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Eric Beauchemin's picture

Ritual slaughter controversy unites Jews and Muslims

Published on : 13 April 2011 - 12:51pm | By Eric Beauchemin (Screenshot: NOS)
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Two chief rabbis have come to Amsterdam to denounce Dutch plans to ban ritual slaughter. The Animal Rights Party says the ban will prevent animal cruelty, but the rabbis point to research showing that ritual slaughter is better for animals than normal slaughter.

The Muslim authors of an op-ed in one of Holland's main dailies make the same assertion.

Jews and Muslims have vowed to fight the ban, if it is introduced, all the way through to the European Court of Human Rights.

More: Ritual slaughter: animal suffering or religious freedom (video)

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Discussion

promast 8 October 2011 - 8:05am / Indonesia

religious freedom in the conduct of animal sacrifices in the Jewish nation can not be prohibited. as well as independence from colonial Republic of Indonesia Maluku immediately implemented by the Indonesian government. Because United Nations indonesia should acquiesce Stand Maluku Ambon itself free from colonial Indonesia.

promast 8 October 2011 - 7:59am / Indonesia

religious freedom in conducting animal sacrifices through the Jewish nation should not be banned.

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rue du commerce 23 April 2011 - 12:00am / rue du commerce

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user avatar
knirb 17 April 2011 - 10:12pm

Hiram1, Wilders is being prosecuted for criticizing Islam, comparing the Koran to Mein Kampf, not name calling Muslims as a group. Jihad would be taking place whether or not Wilders had said something to offend Muslims, because jihad is an Islamic religious tenet.
Removing jasim jan’s post would be much like painting over childish graffiti from a bathroom cubicle so I wouldn’t waste too much energy hairsplitting over this.

Hiram1 18 April 2011 - 6:58am

Knirb, I am not trying to split any hairs. I just believe the comment that was not worthy of being banned. If it is worthy of banishment, then RNW needs to remove it. If it is removed, then it is removed. So mote it be!

user avatar
knirb 15 April 2011 - 6:24am

This is mostly about unwillingness to change, no matter how good the reasons for doing so may be. These orthodox rabbis must have some capability to adapt since they hauled ass from New York to Amsterdam in a modern plane to save “the Dutch reputation for tolerance”.
This is bullshit as are the slick-talking imam’s statements. Let them make good on their threat to take this matter to the highest courts. This is sure to backfire with lots of public attention exposing practice of ritual slaughter as unnecessary.
The commercial meat packing industry, which is not famous for putting animal welfare first, practices rendering animals unconscious before the slaughter. This is in itself a definitive argument for the practice.
Here also is the dispassionate opinion of animal science professor Temple Grandin, who says that, without stunning, some cattle can remain conscious for more than six minutes (“prolonged periods of sensibility lasting up to 385 seconds”).
http://www.grandin.com/ritual/welfare.diffs.sheep.cattle.html

Anonymous 15 April 2011 - 12:17am / Mars

No more terrorism, religious wars & slaughtering eachother? Wait a munite!!

Anonymous 14 April 2011 - 5:18pm

So the Jews and Muslims are not that much different.

Anonymous 14 April 2011 - 2:18pm

god is not Great. How Religion Poisons Everything. (Christopher Hitchens)

Anonymous 14 April 2011 - 11:04am / USA

IF one must eat meat, an unfortunate choice, the Jewish/Kosher method of killing animals is guided by minimization of suffering to animals... AND the Jewish/Kosher tradition is that vegetarianism is a more spiritually-conscious diet. Read here: http://judaism.about.com/library/3_askrabbi_c/bl_kosherslaughtering.htm

Anonymous 14 April 2011 - 12:58am

I don't know which studies claim that ritual slaughter is better than the normal one. But this is not the only case. When one looks into the slaughter houses of Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC), many youtube videos show how a chicken suffers, because they are not stunned properly. They are still alive when their heads are chopped off. They are grown in such a way that they become so heavy and cannot even walk, and this happens when they are only 4 months old! I think slaughters must be regulated. We share this planet with the animals, and we must respect their life. Kill them for your food, but ensure that they don't die a painful death.

Mark Coady 14 April 2011 - 4:11am / Canada

The phrase "like a chicken with its head cut off" comes from pioneer days when a chicken would have its head chopped off and its body would fly around erratically for a few minutes before it died. Ritual death, Factory death (like KFC), or being road kill, for that matter, is all painful - deal with it. Otherwise stop eating food - including fruits and vegetables that are hurt when picked - if you feel so bad about it.

Anonymous 15 April 2011 - 10:34pm

Are you retarded? Vegetables don't have nervous systems, so they can't feel pain. People and animals do.

Anonymous 13 April 2011 - 10:09pm / Canada

there is something wrong with ppl who slaughter animals for any reason and call it their right- It is my right to say NO not in my country- our country has laws against it and no matter how you justify it this is a criminal act. WAY 2 GO AMSTERDAM put your wooden shoe down and stick to your principals- stand up to these right wing religious groups-our country is too scared of them

Anonymous 13 April 2011 - 7:54pm / Lalaland

One should eat vegetables, fruit, and cereals and mind his/her belly very studiously and very carefully, because one who does not mind his/her belly will hardly mind anything else.

Hiram1 13 April 2011 - 4:31pm

You don't need to eat another animal to survive..... The Jews and Muslims in this video don't care the slaughtered animal or you. It is about the financial loss should they be forced to change their method of slaughter. Now, they will have to compete with all the non-religious slaughter houses and that means a loss of profit. They brainwash their believers by establishing Kashrut (dietary laws). Telling their believers that the Torah instructs them not to eat or touch any non-clean is there method of restricting and controlling their believers. When someone believes it is forbidden to eat of any food that is not Kashrut, the religious establishment makes a very high profit. The believer will not buy any meat that is forbidden. One is better off not to eat any animal but if one must, he or she should stop. It is cruel to the animal and it is not healty to those who eat the flesh.

jasim jan 16 April 2011 - 6:08am

shut up u filty hindu u eat youre,s mother,s cow meat

Anonymous 17 April 2011 - 11:10am

Why is RNW allowing jasim jan to post such abusive posts to Hindus?

Hiram1 17 April 2011 - 4:36pm

Anonymous, free speech is far more important than banning the post. Leave it!

user avatar
knirb 17 April 2011 - 5:17pm

Namecalling, racial slur? You couldn't be serious, Hiram1. RNW and most forums would remove such posts, as they should.

Hiram1 17 April 2011 - 6:55pm

Knirb, look what has happen. The person stated "shut up u filty hindu u eat youre,s mother,s cow meat". Why would the person make such a statement? Do you think the article and non-supporting opinions offended his or her religious belief system that animals should be slaughter in a specific way? The person was offended and responded as he or she was conditioned to respond. This is why there is Jihad taking place in this world and why wilders is being prosecuted. A conflict of belief systems. No, I wouldn't ban a statement like the one previously mentioned.

Anonymous 17 April 2011 - 7:36pm

But Hiram1, there is no Hindu reaction on this article!!! Why is this man, a Muslim targetting Hindus and their belief system. I am a Hindu and I object! You might not, as you are not a Hindu, therfore not offended. And why is RNW mum?

Hiram1 18 April 2011 - 7:32am

If you noticed the comment was made to me. It didn't offend me at all. Jasim jan responded, my opinion, because the person was either a Jewish or Muslim. The person was offended because I made a comment that religious laws are forced upon it's followers in order to control the market on meat. If they tell their followers that the Creator wants animals slaughtered in a specific method, they, the followers, will not buy or eat any meat that is not to the religious specifications. The religious money changers therefore control the market on meat and many other types of food products. In closing, I can understand why the person made the comment. It was because he or she was offended because he/she was conditioned to believe in the religions dogmas. If you are a Hindu and you have a strong believe in your religion, you shouldn't be concerned about the person's statement. Your thought (mind) should be engaged in Krsna's service and not on anotehr person's personal opinion.

user avatar
knirb 17 April 2011 - 10:20pm

Hiram1, Wilders is being prosecuted for criticizing Islam, comparing the Koran to Mein Kampf, not name calling Muslims as a group. Jihad would be taking place whether or not Wilders had said something to offend Muslims, because jihad is an Islamic religious tenet.
Removing jasim jan’s post would be much like painting over childish graffiti from a bathroom cubicle so I wouldn’t waste too much energy hairsplitting over this.

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