Theos-Talk Archives (February 2008 Message tt00051)

Dear Cass and MKR and all

Cass, you write in part, "They will argue that eating whale is no 
different from eating cow, and they have a valid point."

MKR, you write, "Your analogy of cow is a very appropriate one. How 
about the analogy of killing and eating Horses. They are a delicacy 
in some parts of the world."

Please allow me to use these comments, albeit their not representing 
your actual views, to raise the important questions of necessity and 
compassion.

Theosophy reveals the cycle of necessity through involution and 
evolution. Certain hunter/gatherers often needed to eat meat due to 
insufficient nutrients available in other forms, the Inuit people 
being just one example. 

This appears in tune with the divine plan. 

In line with other traditional cultures, this necessity also inspired 
great respect in the minds of the hunters which was conferred upon 
the animal sacrificed, or "made sacred" by the act.
As Adelaisie points out, even simple respect is now all but gone in 
our modern cultures where financial reward and sensory gratification 
is the sole motivation.

With this in mind, there is now perhaps no necessity to eat whale 
meat, or any other animal products, for those with the means to 
procure alternative nutritional sources. 

This then becomes a matter of choice which we should each be free to 
make.

Freedom must also permit those of us so moved to challenge practices 
which we may feel to be inappropriate, particularly in terms of 
demonstrable cruelty. In fact it is surely our duty as humane humans 
to begin the process of discerning that which seems acceptable or not 
and act accordingly.

As opposed to most farmed and slaughtered animals, these whales take 
up to 15 minutes to die from internal organs destroyed by the 
explosive harpoon head.

In terms of compassion alone, quite apart from necessity, could there 
be any more compelling argument to act against this practice as we 
are able?

Kind regards
Nigel


--- In theos-talk@yahoogroups.com, MKR <mkr777@...> wrote:
>
> Your analogy of cow is a very appropriate one. How about the 
analogy of
> killing and eating Horses. They are a delicacy in some parts of the 
world.
> 
> mkr
> 
> 
> On 2/8/08, Cass Silva <silva_cass@...> wrote:
> >
> >   One thing the video shows is evidence that the Japanese are 
lying about
> > their reasons for whaling as being research based. Someone should 
ask them
> > what exactly they are researching. They will argue that eating 
whale is no
> > different from eating cow, and they have a valid point. I guess 
the global
> > community can now put pressure on them to limit the kills by 
producing what
> > results have come out of their research. The only way to stop 
this action is
> > to shame the Japanese by showing that this act is as barbaric as 
a savage
> > eating the heart of a lion to transfer its strength to the eater.
> >
> > Cass
> >
> > Richard Semock <semockr@... <semockr%40hotmail.com>> wrote:
> > What if anything can be done? The US govt appealed to the Jap govt
> > thru diplomatic channels individually and in concert with other
> > govts. Obviously talking and imploring the Japs to stop the 
killing
> > has had little or no effect. What else is there to be done then 
when
> > preaching, imploring, and diplomacy doesnt work. Let the whales be
> > killed off because its their destiny, right? WWHPBD (What Would 
HPB
> > Do).
> >
> > --- In theos-talk@yahoogroups.com <theos-talk%40yahoogroups.com>, 
MKR
> > <mkr777@> wrote:
> > >
> > > BBC News today showed clips from the video made by Aussie Govt 
ships
> > > tracking the Japanese whaling ships hunting and killing mother 
and
> > baby
> > > whales under the euphemism of research. In today's world 
cruelty is
> > hidden
> > > under nice sounding words and those who can see these pictures 
can
> > judge for
> > > themselves. Western world call themselves civilized and when you
> > see these
> > > pictures one wonders if the aborigines living in remote areas 
are
> > more
> > > civilized -- they do not resort to mass cruelty and killing and
> > destruction
> > > (all one needs to see what is happening in Iraq and Afghanistan)
> > and self
> > > inflicted wounds -- physical and mental -- the maimed and killed
> > young men
> > > and women coming from war front.
> > >
> > > mkr
> > >
> > > On 2/7/08, nhcareyta <nhcareyta@> wrote:
> > > >
> > > > A recent blog contribution to this issue from one A. Viirlaid.
> > > >
> > > > "I think the whale hunt is cruel, hypocritical, and not 
worthy of
> > > > humans.
> > > > We need to protect and serve life.
> > > > Otherwise we lose our primary reason for living.
> > > > I wrote a poem about the whaling last year and it has now
> > happened.
> > > > A mother whale and her calf are gone from our midst.
> > > > Please protect all of our friends in the oceans.
> > > >
> > > > Lament of Mother Whale
> > > >
> > > > I cry for our shared grace
> > > > I cry for your human family
> > > > I cry for your whaler's family
> > > > I cry for my family
> > > > I cry for me
> > > >
> > > > With your warm hand you could stroke my skin like so many of 
your
> > > > family have chosen to do
> > > > You would feel my warmth and gratitude
> > > >
> > > > Why do you touch me only with your cold harpoon as you thrust 
it
> > into
> > > > my flesh?
> > > > I thought after so much killing that we would both crave 
harmony
> > > >
> > > > That we had learned that we both feel and love
> > > > That we both treasure life
> > > > That we revere our comrades
> > > > That we embrace our children
> > > >
> > > > That we share the same blood of our ancestors
> > > > That our hearts both beat the rhyme of life
> > > >
> > > > How my child will cling to me as you haul my dying carcass 
out of
> > the
> > > > sea
> > > > How she will cry
> > > > Until you kill her too."
> > > >
> > > > http://blogs.thewest.com.au/news/news-blog-should-we-
intervene-to-
> > > > stop-this-slaughter/
> > > >
> > > > --- In theos-talk@yahoogroups.com <theos-talk%
40yahoogroups.com><theos-talk%40yahoogroups.com>,
> > > > "nhcareyta" <nhcareyta@> wrote:
> > > > >
> > > > > http://www.thewest.com.au/default.aspx?
MenuID=28&ContentID=57621
> > > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > >
> > >
> > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
> > >
> >
> > ---------------------------------
> > Be a better friend, newshound, and know-it-all with Yahoo! 
Mobile. Try it
> > now.
> >
> > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
> >
> > 
> >
> 
> 
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>