Last night Crystal and I went on a date to Chipotle. It’s one of our favorite haunts. Chipotle typically provides some sort of biographical sketch of notable people on their drink cups. They call the series “People We’re Pleased to Know.” I had the privilege of vacuuming Mr. Pibb out of Part 7 this time, which highlighted a man named Dr. Bernie Rollin. Here is an excerpt that proved to be an interesting conversation piece:
Long before PETA made splattering paint on fur-clad celebrities fashionable, Dr. Bernie Rollin was advocating for the ethical treatment of animals. This Harley-riding, weight-lifting philosophy professor believed humans had a moral obligation to reduce animal suffering.
What do you think? Aside from the excesses of certain animal rights groups, do you think Rollin is on to something? Do humans have a moral obligation to reduce animal suffering? How would we frame the issue biblically?
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September 10, 2008 at 12:15 pm
Paul
Great line: “vacuuming Mr. Pibb out of Part 7.”
I think I was at Chipotle when I first came across the phrase “humanely raised meat.” At the time it seemed like an odd expression — coming from the folks who were right then *grilling* my order!
Nevertheless, reducing the suffering of animals is commendable. (It’s probably healthier, too.) But there are limits. For starters, it shouldn’t come at the expense of human life.
I’m thinking of Jesus’ and the demoniac. Out of compassion for the man, Jesus cast out a host of demons. The man was healed. But the herd of “innocent” swine who were grazing nearby, not so much.
September 10, 2008 at 12:40 pm
John T Meche III
I think our stewardship and dominion over the earth mandate some sort of respect in dealing with animals. I think anyone who tortures them has some sort of mental issue. But it’s not like we can go on a campaign to stop the genocide of the zebras by the lions. They’re not humans and we cannot treat them as such. Humans always have more dignity than animals.
September 10, 2008 at 1:40 pm
joe
I think something else we should contemplate every time we sit down to eat is the *human* suffering involved in our food. The workers who plant and harvest our fruits and vegetables and “humanely” raise and slaughter our meat are amongst the poorest, most ill-treated workers in our country. Chipotle should be commended for the strides it has taken in ensuring a higher level of animal welfare in its meat supply chains. It continues, however, to turn a blind eye to human suffering, even though it has been presented with the opportunity for more than two years now to address farmworker exploitation in the fields it gets its tomatoes from. Do a google search for “Chipotle” and “Immokalee” to find out more.
September 10, 2008 at 3:09 pm
Tracy
I believe we absolutely do have a moral obligation to reduce animal suffering. We should treat others — both human and nonhuman animals — as we’d want to be treated. We’re all God’s creatures, and we should have respect and compassion for His creations.
One very easy way to reduce animal suffering is to go vegetarian. For more information, visit ChooseVeg.com.
September 11, 2008 at 1:30 pm
Boaly
As has been stated, that we were placed on the earth to have dominion does bring some responsability to care for the worlds animals - also in proverbs 12:10 we read that a righteous man has regard (care) for the life of his animals.
I haven’t studied the verse but I guess that since the earth is under our dominion all the animals are too, meaning that even an animal that isn’t our pet is still under our responsability - hence this verse may apply to all animals under our dominion!
(Or am I just rambling?)