Jesus Christ, Christianity and the slaughterhouse

Expressions researched:
"Christians" |"Jesus" |"slaughterhouse"

SB Canto 6

SB 6.10.9, Purport:

One cannot continue killing animals and at the same time be a religious man. That is the greatest hypocrisy. Jesus Christ said, "Do not kill," but hypocrites nevertheless maintain thousands of slaughterhouses while posing as Christians. Such hypocrisy is condemned in this verse. One should be happy to see others happy, and one should be unhappy to see others unhappy. This is the principle to be followed. Unfortunately, at the present moment so-called philanthropists and humanitarians advocate the happiness of humanity at the cost of the lives of poor animals. That is not recommended herein. This verse clearly says that one should be compassionate to all living entities. Regardless of whether human, animal, tree or plant, all living entities are sons of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Lord Kṛṣṇa says in Bhagavad-gītā (14.4):

sarva-yoniṣu kaunteya

mūrtayaḥ sambhavanti yāḥ

tāsāṁ brahma mahad yonir

ahaṁ bīja-pradaḥ pitā

"It should be understood that all species of life, O son of Kuntī, are made possible by birth in this material nature, and that I am the seed-giving father." The different forms of these living entities are only their external dresses. Every living being is actually a spirit soul, a part and parcel of God. Therefore one should not favor only one kind of living being.

SB Canto 7

SB 7.15.10, Translation and Purport:

Upon seeing the person engaged in performing the sacrifice, animals meant to be sacrificed are extremely afraid, thinking, "This merciless performer of sacrifices, being ignorant of the purpose of sacrifice and being most satisfied by killing others, will surely kill us."

Animal sacrifice in the name of religion is current practically all over the world in every established religion. It is said that Lord Jesus Christ, when twelve years old, was shocked to see the Jews sacrificing birds and animals in the synagogues and that he therefore rejected the Jewish system of religion and started the religious system of Christianity, adhering to the Old Testament commandment "Thou shalt not kill." At the present day, however, not only are animals killed in the name of sacrifice, but the killing of animals has increased enormously because of the increasing number of slaughterhouses. Slaughtering animals, either for religion or for food, is most abominable and is condemned herein. Unless one is merciless, one cannot sacrifice animals, either in the name of religion or for food.

CC Adi-lila

CC Adi 17.154, Translation and Purport:

"Since the bull and cow are your father and mother, how can you kill and eat them? What kind of religious principle is this? On what strength are you so daring that you commit such sinful activities?"

Everyone can understand that we drink the milk of cows and take the help of bulls in producing agricultural products. Therefore, since our real father gives us food grains and our mother gives us milk with which to live, the cow and bull are considered our father and mother. According to Vedic civilization, there are seven mothers, of which the cow is one. Therefore Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu challenged the Muslim Kazi, "What kind of religious principle do you follow by killing your father and mother to eat them?" In any civilized human society, no one would dare kill his father and mother for the purpose of eating them. Therefore Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu challenged the system of Muslim religion as patricide and matricide. In the Christian religion also, a principal commandment is "Thou shalt not kill." Nevertheless, Christians violate this rule; they are very expert in killing and in opening slaughterhouses. In our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, our first provision is that no one should be allowed to eat any kind of flesh. It does not matter whether it is cows' flesh or goats' flesh, but we especially stress the prohibition against cows' flesh because according to śāstra the cow is our mother. Thus the Muslims' cow-killing was challenged by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

CC Madhya-lila

CC Madhya 24.251, Translation and Purport:

“Nārada Muni continued, "All the animals that you have killed and given unnecessary pain will kill you one after the other in your next life and in life after life."

This is another authoritative statement made by the great sage Nārada. Those who kill animals and give them unnecessary pain—as people do in slaughterhouses—will be killed in a similar way in the next life and in many lives to come. One can never be excused from such an offense. If one kills many thousands of animals in a professional way so that other people can purchase the meat to eat, one must be ready to be killed in a similar way in his next life and in life after life. There are many rascals who violate their own religious principles. According to Judeo-Christian scriptures, it is clearly said, "Thou shalt not kill." Nonetheless, giving all kinds of excuses, even the heads of religions indulge in killing animals while trying to pass as saintly persons. This mockery and hypocrisy in human society bring about unlimited calamities; therefore occasionally there are great wars. Masses of such people go out onto battlefields and kill themselves. Presently they have discovered the atomic bomb, which is simply waiting to be used for wholesale destruction. If people want to be saved from the killing business life after life, they must take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness and cease sinful activity. The International Society for Krishna Consciousness recommends that everyone abandon meat-eating, illicit sex, intoxication and gambling. When one gives up these sinful activities, he can understand Kṛṣṇa and take to this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. We therefore request everyone to abandon sinful activity and chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. In this way people can save themselves from repeated birth and death and from being killed like the animals in slaughterhouses.

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Lecture on BG 2.6 -- London, August 6, 1973:

In the Vedic culture, those who are meat-eaters, they have been advised that "Don't eat meat purchased from the slaughterhouse or from the market." Actually, this system was never current anywhere, all over the world, that to maintain slaughterhouse. This is latest invention. We talk with sometimes with Christian gentlemen, and when we inquire that "Lord Christ says 'Thou shalt not kill'; why you are killing?" they give evidence that "Christ also ate meat sometimes." Sometimes Christ ate meat, that's all right, but did Christ say that "You maintain big, big slaughterhouse and go on eating meat?" There is no common sense even. Christ might have eaten. Sometimes he... If there was no, nothing available for eating, what could you do? That is another question. In great necessity, when there is no other food except taking meat...

Lecture on BG 4.6-8 -- New York, July 20, 1966:

Just like Lord Buddha. When did he appear? He appeared... He appeared in India. The condition of his appearance, perhaps you know. I shall still explain. When India was too much busy in animal slaughter. Of course, the Hindus, they, there are Vedic principles, animal slaughtering. They are... Just like in Muhammadans also, they have got some principle for animal slaughtering. You know, those who have read Koran, the Muhammadan religion allows animal slaughtering once in a year. It is called koravāni. And they can slaughter animals in the mosque. Similarly, in the Vedic religion also, the animals are allowed to be slaughtered in some sacrifice. But no religion, either Muhammadan or Hindu... I do not (know) in detail of your Christian religion, but they do not allow animal slaughter in the slaughter house. There are some particular rules and regulations. Anyway, that is a religious details.

Lecture on BG 13.22-24 -- Melbourne, June 25, 1974:

Those who are lower grade living entities, there... This is the struggle. One living entity is the food for another living entity. That is lower grade life. In the higher grade life, no, they cannot kill anyone for eating purposes. Therefore in the Bible the First Commandment is "Thou shalt not kill." But all these Christians, they are violating the First Commandment. That is their business. Simply engaged in killing, big, big slaughterhouse.

And they give the example that "Others are eating vegetable, that is also killing." Yes, that is also killing. But that I have already explained, that because one living entity is foodstuff for another living entity, that does not mean you shall eat your family members or any human being. No, there must be discrimination. But so far we are concerned, we are not killing anybody for eating purposes. We are eating kṛṣṇa-prasāda, foodstuff which is offered to Kṛṣṇa and then we eat. The remnants of foodstuff we eat.

Lecture on BG 18.67-69 -- Ahmedabad, December 9, 1972:

Just like in this old age, we are traveling all over the world to do benefit to the people because we are hankering that people should become Kṛṣṇa conscious. Don't you think that we are serving the people everywhere? We are not sitting idle. So anyone who will be really Kṛṣṇa conscious, he'll not be idle. He'll serve the whole human society, everywhere. Not only human society, the animal society, everyone. A Kṛṣṇa conscious person will not allow an ant to be killed. But the so-called humanitarians, they're sending ten thousand cows daily to the slaughterhouse. What is the benefit? They do not know what is beneficial work, what is humanitarian work. But a Kṛṣṇa conscious person will think, "Oh, why these animals should be sent to the slaughterhouse?" That is the difference. You be Kṛṣṇa conscious. Then everything will be automatically done. That is wanted.

Lecture on BG 18.67-69 -- Ahmedabad, December 9, 1972:

Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-yoniṣu kaunteya sambhavanti mūrtayo yāḥ (BG 14.4). If you are Kṛṣṇa conscious, then you'll see that "Every living entity, not only human society, but the animal society, the bird society, tree society, the aquatic society—all living entities, they're all sons of Kṛṣṇa. Why shall I kill a fish or a cow, or a goat? He's also son of Kṛṣṇa." This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. And you are doing humanitarian work and sending so many animals, thousands of animals, to the slaughterhouse. What is this? What these poor animals have done? Because you are not Kṛṣṇa consciousness, you are discriminating in this way, that the human society should be given protection, the animal society should be slaughtered. Is that very good? Is that good consciousness? Just like the Christian people say that the animals have no soul—because they want to eat meat. Christ says, "Thou shalt not kill." They interpret in a different way. So you can make your own mental concoction, but if you require to be right person, you have to take direction from the authorities. That is required.