The Sikh method of killing an animal (not really a ritual more of a method) is called Chatka, (literally meaning ‘shock’).

The method of Chatka means that the animal must be killed by the result of one blow or shock that minimizes the pain to an animal. Traditionally (depending on the size of the animal) a sword is used to decapitate the head from the animal, however 21st Century tools to do Chatka, (i.e. stunning) are very much welcomed by Sikhs.

What startles me is that European animal rights groups will stoop to lying on the issue to end the Jewish practice of shkitah, and they are often aligned with anti-semitic groups as well. Some years ago, the Netherlands proposed legislation that would have outlawed kosher slaughter. I called their U.S. Embassy and spoke with the agricultural attache who explained to me that some meat inspectors had noticed that “it had taken the rabbis as many as three strokes of their knives to kill the animal.” I explained to him that if it took more than one back and forth motion, the animal was definitely non-kosher and would be unusable. Therefore, the testimony was false and the witness may have had some other motive for lying. I put the Embassy in touch with the Orthdox Union — the world’s largest kashrut supervising organization — and communication about what kosher slaughter actually entailed killed the proposal.

What lies are being told in England? I can only imagine.

What is next, that we can’t shoot deer because they feel pain? What do we do when they’ve eaten the entire ecosystem and then starve. Starving is painful, much more painful than bleeding out from a gunshot wound. Should we outlaw driving, as cars kill more deer than hunters in many parts of the country. Or do wild animals not get the same protection as domesticated animals? Would seem to me, that wild animals should get more than animals bred solely for human consumption.

Right now in the U.S., there are certain animals you are not allowed to butcher at home (like cows). Don’t think this has anything to do with humane butchering. This no doubt is a rule to take home grown beef out of the supply chain. If you are worried about CWD and want to grow your own beef, tough luck. Your animal goes to the plant with all the sick cows and is killed on the same equipment.

No doubt this entire controversy was funded by big Ag interests to raise costs/eliminate small kosher butcher operations.

Two recent stories illustrate the conflicts between religions traditions and cultural norms.

http://www.telecomtally.com/blog/2009/08/goat_sacrifice_and_forced_circumcision.html

I found these when I was looking for the Santeria case and this made me squirm.

Well Sunday dinner is a religious experience here, so come on over to Texas or Florida and do your thing here or there:

In Texas, the City of Euless banned … sacrificing a goat back in 2006, saying it jeopardized public health and violated animal cruelty ordinances.

Of course, he sued saying his religious freedoms were violated, but a U.S. District Court disagreed with his claims and so Merced was not allowed to resume his goat sacrifices.

But then the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals overturned this ruling (without hearing the case) and now Merced can continue sacrificing goats in Euless for religious purposes.

In 1993, a high court in Florida said, “no religion or religious practice may be ‘singled out for discriminatory treatment ‘ even if its activities are viewed as “abhorrent” by most. I don’t agree. I think if they are “abhorrent” than we’ve got a problem.

Link: http://blogs.mysanantonio.com/weblogs/animals/2009/09/say-what-animal.html