Counsel #4 — Compassionate Eating

Picture: Counsel #4 — Compassionate EatingCWe 66.1

Factory farming practices often involve horrendous cruelty and raise serious concerns about animal welfare—raising serious ethical concerns. Animals raised for food are often subjected to cramped and unsanitary conditions, causing high incident of disease—not to mention the suffering incurred. A core tenet of veganism is the ethical treatment of animals. For Christians, this means acknowledging the inherent value of all God’s living creatures and promoting a more compassionate way of living.CWe 66.2

By choosing a plant-based diet, we not only avoid contributing to cruel practices against God’s creation, we align our dietary choices with valuing kindness and respect for animal welfare, promoting a more mindful approach to consumption.^{[78]https://theedgeleaders.com/the-factory-farming-conundrum-is-it-ethical/}CWe 66.3

“A righteous man regards the life of his animal, but the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel.” Proverbs 12:10 NKJVCWe 66.4

“Animals are often transported long distances and subjected to great suffering in reaching a market. Taken from the green pastures, and traveling for weary miles over the hot, dusty roads, or crowded into filthy [trains or trucks], feverish and exhausted, often for many hours deprived of food and water, the poor creatures are driven to their death, that human beings may feast on the carcasses.” Ellen White in The Ministry of Healing, p. 314CWe 66.5

Reflect: The excerpt mentions the suffering animals endure during transport to slaughterhouses. Do you believe your dietary choices have a significant impact on animal welfare practices? Why or why not?CWe 66.6