Last week, we have been sailing on the Dutch IJsselmeer and the Wadden Sea. We enjoyed the panoramic views with beautiful cloud formations. Birds could be seen everywhere, looking for fish or busy keeping an eye on their children. The moon rose full and bright orange when we anchored at the Lorenz locks. The weather …
To be human
Not much has happened on this blog recently, because I have been tired a lot. Last week it turned out that I have a vitamin B12 deficiency, which may explain the tiredness. I had this deficiency before and have been taking vitamin B12 supplements since then, but apparently I didn’t take enough. My energy levels …
Farm animals in the Global Goals
The Global Goals were launched in September last year. These successors of the Millennium Development Goals try to give a complete picture of how we can improve our world. The goals are based on extensive consultation of stakeholders. The most important outcome is the realization that poverty reduction and a sustainable society are two sides …
Christians and animals
Anyone who takes up the task of explaining the ethics behind veganism, draws their main arguments from the book Animal Liberation by Peter Singer. Time to read this classic from 1975 for myself. Singer is a utilitarian, which means his ultimate goal is to minimize the amount of suffering in the world. Other moral signposts, …
The wolf and the lamb
I was introduced to the principle of non-violence by the books of Gandhi and Tolstoy. These authors made it clear that living non-violently meant that they did not eat meat. After I had been vegetarian for a few years, I began to feel like a hypocrite because I still ate the products of the animals …
Precious life
There are many reasons to not eat meat, all of which are valid in themselves: The impact on the environment, a fair distribution of food, your own health… But today I want to look at the moral principle: Is it bad to kill and eat an animal? This will inevitably bring up some elements from …