Why doesn’t the Pope use authority to condemn practice?
Steven Eke, who set up the petition calling on the Pope to “resolutely, unequivocally and absolutely condemn the obscenity of the use of fire to torture and terrorise animals in the course of religious celebrations”, has posted a new update on this subject.
It makes harrowing reading and the suggested YouTube videos must be the most sadistic one can find anywhere. The official view of the Catholic Church in Spain, dating back to the 16th century, is, that it is “the work of the devil” to use fire to torture animals, so why does the Pope not use his authority to condemn it?
The Spanish Government, unbelievably, has applied for Unesco recognition of some of the fire bull events as meriting world heritage status. However, Spain is slowly beginning to wise up to the damage all this does to its reputation, and hurling goats from church towers, ripping off the heads of live birds suspended from ropes or turning bulls into pin cushions by firing multiple metal darts into them, are thankfully things of the past.
However, sadly, they too, could return; General Franco banned torture festivals and from 1963 to 1977 they were illegal. Now they are returning with a vengeance and increased by 50% between 2007 and 2017, and the practice of setting light to bulls crammed together in cages or lorries, which creates absolute panic, is, once again, since last month, no longer illegal.
We can help; Eke says: “While I respect it as a matter of conscience, I sincerely believe that people, who continue to go to Spain on holiday, buy holiday properties there, or who buy Spanish produce, whilst knowing perfectly well what they are contributing to (the animal torture festivals are still heavily subsidised from tax receipts to the tune of 800m euros a year) seriously need to think about their own sense of moral and ethical decision-making.”
Well; giving up Spanish tomatoes will be no great loss, for starters and making an ethical decision to no longer buy Spanish produce would certainly hit them hard. Please go to the change.org site and sign the petition, ‘End bull burning festivals in Spain’. Bring the pressure on Spain, which Pope Francis seems so reluctant to, which may just change their DNA enough for these vile practices to end.
Will Knott, Shrewsbury
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