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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.

 


Pro-life or Pro-death? – 13 February 2008
By Mary T. Hoffman

Pro-life bumper stickers and signs are ubiquitous. But every time I see one, I can’t help but wonder why this good and admirable pursuit is limited to the life of the human unborn. What about other humans and also nonhumans? How can people be “pro-life” for some and, at the same time, be “pro-death” for others?

Not one of the arguments in support of this discrimination “holds water,” as the saying goes. Where nonhuman animals are concerned, a common “pro-death” argument declares that “animals don’t have souls.” Yet, the original Hebrew found in the Book of Genesis states that God made nonhumans and humans as “living souls.” Where nonhumans are concerned, the translation has been conveniently changed to “living creatures.” Isn’t it arrogant for humans to contradict their Creator by declaring who has a soul and who doesn’t? Let’s not forget that not too long ago these same humans and their church leaders conveniently declared that certain people didn’t have souls, which made it easier to enslave some (African Americans) or to utilize body parts, for example, of others (Native Americans). Then there is the “dominion” (Genesis 1:28) argument so smugly cast toward the compassionate ones to shut them up. The hard-of-heart very conveniently omit Genesis 1:29: “Then God said, “Behold I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the surface of all the earth, and every tree which has fruit yielding seed: it shall be food for you.” According to God’s original intent, humans were to be caretakers of the earth and other living souls, not destroyers and torturers.

Now these followers of what is really a hijacked, self-serving form of “Christianity” have been forced to retreat from enslavement of humans and to limit their pro-death leanings to human enemies and convicted criminals. But those who cannot speak for themselves – nonhumans – continue to be fair game with no holds barred. Asking God’s blessing before chowing down on dismembered bodies and secretions of God’s sentient beings – the least among us, who feel physical and emotional pain – is absolutely evil. But because Jesus is not physically present, they think they are “getting away with it.” But God isn’t fooled: He knows who really is “pro-life.”

Go on to: How Do I Love Thee? – 14 February 2008
Return to: Abraham Lincoln – 12 February 2008
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