Challenging Church Compassion – 17: Christian Cruelty
Christian cruelty is most often witnessed or perceived when it involves the way the Church and their parishioners relate to animals. Almost every day we hear from people who has been deeply troubled and often emotionally scarred by the hardness of heart they’ve encountered within the church.
For the most part, the Church has continued to be silent on these issues, particularly from the hierarchy, even though the founders of the Church and its various denominations have promoted compassion and kindness to animals. What is even worse, is that the Church actually promotes much of this cruelty:
Some pastors consider the “sport of hunting” to be a ministry and promote it, when in reality it is nothing but an enjoyment of killing.
We have heard a few pastors say that fishing should be a sacrament of the Church, when in reality what they are saying is that they enjoy torturing and suffocating fish to death.
Churches promote suppers that feature dining on the flesh and by-products of animals, when in reality they are very much aware of the horrible atrocities that are inflicted on animals on factory farms and in slaughterhouses, from which 95% of these animal parts come.
Christian cruelty, whether intentional or perceived must end. It’s chasing people away.
It’s time the Christian Church wakes up to the harm it is doing to both their members and God’s creation, and begins to promote the Biblical teachings of love and compassion for the whole of creation, instead of trying to justify their hardness of heart and cruelty. It’s time we all learn to live as peacemaking children of God (Matthew 5:9), and help free the rest of creation from the corruption to which it has been subjected (Romans 8:18-25).
Go on to: Challenging Church Compassion – 18: Michelle’s View
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Frank, how frustrated do you feel by all these stories? do you feel that things will never change or do you see any hope?
In my on-going study and evaluation of the cultural entity known as the 21st century church I see little change or indication for change. People are in their own little worlds and do not recognize that the church does not reflect Biblical or Scriptural values on so many levels and the people who dare to disagree are considered ‘not right with Jesus’. But there are a few people who do ‘get it’: and change is possible with just a few.
Hi Joyce: Yes, there is a lot of evil in the world, and we see little change in the church hierachy, but we are seeing more positive change among the layity and a few clergy. There’s a lot more today than we saw when we started this online ministry in January 1998. So, there is hope. We just need a lot more people speaking out and spread the truth about living as loving, compassionate, and peacemaking children of God for the benefit of the whole of creation.
Just to encourage you, in my church at the holiday season (Thanksgiving through New Years Day) unbeknownst to each other …a family of 4 and our pastor and his wife and my husband and I all became vegan. <3 God is changing hearts in the Christian church. 🙂
Dear Joni: This is wonderful news. You made our day! We have large vegan recipe section on our web site that you might enjoy. http://all-creatures.org/recipes.html
Thank you. Your web site was so important for me as I was “attacked” by so many Christians for my compassion. I will check out your recipes. God bless you! <3 Love, joy and peace to all.
Hi Joni,
That is wonderful! Spread the beautiful news.
Karolin
Thank you Frank! 🙂