9.3.1 Religious Teachings Related to Animals

Key Ethical Issues Surrounding the Use and Abuse of Animals

• Animal Experimentation: This refers to the use of animals in scientific research, often for testing medicines, cosmetics, and other products (vivisection.) Ethical issues include the potential suffering inflicted on animals, the question of whether such practices are justified for the benefit of humans, and the consideration of alternative methods that do not involve animals.
• The Use of Animals for Food: This involves the ethical concerns related to farming, slaughtering, and consuming animals for human sustenance. Key issues include the treatment of animals in the food industry, the environmental impact of meat production, and religious or moral considerations regarding vegetarianism or veganism. Views on animal rights are dependent on the status we give to them, some believe that animals deserve the same amount of rights as humans do whilst others believe animals have no rights at all.

Christianity: The Use and Abuse of Animals

Animal Experimentation

• Dominion vs. Stewardship:

• Stewardship: However, the concept of stewardship, which emphasizes humans' responsibility to care for God's creation, suggests that animals should be treated with respect and compassion. Many Christians believe that causing unnecessary suffering to animals is wrong and that experiments should be conducted with the least harm possible, or alternatives should be used where available.

Ethical Issues:

• Moral Justification: Christians who support animal experimentation typically do so when the research has the potential to save or significantly improve human lives as it is seen as the lesser of two evils. However, there is a strong emphasis on minimizing suffering and ensuring that the benefits outweigh the harm caused.
• Opposition to Cruelty: Many Christians oppose unnecessary or overly cruel experimentation on animals, advocating for stricter regulations and the development of non-animal testing methods.

The Use of Animals for Food

• Biblical Teachings:
  • Permitted Consumption: Christianity generally permits the consumption of animals for food, there are no food laws within Christianity, making it a personal choice.

"Everything that moves is food for you." - (Genesis, 9)

This verse is often cited to justify eating meat.

• Compassionate Treatment: While eating meat is allowed, Christians are also encouraged to treat animals humanely.

"The righteous care for the needs of their animals" - Proverbs 12:10

This suggests that even animals destined for food should be treated with compassion and care.

Ethical Issues:

• Factory Farming: Many Christians express concern about factory farming practices that cause suffering to animals. Ethical issues include overcrowding, inhumane treatment, and the environmental impact of large-scale meat production.
• Vegetarianism/Veganism: Some Christians choose vegetarianism or veganism as a way to avoid contributing to the suffering of animals and to live in a way that they believe honors God's creation. In the garden of Adam and Eve, they had a vegetarian diet as well as Francis arguing that animals had souls.

Islam: The Use and Abuse of Animals

Animal Experimentation

• Khalifah (Stewardship):
  • In Islam, humans are considered stewards (Khalifah) of the earth, responsible for taking care of all creatures, including animals. This stewardship requires that animals be treated with kindness and that their suffering be minimized.
  • Permissibility: Animal experimentation in Islam is generally permissible if it is for a legitimate purpose, such as medical research that benefits humanity. However, it must be conducted with the utmost care to avoid unnecessary suffering, and it should be done in a humane and ethical manner.

Ethical Issues:

• Humane Treatment: Islamic teachings emphasize that animals must be treated humanely. Any form of cruelty or unnecessary harm is strongly discouraged. The Prophet Muhammad is reported to have said, "Whoever is kind to the creatures of God is kind to himself."
• Necessity and Proportionality: Experimentation is only acceptable when it is necessary and when the potential benefits justify the use of animals. Alternatives should be considered, and the least invasive methods should be employed.

The Use of Animals for Food

• Halal Slaughter:
  • Permissibility: Islam permits the consumption of animals for food, but it requires that animals be slaughtered in a specific way known as Halal. This method aims to minimize the pain and suffering of the animal, ensuring that the animal is healthy and that God's name is invoked during slaughter.
  • Humane Treatment: Even when animals are used for food, they must be treated with dignity and respect throughout their lives. Cruelty and mistreatment are strictly forbidden.
• Ethical Issues:
  • Overconsumption: Islam encourages moderation in all aspects of life, including the consumption of meat. Excessive consumption or wastefulness is discouraged, as it goes against the principles of stewardship and balance (Mizan) in creation.
  • Environmental Impact: While traditional Islamic teachings focus on the ethical treatment of animals, modern interpretations may also consider the environmental impact of meat consumption, advocating for responsible and sustainable practices in line with the concept of stewardship.

Comparative Ethical Issues

1. Stewardship and Dominion vs. Khalifah:

• Both Christianity and Islam emphasize the ethical treatment of animals, but their approaches differ slightly. Christianity's concept of stewardship and dominion suggests a balance between using animals for human benefit and caring for them, while Islam's concept of Khalifah stresses the responsibility of humans to act as compassionate guardians of all creatures.

2. Animal Experimentation:

• In both religions, animal experimentation is generally permissible when it serves a significant human purpose, such as medical research. However, there is a strong emphasis on minimizing suffering, using humane methods, and considering alternatives. Both faiths condemn cruelty and unnecessary harm to animals.

3. The Use of Animals for Food:

• Christianity and Islam both permit the consumption of animals for food but emphasize the humane treatment of animals and responsible consumption. Islam has specific guidelines for Halal slaughter, which focus on minimizing suffering, while Christianity encourages compassionate treatment and, in some cases, supports vegetarianism or veganism as a moral choice.

4. Environmental and Social Considerations:

• Both religions increasingly consider the broader ethical implications of using animals, such as the environmental impact of factory farming and overconsumption. These considerations are often linked to the religious duty to protect and preserve God's creation.

Exam Question:

"Explain two contrasting religious beliefs on animal experimentation."

In your answer, you must refer to one or more religious traditions [4 marks]