Publish an exclusive excerpt from the forthcoming book Sahadeva dasa "The killing of cows mean the end of human civilization." There are no words, one truth.Are scoundrels who theorize that animals have no soul, or, in other words, they are not much different from a dead stone. So these people are trying to justify the killing of animals, suggesting that this is no sin. But in reality, the animals - not a dead stone. This is for those who kill them, a heart of stone. So they turned a deaf ear to all the arguments of reason and philosophical explanations and continue to open the slaughterhouse and kill animals for hunting.
Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada (Srimad Bhagavatam 4.26.9, comment)"What role does religion play in shaping our relationship to the animal world?" - The answer to this question tried to give in 1967, a history professor at the University of California (Los Angeles) Lynn J. White, who published in the journal "Science" article, "The historical roots of our the environmental crisis. " In this article, he notes that the relationship of the western world with animals and nature were formed, first of all, the Judeo-Christian tradition (he also examines Islam and Marxism, considering them an integral part of the Western world). This tradition, says White, is based on the idea that the world was created solely for man: "God created specifically for use by the creation of man and held that nothing in the universe should have no other purpose but to serve humanity." In parallel with this Western Christianity separated man from nature.
In the ancient religious traditions of people saw themselves as part of nature rather than its masters. In the animistic religions, for example, not only believe in the existence of spirits in every tree, mountain, or a spring, but in the fact that all living things should be worshiped. In contrast to the pagan and Eastern religions, Christianity is "not only established a dualism of man and nature, but also adopted the idea that exploiting nature for its own purposes, the person doing the will of the Lord." White points out that Christianity - a very complex formed from the mixing of different philosophical concepts of religion, so that its different areas differ in their views. But overall, he says, Christianity and Western civilization hold this view of nature that distinguishes humans from all natural the world and encourages its use for selfish purposes.
It was the spread of Christianity, the conviction of White, largely contributed departure of people from the previously accepted belief that all life forms, including plants, have souls.
"Whenever Herman saw the killing of animals, it appeared the same idea: in their behavior in relation to all the creatures of God's people - the Nazis'Isaac Bashevis Singer"In ancient times, every tree, every stream, every river, every hill had its spirit-defender", - says the scientist. But Christianity has changed this outlook. According to Christian belief, man was created in the image and likeness of God, and at the end of creation, and therefore inherited the Earth in the property. "By destroying pagan animism - says White - Christianity has made possible the exploitation of nature without taking into account the creatures that inhabit it."
White's article came around a lot of discussion, but one thing is certain: they described worldview should be responsible for the amazing cruelty to animals that we see in today's world. Moreover, introducing these people astray religious beliefs have influenced various spheres of life - especially on ethics, economics, education and politics.
