10-10-2017, 06:20 PM
(This post was last modified: 10-11-2017, 10:37 PM by LPC.
Edit Reason: Added clarification
)
This particular practice, which I had read about a long time ago whilst researching for my website, is barbaric and superstitious in the extreme. It can be termed "religious superstition", as the idea that waving a chicken about your head (and breaking its bones in the process), then killing it, will give one a long life is ludicrous and indeed superstition at its most extreme.
To be fair, this crude practice is only carried out by ultra-orthodox Jews and not by the majority of other Jews, who these days donate money instead. However, the concept that animals are expendable because they do not have souls is widespread in Judaism. The crude idea that the blood of animals is "coarse" because they do not have the divine spark is still widespread. See this depressing comment by a Jewish rabbi: http://www.aish.com/atr/Animal_Souls.html?catid=954654
Amongst the ultra-orthodox Jews there is one more compassionate voice. Here is his view on this annual primitive street slaughter:
http://rooster613.blogspot.fr/2014/09/on...-with.html
We just need to be clear that it is the cruel killing (with the carcasses thrown away afterwards) that we are criticising, not religion per se. (Catherine has already made that clear; I am just adding my own similar comment).
To be fair, this crude practice is only carried out by ultra-orthodox Jews and not by the majority of other Jews, who these days donate money instead. However, the concept that animals are expendable because they do not have souls is widespread in Judaism. The crude idea that the blood of animals is "coarse" because they do not have the divine spark is still widespread. See this depressing comment by a Jewish rabbi: http://www.aish.com/atr/Animal_Souls.html?catid=954654
Amongst the ultra-orthodox Jews there is one more compassionate voice. Here is his view on this annual primitive street slaughter:
http://rooster613.blogspot.fr/2014/09/on...-with.html
We just need to be clear that it is the cruel killing (with the carcasses thrown away afterwards) that we are criticising, not religion per se. (Catherine has already made that clear; I am just adding my own similar comment).
