Religious slaughter: Halal, Kosher; only deference to religions makes these inhumane practises legal.
Under EU law animals must be stunned before they can be slaughtered. This is one part of a noble humane effort to reduce animal suffering even when they are our food source. However there is a loophole to this empathetic law.
The EU allows “derogation from stunning in case of religious slaughter taking place in slaughterhouses”
So if you believe a cosmic deity wills it, rules on preventing animal cruelty do not apply to you. The notably irreligious Sweden is the only country in the EU with an outright ban on religious slaughter.
Halal slaughter poster
If not for religion, would this be allowed?
There is no other exemption, not for a moral belief or political beliefs; only religious faith. Only a belief system that you believe to be supported by divine will is a good enough reason to inflict animal cruelty.
The human race has a remarkable ability for empathy and compassion; extending past other human beings to members of different species. Even to our food sources. We may have to kill and eat them to survive but we do not wish to see unnecessary suffering in the process.
As humanity has advanced, our sympathy and empathy towards animals has increased. We have found new ways to reduce suffering and introduced laws and regulations to enforce this good practice. The human race by and large has come to a consensus on this issue.
compassion
Our compassion goes beyond our own species.
Only religions, with their practices and morals from the infancy of our species, stick rigidly to backward methods that create unnecessary suffering. As ever the trouble with fundamentally sticking to practices in ancient books; they do not keep up with the moral advances of mankind. The production of Halal and Kosher meat, involving the cutting of the animal’s throat whilst it is still conscious, does not conform to the standards of the 21st century but is allowed to appease the Islamic and Jewish communities.
Only religious groups have the influence and power to exempt themselves from legislation like this, putting fear into the minds of legislators. This has to end; there must be a common law for all, for the good of mankind. As well as every other species on this planet
Related articles
- Poland to ban religious slaughter of animals (telegraph.co.uk)
- the laborious effort to ban religious barbarism in europe continues (niqnaq.wordpress.com)
- Poland outlaws ritual slaughter (bbc.co.uk)
- Polish Court Rules Religious Animal Slaughter illegal – but! (spiritandanimal.wordpress.com)
- Poland looks to ban kosher, halal slaughter as anger grows (bikyamasr.com)
- Religious slaughter of animals in the EU (libraryeuroparl.wordpress.com)
