Shooting Ourselves in the FootTEACHING VIOLENCE AND KILLING: Carbon Canyon Christian School
A Shooting Ourselves in the Foot: The Sanitizing of Violence in Our Society Article from All-Creatures.org

Throughout the ages, we have accepted killing, violence, and violent behavior as just being a part of life - it's time we change!

By: Frank L. Hoffman

On 17 May 2001, in Eastern Orange County California, Carbon Canyon Christian School slaughtered a steer as part of its "educational" program. The two year old, 1000 pound steer, which had been sadistically named T-Bone because it was destined for slaughter and to become t-bone steak, was killed before 170 students (half the school's students), some reported to be as young as 5 years old.

This may be what happens to millions of cattle each year, but the graphic nature of this slaughtering "educational" program, in our opinion, only serves to harden the hearts of impressionable children. Lacey Levitt of the Los Angeles-based Last Chance for Animals said what we have known to be true for many years: "Studies have shown that when children view violence against animals, it desensitizes them to animal cruelty and makes them more aggressive.''

The fact that some of the children got queasy and left is evident of the fact that something in this demonstration affected their sensitive natures. And we believe that Dave Kincer, pastor and principal, is ultimately responsible for any such ill and lasting effects. Jesus said, "And whoever causes one of these little ones who believe to stumble, it would be better for him if, with a heavy millstone hung around his neck, he had been cast into the sea." (Mark 9:42 NASV

From the amount of e-mail we received, he caused many to stumble.
It is obvious to us that Dave Kincer doesn't follow the teachings of the Bible he preaches, or that he selectively picks and chooses what to teach and preach.

Even more ironic is the fact that this school, which supposedly follows the teachings of The Prince of Peace, would even consider doing such a thing, while students of the local public school protested the slaughter and even tried to block the entry of the butcher. Who were the best teachers of Christ's message? We believe they were the fifteen protesting students from the public school.

This reminds us of the Bible passage in which Jesus says, "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you travel about on sea and land to make one proselyte [convert]; and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a son of hell as yourselves." (Matthew 23:15 NASV)

The tragedy is that now the protesting students and others with softened hearts may be turned off to the true teachings of Jesus Christ. Rightly, did Paul say, "Therefore, if food causes my brother to stumble, I will never eat meat again, that I might not cause my brother to stumble." (1 Corinthians 8:13 NASV)

Today, most of our ministry is devoted to helping people who have been traumatized by the violent nature of many Christian pastors and churches, and peacefully doing whatever we can to eliminate violence. These people are being chased away from Jesus Christ by the very ones who have been charged to bring people to Him, and we are trying to pick up the pieces. We are helping people see past the sins of some "professing Christians" to the true Prince of Peace, Jesus Christ, who will one day usher us into a new world where "He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there shall no longer be any death; there shall no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away." (Revelation 21:4)

This is the heavenly world that Jesus taught us to pray for, that it would become part of this earth in the present time:

Thy kingdom come.
Thy will be done,
On earth as it is in heaven.
(Matthew 6:10 NASV)

How does slaughtering T-bone bring this to pass at Carbon Canyon Christian School or in the surrounding community, or in the hearts and souls of those around the world who heard about it? The simple answer is that it doesn't!

Isn't it time to stop shooting ourselves in the foot? Isn't it time to stop sanitizing violence in our society? We believe it is!

Go on to: TEACHING VIOLENCE AND KILLING A 3-1/2 Year Old Learns His Lesson
Return to: Shooting Ourselves in the Foot