The enormous beef recall, the result of animal cruelty violations, has brought the subject or factory animal farming to the forefront. Again.

Greg Boyd, a minister in Minnesota, discussed the issue of factory farming in a blog post, “Compassionate Dominion and Factory Farms.” It’s a very, very compelling piece. And then you can watch the video “Farm to Fridge,” which about made me wretch.

Yes, God gave us dominion over animals. And yes, the Bible nowhere prohibits eating meat. But factory farming, these hellholes of misery for millions of animals, cannot possibly be part of God’s plan. It’s an abomination to which we Christians are blind.

Meanwhile, I love eating meat. What do I do about this? Greg Boyd became a vegetarian, but doesn’t urge that on everyone. But at the least, he suggests eating only meat from free-range animals. Like those cows and pigs and chickens on grandpa’s farm, that roamed the pastures all day long in the fresh air. But how can you know, when you sit down at Logan’s or Smokey Bones, the road that that sirloin took before landing on your plate?

I don’t know what I think about all of this. But it really bothers me. It’s most definitely a moral issue. Read Greg Boyd’s post. It’ll disturb you.