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GUEST ARTICLE
Is It Wrong
to Be Cruel to Animals?
Article description: Is animal life “sacred”? Is
is wrong to be cruel to animals?
“Do you know of anything in
the Bible that suggests cruelty to animals is a sin,
or at least unfavorable in the eyes of God?”
There are biblical principles
that surely speak to this question. Let us consider several
factors that may contribute to our understanding of this
concern.
- God is the Creator of all living organisms.
He is, therefore, sovereign over his creation;
this means he has the right to legislate regarding
the use of that
which has proceeded from him – including both men
and animals.
In
ages of the past (preliminary to the coming of Christ’s
redemptive system), Jehovah commanded the sacrifice of
certain animals. The shedding of animal blood was preparatory
to the sacrifice of his Son, hence, served a vital role
in the plan of salvation designed for the benefit of humanity.
Animal life, therefore, is not intrinsically sacrosanct.
It has been noted, though, that the Jewish method of killing
animals was the most humane of any nation in antiquity.
- The Lord has granted man a certain “authority” over
the animal kingdom. Moses records that the family of
Adam was given “dominion over the fish of the sea, and
over the birds of the heavens, and over every living
thing that moveth upon the earth” (Gen. 1:28).
- Clearly man is permitted to kill animals for
food (Gen. 9:3), for clothes (Gen. 3:21), or in defense
of his person and/or property (1 Sam. 17:34-37). The
principles set forth in these passages, and numerous
others, would permit the use of animals for medical purposes,
so that the human family might benefit.
Those
today who argue that animals have “rights,” in the same
sense that human beings do, (because they are merely at
different levels in the evolutionary scheme of things)
are absolutely wrong. How is it that some scruple not to
swat a fly, or smack a mosquito, but allege that it is
morally evil to slaughter a pig or a cow for food? Such
ideology has no basis in scripture or logic.
- Sometimes it becomes necessary to eliminate
animals which constitute a danger to society. It
may be feasible at times to thin animal herds in
over-populated
areas – for the ultimate welfare of the species.
There may be pests which spread disease (e.g.,
rats, etc.).
The warped reverence for animal life, in some pagan
countries, has resulted in numerous societal ills.
Hindus, for instance,
will let animals suffer and starve out of a misguided
view of the sacredness of animal life.
- Having said that, we must caution that there
is nothing in the Bible that would grant license to anyone
to engage in the willful torture of animals for some
sadistic pleasure. We believe that practices which involve,
for example, the wounding and killing of animals for
nothing but sport (e.g., Spanish bull fights, cock fights,
etc.) are not in keeping with principles that please
God.
- There are passages which reflect the fact that
God does have a concern for his lower creatures.
Even animal creatures were covered in the post-Flood
covenant
that God made with Noah (Gen. 9:10). The Israelites
were not to muzzle the ox who labored in treading
out the
grain (Dt. 25:4), and beasts of burden were granted
rest on the sabbath (Ex. 20:10). The Lord asked Job: “Who
provides for the raven his prey, when his young ones
cry unto God?” (Job 38:41). Jesus indicated that not
a single sparrow falls to the ground without God’s concern
(Mt. 10:29). This writer regrets the “days of his youth,” when
he shot sparrows with his .22 “just for fun.”
And so, there is value in animal
life, and Jehovah wants us to respect that. It is not because
animals have “rights” as humans do. It is not because they
have been made in the “image of God,” as human being are
(Gen. 9:6). It is not because Christ died for them (though
people sometimes foolishly speak of their pets going to
heaven). We are to treat animals responsibly because this
is a part of our “stewardship” over the creation as appointed
by the Creator. Let us strive to be ever conscious of this
accountability.
--Wayne Jackson
© 2001 by Christian Courier
Publications. All rights reserved.
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is_it_wrong_to_be_cruel_to_animals
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