Monkeyleg
August 1, 2003, 11:23 PM
The funniest paragraph I put in bold type:
PETA roasts church for event
Group urges pastor to cook veggies, not pig
By MIKE JOHNSON
mikejohnson@journalsentinel.com
Last Updated: July 31, 2003
Cedarburg - An international animal rights group is trying to get Trinity Lutheran Church to change its upcoming pig roast to a "cruelty-free cookout," saying offering pork sandwiches is animal abuse and an endorsement of "factory farms" that mistreat God's creatures.
"It mocks God to treat God's creatures so abusively," said Bruce G. Friedrich, director of Vegan Outreach for the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals.
But the Rev. Chuck Turbin said Thursday he has no plans to pull the plug on the Aug. 17 event - part of the church's 160th anniversary celebration - or make it a "meat free" picnic.
"It's not really a pig roast in the sense that we've got a whole pig on a spit. We've got a fellow who's going to roast pork and make sandwiches and also roast chicken. For those who don't like pork, they can have barbecue chicken," Turbin said.
In no way is the church, N60-W6047 Columbia Road, or its congregation mocking God by roasting pork and chicken, said Turbin, who is a little baffled by PETA's interest in Trinity Lutheran's cookout.
"It seems to me God gives us permission to use animals for food. Certainly, after the flood that was made quite clear," Turbin said.
PETA learned about the cookout from a Milwaukee resident who e-mailed the Norfolk, Va., organization and directed PETA staffers to the church's Web site, which has details about the anniversary celebration and picnic.
Friedrich fired off an e-mail early Thursday, urging the church to have a meatless cookout and asking that it "never again include the slaughter of animals in an event you host or sponsor."
"By hosting an event that revolves around the abuse of God's creatures, your church is lending its imprimatur to factory-farming practices that are clearly and completely at odds with Christian values," he wrote.
The letter details how "modern factory farms mutilate pigs' genitals, teeth and ears, all without painkillers" and how sows are "confined to gestation crates so small that they cannot even turn around."
Turbin said he also has received e-mails from two women who objected to the pig roast.
"I don't know how they heard about it," Turbin said, noting nothing has been published in local newspapers about the event and that the women are not church members. "I'm at a loss as to how the word got out."
Both e-mailers decried the conditions in which pigs are raised at factory farms. One talked about how shock prods are used on pigs. "Then she lays the guilt trip on me: 'Being the pastor of a church, I believe you would strive for love and compassion,' " Turbin said.
"I'm sorry there are disreputable handlers that don't treat God's creatures in respectful ways, and I appreciate the e-mails," Turbin said.
"I was taken totally by surprise. I never expected this kind of response," Turbin said of the pig roast. "My first response was to kind of chuckle to myself. We might have opened a can of worms here. We stirred up a nest here."
PETA offers veggie chili, dogs
Friedrich said he has offered to send the church free vegetarian chili and veggie dogs for its event if it agrees to cancel the pig roast.
That's an offer Turbin won't be taking up. But he says he will consult with church members planning the picnic to offer vegetarian alternatives to people who don't eat meat.
"I don't have a problem with offering an alternative," Turbin said.
Friedrich said that is not going far enough and meat should be banned from the function.
"Society is going to come to view pig roasts and church picnics that serve up dead chickens and pigs with the same sort of outrage reserved for past atrocities of witch burnings and slave auctions," Friedrich said.
"The level of abuse of these animals is such that it's a moral outrage. Christians shouldn't consider it appropriate to serve up their corpses at a church picnic," he said.
Said Turbin: "Scripture clearly gives us permission to eat the animals. . . . I'm sure Jesus sat down to a Passover meal that probably included lamb."
Friedrich said PETA might show up to protest.
"Moses smote the golden calf and Jesus overturned the tables. It would certainly be in fine Christian tradition to protest something that is immoral and happening with church support," Friedrich said. "I wouldn't rule out turning over tables."
Turbin is worried PETA might mar the church celebration, which begins at 10:30 a.m. Aug. 17 with an outdoor worship service featuring polka music followed by the picnic.
"I would hope that we don't have any picketers here. This is just a celebration to which we've invited the community," he said. "That's the spirit in which it's offered."
From the Aug. 1, 2003 editions of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
PETA roasts church for event
Group urges pastor to cook veggies, not pig
By MIKE JOHNSON
mikejohnson@journalsentinel.com
Last Updated: July 31, 2003
Cedarburg - An international animal rights group is trying to get Trinity Lutheran Church to change its upcoming pig roast to a "cruelty-free cookout," saying offering pork sandwiches is animal abuse and an endorsement of "factory farms" that mistreat God's creatures.
"It mocks God to treat God's creatures so abusively," said Bruce G. Friedrich, director of Vegan Outreach for the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals.
But the Rev. Chuck Turbin said Thursday he has no plans to pull the plug on the Aug. 17 event - part of the church's 160th anniversary celebration - or make it a "meat free" picnic.
"It's not really a pig roast in the sense that we've got a whole pig on a spit. We've got a fellow who's going to roast pork and make sandwiches and also roast chicken. For those who don't like pork, they can have barbecue chicken," Turbin said.
In no way is the church, N60-W6047 Columbia Road, or its congregation mocking God by roasting pork and chicken, said Turbin, who is a little baffled by PETA's interest in Trinity Lutheran's cookout.
"It seems to me God gives us permission to use animals for food. Certainly, after the flood that was made quite clear," Turbin said.
PETA learned about the cookout from a Milwaukee resident who e-mailed the Norfolk, Va., organization and directed PETA staffers to the church's Web site, which has details about the anniversary celebration and picnic.
Friedrich fired off an e-mail early Thursday, urging the church to have a meatless cookout and asking that it "never again include the slaughter of animals in an event you host or sponsor."
"By hosting an event that revolves around the abuse of God's creatures, your church is lending its imprimatur to factory-farming practices that are clearly and completely at odds with Christian values," he wrote.
The letter details how "modern factory farms mutilate pigs' genitals, teeth and ears, all without painkillers" and how sows are "confined to gestation crates so small that they cannot even turn around."
Turbin said he also has received e-mails from two women who objected to the pig roast.
"I don't know how they heard about it," Turbin said, noting nothing has been published in local newspapers about the event and that the women are not church members. "I'm at a loss as to how the word got out."
Both e-mailers decried the conditions in which pigs are raised at factory farms. One talked about how shock prods are used on pigs. "Then she lays the guilt trip on me: 'Being the pastor of a church, I believe you would strive for love and compassion,' " Turbin said.
"I'm sorry there are disreputable handlers that don't treat God's creatures in respectful ways, and I appreciate the e-mails," Turbin said.
"I was taken totally by surprise. I never expected this kind of response," Turbin said of the pig roast. "My first response was to kind of chuckle to myself. We might have opened a can of worms here. We stirred up a nest here."
PETA offers veggie chili, dogs
Friedrich said he has offered to send the church free vegetarian chili and veggie dogs for its event if it agrees to cancel the pig roast.
That's an offer Turbin won't be taking up. But he says he will consult with church members planning the picnic to offer vegetarian alternatives to people who don't eat meat.
"I don't have a problem with offering an alternative," Turbin said.
Friedrich said that is not going far enough and meat should be banned from the function.
"Society is going to come to view pig roasts and church picnics that serve up dead chickens and pigs with the same sort of outrage reserved for past atrocities of witch burnings and slave auctions," Friedrich said.
"The level of abuse of these animals is such that it's a moral outrage. Christians shouldn't consider it appropriate to serve up their corpses at a church picnic," he said.
Said Turbin: "Scripture clearly gives us permission to eat the animals. . . . I'm sure Jesus sat down to a Passover meal that probably included lamb."
Friedrich said PETA might show up to protest.
"Moses smote the golden calf and Jesus overturned the tables. It would certainly be in fine Christian tradition to protest something that is immoral and happening with church support," Friedrich said. "I wouldn't rule out turning over tables."
Turbin is worried PETA might mar the church celebration, which begins at 10:30 a.m. Aug. 17 with an outdoor worship service featuring polka music followed by the picnic.
"I would hope that we don't have any picketers here. This is just a celebration to which we've invited the community," he said. "That's the spirit in which it's offered."
From the Aug. 1, 2003 editions of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel