Personal Catalyst: Family Member Poisons Dogs - What to Do?

[Monica]

You can only control reality through yourself.

If that were true, then no one could ever affect anyone else. For example, the heroes who saved victims of the holocaust, the heroes who fought to end slavery, etc.

We are all interacting, right now, and affecting one another.

If you don't allow reality to teach you about yourself then you limit the extent to which you allow yourself to grow.

Again, you seem to be focused on self. The whole point of the STO path is to be at least 51% more focused on other-self.

No one said anything about not growing or allowing oneself to learn. Of course we learn and grow. But that doesn't negate serving others. On the contrary, serving others is the primary point of the STO path. It's even called Service to Others.

Your attachment to an outcome negatively influences your ability to bring forth your positive intention regarding any situation.

I agree, which is why I advocate action without attachment to outcome.

However, many seem to think non-attachment to outcome = no action at all.

If you deny the positive of the negative, then you are left with only the negative and are going to progress slowly.

Myself, I attempt to let go of the negative, and look for the positive. It works well for me.

Looking for the positive is wonderful, but not if it is used as a justification to avoid appropriate action.

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However, until that larger problem is solved, neutering cats and dogs is the lesser of the evils; necessary to avoid further suffering and starvation and/or euthanization.

Why do a thing which you consider "evil" your self at all? Even if its lesser, if you know its evil you stop or you are part of the problem.

Lol, you sound like me when I talk about politics!

In principle, I agree with you. I refused to vote for either 'evil' party this past election.

But, the sad fact is that, for the time being, we're in this reality, and the reality is that if we don't get our dogs and cats neutered, they will multiply and add to the problem.

The prime directive, in my view, is to reduce suffering. That trumps any philosophical argument about the lesser of evils still being evil.

This entire illusion could be said to be 'evil.' Yet we still have to live in it, and make decisions as best we can.

It's not always practical to be a purist. Sometimes being a purist causes more of the very 'evil' we are trying to transform.

Can you not see a way that is not evil and actually fixes the wrong?

Nope. If you think of one, please do let me know! Even millionaires eventually run out of food and space, trying to take care of unneutered dogs and cats who are multiplying exponentially.

I am sure you can, but it probably seems too hard and.. its just easier to sterilize the beings.

That's where you're wrong. Most animal activists go above and beyond what the average person would ever do. Most average people have only 1 or 2 pets. Animal activists often have 10, 20, 30 or more dogs and cats, that they take care of. And still they open their homes and hearts to more.

Please don't accuse these valiant people of taking the easy route. That's an offense to these hard-working people who do so much more than others.

How can the larger issue be fixed when we focus on its fallout by doing lesser evil?

Please tell us what the solution is, then.

What happened to living by example.. when will we stop doing the lesser evils and do what is right for once!? If you think/feel its wrong.. STOP and do what you think/feel is right. Its a choice.

This is my truth.

I'm always open to a better way. Please advise me of the better way. It's useless to just tell us what not to do. Please tell us what TO do.

Thank you for the response Monica! Also for the "Cats and Kittens" thread link, I read through it.

We're on the same team, Lycen.