So today I want to share a story. Short, but meaningful. I swear when i heard it I went like "wow" - the "yes omg it totally makes sense" and that it sends a powerful message kind of "wow".
It left an unspeakable impact on me and I feel like I have to share it.
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There was this guy who was standing by a cliff but he accidentally slipped off; he fell off the cliff.
As he was falling he found a tree branch so he held on to it. He was petrified (obviously) because beneath him is an endless abyss and if he let go, he would fall to his death. He had nothing to do except to keep holding on to that branch, but of course, he worried that it wouldn't be able to sustain for long. There was no way anyone or anything else could come to save him, so he decided he should pray.
So he sincerely prayed for God to come and save him from his danger. (Note that he usually wasn't a great believer, so technically this time he turned to God just because he needs help)
So God really appeared in front of him.
"Oh thank heavens! God, you are here, save me! I will do whatever it is you ask!"
"I can save you, but you'll have to do one thing - one simple thing"
"What is it? I'll do anything!!"
"Let go of the branch, then I can save you."
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If you were the man, would you let go?
I think this story sends a very powerful message. Take us humans to be the man. We probably all believe in God, but we don't believe enough to totally submit ourselves and our lives to him. We fear too much, even when God is right by our side.
Like in the story, God is always right by our side, and all we have to do is to let go. Let go of the what, the branch? The branch is just like our worldly desires, emotions and humanly habits. Once we let go of all those, and take up the cross (our true selves) and follow God, we will then be able to be "saved" and return to the kingdom of God.
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On another note, I just felt like i had to share this as well - my thoughts about vegetarianism and veganism.
I believe that all creatures were created equal; we all have our own strengths and weaknesses, and yes of course it seems like humans are superior because we are so diverse and have the ability to innovate. But we are all the same - we are all created by the same God.
Did God intend us to eat the other animals that he created? Did He not love them as much? I don't think so, i think it's the humans that give this self-entitled power over all the other creatures in the world. And i don't think it's fair.
Think about it. We feel pain, right? I'm sure the animals feel pain too.
Do they willingly let you kill them so that they can end up on your dinner plates? Do they specially live so that one day they can end up as the fur on your coat or the leather on your shoes?
They struggle, they scream, they cry in the cages/doors of the commercial industry - for their lives to be spared. They have family (parents, siblings) just like we do. They love and have emotions just like we do - maybe not as complex as ours, but i'm sure they do.
Are you not convinced? So why do our pets have the ability to love us? And feel upset when we leave home for a period of time? And feel excited when we come home to them? Are they not the same as the animals from the commercial farms? Isn't it just because they simply have a better fate than those farm animals?
You may not feel the pain or the suffering they go through because you don't see it. But just because you don't see it, does not mean it isn't happening. It is real, and it's very real. It's happening every single day to feed the meat-eating population.
What makes us think we have the right to take away their lives? What makes us think we are powerful enough to play God in the animal world?
And if you think vegetarians are fighting to eat the plants that the beloved animals eat and shit along those lines, you should really go do some research. The grains that are fed to the animals in the farms can feed more mouths than the meat produced from the animals. In US, the grains and soybeans fed to the livestock can feed 1,300,000,000 people (that's more than a billion btw). 80% of the grains actually is consumed by the livestock while 20% is consumed by humans in US. Imagine the extra number of mouths you can feed instead of feeding the farm animals that will eventually be killed and eaten as well.
If you think carefully, we eat to sustain our daily activities. Is there really a need to eat animals though? As a vegetarian for more than 19years now, i can confidently tell you that vegetarian food can taste good as well. There is not a day that goes by that i have a lack of choice of what food i should eat. Vegetarian food choices are growing abundant in Singapore.
I'm not saying that everyone should become vegetarian/vegan immediately, but if you have a heart for the animals, the animals that were also lovingly created by God to share this planet, reduce the amount of meat and animal products you consume. Eat more veggies instead, it is better for your body anyway.
If you have the time, do watch the clip below. Yes, it is hard to watch. Why? Because you know you feel for them, but you just deny the feelings because you want to continue with your lives. Because you have a conscience, the conscience that you choose to ignore. Because they are "so delicious" you wouldn't think of how they got there.
Every choice you make does matter in making a difference in their lives.
Yes, you don't kill them, but they die because of you. They die so that the restaurants/food industry/whoever get to make a profit of of you.
Doesn't that make you a murderer indirectly?
For the love of God and our earth, think twice for the animals.
Love.
