One of the original intents of the Jewish kosher (and Islamic Halal) rules for slaughtering animals was humane treatment of animals. Islam tells a story about a man who watered a thirsty stray dog, and Allah forgave all his sins. Now at prodding from Dutch animal-rights activists, the Dutch parliament has voted to upgrade to even more humane slaughter standards. Oddly, the head rabbi of the Netherlands, Binyomin Jacobs, opposes this, claiming it reminds him of the holocaust. He believes his religious right to kill animals inhumanely is being challenged, and the motive for such changes is to destroy his religion, not the welfare of animals. I think he is an idiot. More humane standards are logically upward compatible with the old kosher rules. They are in keeping with the spirit of both the Jewish and Muslim religions. I could imagine this foolish old rabbi complaining about stricter hygiene standards in restaurants on the grounds they were preventing him from eating clean food. The standards for treatment of animals even 200 years ago were atrocious. Adhering to the standards of 4000 years ago is barbaric.
~ Roedy (born: 1948-02-04 age: 64)