Ancient Roots of Vegetarianism and
Rejection of Animal Sacrifice
With devoted detective work and impeccable research, Keith Akers has
given us a fascinating new book,
Disciples:
How Jewish Christianity Shaped Jesus and Shattered the Church.
In it we find that the roots of compassion, nonviolence, vegetarianism,
rejection of animal sacrifice, and simple living run very deep and have
been alive for thousands of years. These are our roots, and those
values have come alive in us. This gives me great hope that they
can come alive in everyone.
Gratitude for Early Animal Rights
Activists
Keith explains how Pythagoras and his followers, beginning in the 6th
century BCE, lived by and taught those values. Somehow, these sacred
teachings were faithfully carried forward until, centuries later, a
Jewish group adopted them. They disagreed openly with rabbinic Judaism,
especially about eating and sacrificing animals. Jesus was born
into that group of people whom we could almost call animal rights
activists. Jesus became a great leader of that movement and may
very well have been killed because of his famous demonstration against
animal sacrifice in the Temple.
Giving Thanks for the Unbroken Cord of
Compassion
This week, let us give thanks for Jesus and the many teachers who have
kept this deep, abiding, unbroken cord of kindness and compassion
alive. We give thanks that our hearts have been broken open to
the truth that all life is sacred and that we are connected, spirit to
spirit with all beings. We give thanks for the strength, the
vision, and the love that stirs in us always to liberate animals from
human oppression and to liberate all human beings from the suffocating
mindset of domination.
With Love, peace, and gratitude from Judy, and Will, Madeleine, and the Circle of Compassion team.
If you haven’t already done so, please join us at the Prayer Circle for Animals facebook page.
(Your donations allow us to continue and expand this prayer ministry)