Wow. Thank you for the very well thought-out comment! It could have been a Substack article on its own.
I agree that we were meant to take care of the animals, as they were created to be our companions, not food. I have written about that on my "Christian" substack. I don't agree with some of the Christian things you mentioned, but debati…
Wow. Thank you for the very well thought-out comment! It could have been a Substack article on its own.
I agree that we were meant to take care of the animals, as they were created to be our companions, not food. I have written about that on my "Christian" substack. I don't agree with some of the Christian things you mentioned, but debating theology is not the reason I wrote this.
I do believe animals go to heaven and there will be a reward for the suffering they've been put through. Even if people want to eat meat, that could be done without the factory farms that are like torture facilities. It's a shame that humans have so little care for animals that they are willing to torture them, but I do believe there is a spiritual consequence for that. I leave the consequences up to God and refuse to involve myself in the drama of it all like animal rights activists (ARA) do.
I agree that the ARA go crazy with the leftist agendas, which are drama triangle perspectives. It's because they're trapped in that sort of thinking that I wouldn't want to be aligned with them either.
Thanks! It's a huge topic. I have been meaning to not only write an article on it, but actually a whole book on it. Christian faith and animal rights both gave meaning to my life. I was ten years in the AR movement, then became a Christian after having left it, when its politics deviated from the cause of animals and veered in the wrong direction.
I was fortunate to learn of Andrew Linzey's books, so it was a seamless transition. Being a Christian I now believe in the afterlife and have the consolation of knowing (or more precisely hoping for knowledge of) something greater than this life, a reunification with God, who is Love (1 John 4:8).
It helps to know that I don't have to save the world by myself (a burden many secular activists feel very deeply) because as Jesus said "“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33). As bad as it is -- and it is bad for the world and animals and humanity -- God still triumphs in the end. This however does not lessen our moral duty to act righteously.
But I have to admit I found consolation in the idea that as bad as it is for animals, they go to God when they die. I think many of them know that and are glad to go there, to be released from a life of captivity and pain - like an old dog I once had who suffered in old age and was happy the day she died; she knew her release was immanent and she thanked me for being her parent. She had a soul and surely must be in Heaven now.
I saw a video by a man who died and came back -- see here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LoG0Gh1WB0s -- in his experience of death he met God and though a sinner was given a second chance. Part of that second chance was to respect Creation and animals and to approach life with humility. An incredible lesson! I wrote to him and he wrote back saying his testimony had touched many over the years.
All this came about because I lost two dogs who were very dear to me. They were my life. I still think about them every day -- and I have more dogs now, whom I love a great deal. The grief I went through was terrible so I turned to prayer and became a Christian, despite having been an agnostic for decades and even having studies atheism and dismissed Bibllical literaism as simple-minded. But I was wrong to do so.
I tried different form of Christianity but now go to an evangelical church and admire the faith and dedication of some of the people who attend it whereas in my past life I was arrogant and looked down on such people as ignorant -- just as many Christians tend to dismiss vegans. I believe I am the only person there who does not eat meat and they accept that as a "personal choice" -- though it is not just that because my choice is morally motivated.
I was in a Bible study recently where the topic came up and they were quite receptive to the idea that God loved animals and we should respect and love them. I raised the issue of diet and no one contradicted me. It was food for thought for all of us. Everyone makes choices in life and must live with the consequences. I know for myself that includes not harming animals -- though I have not been perfect in this regard. I even hunted animals at one time, long ago, and had no regard for them. I believe I will answer for that and other sins one day. So I have nothing to gloat about. I am a sinner. In the end, God knows everything, all that we have done and thought and said. It's called "the book of life" (Romans 20:12) and we will judged on what's in it, I believe.
I will check out the video. I made videos about veganism and Christianity obviously when I was studying it and more on YouTube. I just added an article on Substack the other day refuting the supposed biblical claim that veganism is a "Doctrine of demons." If you've ever heard that you might want to check it out. https://leavesofthetree.substack.com/p/is-veganism-a-doctrine-of-demons
In the comment section I also added a link to a video "The Forbidden Fruit was meat" which is an interesting discussion you might be interested in. This is the video link: https://youtu.be/7EBfPhSJFXE?si=_7TZQVgzHUI0zb1v
Wow. Thank you for the very well thought-out comment! It could have been a Substack article on its own.
I agree that we were meant to take care of the animals, as they were created to be our companions, not food. I have written about that on my "Christian" substack. I don't agree with some of the Christian things you mentioned, but debating theology is not the reason I wrote this.
I do believe animals go to heaven and there will be a reward for the suffering they've been put through. Even if people want to eat meat, that could be done without the factory farms that are like torture facilities. It's a shame that humans have so little care for animals that they are willing to torture them, but I do believe there is a spiritual consequence for that. I leave the consequences up to God and refuse to involve myself in the drama of it all like animal rights activists (ARA) do.
I agree that the ARA go crazy with the leftist agendas, which are drama triangle perspectives. It's because they're trapped in that sort of thinking that I wouldn't want to be aligned with them either.
Thanks! It's a huge topic. I have been meaning to not only write an article on it, but actually a whole book on it. Christian faith and animal rights both gave meaning to my life. I was ten years in the AR movement, then became a Christian after having left it, when its politics deviated from the cause of animals and veered in the wrong direction.
I was fortunate to learn of Andrew Linzey's books, so it was a seamless transition. Being a Christian I now believe in the afterlife and have the consolation of knowing (or more precisely hoping for knowledge of) something greater than this life, a reunification with God, who is Love (1 John 4:8).
It helps to know that I don't have to save the world by myself (a burden many secular activists feel very deeply) because as Jesus said "“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33). As bad as it is -- and it is bad for the world and animals and humanity -- God still triumphs in the end. This however does not lessen our moral duty to act righteously.
But I have to admit I found consolation in the idea that as bad as it is for animals, they go to God when they die. I think many of them know that and are glad to go there, to be released from a life of captivity and pain - like an old dog I once had who suffered in old age and was happy the day she died; she knew her release was immanent and she thanked me for being her parent. She had a soul and surely must be in Heaven now.
I saw a video by a man who died and came back -- see here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LoG0Gh1WB0s -- in his experience of death he met God and though a sinner was given a second chance. Part of that second chance was to respect Creation and animals and to approach life with humility. An incredible lesson! I wrote to him and he wrote back saying his testimony had touched many over the years.
All this came about because I lost two dogs who were very dear to me. They were my life. I still think about them every day -- and I have more dogs now, whom I love a great deal. The grief I went through was terrible so I turned to prayer and became a Christian, despite having been an agnostic for decades and even having studies atheism and dismissed Bibllical literaism as simple-minded. But I was wrong to do so.
I tried different form of Christianity but now go to an evangelical church and admire the faith and dedication of some of the people who attend it whereas in my past life I was arrogant and looked down on such people as ignorant -- just as many Christians tend to dismiss vegans. I believe I am the only person there who does not eat meat and they accept that as a "personal choice" -- though it is not just that because my choice is morally motivated.
I was in a Bible study recently where the topic came up and they were quite receptive to the idea that God loved animals and we should respect and love them. I raised the issue of diet and no one contradicted me. It was food for thought for all of us. Everyone makes choices in life and must live with the consequences. I know for myself that includes not harming animals -- though I have not been perfect in this regard. I even hunted animals at one time, long ago, and had no regard for them. I believe I will answer for that and other sins one day. So I have nothing to gloat about. I am a sinner. In the end, God knows everything, all that we have done and thought and said. It's called "the book of life" (Romans 20:12) and we will judged on what's in it, I believe.
Thanks for your reply!
I will check out the video. I made videos about veganism and Christianity obviously when I was studying it and more on YouTube. I just added an article on Substack the other day refuting the supposed biblical claim that veganism is a "Doctrine of demons." If you've ever heard that you might want to check it out. https://leavesofthetree.substack.com/p/is-veganism-a-doctrine-of-demons
In the comment section I also added a link to a video "The Forbidden Fruit was meat" which is an interesting discussion you might be interested in. This is the video link: https://youtu.be/7EBfPhSJFXE?si=_7TZQVgzHUI0zb1v