Okay, so that’s a bit harsh on PETA. I think they make good points occasionally, but they have a HUGE tendency to take things to the extreme.
According to USA Today, PETA is kicking off a new ad campaign that uses the image from the Shroud of Turin, along with the tagline “Make a lasting impression … go Vegetarian.”
Okay, that’s actually kinda innovative. “Lasting impression.” Ha. However:
PETA’s argument is that the image is that of Jesus Christ. It has been proven that the Shroud isn’t old enough to show Christ’s image, assuming you believe in Him.
PETA also claims that Jesus belonged to an ultra-strict Jewish sect that didn’t eat meat.
I’m sorry, that’s ridiculous. I want some documentation on that last one. I have no idea what they’re basing this claim on, apart from “Nowhere does it say he ate meat.” Give me a break. According to the Bible, Jesus was of the lineage of David, and I’m pretty sure David ate meat. (Can’t recall a specific cite, though.)
I really don’t think they’ll be happy until they piss off just about everybody who might consider supporting them. I believe that animals should not be caused to suffer when there is no need for that. However, I highly doubt that people are going to give up hamburgers, grilled cheese, etc. because they said we shouldn’t eat them. Instead of working to ban meat and animal products, shouldn’t they be working for…well, the Ethical Treatment of Animals?
You’re right about the Shroud. Mrs. pld and I were talking yesterday about how goddamned sick we are of PETA stepping on their collective dick with these ad campaigns and making all vegetarians look stupid by popular association.
There is some thought, and I don’t know specifically how much extra-Biblical support there is for it, that Jesus spent some time during his adult life as part of the ascetic Essene or Nazarene sect, who some people think were vegetarians, but Josephus says were not. (See http://home.wxs.nl/~lende045/Essenes/Essenes.html )
Whether Jesus was or wasn’t an Essene, he grew up a nice 1st century Jewish boy, and certainly partook of the Passover lamb on more than one occassion. Any idea that Jesus was a vegetarian is pure, unadulterated hooey.
Amen and amen. I got no beef (ha!) with protesting against gratuitous lab testing on animals, just for testing’s sake. (“Let’s see what happens when we daub four pounds of eyeshadow directly into bunny’s anus!”) That would cross the ethical line, for me.
But cut me some slack from the placenta here. Can’t you just make your point with things like that, and leave well enough alone?
PETA does not advocate ethical treatment of animals. It advocates the worshipful treatment of animals. It should be the PWTA. It wants animals to be on a pedestal higher than humans.
There is one time when Judaism requires that Jews eat meat. That one time is the Passover sacrifice. The penalty for not performing this mitzvah is * kares * (a form of heavenly death penalty), not something that was taken lightly by religious Jews then (or now).
If Jesus was in Jerusalem for the Last Supper, and the LS was a Seder (as I’ve heard many people posit), then Jesus ate meat (or at least was required to).
This one ranks right up there with the “Got prostate cancer?” ad.
This idea that Jesus was a vegetarian has been around for quite awhile, 25 years or so. I used to have a link to a site about it, but can’ find it right now. I will do some searching.
In addition to lamb, don’t you think He would have eaten fish, too?
I agree with this comment. I have heard that PETA is discouraging the title “pet owner” in favor of “pet companion”, since “owner” implies slavery.
FTR, PETA did, to their credit, issue both a public statement and a personal letter to Mayor Giuliani apologizing for that campaign. Of course, that isn’t as newsworthy as launching it in the first place, so people will be left with the impression that they are unrepentant.
Pfft! They havnt met my cat. The only ‘slave’ in our relationship is ME! I would think decendants of slaves would find this offensive too.
When/why did they change their focus to vegetarianism?
Why cant I treat animals good, be against animal testing and animal abuse but not be able to drink milk???
In Luke 24:42-43, it says, “They gave Jesus a piece of cooked fish, which he took and ate in their presence.”
PETA needs to to read the Bible before they go making stupid claims about Jesus being a vegetarian.
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Is this a Pit Thread? I see a thread with “PETA” in the title in the Pit, and I see Phil is a poster to it, and I think it’s probably like World War III in here (or Rocky III, with Phil as “Clubber Lang” ). But then, everybody is acting reasonably nice.
BTW, IMO PETA did not get enough credit for their apology on the “Got Prostate Cancer”, which is not really fair to them.
Anthracite, don’t you think PETA’s apology would have gone over better if they had taken it upon themselves to re-evaluate and retract the ad on their own accord? It loses a little something when the apology comes on the heels of a threatened lawsuit.
I am a pretty open minded person & don’t really get into what other people do BUT peta people bug the hell out of me…The hard core vegetarians are annoying/picky/self-righteous/unrealistic pains in the ass…I have never/would never abuse an animal but yes! I eat meat! And I like it! I drink milk! I eat eggs! Cheese! Yes I do…And if you don’t want to fine! More for me! And I won’t try to force you to be like me.
True, but I think in the past even the threat of serious legal action did not prompt them to issue similar retractions. So maybe I’m not sure, but that at least was the impression I got.
PETA wants everyone to be vegans, not vegetarians. They don’t want the usage of any animal products whatsoever, including eggs, milk, etc, and no wool, leather, silk, in your clothes. I think that’s a bit hard to do. I don’t eat anything that used to move on its own, and I don’t buy fur. I figure I’m ahead of the game. When the rest of the world catches up, I’ll toss out my leather shoes, but I still think free range eggs and cruelty-free milk ain’t something I’ll ever be opposed to.
I say they should work on the things everyone can do without - fur and animal testing for cosmetics. The other crap they do just ends up alienating everyone.
Obviously since this is an Anti-peta thread, just from the title, I doubt any Vegan-peta heads are going to read this, but…If we really did give up using any meat, be it chickens, cows, turkeys, etc, what would we do with them all? Would we release them into the wild? That would realy be humane and ethical, Eh?
). But then, everybody is acting reasonably nice.