RNS
\nBy Pat Shellenbarger
\nBlanchard, Mich. — Glen Mast doesn’t own a computer and doesn’t
\nwant one, but he and other Amish farmers complain the Michigan
\nDepartment of Agriculture is insisting they tag their cattle with
\nelectronic chips in violation of their religious beliefs. State
\nagriculture officials say the radio frequency chips are necessary to
\ntrack animal diseases and protect public health. Mast and other Amish
\nfarmers say the chips’ 15-digit number is the Mark of the Beast warned
\nof in the Bible’s book of Revelation. “We’re a people who are inclined
\nto mind our own business,” Mast said, sitting in the wood shop he
\noperates without electricity on his Isabella County farm. “We’re never
\nhappier than when we’re just left alone,” Mast said. “That’s all we’re
\nasking.” All over Michigan, Amish farmers are resisting the state
\nprogram requiring that all cattle be tagged with the electronic chips
\nbefore they can be sold. Michigan’s program is part of a National Animal
\nIdentification System created after the outbreaks of mad cow disease and
\nfoot-and-mouth disease in Europe. Michigan is one of the few states
\nmaking the voluntary national program mandatory.
\nCopyright 2007 Religion News Service<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
RNS By Pat Shellenbarger Blanchard, Mich. — Glen Mast doesn’t own a computer and doesn’t want one, but he and other Amish farmers complain the Michigan Department of Agriculture is insisting they tag their cattle with electronic chips in violation of their religious beliefs. State agriculture officials say the radio frequency chips are necessary to…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":22,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fbia_status":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-122","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\n