50,000 chickens about to be slaughtered

[Catherine]

I did not know about this animal sacrifice. It is as near as New York City. And it is about to take place.

It is the Jewish ritual sacrifice called Kapporot.
I will let you read about it.

https://www.thedodo.com/kapparot-animal-...82268.html

The cruelty of how they treat the chickens is enough to make it unacceptable. Worse they throw most of the chickens in the garbage.
They are not even food, they are garbage.

I don't get the logic of thinking you can transfer your sins to a chicken and then get rid of them by killing the chicken. How about you now have a new sin of animal cruelty on your conscience.
I would seriously worry about someone who enjoys treating an animal like that.
This is the twenty first century. How is it possible that things like this are still happening?

[LPC]

I have known about this appalling so-called "religious festival" for several years. It is not given much much attention by the press for fear of being criticised as "anti-semitic". But it is perfectly permissible - indeed it is our duty - to speak out against this blood bath on animal welfare grounds. Some followers of other religions are equally guilty of cruel slaughter of fully conscious animals.

It is also worth noting, as the article itself reports, that most non-Hasidic Jews are opposed to the cruelty involved. Giving money is an acceptable alternative to this crude chicken swinging and throat slitting in the street. Further, there are some Hasidic Jews who are opposed to the practice. See for example http://www.lulu.com/shop/http://www.lulu...16944.html

This festival puts religion in a very poor light. The text quoted in your article, Catherine, shows this clearly:
"This is my exchange, this is my substitute, this is my expiation. This chicken shall go to death and I shall proceed to a good, long life and peace."

How primitive to believe that torturing and killing an innocent animal will cause one to live a good, long life! More likely, the opposite will result. No good comes out of suffering, only bad vibes for the persons deliberately inflicting the suffering.

Here's another revealing quote from your article, Catherine. One of the defenders of this cruel ritual is reported as saying:

"The main part of the service is handing the chicken to the slaughterer and watching the chicken being slaughtered," he told the outlet. "Because that is where you have an emotional moment, where you say, 'Oops, you know what? That could have been me.'"

If it had been he who had been swung around and had his throat cut whilst fully conscious, he might not feel the same attachment to the ritual. Some lessons of karma, perhaps?

[Catherine]

Certainly I do not report religious slaughters for any anti-religious reasons. I report about any slaughter, religious or not because I want them to be stopped. I think that cruelly abusing and slaughtering animals for any reason is wrong. Sadly religion is used as an excuse for a lot of bad behavior.

Quote:How primitive to believe that torturing and killing an innocent animal will cause one to live a good, long life! More likely, the opposite will result. No good comes out of suffering, only bad vibes for the persons deliberately inflicting the suffering.

I agree with you. If you want to atone for past failings, surely an act of goodness would be the right thing to do.

Since donating money is considered an acceptable substitute, why wouldn't a person choose to do that.

I commend the Jewish Religion that it is struggling to overcome this dark ritual. I think all religions have some areas like this where they need to change. It seems to be a part of human nature that we have come up with slaughters like this. It is a global problem. Everywhere we look we are finding these killing festivals. Sometimes religion isn't involved. Sometimes it is a harvest festival or a hunting festival. It is a dark side of human nature and we are changing or we wouldn't be so repulsed by the sight of people torturing chickens.

Quote:"The main part of the service is handing the chicken to the slaughterer and watching the chicken being slaughtered," he told the outlet. "Because that is where you have an emotional moment, where you say, 'Oops, you know what? That could have been me.'"

This is actually disturbing. We have a whole lot of people who like watching chickens killed.
I watch the videos before I post them. (I need to know what I am putting up on the Forum) So I have watched a lot of horrible things. It never gets easy. I am sometimes badly shaken by what I see. When I post a warning about a video, I am trying to protect the rest of you. (I will never be able to unsee the possum and her baby in the Australian Greyhound case)
There are a whole lot of people who have grown up watching and enjoying watching chickens abused and killed.

I would be really worried if I had a child who saw something like that and I would be even more worried if they enjoyed it.

It bothers me that total strangers enjoy such behavior.

[Tobi]

The trouble with religious rituals and 'traditions' is they become mindless and heartless; just repetitive actions, done in a narrow-minded way, often with no thought to their meaning any more, or if that meaning -originating in a culture with a whole different mentality, has evolved over many centuries.
It is likely to be the same old thing; of people not discriminating, thinking and feeling for themselves, and instead following some ancient dated procedure, in the erroneous belief it will bring them 'closer to God' (or whatever)
I think there was a similar thing going on with Gadhimai.
There is only one thing which washes us of our sins, and that is a heart-felt living commitment to true spiritual principles. Cruelty and needless slaughter not being part of those principles.

If only those people knew.....a true epiphany is so sweet and full of love.

I honestly think we should petition about these things. Never mind any slurs of 'anti-semitism'. Why should people who commit acts of cruelty hide behind that banner??
Would we be happy to see those things done if they were Norwegian, or Chinese or something?

What shocks me equally about this is WHY in New York City, don't animal control (or suchlike) stop this blatant cruelty and seize those poor birds off the streets, under Magistrates' order?? How can it be condoned in a so-called 'civlilised' society?

[Catherine]

Quote:There is only one thing which washes us of our sins, and that is a heart-felt living commitment to true spiritual principles. Cruelty and needless slaughter not being one of those principles.

You say it so well.

It is like Gadhimai and a dozen other festivals around the world. I don't care why the tradition started and I don't care how old it is. When something is so obviously wrong, it should be stopped.

I think there are petitions and protesters. There is a strong movement against the slaughter within the Jewish community. It is actually only a small, very conservative sect that still kills chickens like that.

I think all religions need to grow up and look at what they do. Rituals and traditions are fine, but if the tradition is something that would not be allowed except for religious reasons, then it needs to be questioned. If the tradition involves cruelty to animals or even people then it should be abandoned.

Quote:What shocks me equally about this is WHY in New York City, don't animal control (or animal welfare groups) get a Magistrate's order to seize those poor birds off the street? How can such an event be condoned in a so-called 'civilised society'?

I was really shocked when I came across the article. This takes place in New York City in the 21st century. It is unbelievable. Why doesn't animal control seize the chickens. They sit without food or water in the hot sun. When they start killing them, why doesn't Animal Control step in and rescue the chickens.

Animal rights groups are there protesting. You can count on animal rights groups.
It seems you can't count on the city itself to stop this. I bet they don't make them get permits for the large gathering of people. It is shocking that a modern city would allow this.

[LPC]

I think the explanation is in the article:

"Davis said that she's certain her legal team proved that the practice was a public nuisance, and a health hazard, but that it's difficult to fight against a group that has "political clout" and is protected by ideas of religious liberty."

Nothing is done by the authorities because they are controlled by people who either are involved in the ritual or do not want to upset those practising it.

[Catherine]

Quote: "Davis said that she's certain her legal team proved that the practice was a public nuisance, and a health hazard, but that it's difficult to fight against a group that has "political clout" and is protected by ideas of religious liberty."

It all comes down to politics. Politicians fear to go against a group that they perceive as powerful.

So those of us who push for animal rights and an end to cruelty, just have to become a political entity as well. Whenever we vote for anything we need to choose the candidate that serves our interests the best. We need to flood our politicians with calls and petitions and complaints. This is where the internet gives us power. We can get information out there while something is happening. We can put information out there so many who would not have known now have the facts.

Oddly, I can't find any petitions.