Oh please, animals have been slaughtered that way for thousands of years. They die, and it ain't slow. If you don't like it, don't eat meat. It's not just the Muslims and Jews that do it PALE, I do it too. I prefer to shoot them in the head when I'm hunting but if I'm putting it out of its misery I'll slit its throat, or break its neck. It's all over in a few seconds.

It's funny that most the comments so far are aimed at the religious aspect of your topic and not the topic itself. Sad.

Grow up my friend, and get your head out of the mung bean bowl.

Athiest - my comment about Peter Singer was broad and meaning that just because Peter Singer says this or that, doesnt mean it is instantly credible. His word is not respected by all. I have no wish to get into a debate about him.

I somehow feel that the respectful little ritual some of you have in mind is a far cry from the bloodbath that would happen if we suddenly just started slashing throats of sheep on the production line without first stunning. We are not talking a single lamb offered up to Allah here!

Neither do I, I_Spy. But broad based comments that have been promoted by those in opposition to Peter Singer are not correct. Peter singer analyses philosophical conundrums and draws possible conclusions to them. He does not state we must do this or that but his conclusions say we should. He is one of the clearest thinkers the planet has produced and his ideas should not be dismissed out-of-hand because of the existence of traditional ideological ‘certainties’.

Peter Singer has always demonstrated a very compassionate nature. This he does with sentient animals, including humans. It is those pushing narrow agendas, which have given him an unjustified bum-rap.

It is unfortunate that some of the mud thrown has unwarrantedly stuck in the minds of the public.

David

My point exactly. So would quoting the words of Peter Singer help or hinder?

Is there scientic evidence that supports pre stunning is unwarranted?

I just envisage a slaughter line of hundreds of sheep, those not already in the process of bleeding to death, will be listening to the distress of the rest of them. A single ritual slaughter is no comparison to a huge kill that happens daily in our abattiors.

I_Spy,

Yes, it was a pertinent comment. Peter Singer, if as quoted, just stated that the reason for not stunning an animal has its basis on not what is known but based on tradition religious ritual.

I concur that Halal slaughter would create a situation of compromising existing Australian animal welfare standards.

The agreement to Halal slaughtering by strict religious adherents or the ideas of individuals not acquainted with the existing Australian standards or don’t hold fast to them, must not be the decider on this.

Animal welfare in this country, although considerably better than many others, is nowhere near perfect. We should be striving as an advanced nation to lose no ground in lessening the suffering of sentient creatures.

It weakens the force of our arguments on other matters, such as whaling, if we do.

David

Ah yes, but if we ban halal slaughtering in Australia, what does that do to the arguments of those who wish to ban live exports of sheep etc to Muslim countries? Are you suggesting that we don't export meat to Muslim countries, alive or dead?

I can't see why the relevant Australian authorities don't just stick to their guns on the issue of pre-stunning at abattoirs. If Muslim or Jewish fundies don't like it, let them eat vegetables instead of meat.