Leather and Beeswax: It is not what you think

From Premier Christian News,

Animal rights campaigners have written an open letter to the Archbishop of Canterbury Designate, asking her to ban church items made using animal products. 

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) requested that Dame Sarah Mullally “modernise the church,” by swapping leather bible covers for plant leather, and beeswax candles with soy wax.

The group claimed that “candles symbolising Jesus Christ would better represent hope for bees,” with a wax swap.

“Bees can feel stress and pain,” the group said. “To procure beeswax, bees are intensively farmed, and queen bees’ wings are often cut off to disable them.”

They also requested that garments be made from plant wool or linen, saying: “Gentle, clever sheep, who represent God’s people, deserve better than being thrown around wool sheds, stood on, punched and kicked.”

Yet, certain vegan leather products have been criticised for being less durable than cow's leather, with leather book covers lasting for centuries if stored correctly.

The Church of England has already been attempting to “modernise” elements of its traditional services, with members of the General Synod discussing alternatives to wheat flour and alcohol in Holy Communion bread and wine. Current church rules stipulate that some trace of “reduced” alcohol or wheat content is required to constitute communion, but levels are so low that it is often still appropriate for those with intolerances to consume.

I read somewhere that soy wax candles produce less soot, so maybe PETA should focus on that angle. 

As for those clever sheep, this from Fauna Facts,

Despite the popular belief that sheep are not very smart, sheep do have some social intelligence. Their intelligence is seen through their ability to learn and remember the faces of other sheep.

However, as domesticated animals, their instincts have become dull. Through the generations, we’ve bred sheep to become docile and uncritical. They’re given food, safety, and shelter by humans, and so they don’t need to exercise their brains much.

As sheep have evolved as domesticated animals, they’ve learned to stay in herds and follow others to seek safety. They have learned that sticking with the herd will mean they stay safely close to their shepherd and, therefore, find safety.

But what about that shearing process? This from New Life on a Homestead,

Domesticated sheep have been bred over many generations to produce more wool than they need and also to retain that wool.

They literally do not shed; their wool just grows and grows.

If their wool is not removed, it can cause several problems, such as overheating, irritation, and even blindness if the wool covers their eyes.

In some cases, the weight of the wool can cause the sheep to fall over and be unable to get back up.

If sheep are not sheared, their wool continues to grow, and eventually, it becomes matted and entangled.

This can trap moisture, dirt, and feces against their skin, leading to skin infections and lots of other problems as detailed above.

In severe cases, the sheep may even die from the weight of their overgrown wool.

Invariably, shearing a sheep that is badly matted and neglected will be far more precarious for the shearer and also for the poor sheep so afflicted.

This is why it’s so important to make sure that you’re keeping your sheep well- groomed and sheared regularly.

Take that PETA! It is cruel and unethical to not shear your sheep!