Clearly it resides in the double message of compassion
of the Semitic religions: there is a strong prohibition against taking
innocent human life, but the harm and slaughter of animals is sanctified as
a right bestowed on man by God. This paradigm of animal compassion has
resulted in the mistaken belief that it is possible to kill and abuse
another living being and still be a respected and righteous member of
society: "Proverbs 12:10 states, "The righteous person regards the life of his or
her animal." In Judaism, one who is unnecessarily cruel to animals cannot be
regarded as a righteous individual." Prof Richard Schwartz The corollary: He who is of necessity cruel to animals can be regarded as
a righteous individual. It appears that there is no contradiction between
cruelty and righteousness . This is a fallacy, and though not understood in western civilization, the
nature of the harm done by sanctified violence is understood by the Jain
religious tradition of India. In this tradition the lives of both humans and
animals are precious and to be respected: "For there is nothing inaccessible for death. Furthermore, it is considered a sin to harm or kill any living being: "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... He who harms animals has not understood or
renounced deeds of sin" Jain Acharanga Sutra In the Jain tradition one is not respected for the harm one does, but for
the harm one avoids doing. The result is less human societal violence as
well. One does not contain violence by encouraging it, but by showing
respect for the sanctity of life - ALL life. Would you be so kind as to pass this information on to Father Zavage. Respectfully, Ruth Eisenbud appendix A Animal Abuse is NOT Sacred: Dear Father Wenthe, It has come to my attention that you are a man of religion and an avid
hunter. At first glance the contradiction between these two avocations is
perplexing, as traditionally religion has been thought to encourage and
embrace compassion. Ideally religious teachings profess to guide followers to a higher
spiritual and moral state. Some religions extend compassion to ALL living
beings and deliver a message of unconditional compassion for both animals
and humans. The Semitic religions extend compassion only to humans, and as
defined by the concept of dominion, grant man the right to harm and kill
animals for his own benefit. Your casual acceptance of the violence of hunting and meat consumption
indicates a lack of the understanding done by such violence. Violence to
animals and humans is inextricably linked. When you allow for the slaughter
of animals, it often acts a precursor to human on human violence. It is
therefore morally irresponsible to teach people to kill any living being,
but especially so in the name of sport. In religions which grant unconditional compassion to all living beings
the harming or killing of an animal is viewed as sinful: "He who harms animals has not understood or renounced deeds of sin" Jain
Sutra " Great secular thinkers in the west have also understood the root of
compassion that seems to allude you: the taking of an innocent life cannot
be justified to benefit man: "For as long as men massacre animals, they will kill each other. Indeed, he who sows the seed of murder and pain cannot reap joy and love." Pythagoras, mathematician "The time will come when men such as I will look upon the murder of
animals as they now look on the murder of men." Leonardo da Vinci, artist
and scientist "Nonviolence leads to the highest ethics, which is the goal of all
evolution. Until we stop harming all living beings, we are all savages". --
Thomas Edison Violence is violence and encouraging it whether it be towards an animal
or a human does not fall within the definition of compassion, which is: deep
awareness of the suffering of another coupled with the wish to relieve it.
This definition does not specify human or animal just another. Furthermore
your lack of awareness of the suffering caused to the animals you so enjoy
harming is troubling in a person empowered to promote the message of
Christian compassion. The ability to extend compassion to the weak and
disempowered is the mark of high moral development. The converse is also
true. In your words: "I enjoy being out in God's creation in this particular
way. It's very peaceful and rejuvenating." Peaceful is not a word that comes to mind when one thinks of stalking and
hunting down another living being, who cherishes his life as you do yours.
The taking of a life that is not freely given is an act of violence.
Distorting the meaning of the word peaceful to suit your own selfish pursuit
does not change the definition. Peaceful: undisturbed by strife, turmoil, or
disagreement; tranquil. Your inability to see the turmoil and pain you wreak
on the creatures you hunt down defies logic and distorts the meaning of
peaceful to include violence and domination. When consideration and respect are granted to All beings...ALL beings benefit. The definition of dominion established thousands of years ago is a relic in the modern world, where the concept that All beings exist to be mutually beneficial to each other would go a long way towards healing a troubled and violent world. The lack of compassion in your position undermines your moral claim as a
spiritual leader for your community. It is irresponsible and cruel to
endorse hunting for the pleasure of the sport, as there is no pleasure in it
for the victim. The self-serving position granting humans the right to harm
and kill living beings who have done them no harm cannot be used to justify
the killing of innocent creatures, who are as entitled as humans to dwell on
the earth It is a poor excuse for the suffering it inflicts. The harm do is twofold: you have let down you parishioners by encouraging violence and taken innocent life as you find it pleasurable. Your failure to grasp the spiritual poverty of your position is distressing and alarming as you have been entrusted with the spiritual development of the members of your congregation. You have let them down. Perhaps it is time you considered renouncing your deeds of sin. Respectfully, Ruth Eisenbud
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