mag pic
Barry Duke on October 7th, 2011

A CRUEL ritual, said to date back some 800 years, involves ultra-Orthodox Jews swinging chickens above their heads to absolve them from their sins. The ghastly spectacle takes place to mark Yom Kippur – the Day of Atonement – and the birds are slaughtered afterwards. But now some concerned rabbis, according to this report, are [...]

Continue reading about Letting chickens atone for your sins

Barry Duke on May 31st, 2011

I ADORE cooking Indian dishes. When I was still living in the UK my provisions cupboards were fully stocked with items readily available from a variety of stores stocking the herbs, spices and pastes needed to create great curries and other Asian recipes. But here on the Costa Blanca in Spain I have been unable [...]

Continue reading about The horror of halal slaughter

THE world’s goriest mass killing of animals has just taken place in Nepal to honour the Hindu Goddess of Power, Durga. Thousands of animals, according to this report, died in a horrible manner during Friday and Saturday as the Nepalese celebrated the festival of Dashain, amidst protests from animal rights activists. The animals are herded [...]

Continue reading about Orgy of blood-letting as Nepal honours Durga, the Hindu Goddess of Power

Barry Duke on June 3rd, 2008

ONCE again criticism of religion has been wrongly equated with racism – which is, of course, a different kettle of fish altogether, and should rightly be condemned. Nevertheless, it was reported today that legendary sex symbol Brigitte Bardot, 73, has been fined £12,000 for “inciting racial hatred” against Muslims for speaking out against unspeakable acts [...]

Continue reading about Dislike of religion is not racism!

Barry Duke on June 1st, 2008

EVER since witnessing – as a 12-year-old – the sickening slaughter of calf by a rabbi who slit the animal’s throat and impassively watched it in its death throes, I have sworn off religiously-slaughtered meat, and have gone to great lengths to avoid all kosher and halal produce. So you can imagine my disgust when [...]

Continue reading about Ritually-slaughtered meat? Not on my damn plate!