Christians, where the hell are ewe?

I have been wondering why, in the threads about women’s or gay rights, the Christians on OLO seem to swarm around these issues, eager to quote from the bible and express their strong anti-choice views, but I have been on a few animal welfare threads and there are no Christians interested or compassionate about the suffering of animals.

Pigs and de-beaked, de-winged chickens live squashed together in cages too cramped to even turn around; sheep and cattle are being exported to the other end of the world- under stressful and inhumane conditions- for months- until they arrive at their final destination.

Once they arrive at their destination the dead ones are the lucky ones because the ones still alive are likely to face torture and illegal slaughter, or slaughtering methods that seem horrific to Australians.

I am just trying to comprehend why it is that the Christian Church does so little about the issue of animal justice while they call themselves "the compassionate ones" (remember that article by that title?).

Why do you, Christians, continuously interfere with women’s right issues, science and gay issues but cease to care about the lives of animals?

What does the bible actually tell you about suffering of animals? Does it say somewhere that Christians should shrug their shoulders about the suffering of animals?
Please tell me why, because, being an atheist, I don’t get these things!

Celivia, interesting question. I can't answer for the christains but I can toss in my own perspective as a former christain and as someone who also tends to save most of my posts for other topics.

You might start with a look at 1 Kings 8:63 on the occasion of the dedication of the temple in Jerusalem

"Solomon offered a sacrifice of fellowship offerings to the Lord: twenty-two thousand cattle and a hundred and twenty thousand sheep and goats"

and in 1 Chronicles 29:21
"The next day they made sacrifices to the Lord and presented burnt offereings to him: a thousand bulls, a thousand rams and a thousand male lambs, together with their drink offerings, and other sacrifices in abundance for all Israel."

My understanding is that the sacrifices were also used to feed the crowds (in the first case a vast number of people for 14 days) so it's not all senseless waste but it's a lot of dead animals.

Each person will have their own reasons for involving themselves in different discussions but I suspect that for many christians the idea that humans are made in the image of god with an immortal soul would account for the strong involvement in the issues about humans compared to issues about the brief flicker of the lives of soul-less animals. Same kind of rational for involvement in environmental issues.

I'm not sure why I get less interested, maybe some of my christain background along with growing up on a farm. I'll go out of my way to help a suffering animal and I put effort into provide suburban habitat for wildlife (nesting boxes, a frog pond, bird friendly tree's etc).

I am more interested in the welfare of native animals than introduced animals but recognise the suffering of one is no less important than the suffering of another.

R0bert

Because most of the christians on here don't really care about suffering, they just get off on the idea of imposing their moral beliefs on everybody else.

Thank you so much Celivia, I was going to start a discussion called 'where's ST Francis when you need him?'

But you have saved me - I have left a challenge to the usual fundys on the "fuzzy thinking on religion" thread.

In a way I'm not sure what they can contribute to the Animal Welfare discussion as they never contribute to any of the other animal welfare threads.

What I would like to see is an explanation from any of them on this discussion thread.

Why do fundys care more about foeti than ALL living creatures?

PickledH

With a few words you have summed it up.
Except they are also supposed to be people as well.
Many of them just dont know the truth. There are many good people who go to Church just like there are many good people who join these Animal Welfare Groups. I will tell you what happens from the churches Down To the Animal Welfare Groups.
Its controlled and they are mostly mislead. See if the Preacher gets up and informs his flock about what is happening they would mostly respond and support him or her.
Well then thats easy all the we have to do is ask the church Leaders to speak out.
hello Hello Whos that heading for the hills!
Well why would they run a mile?
They are TOLD what to support by way of grants from the Government.
Ok Well gee I guess we cant do anything about that then can we if the churches are too scared of speaking out.?
WRONG
Yes we CAN and Yes we will!
We will knock on the doors, ring on the bells, tap on the windows too!. If they dont come tonight and do what is RIGHT, We will tap and KNOCK and Ring and tapping knocking ring until YOU DO. SHAME SHAME ON CUURCH LEADERS.
PUT GODS CREATURES BEFORE HOWARDS GRANTS. WHERE Coming After You!

Scout lets get Everybody Standing outside the churchers AND THE POLLING BOOTHS , make a few banners. Family First thought it was a good idea to bring religion into politics. [ or Howard did]

I can recall the day whe it was illegal for the church to get involved with government. Right Then We can Stand up to the cruel National :Party by asking family first to do the right thing.

You have clearly put up the Chritians as an offering to the fair minded public that want live animal exports stopped and intensive farming. THANK YOU MR HOWARD. Its the best gift Animal Welfare minded people have had from your Government.
You little Beauty!

MESSAGE TO FAMILY FIRST PARTY
COMING AFTER YOU.

Gee forgot the AVA Australian Vetinary Association. Scarey Name sort of reminds me of the marfia.
Wonder how many members of the AVA who sit on the boards are members of which parties/ Umm. perhaps we will post some names later.

The Animal Welfare Advisers who vote on this just like the AVA boards are ridled with conflicts of interest. Did You Know?
The Government REFUSE the advise of ANY Vet that is not a member of the AVA. A vets first job is to care for animals There are thousands of vets opposing intensive farming and live exports but howard only listens to these AVA guys. We all know it was set up by him three weeks after he was elected.
;look at some of the grants and fundings shall we apart from the churches.

Well now we have landmark that donate [live exporters but they are busy at the moment with the cole Enwuiry trying to lie their way out of things like the AWB and The Government.

Universitys and schools you would think would be safe from bullies.

These same places are given the jobs to write vetinary and educational reports that are funded by the cruel live exporters. The public needs to know this.

The CHURCH NEED TO FIND A BACK BONE. Even The Muslim leaders have spoken out about the cruelty of live exports insisting its the Government push and NOT THEIR reigious belief.

SO AGAIN WHERE ARE THE GOOD CHURCH LEADERS?

Scout and Celia need all the help they can get and God is with them even if they dont really ask for it.

The truth is these twp people are more christian than most of the church Leaders. They just dont know it.

Cecila and Scout.
Go for Gold We support you all the way.
its a bloody honour to have met you both.
Sorry guys but I am an old Farmer investigator and I swears sometimes.
I hope god Will forgive me but this church lot Would make A saint Swear