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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 Disconnect – 20 November 2007
By Mary T. Hoffman

Have you noticed the “disconnect” between so many people’s professed beliefs and their everyday actions?

While grocery shopping this morning we saw a striking example of this disconnect. Nearly every week we see two young nuns in traditional black habits. They have pleasant personalities and appear to shop for a group (perhaps their convent); and today it was obvious that they had Thanksgiving Day in mind. It was sad to see them depositing several turkey carcasses into their shopping cart. I was immediately struck by “the disconnect” so common in society: As nearly all of us have been since childhood, these outwardly pleasant, religious women have been brainwashed to completely ignore the immense suffering of God’s sentient creatures who are looked upon as mere food items.

It is disturbing enough that society, for the most part, ignores the truth and is complicit in this horrific mass murder of innocent animals who are not allowed to live as nature intended; but it is truly a tragedy for those who have apparently devoted their lives to uphold God’s teachings and to live by a higher standard to betray His creation! God’s intent as presented in Genesis 1:28 is for humans to be good stewards of His creation. There is no place for cruelty at all – and that includes complicity (having another do the dirty work for you). Such behavior can only be described as sociopathic (lacking empathy), even if society’s customs and standards accept it as “normal.” (Let’s not forget that cannibalism was considered “normal” in certain cultures.)

What is it about Galatians 5:22-23 that is so difficult to understand?

22. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,

23. gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. ~ New American Standard Bible

People should ask themselves if the terrible abuse inherent in the raising and slaughter of billions of other animals (their numbers are increasing world-wide) speaks of the fruit of the Spirit as presented in this scripture.

Please visit:
http://www.all-creatures.org/anex/turkey.html
http://www.all-creatures.org/anex/index.html
http://www.all-creatures.org/recipes.html 

Go on to: Animal Sacrifice – 21 November 2007
Return to: Happy? Revisited – 19 November 2007
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