"Not that I think the pro-life position is all religious quackery."
I do think so, for one simple reason: the position has no resemblance to any Schweitzerian reverence for life. It does not extend to animals. It's only about the sanctity of *human* life, and if that isn't a religious view then the only other po…
"Not that I think the pro-life position is all religious quackery."
I do think so, for one simple reason: the position has no resemblance to any Schweitzerian reverence for life. It does not extend to animals. It's only about the sanctity of *human* life, and if that isn't a religious view then the only other possible explanation is an execrable bigotry.
When I was ten we visited the Smithsonian. In one exhibit there were a few dozen taxidermied animals, shrunken and sad with age. A few of them were labeled "Extinct." It was one of the most disturbing moments of my life; about 20 minutes later I vomited, the only time in my life I have reacted that way. All my political views began with that exhibit.
I am more misanthropic than the elder Franz Liszt. I love animals; when I die all my money will go to the Loro Parque Fundación in Spain to help keep some parrots from extinction. I donate to anti-animal-cruelty causes and shelters for abandoned pets.
I despise how our species is wiping out all the others because everyone wants babies. The global animal population has fallen over 50% since 1970.
This is why I am pro-abortion more than pro-choice. I'd prefer a global population substantially lower than when I was born.
"the only other possible explanation is an execrable bigotry"
Well, then I guess I'm an execrable bigot. I believe human life (at least 1 to 1) is more valuable than other forms of life on Earth. If I had to choose between saving an individual human being and an individual animal I would, in 100% of cases, choose the human. This isn't a religious conviction, simply, at least to me, a logical one.
I'm a pescatarian because I don't personally want to eat animals (though I don't see it as an absolute moral evil). I'm resolutely against all forms of animal cruelty (I don't even approve of horse-riding). I don't visit zoos because I find them grotesque. But I'd object to each of those scenarios a hundred times more if a human being were the subject.
I'm sure that some of the people who would agree with me would agree for religions reasons. But if you think the "only" other explanation for somebody valuing human life above animal life is religion, then I'm living proof that that's not true.
I didn’t say that the life of a ladybug is equal to a human life. But I have never heard from a prolifer who wasn’t completely indifferent to the extinction of wildlife. So all the parrots, giraffes, great apes and whales die out. So what? We should put people first.
This makes me very misanthropic.
If I could trade the return of one of my dead cats or parrots for one of the Capitol rioters, I’d revive every pet I ever had.
Certainly, the world's extreme population is a problem. Famine, pestilence and war have failed to hold population in check. After the birth of our second child, I dutifully got a vasectomy. The problem you mention, and global warming can probably only be fixed with the death of at least four billion people, maybe more. It's not in me to propose that gruesome solution. I was a hunter and a volunteer to go to war. Now I have a pidgin shitting all over my front porch and I won't knock the nest off because she is sitting on an egg or tiny chick that I don't want to kill. How's that for contradiction?
LOL! I'm a vet as well. And my husband and I rescue spiders from our house. A glass and piece of cardboard and a quick toss outside wishing them luck. One time we did this and a lizard that I hadn't noticed made a quick meal of the poor guy. Good for the lizard.
But we don't grant the same clemency to ants, earwigs, or silverfish or mice. Where do you draw the line, you know? We each decide.
You might be interested in a documentary called The Biggest Little Farm. It is an experimental farm in Ventury County where they restored several hundred acres by leveraging biodiversity and making peace with the everything eats everything ethos. It's a fascinating watch and very educational.
We have also rescued bats. Those were the worst because they were so terrified. One got caught in our bathtub with glass doors and with radar bouncing everywhere he/she just panicked. Another one found it's way into the bedroom and it took us 30 minutes with a cardboard box and broom to snare it without hurting it and shoo it outside. We have since stopped the holes from the attic through which they were finding their way in. The best defense against house critters is not letting them get in in the first place (if possible - nothing is 100%).
Right after we moved up here (mountainous woods), a mother mouse found her way into my interior fan housing and made a nest because I only drive my car every 2 weeks. We live remotely and trips to town are planned. I didn't realize this and turned on the fan, killing all of the pups. It just gutted me and I quickly located and sealed the holes in the frame that allowed access. I am not super squeamish about death - particularly if it is useful in the sense that it feeds another life form. But senseless death takes me out. Not a fan of trophy hunting, for instance. But feeding your family? That's different.
We do trap mice to keep them from eating stuff inside our vehicle engines (they will chew through plastic and wires, for instance) because we don't have a garage yet. But we put them out for the foxes and bobcats. They are always gone the next morning. So, they don't go to waste and serve to further another life.
The death of four billion people (more like six, and coupled with a world war level effort at carbon sequestration and move away from fossil fuels) need not be a mass murder. I'm not calling for mass murder, nor for withholding medical care for those who will die without it.
It begins with recognition, however unpopular, that we need to have a lot, lot, lot fewer children. For most people this would make life suicidally meaningless; their children are the only important thing in their lives.
Sorry but I think the survival of life on earth is more important than that.
People are starting to die from heatstroke. Crops are beginning to fail. And the wrong people are choosing to go childless.
Top posting for a reason.
"Not that I think the pro-life position is all religious quackery."
I do think so, for one simple reason: the position has no resemblance to any Schweitzerian reverence for life. It does not extend to animals. It's only about the sanctity of *human* life, and if that isn't a religious view then the only other possible explanation is an execrable bigotry.
When I was ten we visited the Smithsonian. In one exhibit there were a few dozen taxidermied animals, shrunken and sad with age. A few of them were labeled "Extinct." It was one of the most disturbing moments of my life; about 20 minutes later I vomited, the only time in my life I have reacted that way. All my political views began with that exhibit.
I am more misanthropic than the elder Franz Liszt. I love animals; when I die all my money will go to the Loro Parque Fundación in Spain to help keep some parrots from extinction. I donate to anti-animal-cruelty causes and shelters for abandoned pets.
I despise how our species is wiping out all the others because everyone wants babies. The global animal population has fallen over 50% since 1970.
This is why I am pro-abortion more than pro-choice. I'd prefer a global population substantially lower than when I was born.
"the only other possible explanation is an execrable bigotry"
Well, then I guess I'm an execrable bigot. I believe human life (at least 1 to 1) is more valuable than other forms of life on Earth. If I had to choose between saving an individual human being and an individual animal I would, in 100% of cases, choose the human. This isn't a religious conviction, simply, at least to me, a logical one.
I'm a pescatarian because I don't personally want to eat animals (though I don't see it as an absolute moral evil). I'm resolutely against all forms of animal cruelty (I don't even approve of horse-riding). I don't visit zoos because I find them grotesque. But I'd object to each of those scenarios a hundred times more if a human being were the subject.
I'm sure that some of the people who would agree with me would agree for religions reasons. But if you think the "only" other explanation for somebody valuing human life above animal life is religion, then I'm living proof that that's not true.
I didn’t say that the life of a ladybug is equal to a human life. But I have never heard from a prolifer who wasn’t completely indifferent to the extinction of wildlife. So all the parrots, giraffes, great apes and whales die out. So what? We should put people first.
This makes me very misanthropic.
If I could trade the return of one of my dead cats or parrots for one of the Capitol rioters, I’d revive every pet I ever had.
Morality is on a continuum.
Certainly, the world's extreme population is a problem. Famine, pestilence and war have failed to hold population in check. After the birth of our second child, I dutifully got a vasectomy. The problem you mention, and global warming can probably only be fixed with the death of at least four billion people, maybe more. It's not in me to propose that gruesome solution. I was a hunter and a volunteer to go to war. Now I have a pidgin shitting all over my front porch and I won't knock the nest off because she is sitting on an egg or tiny chick that I don't want to kill. How's that for contradiction?
LOL! I'm a vet as well. And my husband and I rescue spiders from our house. A glass and piece of cardboard and a quick toss outside wishing them luck. One time we did this and a lizard that I hadn't noticed made a quick meal of the poor guy. Good for the lizard.
But we don't grant the same clemency to ants, earwigs, or silverfish or mice. Where do you draw the line, you know? We each decide.
You might be interested in a documentary called The Biggest Little Farm. It is an experimental farm in Ventury County where they restored several hundred acres by leveraging biodiversity and making peace with the everything eats everything ethos. It's a fascinating watch and very educational.
I found a venomous snake in the house a few days ago. I put him outside too.
I read Albert Schweitzer a long time ago, and I remain a believer.
Also, I almost forgot. We rescued a baby rattler once through relocation to a non-house-adjacent part of our property.
We have also rescued bats. Those were the worst because they were so terrified. One got caught in our bathtub with glass doors and with radar bouncing everywhere he/she just panicked. Another one found it's way into the bedroom and it took us 30 minutes with a cardboard box and broom to snare it without hurting it and shoo it outside. We have since stopped the holes from the attic through which they were finding their way in. The best defense against house critters is not letting them get in in the first place (if possible - nothing is 100%).
Right after we moved up here (mountainous woods), a mother mouse found her way into my interior fan housing and made a nest because I only drive my car every 2 weeks. We live remotely and trips to town are planned. I didn't realize this and turned on the fan, killing all of the pups. It just gutted me and I quickly located and sealed the holes in the frame that allowed access. I am not super squeamish about death - particularly if it is useful in the sense that it feeds another life form. But senseless death takes me out. Not a fan of trophy hunting, for instance. But feeding your family? That's different.
We do trap mice to keep them from eating stuff inside our vehicle engines (they will chew through plastic and wires, for instance) because we don't have a garage yet. But we put them out for the foxes and bobcats. They are always gone the next morning. So, they don't go to waste and serve to further another life.
The death of four billion people (more like six, and coupled with a world war level effort at carbon sequestration and move away from fossil fuels) need not be a mass murder. I'm not calling for mass murder, nor for withholding medical care for those who will die without it.
It begins with recognition, however unpopular, that we need to have a lot, lot, lot fewer children. For most people this would make life suicidally meaningless; their children are the only important thing in their lives.
Sorry but I think the survival of life on earth is more important than that.
People are starting to die from heatstroke. Crops are beginning to fail. And the wrong people are choosing to go childless.
Love your honesty here. Good stuff.