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A Mary T. Hoffman Commentary from All-Creatures.org

 

"Joyful Curmudgeon" An oxymoron?
No! I see all the beauty of God's creation and I'm joyful.  At the same time, I see all the suffering and corruption going on in the world, and feel called to help expose and end it so that we may have true peace and compassion.

 


The “Either/Or” Mentality – 14 July 2007
By Mary T. Hoffman

In a letter to the editor of a newspaper of the United Methodist Church, a pastor criticized the bureaucracy of the church and stressed the number of children who die while church bureaucrats fuss about paperwork, etc. He made many good observations that I would agree with and also mentioned the decline in church membership.

He went on to say that John Wesley, the founder of Methodism, “served the least, the last and the lost,” and made a comment about reversing priorities so that more is spent on “global neighbors” than “on lawn care and pets.” As usual with most church leaders, he chooses to ignore the fact that John Wesley was vegetarian and cared about other animals.

What I find disappointing in church leaders is the either/or mentality (people or animals) that trivializes or ignores the plight of other animals. They refuse to acknowledge the fact that all the grains and soybeans raised to feed farmed animals could feed all those “global neighbors” instead, and would also eliminate the cause of most of the global warming and viral pandemics that are so much in the news. Add to this the Lord’s blessing that would result from the elimination of the horrific factory farm conditions. Surely, Jesus would never condone the out-of-control cruelty suffered by billions of other animals.

It’s time for church leaders to soften their hearts and to stop hiding from the truth. Those church fundraisers featuring animal body parts and secretions are an abomination. I don’t know how anyone who claims to be indwelt with the Holy Spirit can invoke God’s blessing over the tortured remains of any of His creatures. No wonder so many people who really care about other animals leave those churches.

If church leaders and their congregations truly believed in the words of The Lord’s Prayer (that they are so fond of reciting) – “Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, On earth as it is in heaven.” (Matthew 6:10) – they would enthusiastically promote the positive changes that would bring earth a little closer to God’s original intent – a vegan world. Instead, they work against His will in a most egregious way.

So many pray for God’s blessings, but aren’t willing to take that easy step closer to His will. It isn’t “either/or.” Going vegan benefits humans, other animals, and the environment.

Go on to: A Peaceable Kingdom For Today – 15 July 2007
Return to: Turning Away From The Truth – 13 July 2007
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