Ancient Roots of Vegetarianism and Rejection of Animal Sacrifice
With devoted detective work and impeccable research, Keith Akers has given us a fascinating new book, Disciples: How Jewish Christianity Shaped Jesus and Shattered the Church.  In it we find that the roots of compassion, nonviolence, vegetarianism, rejection of animal sacrifice, and simple living run very deep and have been alive for thousands of years.  These are our roots, and those values have come alive in us.  This gives me great hope that they can come alive in everyone.
 
Gratitude for Early Animal Rights Activists
Keith explains how Pythagoras and his followers, beginning in the 6th century BCE, lived by and taught those values. Somehow, these sacred teachings were faithfully carried forward until, centuries later, a Jewish group adopted them. They disagreed openly with rabbinic Judaism, especially about eating and sacrificing animals.  Jesus was born into that group of people whom we could almost call animal rights activists.  Jesus became a great leader of that movement and may very well have been killed because of his famous demonstration against animal sacrifice in the Temple.
 
Giving Thanks for the Unbroken Cord of Compassion
This week, let us give thanks for Jesus and the many teachers who have kept this deep, abiding, unbroken cord of kindness and compassion alive.  We give thanks that our hearts have been broken open to the truth that all life is sacred and that we are connected, spirit to spirit with all beings.  We give thanks for the strength, the vision, and the love that stirs in us always to liberate animals from human oppression and to liberate all human beings from the suffocating mindset of domination.    
 

With Love, peace, and gratitude from Judy, and Will, Madeleine, and the Circle of Compassion team.

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