Opinion by Frank L. and Mary T. Hoffman
Christian Bowhunters of America has been for far
too long a ministry in many churches. Not only is their name an
oxymoron, but their program undermines and destroys the God-given
sensitivities of our youth, as does the so-called ministry of Special
Youth Challenge Ministries.
More recently, The U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance has
expanded their killing philosophy to encourage Special Youth Challenge
Ministries, Inc. to continue to train disabled individuals to hunt
and kill animals. They are doing this to counter the efforts of
truly compassionate organizations to have them stop their killing
activities.
These organizations are using religious ministries
as a front to try to justify their lust for killing.
Probably all of us are aware of the way children
respond with joy when around animals, particularly young animals.
This is the child-like innocence of which Jesus Christ spoke when
He said, “Unless you become like children, you shall not enter
the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 18:3) Furthermore, both the Hebrew
and New Testaments speak of people having to soften their hearts
in order to enter the kingdom of God.
In order for people to kill other living beings,
they must harden their hearts toward the ones they are about to
kill. People have to train themselves not to care, and the more
this occurs, the more the innocent child’s joy of life is turned
into the joy of killing, which is then classified as a “sport.”
These killing organizations have become stumbling
blocks to the fundamental teachings of the Judeo-Christian religions.
Jesus said, “Woe to the world because of its stumbling blocks.” Furthermore,
Jesus said that people who lead these little children astray would
be better off if they hung a heavy millstone around their necks
and were drowned in the depths of the sea. (Matthew 18:6-7)
The people, churches and organizations that support
these so-called ministries have become a party to the destructive
influence upon the innocence of our children. You don’t make a “boy
into a man” by teaching him to kill. A true man will stand up and
boldly say “No!” to killing. Without resorting to violence, true
men are protective of their families and the weaker ones of our
society.
It is absolutely unconscionable to burden disabled
girls and boys with the worst disability of all, spiritual disability,
which is the baggage that comes with killing for fun. True self-esteem
does not come with destroying life and doing harm, but with nurturing
life and doing good. The emotional and spiritual scars of children
exposed to hunting and killing may not be as evident as other obvious
disabilities, but they are far more destructive.
Those teaching killing skills to some of the most
vulnerable members of our society are without excuse. At one time,
the Holy Spirit must have informed their consciences (perhaps now
seared) that their lust for killing is an abomination before God.
It is obvious that the desire to “share the guilt” is the reason
why they fight so hard to get others to participate in their ungodliness.
Frank and Mary Hoffman are the hosts of www.all-creatures.org ,
which hosts the CASH web site. Frank is a retired pastor and businessman,
and Mary is a retired medical technologist (MT-ASCP), artist, and
businesswoman.
