THEY SHALL NOT HURT OR DESTROY - ANIMAL RIGHTS AND VEGETARIANISM IN THE WESTERN RELIGIOUS TRADITIONS
By Vasu Murti (Publisher: Vegetarian Advocate Press, Cleveland, Ohio)
Review by Claudette Vaughan

[click here to read the Vasa Murti interview]

There are some people who can write about religion but just can’t seem to make it come alive for the reader. Not so with Vasu Murti’s book, “They Shall Not Hurt or Destroy Animal Rights and Vegetarianism in the Western Religious Traditions”.

This book is a variable treasure house of biblical knowledge, commentary and scholarship on the subject of what the author calls “one of the best kept secrets of Judaism and Christianity is that both religions have rich traditions favoring vegetarianism.” In the hands of Mr Murti dense and difficult chapters come alive and every chapter is immensely interesting and perceptive.

Without being creative or fanciful about the Christian religion, animal rights and vegetarianism, the author has made a clear case for people considering the teachings of Christianity and the status of animals. It forces us to ponder the question: What are these Holy books and Scripture truly saying on the nature of divinity, humans and the non-human kingdom, the animals? Where does respect, forgiveness, thoughtfulness and understanding of the right relationship between species lie?

Vegetarianism, veganism and fasting is commonplace with the ancient mysteries, but with Christianity and Judaism? Yes, it’s all here. In Chapter Five there’s a wonderful rendition of St Francis of Asissi’s love for animals. A host of other personages known to us since childhood such as St Bridget, St Bonaventure, St Anthony of Padua, St Filippo Neri, St Thomas More etc in Vasu Murti’s hands their life stories regarding animals become important and truthful archetypal footprints for us to follow.

A point not very often considered when dealing with the subject of Christianity and the animals is the indwelling presence, the invisible presence. Humanity is said to be the bridging kingdom between the animal kingdom and the higher spiritual kingdom and God (that is not to say that animals are devoid of contact with God and higher worlds unless they go via human contact).

The true role of the human is to give love to the animal kingdom – rather than create imbalances in them through negativity, slaughter, death and unkindness. In their love and caring of nature and the animals, a large number of people do this today through the eco-environmental and animal rights movement, it has been said. In fact if it weren’t for the modern day animal rights movement, many religious people and others wouldn’t be as educated as they are now on the topic, but the point is this is achieved by the indwelling presence of love ushered from out of animal activists in wanting the lift up the suffering and plight of their brothers and sisters, the animals.

There is much food for thought in Vasu Murti’s book. He has an extensive Judeo-Christian knowledge and at the back of the book is a marvelous chapter on Islam, the Holy Qu’ran and the life of Mohammad and his preference for vegetarian foods.

Anyone who reads this book will be left with a sense of awe. Mr Murti has presented us with a wealth of ideas and ancient instruction which is valuable, instructive and stimulating.

They Shall Not Hurt Or Destroy is an extremely relevant book. It takes full account of a species – the human species – beginning to see the fatal results of treating animals as slaves and how animal rights people practice the spirit of ahimsa in what they eat and how they address the public. Let’s remember that the Animal Rights Movement already has a rich history of civil disobedience and non-violent direct action, a plant based diet being the ultimate non-violent direct action that everybody can participate in and one which the author concludes and encourages.

Thank you for writing this intellectually stimulating religious reference work. The reverence for life principle both in religion and the No-Kill principle trying to find a foot-hold in the No Kill Revolution lead by the American Nathan Winograd cannot be relegated to the dustbin of archaic irrelevancy and now we can add the name of Murti’s as further work on the subject will be developed from it. I’m going to make full use of it in my own work.

This book will be a blessing to all that read it.