Christmas is around the corner bringing glad tidings and good cheer to men, women and children but terror and untold suffering to the cattle whose forefathers made room in their shed for Jesus to be born when man did not give him shelter. Those cattle would never have thought that man would be so unkind and as ungrateful to them and slaughter and relish the flesh of their future generations.

One of the ten commandments of God is "Thou shall not kill", in other words thou shall not destroy life not only human beings but life in general, including animals. There is no ambiguity in God's commandment, the intention is crystal clear, do not destroy life. But to suit his convenience, this has been interpreted to mean. "Thou shall not kill human beings". This is certainly a departure from the truth. If Christ is the Son of God, would God be so unkind and ungrateful as to permit the future generations of the very animals who gave his son a place to be born to be killed and eaten. As such, "Thou shall not kill "means Thou shall not destroy life both man and animals. This is the only logical conclusion, an unbiased person could arrive at.

When Mary and Joseph were turned away by the Inn-keeper as there was no room for them in his premises, they crept into the cattle shed for shelter as they had no other alternative. The kindness that was not shown to them by man was given to them in ample measure by the cattle who made room for them very silently. Had they snorted and hoofed away Mary and Joseph in anger, Christ in all probability would have been born under a tree and could have died of bitter cold and if that happened Christmas would never have been celebrated.

During Vesak all creatures live without fear as no slaughtering is done on Vesak days. Why can't our Christian brethren follow suit and refrain from eating the flesh of animals, at least on Pre-Christmas and Christmas Day. Months before Christmas in some Christian homes young turkeys, chicken, pigs etc are reared and fattened for the Christmas lunch and dinner tables. Every table in Christian homes for days on, is laden with the flesh of two legged and four legged creatures and this merry-making goes on till New Year's Day, thus prolonging the killing. In fact it is a killing spree.

If only the cattle could speak, even once, they would do so in one voice saying Oh! why did our forefathers allow Jesus to be born in the stable when man refused them. Had our forefathers chased them away Christ would have been under the open sky and the infant Jesus would have no doubt died in the bitter cold, so that Christians would never have been celebrated and our lives would have been spared. It is true that not only Christians all others too kill and eat the flesh of animals but whoever does so must know it is wrong. Unlike others. I mean Buddhists, Christians and Muslims kill and eat with the excuse that their Religions permit them, but this is a debatable thing.

Jesus Christ was born in a stable

To find another place his parents

were unable

The cattle shed thus became Infant

Christ's cradle

But Christians to-date have been to

them ungrateful.

Mankind has been most ungrateful

Killing cattle in a manner most brutal

Sobbing silently, and watching with

eyes tearful

Their numbers being killed for man

to eat bellyful.

Oh! when will God install, into the hearts of men, women and children that to kill and eat is sinful and to be a vegetarian is beneficial.

George Tillekeratne
Etul Kotte