French Actress Condemns World’s Largest Animal Sacrifice

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by Michael dEstries November 23, 2009
Categories: Animals
Tags: .
Photo: AnimalWelfareNepal

animals

With the above headline, it’s hard to believe we’re entering the year 2010, right?

For all the world’s modern advancements and enlightenment, it’s shocking to come to grips with the fact that more than 300,000 animals will be sacrificed in Nepal starting tomorrow. The religious ceremony, which happens once every five years, will involve the slaughter of more than 15,000 buffaloes and 300,000 birds, goats and sheep. Supposedly, it’s all done to earn favor with Gadhimai, the Hindu goddess of power. From the AFP,

Nepal’s government has refused to put a stop to what it says is a centuries-old religious tradition, and has pledged 4.5 million rupees (60,000 dollars) in funding. “People have deep faith in the goddess and they believe that sacrificing animals will bring them good luck and prosperity for their families,” said Tharu. “I don’t think the mood will be spoiled by the animal rights campaigners. They have the right to raise their concerns and we have the right to continue with our age-old tradition.”

Joining animal rights organizations in protest of the sacrifice is French actress Brigitte Bardot. She wrote Nepal’s President earlier this month urging him to put a stop to the festival. “Thousands of terrified buffaloes will have their heads cut off by drunken devotees,” she wrote. “Honorable president, I have dedicated my life to protect animals and the best gift I could receive for this lifelong struggle would be the announcement of the stopping of ritual sacrifice.”

Pretty sick, right? I was going to post photos of the event, but they were just too much. Click here to check out the main protest page.

About Michael dEstries

Michael has been blogging since 2005 on issues such as sustainability, renewable energy, philanthropy, and healthy living. He regularly contributes to a slew of publications, as well as consulting with companies looking to make an impact using the web and social media. He lives in Ithaca, NY with his family on an apple farm.

View all posts by Michael dEstries →
  • http://projectcamelot.org/ Whoever…

    One more proof, among numerous others, that (most) humans are nothing but a bunch of barbaric zombified savages!

    This also proves once more what a load of crap ALL religions and faiths are.

    Religions, since the beginning of time, have been nothing but the root of disagreement, conflicts and also, in some cases, wars.

    Until ALL religious leaders as well as most politicians and bankers have been terminated (yes you read it well), there will never be a real (spiritual, ethical, economic, etc.) (r)evolution on the planet.

    It’s because of news like this that I have no respect for human life anymore.

    Trash me if you like… I don’t give a damn f*** anymore…

    This planet is in need of a serious ‘cleansing’!

    • http://www.veganjapan.net herwin

      fyi some religions including cristian groups promote a vegetarian and animal friendly lifestyle.
      Budda was a vegetarian.
      and you really think that the average atheist is more animal frienldy than the average believer ?
      i don’t think so, people who dont believe can be just as crappy if not crappier as religious people.

    • tim

      How about the 46 Million Turkeys slaughtered for ThanksGiving and the mass slaughter of cattle and chickens slaughtered for burger joints????
      That number is less than this festival

  • Enxu

    The meat will be eaten. The hides will be used, etc. You make it sound like it will just be a big “waste” of animals. You may not agree with eating and consuming animal products, but most traditional cultures do.

    • steph

      well i just read some eyewittnes accounts of this “festival” and it is DISGUSTING animal abuse.

      I don’t care if they are going to eat or use it. They STARVE the animals before hand, many died BEFORE the real killing started. And men moving through hundreds of animals just hacking and slashing?

      Yeah….ANIMAL ABUSE

      I’m sure if this was dogs or cats…you would be singing a different tune.

      • http://www.veganjapan.net herwin

        steph + 1

  • Enxu

    It’s not simply a religious slaughter. As with any ritual, there are practical functions as well. The meat will be eaten. The hides will be used, etc.

    You may not agree with consumption of animal products, but most cultures do.

  • http://www.veganjapan.net herwin

    the worlds largest sacrifice of factory farm raised animals starts december 24 and its called christmas. another large animal sacrifice is the ramadam of the islam.

  • http://beaelliott.blogspot.com/ Bea Elliott

    If one looks closely they can see the “rituals” and “traditions” that are American customs for our “holidays”… The rites of fall with “hunting season”, the stuffed turkey carcasses and the offering of blood as “thanks”.

    It is safe to say that no one will betray their faith if they refuse to kill/eat animals. Only a barbaric people with limited world-ness would continue in this “animal sacrifice” superstition.

  • http://RawfoodsRetreat.com erin

    I highly doubt GOD would want them sacrificing all these animals to him (or her as i like to to think of God ;)

    Once again I agree with whoever.. Organized religion has done nothing but cause wars. And these absolutely ridiculous rituals and barbaric sacrifices are just insane. Religion has NOTHING to do with a higher power. I don’t think God would like the whole idea of a church and collecting money etc…

    Remember the old saying “People are finally turning away from the church and going back to God”

    COEXIST. all together. no need to separate with ridiculous laughable religions.

    I am spiritual, not religious.

    Amen

    • http://projectcamelot.org/ Whoever…

      Exactly ;)

      I’m also a spiritual person and not, in any way, religious.
      But to me, being spiritual doesn’t mean that one has to be this ‘goody doer’ or something…. That’s why I sometimes shock people with the kind of remarks I make :)

      I believe ALL religions serve one purpose alone – to manipulate people by feeding them lies, divide them and keep them away from the ‘oneness’ (if you like), because as someone once said: “Divide to conquer!”
      This way ‘they’ can continue with their ‘agenda’.
      And why is it that the roman catholic church has its own state, the vatican? What happened to ‘sharing with the poor’?
      And wasn’t their christ who expelled the vendors from the temple? I ask: aren’t religions, in particular the catholic church, just another very profitable business?

      Oh and I agree with you (what else is new ;) ) when you write “or her as i like to to think of God”. The true ‘Divinity’, ‘Oneness’, ‘Supreme Intelligent Energy’, ‘God’ (whatever you wanna call it) has both the male and female energy.
      Why is it then that god, buddha, allah, etc., are all male figures? Hum, maybe because religions were created by persons who were in power in order to control the people – and who has been in power through all these past centuries? Unfortunately, men… :(
      Therefore, I would assume that if women were in power at the time of the ‘creation’ of religions, these same divinities (god, buddha, allah, etc.) would be female… Although I believe women wouldn’t do such a stupid, arrogant thing because I think they are more sensitive, sensible, intuitive and peaceful than men.

      *

  • rainbow warrior

    shame …. booooo ….. thumbs down for ALL religions!!!!!!

  • Pingback: The Wild Hunt » Gadhimai Mela and other Pagan News of Note

  • Walter

    Everyone sins in life.
    ALL religious do sin.
    And GOD will never be pleased with bloodshed (human or animal).

  • steph

    I just read eyewitness encounters of people that were there and it is disturbing. Men just moving through the heard hacking and slashing with swords. And many died of starvation even before the hacking started.

    THERE IS NO EXCUSE FOR ANIMAL ABUSE!!! NONE!!!!!

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/DeRosset-B-Myers/1375234820 DeRosset B Myers

    “Tradition.” There’s that word again, and once again it’s used as a lousy excuse to do something horrible. If people want to honor their deities, fine, but they should find methods that are not cruel.

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