Possibly the "SADDEST" documentary ever made....

Why do you suppose it is so hard to obtain footage from abattoirs, animal testing labs, and industrial feedlots?

...


In this subject more than any other, most people choose ignorance. The most common exclamation is "I know it's bad, but I don't want to see it, and by the way I want more!". So the person continues to be a willing participant, and by being a participant a soul will want to hide from the truth. You can witness this in many responses right here in the thread.

At the individual level, we never want the truth if it portrays us personally in a negative manner. Hell no! We only want negative truthes about others, like Dick Cheney or some unfortunate popstar. When it comes to our own self, we just want material sensation and convenience and all the other superficial things that ignorance affords.

Ignorance & denial shields the childish soul from the most important choice it can ever make... the choice between compassion or suffering.

Personally, I think the human experience revolves around this choice... it is the underlying story of our individual souls, our collective race, and the ultimate decider of our fate in this reality. Should we continue walking the path of suffering, it will manifest as the death of our species. This is why it is so important for each person to deny ignorance, make a choice, and abide by it as much as possible.

Yes this subject belongs here on ATS, imo more than any other, as it relates to each of us at the deepest and most personal level. And thank you mod for not sweeping it under the carpet.

To the OP, it's not humanity that's the problem, it's people like you who are only too eager to spread your hatred & ignorance by tarnishing everyone with the same brush. One thing I do know, I have done absolutely nothing wrong to warrant being wiped off the face of the Earth and the same applies to millions of other people like me. The people who are responsible for the state this planet is in, are a minority. So if you have a problem, take it up with them. Please don't lay the blame at my feet.

Being someone who practises buddhism, I respect all life. Ok so I'm not perfect, but then who is. We are all at the mercy of this reality we find ourselves living in. Reality check, whether you like it or not is irrelevant, this is not heaven, it's hell. Survival of the fittest. Eat or be eaten. I didn't make the rules, nature did, so lump it or like it, either way that's how it is and that's how it always will be. Get used to it, because you can't change it.

We are all in this together. All animals deserve respect no matter how insignificant they may appear. They all play an important role in maintaining our eco system and that also happens to include insects. Maybe you should think twice about stepping on that spider or swatting that bee, because without them, the rest of us would be up the creek.


[edit on 17-10-2008 by kindred]

Greed.. if more people could understand how to take care of their own NEEDS (not desires) and learn to live off the "now" rather than tomorrow (which never comes anyway), then a lot of problems would simply clear themselves up over time (not saying w/out hard work, but certainly w/out the turmoil that is and will continue by our stubborness).

My problem is not with the killing of animals for food, my problem is the mass waste of animals killed because people have become lazy and greedy. There is more than enough on this earth to go around several times over, but unless the greed and waste are cut from the picture, we will continue to head to an unpleasant future. I have less faith in the people living in this society to let go of their security blankets and thus, onward forward to the cleansing from nature that will most assuredly have to come for the sake of life overall.

I skipped around this film and got the gist.
It's nothing I needed to see as I've haven't eaten meat in 15 years.

Here's my two cents for what its worth.

I don't think humanity needs to be exterminated but.....I can see what the OP meant. Knee jerk reaction perhaps?

Animal slavery was once necessary for survival but it is now a waste of resources. I don't know the stats but "manufacturing" meat is a huge waste of water and vegetable matter that could go for other things.

Its mostly about money and the status quo.
A conspiracy if you will.
They spend billions on advertising to remind you that anyone who doesnt eat meat is a pu**y.

Millions on campaigns that try and convince you that milk and meat are necessary in your diet.
Both lies. Here i sit typing in way better shape than most meat eaters my age and thats WITH a fair share of drinks and smokes.

I haven't eaten meat in 15 years and i have aged way better, rarely get sick , am not a part of the whole meat-industrial complex.
I also get the moral highground! (just kidding).

I could go on forever but anyone who really looks at the situation will find that, at least in the factory sense, the whole using animals thing is morally wrong and a waste of resources. Its fairly cut an dry really. Im not here to argue the whole thing out, but there was a time when intelligent people justified slavery of people.

I'll shut up now.

reply to post by clearlight808


To keep on subject hopefully, so ar you saying you do not have to take any supplements of any kind?

Also, how long did the cravings take to completely diminish?

I have not eaten any meat for 15 years.
I do eat cheese and occasionally eggs (which some may deem hypocritical).
I eat a vitamin or two but vegetarianism was more for my soul than my body as lame as that may sound to some.

The cravings are just for the whole "processed" thing. Like i said those industries spend billions on advertising and lobbyists and manipulation of health studies.......and they do a VERY effective job.

When i see a whopper on tv, im like mmmmmm that looks good. But i just get a "fake" burger (which are getting almost too realistic) and I'm VERY happy with them.

No supplements no nothing. I'm no doctor though so.....I could drop dead
at any moment.

In the end the whole "survival" thing is b.s.
On a deserted island, i might have to eat a boar or whatever, but then again i'd eat you all if thats what it took to survive.

reply to post by clearlight808


I hear that. Nicely put. I think I have reduced drastically over the past 4 years my meat intake but if I do intake meat, it is probably 95% of the time organic or claims of respect to animals.

I think one day I can go completely but it will take a little while.

Everly living creature has the right to live, who has the right to decide who or what lives and dies?.

Peace out

There is a saying in the wilderness, Kill or be killed... if we hadn't of evolved, another species would of taken over, say the lions... Now i don't know about you but come face to face with a lion the first thing that pops into my head is, oh god im gonna die! We have to eat to survive and so does any other animal. The wild is much worse than where we live. Put yourself in the animals shoes...

You have to remember this as it helped me through some tough times, and i am an animal lover myself don't get me wrong!



[edit on 19-10-2008 by Unubuh]

reply to post by Unubuh

Now i don't know about you but come face to face with a lion the first thing that pops into my head is, oh god im gonna die!

Good point but how likely is that for the average person?

How many billion people live on earth.. we can afford to lose a few.
Animals have done nothing wrong.. they've never had wars, they have no prejudice and no brainwashing or propaganda.

I'd rather save a rat than a pathetic human.
Or a dog's life over a million people.

reply to post by WishForWings


Sorry but that is DEFINITELY not the answer.

Treat everything with respect.

Originally posted by Unlimitedpossibilities
reply to post by WishForWings

 

Sorry but that is DEFINITELY not the answer.

Treat everything with respect.

Ehhh give some, receive some.
Not the biggest fan of humans and their destructive ways.

reply to post by _Phoenix_


There are more laws for animal cruelty than human cruelty. I find that a bit sad.

reply to post by Deaf Alien


There are ways to fight the cruelty. There are cosmetics on the market that advertise that no animal testing is used in their production. You can buy "cage free" eggs. Many things have already been done to correct these abuses. The film left me in a quandry, I have a beautiful car with a leather interior, I love my steaks and pork chops. I think there must be some balance to be found here.

I had a disccussion with some Mennonites about vegetarianism on their message boards since one of my cousins is a vegan. They stated that God has placed the animals here to be used for food and clothing and that they had no problem eating meat etc. They did say that when they harvested an animal that the killing should be done in the most humane way possible.

There is a compromise here. Part of the problem has been the mechnanisation of food production which has resulted in the overpopulation of the planet.

And finally....A direct link to the damn video:

'Earthlings' - 95 min Google video

I think everybody should see this video!

All these discussions from people that cannot even handle the truth in a little video should actually shut up...These kind of videos might shock somebody...But is that bad?

I like a good piece of meat every now and then, only reason I don't do this on a daily base is videos like this.

So stop wining and please watch the video!

reply to post by ghaleon12


It doesn't have to be either us or them. It can be a win/win for all. When faced with imminent starvation humans like some animals, have resorted to cannibalism. Not right or wrong, just that we tend to justify the actions we take.

We can survive without being omnivorous. We don't need meat to obtain the proteins and nutrients necessary for our body to thrive, in fact, we would be better off without eating any meats at all.

We are also the only species that kills for sport. All animals kill for food or defense. We will kill for greed, for profit, for political or religious differences. We then create philosophical discussions on the justifications for our (in)discriminate murder. We take such obvious phrases "have dominion over" all other life forms to mean that we are the rulers, the rest of the world are our subjects, for us to do with as we please. And it was that kind of philosophy that got us where we are now.

We talk about us and them as if "they" are different than "us" in some identifiable way, but they are humans that exploit others indiscriminately regardless of species. We assume that we have that right based on some order of intelligence. We believe we are of superior intelligence to all other species.

I do not subscribe to that philosophy. I feel that we are all brethren, and we have a responsibility to all life, all "Earthlings" to be caretakers, and do good for all. I feel that our degenerate materialism has fostered greed and persecution of all life, when it serves the agenda of the exploiters.

We too readily lay blame on others for all the ills of the world, yet are reluctant to do whatever it takes to correct the problem. Instead most await divine intervention, and when it does not manifest, they again use justifications to explain that away also.

The exploitation of animals and nature by humankind has been going on for millennia. It isn't getting better because no one is taking responsibility to change the paradigm. Well, hardly anyone. The few that are doing something are being ridiculed and aggressively opposed.

We elect representation who then turns back on us, claiming that they have been granted expertise above and beyond our mere mortal capabilities, therefore they act on our behalf, even when it is blatantly obvious they are acting against us. Not only against our wants and desires, but against our security and against all benevolence of body, mind, and spirit.

Most people are no better off than the cattle rounded up for slaughter, or the chickens and hogs that face the same fate. To the elitists that control the destiny of humankind, we are McChickens and Bacon Double Cheese Burgers. We complain about "them" and what "they" do, without really knowing who "they" really are. "They" have been placed in the realm of gods, omnipotent, self-righteous beings, who demand more and more from the people, and give back less and less.

Create a conflict and allow it to fester into a war. Create a religious difference and create a holy war. Create a virus without giving out the cure, then exploit the people by selling them the cure. Don't really heal, just make comfortable. If it's a need for all, make it scarce, so that it can be profitable.

We live in a world in which deceit is the norm. Where hate is taught to young children, who then grow into adulthood, with hate in their minds and spirits, destined by their upbringing to further contribute to the demise of civilization. And then of course there is the "Don't blame me, I voted for the other guy" or didn't vote at all, and that justifies not being held accountable.

Well here is the bad news: We are all accountable and responsible for what is happening in the world. That is the reality of being. It's not truth, it's reality. Truth is what makes it okay to justify one's actions.

Love is the way forward.

What the hell, op? YOU aren't happy with things so me and mine must die? People like you make me physically sick. If you believe so strongly, start with yourself and leave me and mine the hell alone.

Depression and saddness are terrible maladies. Fight these feelings. Hey I know, there's a really nice book you can read, not necessarily at on sitting, and it will explain to you how "humanity" started!

It's also explains, that despite our own best efforts to screw things up our Creator, aka, God designed you with free will. And if you exercise this will and choose badly; well he still has a plan to help you cope.

And by the way, you Human, were given "authority" over this planet and it's inhabitants(aka)animals,plants environment. We choose good or not so good. And it's NOT YOUR CALL OR AUTHORITY to demand that humanity should be wiped off the face of the earth. What in the hell is wrong with you??? Get a grip! Read the book! Get outside and ssearch for Good and then give thanks for what you have found. Whom do you thank? Well try God the Creator of this universe! Say thanks for you computer
Say thanks for the eyesight that made you aware of a terrible thing being committed upon creation. Give thanks that you have hands that can type the message and the electricity to power your computer.

Grow up and stop feeling sorry for yourself. If you were close I'd slap ya and demand an accounting of your personal achievements. I'd demand that you participate in this great enterprise called LIFE.

You are forgiven. now go in peace to love and serve God and Humanity.
I'll put in the paperwork to get you a free ride past purgatory.
You are saved,

JesusBeliever aka Christian aka delivered aka Blessed

yeah seen the vid, still eat meat, guess that must mean i some kind of evil bastich or something, yea its sad but it happens in nature all the time, yeah could we be more humane about the treatment of our livestock? sure but in reality people get hardened to death and suffering when exposed to it for long periods of time, slaughterhouses have never been humane, and im sure if confronted by a carnivorouse animal in the wild its probably not going to care if the way it dispatches its food (you) was painless or if you lived a full and wonderful existance, no matter how much guilt a person carries about eating meat, man is an omni-vore, thus our teeth, both blunt and sharp. most vegetarians are such because they have an option to be so. i wonder if this vid would have been so sad if the animals depicted wernt. cute? do you feel the same about lizards,frogs, and insects?