Hebert, Andrew

English

University of Kentucky

Agriculture (/full-blog/category/Agriculture)Written By: Andrew HebertWhen religion and law are in conflict, which takes precedent?[i] This question has plagued nationssince the dawn of democracy, but not necessarily the dawn of time, as Dan Murphy explained in hisrecent article on the topic.[ii] Murphy noted that unlike ancient monarchies or dictatorships, mostmodern democracies vow to separate church and state.[iii] This separation of religion anddemocracy has fostered disagreement and tension between people’s beliefs across a wide variety ofissues.[iv] One such issue is animal sacrifice.Forms of animal sacrifice have been recorded dating back to the Neolithic Revolution.[v] Today,animal sacrifice is defined as “the ritual killing and offering of an animal (or part of an animal),usually as part of a religious ritual or to appease or maintain favor with a deity.”[vi] Sects of almostevery major religion have performed some form of animal sacrifice at some point in history.[vii]Today, however, few religious groups still practice animal sacrifice.[viii]Recently, several countries in the European Union have taken a firm stance against animal sacrifice.[ix] Denmark, Germany, Norway, Sweden, Estonia, and Lithuania already have regulations limitingor banning ritual slaughter.[x] In addition, Belgium and Denmark have banned kosher and halalslaughter outright.[xi] Other countries, like the Netherlands, have passed strict constraints onreligious slaughter, essentially forcing Jewish and Islamic groups to develop practices consideredmore humane[AC1] .[xii]February 13, 2018BALANCING RELIGION WITHANIMAL RIGHTS LAWS: HOWTHE LEGAL WORLD HASADDRESSED THE TOPIC OFANIMAL SACRIFICEH O M E  ( / )S U B M I S S I O N S  ( / S U B M I S S I O N S )A B O U TJ O U R N A L  ( / A B O U T )M AST H E A D  ( / N E W- PAG E )P R O S P E C T I V E  M E M B E R S  ( / P R O S P E C T I V E - M E M B E R S )S U B S C R I B E  ( / S U B S C R I B E )STA F F  R E S O U R C E S  ( / STA F F - R E S O U R C E S )P U B L I C AT I O N SP U B L I C AT I O N  A R C H I V E  ( / P U B L I C AT I O N - A R C H I V E )VO LU M E  1  ( 2 0 0 9 )  ( / VO LU M E - 1 - 2 0 0 8 - 2 0 0 9 )VO LU M E  2  ( 2 0 1 0 )  ( / VO LU M E - 2 - 2 0 0 9 - 2 0 1 0 )VO LU M E  3  ( 2 0 1 1 )  ( / VO LU M E - 3 - 2 0 1 0 - 2 0 1 1 )VO LU M E  4  ( 2 0 1 2 )  ( / VO LU M E - 4 - 2 0 1 1 - 2 0 1 2 )VO LU M E  5  ( 2 0 1 3 )  ( / VO LU M E - 5 - 2 0 1 2 - 2 0 1 3 )VO LU M E  6  ( 2 0 1 4 )  ( / VO LU M E - 6 - 2 0 1 3 - 2 0 1 4 )VO LU M E  7  ( 2 0 1 5 )  ( / VO LU M E - 7 - 2 0 1 4 - 2 0 1 5 )VO LU M E  8  ( 2 0 1 6 )  ( / VO LU M E - 8 - 2 0 1 5 - 2 0 1 6 )VO LU M E  9  ( 2 0 1 7 )  ( / VO LU M E - 9 - 2 0 1 6 - 2 0 1 7 )VO LU M E  1 0  ( 2 0 1 8 )  ( / VO LU M E - 1 0 - 2 0 1 8 )SY M P O S I U MI N F O R M AT I O N  ( / SY M P O S I U M )B LO GF U L L  B LO G  ( / F U L L - B LO G )B LO G  A R C H I V E  ( / B LO G - A R C H I V E - 1 )https://www.flickr.com/photos/chaudhury/6953178606/in/photolist-bAqRKL-9H6Kcj-fFBxSQ-URix68-9S6nQU-zyPSB-aCfJg4-4tDESy-9nv5e5-cZbRcG-6Hoisz-6HD3ba-7xYhHN-6HSfKY-5xSFsh-oDXLXp-8nZnws-cZAz7A-aCgcBD-9JmKvb-6XFTT7-egH2J4-8RpkCH-oVakmX-pEoPM2-bn4nKc-efQr7w-pNjBkZ-iaiLMe-W2Kt3W-nKXksD-9NkTds-pucp8Y-59jV8V-bkRYGh-boWQM5-aC1hJE-UCZFvD-r2pf9F-fBfQnj-pu1HxB-avn3uF-aEP4jH-9sd1No-7uoRxc-pJoQ5c-8Wdfn5-9Yxmcd-ejm3F1-qwcSk2(https://www.flickr.com/photos/chaudhury/6953178606/in/photolist-bAqRKL-9H6Kcj-fFBxSQ-URix68-9S6nQU-zyPSB-aCfJg4-4tDESy-9nv5e5-cZbRcG-6Hoisz-6HD3ba-7xYhHN-6HSfKY-5xSFsh-oDXLXp-8nZnws-cZAz7A-aCgcBD-9JmKvb-6XFTT7-egH2J4-8RpkCH-oVakmX-pEoPM2-bn4nKc-efQr7w-pNjBkZ-iaiLMe-W2Kt3W-nKXksD-9NkTds-pucp8Y-59jV8V-bkRYGh-boWQM5-aC1hJE-UCZFvD-r2pf9F-fBfQnj-pu1HxB-avn3uF-aEP4jH-9sd1No-7uoRxc-pJoQ5c-8Wdfn5-9Yxmcd-ejm3F1-qwcSk2)“Although such authorities as Temple Grandin have declared that ritual slaughter, done swiftly andproperly by well-trained personnel, is as humane as conventional captive bolt stunning, nevertheless,animal rights activists have consistently portrayed the procedure as cruel and outdated.”[xiii] AsMurphy also notes, one particular challenge is that “in the European countries with a legacy of anti-Semitism, as well as the current influx of Muslim immigrants, demanding an end to ritual slaughter,even if the intention is to advance animal welfare, heightens tensions in those communities.”[xiv]Regardless of which side you stand on in this animal sacrifice-animal rights debate, there arecountless authorities that both sides have cited to back their beliefs.[xv] Ultimately, the conflictbetween animal sacrifice and animal rights does not seem to be nearing a compromise anytime soon.It will be interesting to see how the European Union handles it. After all, it may only be a matter oftime until North America is faced with addressing this same tension.[i] Dan Murphy, Murphy: Rituals vs. Reactionaries, Drovers (Jan. 9, 2018, 8:00 AM),https://www.drovers.com/article/murphy-rituals-vs-reactionaries.[ii] Id.[iii] Id.[iv] See Id.[v] Animal Sacrifice, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Animal_sacrifice (last visited Jan. 24,2018).[vi] Id.[vii] See Id.[viii] See Id.[ix] Murphy, supra note i.[x] Id.[xi] Adam Withnall, Denmark Bans Kosher and Halal Slaughter as Minister Says ‘Animal Rights ComeBefore Religion,’ Independent (Feb. 18, 2014, 9:46 PM),http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/denmark-bans-halal-and-kosher-slaughter-as-minister-says-animal-rights-come-before-religion-9135580.html.[xii] Murphy, supra note i.[xiii] Id.COMMENTS (0)  Subscribe via e-mailTagged: Agriculture (/full-blog/tag/Agriculture), Animal Rights (/full-blog/tag/Animal+Rights), animal welfare (/full-blog/tag/animal+welfare),animal cruelty (/full-blog/tag/animal+cruelty), Sacrifice (/full-blog/tag/Sacrifice), Religion (/full-blog/tag/Religion)0 Likes  Newer PostRepealing Rapanos: Shrinking the Clean WaterAct’s Jurisdiction (/full-blog/hutchinsonblog)Older PostDonald Trump Withdraws U.S. from Trans-Pacific Partnership (/full-blog/miller)6 3 1  S O U T H  L I M E S TO N E ,  L E X I N G TO N ,  KY4 0 5 0 8 ( 8 5 9 )  2 5 7 - 4 7 4 7 B LO G . K J E A N R L @ G M A I L . C O M  ( M A I LTO : B LO G . K J E A N R L @ G M A I L . C O M )[xiv] Id.[xv] See Siobhan McFadyen, Muslims Urged Not to Slaughter Animals in the Streets of France at Eid,Daily Express (Sept. 10, 2016, 5:26 PM), https://www.express.co.uk/news/world/709345/Muslims-urged-not-to-SLAUGHTER-ANIMALS-in-the-streets-of-France-at-Eid-al-Adha.  ShareNewest FirstPreview  P O S T  C O M M E N T …SEARCHABLE ARCHIVE ( /PUBLICATION-ARCHIVE-1)

Balancing Religion with Animal Rights Laws: How the Legal World Has Addressed the Topic of Animal Sacrifice

https://uknowledge.uky.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?filename=0&article=1456&context=law_kjeanrlblog&type=additional

Balancing Religion with Animal Rights Laws: How the Legal World Has Addressed the Topic of Animal Sacrifice

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