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Ancient Religions

Although Jainism is the only religion to consistently advocate against harming any living being, passages against cruelty to animals can be found in the literature of many other ancient religions as well as those that evolved from them. Zoroastrianism, Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, Islam, Christianity and others advocate kindness to animals and often prescribe vegetarianism as a way of life. Documenting the source of these specific religious teachings against cruelty to animals and their views regarding vegetarianism will be an enormous task due to the sheer volume of ancient religious texts, interpretations and translations. In order to move forward in this timeline, I must allow this paragraph to introduce these writings for now and leave you, the reader to pursue these lines of inquiry at your own leisure. As time has permitted, I have introduced some of these writing through both primary and secondary sources.

Transcriber's Notes

Animal Rights History

These pages are part of an ongoing effort to provide free online access to historical literature on animal rights, animal welfare and the humane movement against animal cruelty.

Quotes briefly introduce animal rights activists, animal welfare advocates and authors; the history of animal rights, animal welfare and animal protection; and the literature of the humane movement against cruelty to animals.

Free Online Library Complete Texts · Accessible Online · Free of Charge Links to primary source historical literature document the authenticity of quotations while providing more in-depth insight into the ideologies of the humane movement against cruelty to animals and additional historical perspective on the continuing struggle for animal rights, animal welfare and the protection of animals.