The Wardman Wire

Ordovicius reports that Shambo (the Temple Bull in the Skanda Vale community) is eating in the last chance cowshed:

Cardiff High Court decides this morning whether Shambo is to live or die. Welsh farmers and AMs say that the bovid should face the same fate as any other cattle if they were diagnosed with bovine TB, whereas the Hindus of Skanda Vale think that their domesticated ungulate should be treated if he becomes ill rather than just slaughtered.

Is there a glimmer of a Solution?

Now, it seems to me one solution to this is straightforward:

• Paint a white stripe in the appropriate place.
• Declare Shambo to be an exceptionally large badger.
• Set him free.

That way he is allowed to have TB with impunity, and the “animal rights movement” will swing into action in their normal unthinking, febrile manner.

Trust the Badger

Shambo will also get the immediate support of the idiots over at the Badger Trust, who - given how their recent “report” (archived copy) manipulated the published research data, and even then still demolished the claims in their own press release (archive copy) - are hardly likely to be able to tell the difference.

• It moves, it’s black and white, it’s got TB. It must be a badger.
• Mobilise, mobilise, mobilise.
• We have to protect it from the logic of the case ranged against us.

My Take

My basic take on this is that the whole farrago is bringing religion into disrepute, as a result of a lot of .. er .. Temple Bull (which makes a nice change from Papal Bull - sorry, couldn’t resist). In a Western Country, the question of public health must take priority, and that should end the argument in 99% of cases, including this one.

In the past, religions have modified their most sacred practices appropriately:

• The Christian churches have modified the practice of the Holy Communion ceremony during the Aids scare in the 1980s.
• The Islamic and Jewish communities are considering - and have made in the past - alterations to the practice of ritual slaughter.

I see no reason for Hinduism to be any different. Even in India, slaughter of cows and bulls is permitted in some places - it is largely dependent on law of the State concerned.

There may be a conversation to be had in adapting some of the forms and doctrines of Hinduism to the modern world. This is going to happen in India as the country develops - eventually certain beliefs are going to be questioned as public health improves.

Perhaps this is a good place to start.

Tags: badger trust, shambo, tb, Skanda Vale, temple bull, papal bull, hindu, muslim, christian, jewish, animal rights[tags]badger trust, shambo, tb, Skanda Vale, temple bull, papal bull, hindu, muslim, christian, jewish, animal rights[/tags]