Memory Text: And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. Gen.1:26 

     Behold the manner by which man exercises his dominion over life. Does today’s industrial farming of animals and methods of slaughter give glory to GOD’S intended purpose when He gave to His children the dominion over the creatures of Earth? Are we, corporately, good stewards over the other creatures? Do they not have feelings of love, anger, pain, loneliness, desire, fear and despair? Have we not robbed from them the dignity that GOD gave to them “In the beginning?” Man will be judged by the cruelty he exercises against the lower creatures. Pain is pain, regardless of the stature of the animal, for we all have nervous systems and it is through the nervous system that we feel pain; and this includes the unborn babies America slaughters every day. Slaughter is a hard word to ascribe to abortion isn’t it? But it is a clear synonym as is murder, massacre, and butcher. 

     I will not delve into the gruesome nature of man’s brutality in all its forms, but only to say that many federal meat inspectors are vegetarians as a result of what they witness in their daily inspections. 

     The method GOD ordained for the taking of an animal’s life was and still is the most humane method, where they are killed by having their trachea, oesophagus, carotid arteries and jugular veins cut using an extremely sharp blade (chalef), and allowing the blood to drain out. In this method the animal feels one short pain, and then as the blood flows the animal quietly goes unconscious. 

     If man were to restore this more patient method for the animal’s benefit the horrific slaughtering methods that exist today would be gone and the guilt we feel from the abuse would be removed. The conscience must be honored as Paul said of those who exercise virtuous living in their lives: “their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another.” Rom.2:15. The importance of fortifying integrity to our conscience is verified when we see those slaughterhouse workers who stand on the front line doing the initial slaughtering. Their continued repetition of stunning, and then dismembering the animals (while they are still alive) causes a form of insanity to develop to where they have to be removed from that duty. In other words, their humane instinct wears away and a callous mindset takes hold in their character. The same is seen during wartime when human life is taken. 

     "In the beginning," carnivorous behavior did not exist. But after the flood GOD had to ordain this behavior for the survival of life. This is BUT ONE EXAMPLE of what sin has done to our world! But the day is coming when all carnivorous behavior will be done away. GOD gives several prophecies where every creature, great and small will thrive in peace and tranquility throughout eternity “and none shall make them afraid.” “The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them. And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice' den. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.” Mic.4:4; Isa.11:6-9.