animals aren't worthy of our love and attention

[tessa_s212]

Yes, according to a "christian" on a forum where I posted a thread about why to stay away from buying puppies as presents and from pet stores.

I was educating people, showing videos, expressing about responsible breeding and why it isn't that heroic to "save" puppies from pet stores because they deserve love too, when one person did nothing but mock me and told me animals aren't worth the attention I'm giving them. That there is NO possible way God could have intended me to waste my time on animals(after I made a comment that I felt God has placed me on this earth with this purpose) because helping animals is not beneficial to this world.

How anyone could ever think such a thing, to act out so hatefully against animals and see nothing wrong with the abuse and neglect they suffer, is beyond me. I will never understand how some can be so coldhearted. It almost angers me as much as the abusers themself.

 

[Psyfalcon]

Animals have no soul so therefore, who cares?

Now you have the same problem as the atheists, how to untrain Christians from 2000+ years of theology. Have fun, but I sympathize.

 

[Zoom]

Riiight...that's why God made them first and then told Adam to care for them. Because he just wanted to point and laugh.

 

[tessa_s212]

Some days I'd rather shoot myself, jump off a cliff, or starve myself to death before even wanting to share a common name of "christian" with such people.

 

[Lilavati]

If that is so, why did God make the animals so that we can not help but love them? Why did he make some of them so that they would be such good companions and helpers to humankind . . . and oh:

Animals are God's creation, just as much as humankind. They are as much the manifestation of His will, His creativity, and His love as we are. How can you love God, but not His creations? It doesn't matter if they have souls, which is not an answerable question . . . it matters that He made them, in all their variety, in all their beauty.

Some people are so blinded by their own ideas about God that they never begin to understand God. (To the extent anyone can, of course!)

 

[M&M's Mommy]

If that is so, why did God make the animals so that we can not help but love them? Why did he make some of them so that they would be such good companions and helpers to humankind . . . and oh:

Animals are God's creation, just as much as humankind. They are as much the manifestation of His will, His creativity, and His love as we are. How can you love God, but not His creations? It doesn't matter if they have souls, which is not an answerable question . . . it matters that He made them, in all their variety, in all their beauty.

Some people are so blinded by their own ideas about God that they never begin to understand God. (To the extent anyone can, of course!)

:hail::hail:

 

[M&M's Mommy]

Some days I'd rather shoot myself, jump off a cliff, or starve myself to death before even wanting to share a common name of "christian" with such people.

Woa. Wait a minute! I don't think it has anything to do with Christianity. The same way if one watches the news that features an American serial killer, he shouldn't assume that all American are horrendous criminals, and of coures, shouldn't feel ashamed to the fact that he is also an American citizen!

I always tell my students who're in the process of becoming Catholics, that they should learn to put their faith & believe in God - not so much in their fellow Catholics. This way, how other people are practicing their faith is not going to affect their way of doing so.

 

[tessa_s212]

I never said all Christians are like this. I only said that those that are I want to have NO connection with, and would rather "shoot myself, jump off a cliff, or starve myself" before ever being compared or connected to them in anyway, including sharing the common name of "christian" with those certain people.

In fact, I didn't even intend for this to be about christians, but rather the INSANE and completely stupid idea that animals do not deserve love. Because this person was a "christian" I did quote verses to show him he was wrong, but I also backed it up examples of guide dogs, search and rescue dogs(specifically bringing up 9/11 dogs because I knew that would hit him particularly close to home), therapy dogs, and even those that were the victim of such abuse and neglect yet still could lick the face of a human. So starved that they can't even stand or lift their head, but could still wag their tail.

Sad that even with such examples of 100% proof animals deserve our love, care, and affection, and he could show absolutely no compassion towards animals.

As for me.. its people like him, people that actually do abuse and neglect.. people like that are those that make me believe that humans are NOT the superior being. How could we be? We are not a superior being.. we are just a being with power. Power to do whatever we want with animals, even abuse and neglect. Power to be apathetic and ignorant. And power to even do the same to our very own kind. You don't see animals doing that.

 

[Mommato2Beasties]

Maybe this person just needs some of God's love for him, and then God's love can be expressed through him? It doesn't sound as if he even understands what God's love even IS!

It says in the Bible that a wise man considers his beast... and I agree with all of the other statements made as well (about how/why God made animals, etc).

Life is just frustrating some times, b/c people really are just IDIOTS!

Both of my dogs are rescued and would have died had I not taken them in, and I can't imagine my world without them....

I thank God for people like YOU who are willing to do what you do. Don't let him bring you down....

L.

 

[tessa_s212]

I thank God for people like YOU who are willing to do what you do. Don't let him bring you down....

L.

I'm certainly not. In fact, he's part of my driving force. Yes, my love for animals drives me. But my anger and resentment towards people like him, and my hate of animal cruelty, and sometimes even being reminded by seeing the shocking reality of it, it all drives me. If I cannot reach a cold heart like his, then I will try even harder to reach two more for the one that I could not reach.

 

[puppydog]

I am so glad I am a "heathen". I have no need for such stupid ideas!

 

[Lilavati]

I am so glad I am a "heathen". I have no need for such stupid ideas!

Hrm . . . unfortunately, I hate to say it, but every religion, and then some, have such ideas. Or, at least, people who have ideas like that. I've been to India, home of ahimsa . . . and seen how animals are treated there. I know people who have been to Muslim nations, and the results are not much better. In China, under Maoist rule, which was athiest, animals were treated in appalling ways, (oet dogs especially) and they still are in China. Cruelty to animals doesn't need a religious or ideological justifaction, though people will invent one if they feel they need to. Instead it stems from the same root as much cruelty towards other humans: selfishness, ignorance, indifference, and, god help us all, sadism.

I'm not sure what you mean by "heathen," I'm guessing neo-pagan or wiccan, both of which these days encourage kindness towards animals . . . but the religions from which they are decended did not . . . at least, did not do so in practice.

There are Christians, and Christian organizations, that encourage kindness and compassion towards animals . . . and there are those that don't. I know the same is true of Hinduism and its cousins, Buddhism and Jainism. I don't know, but am fairly certain, that there are Jewish and Muslim organizations as well.

"Even the devil can quote scripture" . . . if you want a justification for cruelty and indifference, you will find it in your faith. But if you do, then perhaps you've missed the entire point . . .

 

[goldiefur]

If he is really a christian and he abuses or mistreats his animals he will have to answer to God. He will be in a worse situation than someone who is not a christian. He should know better. I am a Christian and I love animals and for people that think animals don't go to heaven well, they will have a rude awakening. People have souls we are made in Gods image more is expected of us if we want to end up in heaven. Animals have spirits and they are pure they don't have to do diddley squat to get into heaven.:lol-sign: Anyway that guy just sounds like a jackass so you may not be able to help him understand.

 

[ACooper]

DITTO Goldiefur THAT is pretty much what I think too

 

[Dekka]

Hmm I remember taking some of the school horses to the chapel to be blessed Oct 4 for the Blessing of Animals for St. Francis of Assisi’. Gee there is a SAINT who was known and is still honoured for his love of all God's creatures.

the blessing goes something like this:
“Blessed are you, Lord God, maker of all living creatures. You called forth fish in the sea, birds in the air and animals on the land. You inspired St. Francis to call all of them his brothers and sisters. We ask you to bless this pet. By the power of your love, enable it to live according to your plan. May we always praise you for all your beauty in creation. Blessed are you, Lord our God, in all your creatures! Amen.”

 

[houndlove]

Just a book recommendation to go along with this discussion:

Dominion: The Power of Man, the Suffering of Animals, and the Call to Mercy by Matthew Scully.

Scully is a practicing Catholic and a former speech writer for George W. Bush--and a vegetarian.

 

[Lilavati]

Just a book recommendation to go along with this discussion:

Dominion: The Power of Man, the Suffering of Animals, and the Call to Mercy by Matthew Scully.

Scully is a practicing Catholic and a former speech writer for George W. Bush--and a vegetarian.

I second the recommendation

 

[skittledoo]

wow. I'm a non-denominational Christian and I don't agree with what that person said at all. I would have hit that person up side the head honestly.

 

[SeniorPetLover]

Honey-someday you will learn not to "cast pearls before swine"...you know your purpose and it makes no difference if they agree or disagree, believe or do not believe...it does not change your relationship to God nor does it have to affect your sense of purpose. Everyone's spiritual journey is their own personal experience. I feel my purpose in this world is to do what I do with the senior animals, too. I feel that it was the result of my prayer for my life to have a greater meaning than seeing how much stuff I can accumulate before I die. The senior dogs have taught me much more about life, love, death and spirituality than I learned in years of Sunday School. I know mainstream religion's beliefs concerning animals and I respect their rights to have them, but I don't have to accept them as mine. Do I spend my time trying to convert those that don't agree with me? No. They have to find their own way. I have a hard enough time trying to follow my own path. I am confident enough in my own relationship with God to know that I am doing his work, so I don't bother looking to others for their approval. I have learned many lessons over the years and I have decided that I could never do missionary work because conversion is not my thing...I let people make their own decisions and their own mistakes. You have to find your own path and follow it. Only your thinking determines your experience. I know you have a wonderful heart, so I know you will find your way. Sometimes you just have to trust God to reach everyone else. Ironically, there is this thing called dogma...on a lighter note...I think that it is no accident that dog spelled backwards is GOD!

 

[tessa_s212]

Although I understand it absolutely and am an extreme advocate of NOT pushing and shoving your beliefs and ideals down others' throats(because the most important of lessons can't be taught, but instead learned on your own), I will not stand by and do nothing. I will try within reason my hardest to educate anyone and everyone I possibly can in a kind and caring manner.

And apparently I'm not doing tooo bad of a job. I DID IT! A girl on another christian forum, though we went back and forth arguing for a few pages, we finally came to common ground. Her mom breeds. I've got her now looking into health tests, and she and her mom have now come to the conclusion that they want to spay and neuter every puppy they produce to help the overpopulation adn euthanasia problem!!! :hail::hail::hail::hail: