concerning animals (and also women and homosexuals) the official 'christian' churches and also many independent churches are very cruel and narrowminded. they are making living beings suffer - indeed! they are wicked in condemning quickly every soul who does not fit their convenience and so do many 'christian' individuals. in fact these institutions and people do not understand anything of animals or women or homosexuals - they are just indulging in making these lives bitter! they forget the main thing: to love all the living beings as jesus told us. the majority of priests think that women have to shut their mouth, homosexuals go to hell and animals are just good for to be eaten! i talked with many of them and i got always the same answers. hence as a result i came to the following conclusion: such 'christians' have a stingy heart and are worse from every sinner because they have no love. concerning animal suffering the attitude of the vatican is neither warm nor cold - but in their own bible God tells them: you are neither warm nor cold - for this i shall spit you out...

Posted by: angelico | April 11, 2007 03:07 PM

I don't fully believe that religion should be mixed with animal welfare. Christians are famed for contradicting themselves. They do live for the benefit of themselves. I am Athiest, for all asking. Let's at least hope this new approach will do something to end the torture of these chickens.

Posted by: Morgan | April 11, 2007 03:49 PM

I really like the idea of the new literature, but what about all the old KFC literature we still have?

Posted by: doug | April 11, 2007 11:19 PM

In response to Angelico's previous comment, allow me to say that you are making some very offensive generalizations regarding Christians. Not all Christians are loveless and condemning. There are many that are good, loving, caring and open-minded. I know this because I am a Christian, and a homosexual, and a vegan. Please, don't judge all Christians by the bad ones. Also, one quick question. You accuse all Christians of being condemning and narrow minded individuals, how is it fair for you to CONDEMN all Christians based on your NARROW MINDED generalizations?

Posted by: Benjamin | April 12, 2007 02:25 AM

Is this a Christian bashing affair or are we discussing animal rights?

I don't think that God intended for us to kill animals for our own use in massive slaughterhouse lines or whoever your Great Spirit or Higher Being is, intended for us to abuse animals in they way they are being abused today. It sickens me and I'm sure it sickens our Great Spirit and I'm sure we have a lot of explaining to do when we get to our perspective "heavens".

While I firmly believe in animal rights, I don't believe this is the correct route to take in fulfilling some of your goals. A quick look at some of the responses you've received thus far tells you that.

Thanks!

Posted by: Seji | April 12, 2007 08:23 AM

I am a christian and am very active in the animal rights movement. The reason I am so passionate about it is because of the love I feel for God and all of his creation, whether they be animals, women or homsexuals. All are created equal. I believe in the rights of all humans & non humans alike. If you start to stereotype all christians you become like the so-called "christians" you are critisizing, narrow minded. Also, please remember that all those who call themselves "christians" really aren't. For on that day, many will stand before Him and He will say "depart for I never knew you".

We should all concentrate on our movement, the animal rights movement, and not on are prejudices. We need to be compassionate not just to the animals but to each other as well. "A house divided, can not stand". What separates the animal movement from many othermovements is that it is fueled by our love for those that are different than us. Let us not forget this. God Bless.

Posted by: Janet Fitzgerald | April 12, 2007 08:36 AM

to benjamin and janet fitzgerald:
please allow me to be short because this is actually an animal rights blog and not a religious one! it was not my intention to offend anyone and i'm very happy to see that you two are good christians and in the same time animal lovers! i don't know your age but me i'm not anymore very young - hence i speak out of my life experience! i frequented many different churches and here in europe we had a huge dispute concerning the today's pope and several priests in the animal rights scene who were forbidden to talk and so on - it is really bad and many other things but it would go too far here to continue about it........love and peace!!!

Posted by: angelico | April 12, 2007 02:43 PM

Unfortunately I have to agree with angelico's statement - I experienced several things like that, I'm sorry, but the whole christian image, including inquisition, conquista, crusades is too bad - I am really sad about it. But let us focus on animal cause this is more important than any religious confusion.

Posted by: Richard Derry | April 12, 2007 03:16 PM

A response that I ALWAYS receive from people (Christians or no) is: God gave people dominion over animals.

Have you ever taken the time to read the Story of Creation in Genesis? If you take it literally or not, I see such a special connection between humans and animals, for example. The story says that God brought each and every single animal to Adam for him to name, because it was not good for Man to be alone. --- Wow to me, that is so special, there is such care and love for animals. The animals that God created were so special that Adam would name every single one.

Posted by: Jacklyn Tejeda | April 13, 2007 05:14 PM

I hear that all the time, too, Jacklyn. Of course, this is the King James version (and King James seems to have had a few axes to grind)... but biblical scholars have pointed out that the word KJV translates as 'dominion' is more accurately translated as 'stewardship'. What a difference a word makes, huh? (Not to mention, in the next verse, Genesis 1:29, God tells man and woman that herbs and fruit shall be their meat... but no mention animals.)

Posted by: Nancy | April 13, 2007 06:00 PM

I think everyone should read Daniel Quinn's book entitled Ishmael. This was a life changing book for me. I realized that animals were not put here for us to slaughter but to share the planet equally with mankind. Unfortunately, Mother Culture teaches the adverse of this and children have no problem torturing insects or animals. What gets me is even after advising others about animal abuses, they feel entitled to continue to support those who participate in animal cruelty so that they may have meat for their tables. We need more famous people speaking out about animal abuse so that others who idolize them will change their viewpoints because educational techniques often do not work, unfortunately.

Posted by: Diann | April 13, 2007 08:15 PM

I believe that quote from the pope could very well serve the anti fur cause as well. The best example I can think of is Evil jennifer Ho-pez. She uses fur as if it were water, yet has the nerve to consider herself christian. A cross and a fur coat are a fashion NO deary. And with the rap culture and thier blingy crosses are seeming to expand into fur should be shown that fur is murder and god would not approve. I am by no way religious, but these people are walking hypocrites.

Posted by: me in la | April 13, 2007 09:59 PM

Actually God made Eve because it wasn't good for Adam to be alone, not animals. The current Pope was in the Hitler Youth so he's not exactly someone who's opinion should be aligned with other Christians seeings as how he was part of an evil regime that killed millions of PEOPLE, nevermind animals. It looks to me like the people who have the most hate in their hearts are the Athiests leaving their poisonous diatribe here. This is why animal welfare is going nowhere. People are too busy hating each other to really do anything to help animals. Just because you've had a couple of bad experiences doesn't mean that everyone who is the same religion as the psycho who persecuted you behaves the same way. Ranting about Christians, Athiests,Mulsims or Sikhs only makes you look ignorant. Get back to the issue at hand or go away.

Posted by: Drisona | April 13, 2007 10:30 PM

Right Nancy, Adam and Eve did not eat meat in the Garden of Eden. And God did give them Stewardship over the animals. That means to take care of them. If the executives at KFC really are Christians they would NOT be able to carry on a business that is so horrific to animals. You cannot be a spirit filled Christian and abuse anything God has created. Carol

Posted by: carol johnson | April 14, 2007 02:11 AM

"Blessed are the peacemakers; for they shall be called the children of God." (CP Mt 5:9).I have never understood how somebody can put an end to a poor animals'life which has a beating heart. Slaughter, abuse, fur-trade... when will all these forms of demonic cruelty end? Peta, you are doing a great job being an angel for the animals which otherwise nobody would care enough. Bless you.

Caroline

Posted by: Caroline | April 14, 2007 02:40 AM

I haven't independently verified this but this appeared in a SF Chronicle column on March 21st. It's hilariously written but is a sad demonstration about the lengths KFC will go to. Here's the story: "In search of the elusive semi-practicing Catholic/obese junk-food addict demographic, Kentucky Fried Chicken apparently sent an official, personal letter to the Vatican, asking Pope Benedict XVI to bless the company's upcoming, happily toxic Fish Snacker sandwich so Catholics could eat it in good grace on Fridays during Lent. You read that right. In other words, KFC wants the Fish Snacker to be officially sanctioned for those days when Catholics don't eat meat but when they apparently have zero problem shoving a nasty frozen deep-fried chemical-blasted hunk of cholesterol and salt and fat and binding agents and mystery gunk made by one of the skankiest junk-food purveyors in America into their bloodstreams. You know, just the way Jesus intended."

Word has it they actually sent him a Fish Snacker to try. Here's the link:

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/g/a/2007/03/21/notes032107.DTL&hw=morford&sn=008&sc=670

Posted by: Mary | April 14, 2007 03:28 AM

Both Old and New Testaments are rife with advice about treatment of animals and love for/joy in animal life on earth (book of Job, for example). Yes, in the old days animals were sacrificed and eaten-- so were humans. And yet keep in mind that in ancient Jewish tradition, animals offered for sacrifice were to be "unblemished"-- meaning free from the marks of starvation and cruelty. In every culture's tradition regarding sacrifice, if the victim has been mistreated-- the sole exception to this being human sacrifices captured in war-- it is not a fit offering for the gods.

So-called "Christian" purveyors of meat that has been cruelly treated and unkindly killed are HYPOCRITES, in the same manner as so-called "Muslim" suicide bombers who send to their graves small children, pregnant women, and other obvious non-combatants-- which is proscribed by the Koran.

Fanaticism is rife in this world. It is always injurious to life, whether animal or human. I personally do not separate or classify life to that degree-- humans are animals to me, and we are pretty much all the same. We just speak with different voices.

Jesus loved, tolerated, and spoke up for animals, as noted in the King James Bible. Anyone who has studied the bible as I have will know this. The ancient Jews were keen observers of animal life, and were sympathetic toward it, though they were of course compelled to use animals for food and sacrifice as mandated by the perogatives of survival and their God.

I am sure that Jacob/Israel, the founder of the religion that has evolved into Christianity, would consider the industry farm's horrible cruelty toward chickens an insult to God, and a mark against humanity in general.

Posted by: Kristi | April 14, 2007 02:19 PM

All I have to say is,

The more christians that injest this "nasty frozen deep-fried chemical-blasted hunk of cholesterol and salt and fat and binding agents and mystery gunk made by one of the skankiest junk-food purveyors in America into their bloodstreams the better.
Christians = conquest, just as Muslims = jihad
Away with them all!!!

Long live all non homo sapiens!!!

Posted by: Gwen | April 14, 2007 06:02 PM

Let's not use hate speech here. (Where are the moderators in this case, by the way?)There is no bad religion, only bad people. Many people of all different faiths stand up for animals.

Big organizations will always use big organized religions for profit and greed. It is not a reflection on all peoples of that particular faith.

Diann, kudos to everything you said, and I'm glad you mentioned that book - I must read it!

The only thing I disagree with is that educational techniques don't work - I'm a vet nurse and I've seen a huge shift in people's attitudes on neutering, littering, humane certified eggs, etc.

Attitude shifts take a long time, and are not always obvious, but they work eventually! :)

Posted by: Maya | April 15, 2007 04:47 PM

I am not surprised by the many negative posts, but I am disturbed by the rejection of each other. I am a christian, I travel the country to preach and teach, I am a three dog owner, 2 pitbulls out of bad situations which I have rehabed and a jack russell. Because God does love animals and made many provisions for them by charging us to love them and be good stewards over them I have changed my profession from nursing to animal cruelty investigator. Yes, minister/faith preacher and ACI. Please, wether you believe in God or not, love cannot have these intolerable borders that divide us and cause nothing but hate. All creation counts on each individuals' strength and passion, especially cruelty cases, such as I see everyday! There is too much to do in too little time, make your time and effort count in the right way and for the right reasons. I do apoligize for all the hardship anyone receives from christians, we can learn from each other though. Thank you for your time.

Posted by: Ute | April 15, 2007 08:21 PM

Gwen,

calling you dumb would not be fair, you are probably young, emotional, raised as an atheist, and are squeamish at the sight of blood or raw meat. everything has a reason

Posted by: Larry Buck | April 15, 2007 08:22 PM

Janet makes a good point and that is that so many people who call themselves 'good Christians' are totally the opposite. I can give you one example, many white supremists call themselves good christians. Many people hide behind religion or other front or use passages from their chosen 'book' to justify their addiction to flesh. But as Benjamin demonstrated, there are also many Christians who are true of heart, vegetarian and even vegan. For the record, I follow no religion.

Posted by: Pamela. | April 16, 2007 12:50 AM

I can't believe that people are being so insulting to 'christians' and the last comment is just so damn opinionated and insulting. I believe in God, I am a christian, but I am a vegan, animal lover and I take offence to the last comment. But as I'm educated enough to rise above such stupid narrow minded comments, I would just like to say that the focus here is on the animals, and not what God we worship. So don't be insulting to other humans who are fighting for the same cause,anger and energy need to be focused on what we are trying to achieve for the animals without a voice.

Posted by: linzi | April 16, 2007 07:09 AM

I hate to say it, but most people who connect God, the bible and animal rights, really haven't read the bible.

God gave man stewardship over animals. This means that man is allowed to use the animals as he sees fit, but with the caveat that Man is to take good care of what God has given him.

This idea of Jesus as a vegitarian is somewhat silly. Even if he was, lets think back to a lovely section of verses in the bible where Jesus tells the diciples where to fish, or how about providing fish and bread for 5000+ people.

Are fish not animals?

Point is, respect the gifts that God has given you and use them wisely. But don't refuse to use them out of hand because you think it's "evil". God wouldn't have given us these gifts if He didn't expect us to make use of them, nor would He have us do things that He considers evil.

Posted by: kh | October 16, 2007 05:31 PM