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Christianity Today, July, 2009 |

Where We Stand

Not One Sparrow

We can be 'speciesists' and show compassion for animals.

A Christianity Today editorial | posted 7/13/2009 10:33AM

In a recent post on Her.meneutics, the Christianity Today women's blog, Saddleback Church's Kay Warren shared the story of being emotionally duped, then angered, by a heart-tugging television ad about ...

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Jan	Posted: July 25, 2009 3:30 PM

Who pays church leaders their salary? We are still responsible to God who put animals in our care and someday we will be held accountable. Jesus even died to redeem creation. We should not be supporting the abuse of billions of animals with what we buy to eat and drink. Col. 1:20; Heb 4:13. A great video is "Christian Concern For All God's Creatures". There are many other videos concerning animals. Where are our leaders? Who's leading who?

David

Posted: July 24, 2009 8:50 PM

And God created people on the same day as the other land animals ... That God cares about animals is obvious through scripture, c.f. Noah's ark and the closing words of Jonah. So far, We're on the same page. However, Christians should not be speciesist. Speciesism means taking a strictly biological category, our species, and using it to justify a difference in moral treatment. Speciesism is not the only (or a reasonable) way to draw a moral distinction between different kinds of organisms. We need to base differences of treatment on relevant differences in the nature of the beings. Humans and many other animals suffer pain in common--suffering is suffering. Humans exhibit a moral autonomy, which is either absent or only faintly present in some other animals. Humans don't count more, we just count differently. Making moral decisions based on the nature of God's creation requires looking at his creation earnestly, and not just at the Bible. Two books, remember.

Flora

Posted: July 21, 2009 11:10 PM

Thank you for this article. I have most of it in my mind and feels good to know that there are others who think the same. There are so many needs in this world, so many helping hands needed. Let's not discourage anyone to care for any cause. God has given each person a calling to a particular cause. If children is your calling, then go for it. If education is your calling, then go for it. If animals is your calling, don't hesitate to go for it. Our life will only be whole when we answer the true God's calling. Don't worry about other cause, God himself will provide "worker" for each "field".

M. Brussels

Posted: July 21, 2009 6:01 PM

I just read your several articles regarding animals and I took notice of your aggressive approach of animal rights activism. Your ‘Evangelical’ attitude towards animals is a hypocrite one, reminding me of the song ‘she didn’t say yes, she didn’t say no – she didn’t say come, she didn’t say go! ‘Human rights and animal rights go together, defending the weak and the innocents In my opinion, you just take from the Scriptures what’s suitable for YOU, probably what benefits you in your personal life, soothing and deceiving your own conscience. "Jesus didn't die for animals; he gave his all for human beings": your condescension as a human being is blasphemous and humility would suit you. Pride will have a fall How dare you to call yourself Christians? Peace upon you.

Sue	Posted: July 20, 2009 6:01 PM


The Warrens have done wonderful things with what the Lord has blessed them with and I'm sure they will continue giving as God leads them. I read Kay's article the day it was posted and I also didn't care for the negative tone concerning animals but God impresses upon us all to do different things and Mrs. Warren has that same right.

Jennifer A. Johnson

Posted: July 18, 2009 6:53 PM


I read her article and it looks like she watches too much TV. And, she reads into what she sees on TV! How does she know that Jesus did not die for animals or mosquitos? She sure has a high opinion of herself. C. S. Lewis argued in the Problem of Pain that if necessary, creating a heaven for mosquitos and a hell for mankind would not be that difficult.

Leslie Strovas

Posted: July 18, 2009 11:37 AM

"For God so loved THE WORLD that He gave His one and only son that whosever should believe in Him should have everlasting life." The proposition that humans are superior is irrelevant to the issue of animal cruelty. The whole earth and everything in it belongs to the Lord: cruelty is cruelty is cruelty and that cruelty is sin whether it's perpetrated on humans or animals. A close reading of Genesis and the whole of scripture reveals an intimate connection between mankind and animals; not for nothing did God give Adam animals as his companions and the intimate task of naming them. What's in a name? Identity, potential, a blessing, vision, Love. Why do we as Christians not yet understand that it is our love - not our church, denomination, theology, intelligence, rules or any other thing - that identifies us as Christians? How we treat the powerless, the vulnerable, the weakest - humans and animals alike - is what will set up apart as Christians.

pj	Posted: July 17, 2009 1:25 PM

GEORGE - No, we're not saying that we need to spend as much on animals as humans. We are arguing the fact that KAY WARREN says 100% ORPHANS - 0% ANIMALS --- That is why we're upset. We just want KAY to take back what she said. That wasn't at all fair to God's animals and she needs to once and for all set the record straight. --- I love and respect the Warren's for all they do for the Kingdom of God, but we want to know that they will also give to organizations who help God's animals as well. So far they seem to be refusing to want to give in to even 1% for God's animals. I hope and pray that we will hear something soon from them with regard to God's animals. May be they could at least have a pet adoption at their church or something. That would be nice. They'd get great press for that too and we'd all be happy.

hope h.

Posted: July 17, 2009 5:56 AM


When we lose sight of the truth that life is life no matter how small, opportunities of ego-ism rise up quickly. All things were created by God, and require the same degree of respect. When one of us (persons or species, etc...) is threatened, we are ALL at risk.

george

Posted: July 17, 2009 12:51 AM

Much of this discussion is a joke. I don't advocate cruelty to animals, but trying to come up with a consistent reason for spending what our culture does on pets compared to what we are willing to spend on the children dying in the world is just wrong. That's what I think the original argument was getting at. I am a birder-I see how animals treat other animals and most of it isn't pretty- those sweet housecats kill more of our native birds than any other predator, so if you have one you are contributing to animal cruelty. Our culture of consumerism- having our own "space" i.e. a big house or developed land that deprives native species of their habitat is participating in animal cruelty, yet we all have a rationale for taking part to some degree. We just need to acknowledge that scripture tells us more often than any other command, that caring for widows and orphans is the way to show our commitment to obeying God. The kids come first and until they are all fed, forget the rest.

SALLY

Posted: July 16, 2009 11:01 PM


"LET EVERYTHING THAT HATH BREATH PRAISE THE LORD! PRAISE THE LORD! Psalm, 150:6 Sorry to state the obvious but-----I think "everything" means everything that breathes and that means animals.

Jeff Bertsch

Posted: July 16, 2009 6:44 PM


In Kay Warren's comment to this blog, she tries to define levels or degrees of vulnerability. First she states, "that humans must protect these vulnerable creatures that share the planet with us." Then she closes with, "the MOST vulnerable of God's creation - orphaned boys and girls." As a born again Christian, I don't believe there are degrees of vulnerability.

Jayne W

Posted: July 16, 2009 6:01 PM

I'm finding it curious how Kay Warren can say in her comment that we as Christians should, 'care for, protect, enjoy and love the awe-inspiring array of creatures God has made' while adding this statement in her personal article - 'Puppies? Gorillas? No . . . children.' So how are we to 'care for, protect, enjoy and love the awe inspiring array of creatures God has made' if we give no money or time to animal protection organizations? I'm still waiting for her to fess up and admit that she was wrong by saying only give to the orphans and nothing to animal care organizations. Once she does that I'll listen to her again, but she has lost my vote for now.

Gordon

Posted: July 16, 2009 3:24 PM


I don't see really how one negates the other. We are to care for and love people, but we are also to love and be compassionate to animals. I believe that my pro life, pro care poistion is consistent with the holy scriptures. To say that we don't have a responsibility toward protecting the welfare of animals as well, is not only inconsistent, but is completely inane.

Gene Moore Haddock

Posted: July 16, 2009 12:20 PM

As one born out of wed lock and not knowing my father's family until my adult life I could never understand why I had such love for animals and my mother's people seemed so casual about their welfare. They were very concerned about children; but, dogs and cats were kept in what they considered to be their place. I loved children but also animals and could not see why one had to take one side as opposed to the other. Later when I got to know my father and his family I saw they were great animal lovers. Pets were an intimate part of their lives and I realized that gene's had to have something to do with my love of animals. I still belive that both can be a part of the Christians life and for me both must be. I recently lost my beloved dog of 14 years and my home is like a morge. All of the early church fathers had animals living with them even lions. Yes support the children of the world but care also for God's creaturs. For some of us life without a dog or a cat is a poor life indeed.

Jeff Bertsch

Posted: July 16, 2009 12:06 PM


I think Kay's statement: "Unfortunately, it appears to me that this God-given stewardship of animals is becoming confused with a worldview that sees no inherent difference between humans and animals." is an exaggeration. That's what atheists believe but not Christians.

wylie

Posted: July 16, 2009 11:50 AM

There is an excellent DVD entitled 'Eating Mercifully' from The Humane Society of the U.S. regarding how we as Christians can activate our human responsibility to God's animals with regard to our food choices. It has nothing to do with becoming a vegan or vegetarian. The HSUS 'All Creatures Great and Small' campaign has just been endorsed by Robert Schuler. To get a free copy of the DVD go to www.humanesociety.org/allcreatures

pjdallas

Posted: July 16, 2009 11:02 AM

I'm glad to see that Kay Warren is with us in this discussion. While I agree with everything she said in her comment on this article, I'm still quite perplexed that in her personal article she urged us to give only to the orphans and NOTHING to animal welfare. That is still bothering me a lot and I can't help but be frustrated with her for discouraging Christians from giving to organizations who not only educate us with regard to atrocities going on in the mainstream agriculture industry, puppy mills, fur industry, etc..., but who also 'care for the lives of God's creatures' via donations and volunteers. They cannot exist without help either. Kay - I wish you would clear up that statement if you wouldn't mind. Have you rethought what you said in your article with regard to 100% orphans/0% animals?

Me	Posted: July 16, 2009 1:20 AM


"Speak for those who cannot speak for themselves, defend those who cannot defend themselves, and plead the cause of those in need." - Proverbs 31:8-9 Hmm...this verse doesn't seem to make any separation between animals and people, does it.

Me	Posted: July 16, 2009 1:05 AM

The question is not, "Can they reason?" nor, "Can they talk?" but rather, "Can they suffer?" Jeremy Bentham I care not much for a man's religion whose dog and cat are not the better for it. Abraham Lincoln Personally, I would not give a fig for any man's religion whose horse, cat and dog do not feel its benefits. Life in any form is our perpetual responsibility. S. Parkes Cadman The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated. Gandhi The fact that man knows right from wrong proves his intellectual superiority to the other creatures; but the fact that he can do wrong proves his moral inferiority to any creatures that cannot. Mark Twain Until we extend our circle of compassion to all living things, humanity will not find peace. Albert Schweitzer If you have men who will exclude any of God's creatures from the shelter of compassion and pity, you will have men who will deal likewise with their fellow men. St. Francis

Jennifer

Posted: July 16, 2009 12:56 AM

People who are compassionate towards animals are much more likely to be compassionate toward people. One leads to the other; they should not be mutually exclusive. I second Annetta's post 100%. I have no respect for Kay Warren for making her statement. Just because children are suffering in Rwanda doesn't mean it's not important to stop cruelty toward animals. Some are more drawn to help people, some to help animals; I'm personally drawn to help both, but we all balance out. The Bible discusses animals in heaven. If they don't have souls, how did they get there?! Anyone who's ever really looked into their pet's eyes knows it has a soul. But regardless of whether they have souls, which will always be an ongoing debate, I'm sure, that's not the real issue...you can't argue that they don't know what suffering feels like, and NONE of God's creatures deserves to suffer - human OR animal. God put BOTH in our charge, and I'd hate for someone to not help animals becase of what Kay said.

Rita	Posted: July 15, 2009 6:05 PM

I'm so glad to read this article because it doesn't take away from the dignity of humans, it only emphasizes our responsibilty to all of God's creatures. God gave us animals as a part of his precious creation and by not treating animals humanely, only degrades us. Animals are not equal to us because God did not create animals in His image, did not give them free will, and of course Christ died only for mankind. Unfortunately because there is so much evil in the world and so many people that don't live Christian lives, both humans and animals are abused. We have a responsiblity to the less fortunate and to the animals that cannot protect themselves. I only pray that all those that abuse any of God's helpless, pay the price when they have to account for their sins.

Gayle A. Haywood

Posted: July 15, 2009 1:53 PM

We ALL need to have compassion for all things God provides to us whether it be human, animal, or our planet. We are not doing a good job at any of this. I also see the hungry and tortured human beings, the neglected and torured animals, and the wrong we are doing to our planet. There needs to be compassion for all things God has created. I think God is pretty sad to see all this happening to his creation. I thank God for the Christians of the world who CARE for all things.

Annetta

Posted: July 15, 2009 1:29 PM

Why does one exclude the other? Why can there not be compassion and non violence towards ALL of Gods creation? Do you think God smiles on us when our animals are factory farmed, when baby animals are locked into crates, taken away from their mothers and given an iron poor formula so that humans can eat veal? Or when animals are raised and killed for their skins? Or when dogs are forded bred over and over, and pups sold for huge amounts of money? That is what we are doing. Is that being a good steward? Just because we can does not mean its right..and in my mind, cruelty towards a living being that cannot defend themselves is terribly sinful.

Sharon Bernash Smith

Posted: July 15, 2009 12:59 PM

I believe that Christians are commanded to be good stewards of all God's creation. But, I'm greatly offended when people are allowed to bring dogs other than seeing-eye-dogs, into the sanctuary because without the comfort of said "dog", they MIGHT have an anxiety attack. Americans spend billions of dollars taking care of their pets, treating them like "children." I see Christians with the same misguided affinities, and I'm sickened. I've had animals all my life, but I just don't get this lop-sided mentality.

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