EU Court upholds Belgian ban on kosher and halal slaughter

[Shaul]

The EU Court he’s upheld a Belgian law which requires an animal be stunned before being slaughtered. Such stunning violates the rules of kosher and halal slaughter.

EU court upholds Belgian ban on kosher ritual slaughter

Not mentioned in the article, such stunning of the animal is NOT more humane. The stunned animal experiences more pain that way according to Jewish experts, not less.

 

[rosends]

here is one explanation of the problem according to Chabad.

What's Wrong with Stunning?

 

[rosends]

(PDF) Comparison of the Stunning and Non-Stunning Slaughtering Methods in the Light of the Current Knowledge Journal of Veterinary and Animal Research

I don't know if this counts as a peer reviewed journal, and the information (mainly about Islamic practice) is more claim than it is statistical, this does make a point about the relative merits of various types of slaughter and is worth a read as it approaches the more scientific aspects of the discussion.

 

[dybmh]

There's this:

Physiological insights into Shechita

Unfortunately one has to pay to read the entire article. However it gives the conclusion in the abstract:

"Dr Stuart Rosen discusses physiological aspects of Shechita, the Jewish method of religious animal slaughter. He outlines the religious context and describes the act of Shechita. He discusses the scientific literature on the behavioural responses to Shechita as well as neurophysiological studies relevant to the assessment of pain, and concludes that Shechita is a painless and humane method of animal slaughter.

 

[dybmh]

One thing I noticed while reading about this is that during Shechita the cut goes through the neck without severing the spinal cord. Question: Is there a halachic prohibition for severing the spinal cord? I'm not sure, of course, but it seems like this would further reduce potential for suffering which is intended by the ritual slaughter.

 

[rosends]

I think that there is but I admit, I don't know the laws of shechita beyond the basics. It is mentioned in this article (I think) Government Regulations of Shechita (Jewish Religious Slaughter) in the Twenty-First Century: Are They Ethical? but I don't have a subscription.

 

[Messianic Israelite]

Hi Shaul. Thank you for this. This really is shocking. I don't know how I missed this in the news. Makes me glad that the United Kingdom has undergone Brexit, but I wonder how long it will be for countries such as ourselves to follow suit. It really is a horrible case when you have the EU standing against the way of life dictated to us by the scriptures, claiming that we're the ones that are inhumane, but there's nothing inhumane about kosher slaughter.

Yahweh knows what He is doing. And Yahweh is merciful. Proverbs 12:10 indicates to me that kosher kill is humane. Yahweh created all things. I don't know if this is the best example to bring up, but Abraham was willing to sacrifice his son in such a way. He didn't say let me just stun my son first, or render him unconscious and Abraham loved his son very much. Kosher slaughter is a humane way to kill and a way that ensures the most blood is removed from the body.