nationwide movement aims to ban controversial conditions

[Ferrret]

It is sad to see the small percentage of people as farmers, but there is the modernization of farming to take into account as well. Modern machinery makes it so that very few people have to actually work and live on farms in the US. There is also a decline in people taking an interest in farming. They would rather try to make money elsewhere, because more money means more happiness

.
Yeah a few hundred thousand dollars in my savings would be nice and I would be quite the happy camper, but I would also try and pursue my dreams and try to be altruistic and help causes without expecting some major benefit.

My grandparents still own their 200+ acre farm although they no longer raise any sort of livestock. The still grow rye, hay, straw, corn, potatoes and other veggies and sell them locally to other farmers who need to feed their families and livestock. I live in a mostly rural area so there are quite a few family farms and a lot of farmer mentality.
I like being able to support myself and get what I need with my own two hands, so farming has a big appeal to me, but there are problems that come with that idea. First is cost: buying farm land, animals, feeding/sheltering/raising animals, keeping a roof over my own head and the whole shebang. The other issues that arise are my inability to lift anything over 25lbs without struggling, and the fact that I have never killed anything bigger than a grasshopper.
I don't have the money to own or run a farm and I may never have that money so I can't just run off a buy a cow. Keeping chickens is probably the closest I will get do doing my own farming. A lot of people fall into my situation of wanting to have a farm and liking the idea of being somewhat self sustaining. Many also realize that they just can't do it, so they give up and let it go.

It also doesn't help that farm land is bought up for bigger corporate farms and industrial/residential expansion. Farmers can get a better deal for their land sometimes if they sell it and look for work elsewhere. People that can't stand to have a little dirt on their hands don't think about how their new shopping mall or airport has an affect on things. We as a nation are so much more focused on making the most money with the least effort I have to wonder what will happen when no one wants to actually work in this country anymore.

Sad things come to mind.

 

[Tailfeathers]

Quote:
Uh hem, excuse me but Scripture is most certainly relevant to any discussion and especially when it comes to "laws" because the plain fact of the matter is that most "laws" in most countries came out of those laws listed in Deuteronomy. More to the point however is the simple fact that everyone has a belief system. Everyone believes in some god or no god. One must accept that fact and one must accept the fact that it is simply impossible to have any kind of a discussion about anything and not bring your belief system into the discussion in some way. Even SilverPhoenix acknowledges that as an atheist he or she has "a different moral structure than most people in our society." Therefore it is only a natural consequence that whatever "laws" are created, they will stem from the belief system or "moral structure" from which that person adheres to.

As for the "separation of church and state" comment, that is simply another example of a lie that has been told long enough, loud enough, and often enough that many people have come to believe in something that is not actually the truth. A simple History lesson in the actual letters that Jefferson and our other Founding Fathers wrote will lead one to what that term actually means. I highly recommend a couple of David Barton's books - "Original Intent" being one of them. That book and others can be found at www.wallbuilders.com .

Which brings me full circle back to my original post and that was to encourage folks to look beneath the surface of these efforts to enact new laws or to get others to jump on some bandwagon. Some of these things may on the surface even appear to initially be a very good thing. It is only when one probes beneath the surface that the true agendas are often revealed.

God Bless,

 

[redux]

Quote:
Uh hem, excuse me but Scripture is most certainly relevant to any discussion and especially when it comes to "laws" because the plain fact of the matter is that most "laws" in most countries came out of those laws listed in Deuteronomy. More to the point however is the simple fact that everyone has a belief system. Everyone believes in some god or no god. One must accept that fact and one must accept the fact that it is simply impossible to have any kind of a discussion about anything and not bring your belief system into the discussion in some way. Even SilverPhoenix acknowledges that as an atheist he or she has "a different moral structure than most people in our society." Therefore it is only a natural consequence that whatever "laws" are created, they will stem from the belief system or "moral structure" from which that person adheres to.

As for the "separation of church and state" comment, that is simply another example of a lie that has been told long enough, loud enough, and often enough that many people have come to believe in something that is not actually the truth. A simple History lesson in the actual letters that Jefferson and our other Founding Fathers wrote will lead one to what that term actually means. I highly recommend a couple of David Barton's books - "Original Intent" being one of them. That book and others can be found at www.wallbuilders.com .

Which brings me full circle back to my original post and that was to encourage folks to look beneath the surface of these efforts to enact new laws or to get others to jump on some bandwagon. Some of these things may on the surface even appear to initially be a very good thing. It is only when one probes beneath the surface that the true agendas are often revealed.

God Bless,

Are you saying that we don't have freedom of religion in the United States, and that we must all live by your scriptures? I don't think so.

Scripture is for Christians; not Americans. There is a difference, believe it or not.

 

[Ferrret]

This thread isn't about scripture or religion, it is about how factory farms are treating animals and the treatment of animals in general. Please don't start an argument over an off topic subject as many people are using this thread to discuss the matter at hand and would rather not have it closed.

 

[redux]

Quote:
Ok sorry. I just got annoyed at people using scripture as a justification to torture innocent animals.

 

[SilverPhoenix]

Quote:
Uh hem, excuse me but Scripture is most certainly relevant to any discussion and especially when it comes to "laws" because the plain fact of the matter is that most "laws" in most countries came out of those laws listed in Deuteronomy. More to the point however is the simple fact that everyone has a belief system. Everyone believes in some god or no god. One must accept that fact and one must accept the fact that it is simply impossible to have any kind of a discussion about anything and not bring your belief system into the discussion in some way. Even SilverPhoenix acknowledges that as an atheist he or she has "a different moral structure than most people in our society." Therefore it is only a natural consequence that whatever "laws" are created, they will stem from the belief system or "moral structure" from which that person adheres to.

As for the "separation of church and state" comment, that is simply another example of a lie that has been told long enough, loud enough, and often enough that many people have come to believe in something that is not actually the truth. A simple History lesson in the actual letters that Jefferson and our other Founding Fathers wrote will lead one to what that term actually means. I highly recommend a couple of David Barton's books - "Original Intent" being one of them. That book and others can be found at www.wallbuilders.com .

Which brings me full circle back to my original post and that was to encourage folks to look beneath the surface of these efforts to enact new laws or to get others to jump on some bandwagon. Some of these things may on the surface even appear to initially be a very good thing. It is only when one probes beneath the surface that the true agendas are often revealed.

God Bless,

Are you saying that we don't have freedom of religion in the United States, and that we must all live by your scriptures? I don't think so.

Scripture is for Christians; not Americans. There is a difference, believe it or not.

I know if I was forced to live by scripture, I'd be outta here and off to some other country in a flash! I already think there's far, far too much influence of religion in our government.

That's a topic for another day, though, I suppose. EH-HEM, back on topic!

I think most people don't think about what goes on in slaughterhouses and factory farms. Not in any sort of depth, anyway. The reality of all of it is carefully concealed from the public because it's too "icky", and if people had to witness the cruelty under which their meat is raised and killed, they would have trouble eating their meat. This is one of the reasons it's so difficult to change the structure of the factory farming industry. People look away when faced with the immorality of the way their meat is treated when it's alive, and it's easier to just avoid it all together and pretend the meat comes from some happy, beautiful creatures in big pastures. I've had so many people tell me that their meat, bought from the grocery store, was "definitely raised under humane conditions." Why? Because the sticker says it was! One of my favorite documentaries of all time is called Earthlings (the entire film is free on Google Videos if you look it up), and it saddens me when I try to get meat eaters--who admit they have moral problems with where their meat comes from--to watch it, and they refuse. Looking away doesn't change the reality of what is happening.

Note, I am not talking about you local farmers who raise your own meat.

 

[redhen]

Religion has nothing to do with this.... State and church ARE 2 seperate things last time i checked! Thank God!!! (hee hee hee)
THANKFULLY our govt cant dictate our religion too! The horror we would all face! *shivers*

 

[Katy]

Quote:
I'm very well aware with all the reasons there are such a small number of farmers left.

 

[jojo@rolling acres farm]

Tailfeathers is right. Be very careful what you wish for. Soon they'll be able to regulate us right out keeping any poultry or livestock at all.

 

[redux]

jojo@rolling acres farm :

Tailfeathers is right. Be very careful what you wish for. Soon they'll be able to regulate us right out keeping any poultry or livestock at all.

I just think the most powerful thing we can do is vote with our pocketbooks. Factory farming is the result of people demanding cheap food. If people demand ethically raised food and are willing to pay for it, it will happen.​