I'm Throwing in The Towel on Hunting Debates
You are so right--you can't debate them or score any points. They shred you to bits so I have followed your advise and asked all our group to cease and desist immediately by posting the following message on the forum site:
Link: http://www.topix.net/forum/city/richmond-va/TFG96RB7VI9L34FSE/p80
"As I have followed the progress of this debate, I am appalled at the hatred, bitterness and rancor shown by both sides on this issue and for the sake of the animals I ask that all animal welfare people cease and desist in engaging the opposition. Your main mission in this debate should be to try to win them over to your side of the argument, which you are failing miserably to do.
In fact you are angering them so they are indicating they will take their anger out on the very animals you are trying to save, either by making sure they will hunt them for their dinner or maybe shoot a few for sport. Revenge and anger are your motive for posting in such a manner. Revenge, my dear animal welfare advocates will not accomplish your purpose in any way shape or form. I am firmly on your side and I believe I know the reason we are not winning the argument.
The problem here is the opposition does not have the deep love for animals that we have--a love that extends the sanctity of life to all sentient beings bringing to full meaning of the Commandment "Thou Shalt Not Kill" Your beliefs are not alien to the Christian world. They were shared by famous men like Albert Schweitzer, John Muir, Francis of Assisi and others. Our numbers are growing for it is a glimpse into the perfect world to come, a world free of death and destruction, a world where the lion can lie down with the lamb and the child can handle a poisonous snake and not be bitten.
We must be patient and see that the opposition does not regard sentient life forms as highly as we. They still see such life forms as having no rights and to be dealt with as they see fit without regard to what suffering, agony or death these creatures suffer at their hands. With the love we manifest we can find solutions to the problems the animals, according to the opposition, cause because money will be of no object or any barrier too great for us to overcome; the same way we would deal with human life.
Ignore their scorn for you have been give a beatific vision of what is to come. Hold on to that vision, continue to fight for the sanctity of life for all sentient beingss (including humans and the unborn) in lectures, legislative bodies, books, and rallies. Take the ridicule and scorn and be called bleeding hearts for your bleeding hearts resemble the bleeding heart of Jesus who shed the blood from His Sacred Heart that all creation would be reconciled in peace through the shedding of His blood.
Therefore for the sake of the animals whom you love so dearly, cease and desist IMMEDIATELY from this debate, you are not helping the animals only hurting them.
EarthJustice, RespectForAllLife, CompassionForAnimals, and ForEthicsandMorality are joining me in agreeing to post no furthers comments on this forum and I beg the others to do so."
God's Blessings Upon You!
Richard W. Firth