Animals are here upon the earth because God created them with bodies, souls and spirits just as He created us. And, He said that what He created was "very good". God created them to be our friends and companions, and to give us joy. For example, isn't there joy in hearing the birds sing? (FLH)
What purpose do WE, humans, serve in the world? We (all creation) were all created by God and are all valued by God. God charges us, in Genesis 1:28, to look after all creatures. Actually, we, as humans, cause more dysfunction in the world than any other creature. (Debra)
God put them here to be enjoyed by him and by us. They are beautiful to look at and it gives us pleasure to watch then romp and play in the field. I believe it gives God pleasure also and they were meant to be companions to us. (Scott)
Animals were created with very similar rights to ours. They have the right to enjoy life. They have the right not to be kept in captivity or enslaved. They have the right not to be abused and tortured. They have the right to enjoy this earth just as we do, or should do. And they have the right not to be on our dinner plates. (FLH)
They have the right to be looked upon as God's creatures. God would not create a leaving, breathing creature that has no value. Animals, since they cannot speak for themselves, have the right to have a voice. Even in our human domain, the people give a voice to those that, for varying reasons, cannot speak for themselves. Just because we "think" we're of more value, doesn't mean we are. We are the only ones given free choice and we are the ones destroying what God has created. Hmmmm. (Debra)
The right to be happy and healthy and respected like anyone else. (Scott)
Animals have the same feelings that we do. They feel heat and cold and pain, all we have to do to know this is observe them. Many animals also mourn for a loved one who has died, just as we do. Look at the "Animal" page on our web site and "The Story of Nathan and Travelin". (FLH)
This one is easy for many reasons. Ever come home at night and have your little "friend" meet you at the door with a wagging tail, a happy meow, a cheerful chirp, etc., etc? I have! They don't do this because they're hungry, they do this because they're "happy" to see you! Have you ever seen an animal protect it's "friend" against something they "don't trust," be it human or otherwise? I have. Ever have a little "friend" stay with you continuously when you're ill? I have. Ever have a little "friend" come to you and pat your face when you're crying? I have. Ever have a little "friend" that cries (talks in their own language) when you are upset and have your voice a few octaves above what it should be? I have. They feel joy, happiness, sadness, fear, etc., just like we do. To this day, my one kitty, Becca, doesn't like it when I get my keys out because she's afraid she's going to the vet to get an operation (she was fixed). What do we call this? Instinct? I think not. It's a memory of an unpleasant experience that she doesn't want to go through again. Get a copy of John Robbins' book "A Diet for a New America." He discusses many animal stories. Have a companion animal of your own and you will see. (Debra)
By watching how they respond to varying stimuli both negative and positive. (Scott)
Absolutely, maybe not always in words as we speak and hear each other, but if we live with animals, we come to know that they have individual personalities, and they have ways of letting us know what they want, and they learn what we want. They make up games and play with each other, and they teach their young. Some primates have learned to communicate with us through sign language. (FLH)
Absolutely. They learn words, they learn voice inflections, they learn moods. I say "treat" and they go right to the cupboard where the treats are. I say, "let's go to bed" and they run to the bedroom. I say "give me a kissy" and they raise their tails and put their nose on mine and give me a kiss. (Debra)
My dog knows when I am upset with him for terrorizing a neighbor or destroying something by the way I scold him. I think that is only one of many ways in which we communicate back and forth. (Scott)
All life is sacred to God, both ours and the animals'. We don't believe that they in any way are divine, just as we are not. (FLH)
All of God's creation is sacred! We should respect it! We should nurture it! We should be in awe of the perfect way in which each of us are designed. We were meant to live in harmony. (Debra)
What does this person mean by sacred? Are not all life forms created by God and thus in a sense sacred? (Scott)
From allowing ourselves to love without condition and feel as others feel, whether human or otherwise. We have confirmed this with the Word of God as presented in our Bibles. (FLH)
This is Frank's gig. My opinion, however, is that God wants us to be more like Him. This is scriptural. To be more like Him, we have to go back to the beginning. In the beginning, God instructs us in Genesis 1:28 to take care of the animals, not eat them. He then instructs us that all vegetation is for our food. There is a difference between what God wants for us and what God tolerates. (Debra)
The Scriptures. Me. (Scott)
You're correct. That's what the Bible says (Mark 7:18-23). Eating anything doesn't defile a believer as far as his or her salvation is concerned, but it can for physical health reasons, otherwise believers wouldn't get sick. But Jesus wasn't talking about God's intent, but only about His concession. God's original intent was that all people and animals would be vegetarians (Genesis 1:29-30). Now, God doesn't contradict Himself, but He does make concessions, as he did with the eating of flesh (Genesis 9:2-6). In particular, please pay close attention to verse 4, for it is really impossible to eat flesh without at least some of the blood remaining within it. For another comparison about intent and concession read what we are told about divorce in Matthew 19:3-9. (FLH)
When Jesus said; (Matt.15.11) Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man. (Matt.15.20) These are the things which defile a man: but to eat with unwashed hands defileth not a man. He was talking about the priestly proposition that a man became ceremonially unclean by eating with unwashed hands. Once that is clear then it is clear that the Lord is not saying one can eat anything they please and be defiled healthwise. It is also clear that Jesus also never said in this text that one could eat things which God had previously condemned such as unclean meats, blood, fat, certain combinations, etc. Pork, for example, still would make a man unclean in a spiritual sense seeing that God never lifted His ban on unclean meats. (Scott)
How true! Unfortunately bible translators of recent have twisted the text of Mark 7:19 making it sound as if Christ is declaring unclean meats ok. Actually, this verse when read in Greek simply refers to the act of excretion, "purging" victuals from the body. (Albert)
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