Church silence promotes violence to humans, to animals, to our
environment, to our economy, to our education, to our finances, and to our health.
By: Mary T. and Frank L. Hoffman
If the churches were not silent about the horrible exploitation and suffering of all farmed animals, and instead encouraged the people to live the loving, compassionate, and peacemaking lives that Jesus taught us to live, they would not contribute to the animals' suffering.
As part of the celebration of St. Francis Day in October 2010, the St. James the Great Church, St. Kilda East, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, held a blessing of the animals. On the surface, this sounds wonderful and in keeping with St. Francis's teachings, but it wasn't; for following the blessing service, the church held a sausage sizzle.
How could such a horrible disconnect occur?
How could they fail to see and understand that the Bible teaches us that all animals were created by God as living souls, just as we were?
How could the people not know that pigs and other farmed animals feel pain, and suffer, and want to live in loving surroundings just as their cats and dogs do?
The problem is that almost all of the people really do know, but hide from the truth. Because of societal pressures, and the churches' failure to teach unlimited love and compassion for the whole of creation, they harden their hearts so that they can disconnect their love and compassion for companion animals from the animals they eat. They may try to fool themselves, but they cannot fool God. To knowingly cause an animal to suffer or to be complacent about the atrocities committed upon animals is a sin for which they will be held accountable, as they will in all the other churches who exhibit such hypocrisy.
And as for the clergy and other religious leaders who should know better, we believe the follow Bible passage applies:
Matthew 7:21-23
21 "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven; but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven.22 "Many will say to Me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?'
23 "And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.'
NAS
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