Animals

Daniel C

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So I was wondering what the general viewpoint towards animals was.

God commanded us to rule over nature:


Genesis 1
28 And God blessed them,
and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.


God is the creator and owner of all things and he's telling us (Mankind) to subdue the earth. He is not asking,he is demanding we subdue and subdue means to take control over,so we are the authority over the earth/nature/animals now God has given us the authority. If we are the authority we get to choose what happens with the animals and nature as God gave us that right. Animals are not co-equal with humans they are inferior and should be treated with that status,not cruelty but human needs/rights come before animal needs/rights.

God told us we are to take control over the earth/nature and are we doing it? Well looking at the way people exalt nature to the same level as human beings I would say no. Animals are property,not family members,not co-equal with men women or children-Property.

I understand the heathens worshiping animals because they don't know God and have no love for their fellow man but I also think i've seen some professing Christians doing this as well. I'm not sure how they can harmonize being a christian and animal worship.

I think domesticated Dogs are probably the best example of animals being worshiped. Although Dogs in society attack and kill people,bark and cause nuisances for their neighbors,leave dog foul on the floor western society still makes excuses for these. I think dogs in general are a nuisance but get away with these things because animal worship. God did not tell us to exalt nature but to subdue it.

Thoughts?
 

Daniel C

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Our pets have a way of softening our hearts, and that's a good thing.


Opinion noted.

I have to say in my observation it is in fact the opposite. Pet owners often develop extreme selfishness through their pets and doing things for their animals.

Just curious,do you support (human) abortion?
 
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Silverback

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So I was wondering what the general viewpoint towards animals was.

God commanded us to rule over nature:


Genesis 1
28 And God blessed them,
and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.


God is the creator and owner of all things and he's telling us (Mankind) to subdue the earth. He is not asking,he is demanding we subdue and subdue means to take control over,so we are the authority over the earth/nature/animals now God has given us the authority. If we are the authority we get to choose what happens with the animals and nature as God gave us that right. Animals are not co-equal with humans they are inferior and should be treated with that status,not cruelty but human needs/rights come before animal needs/rights.

God told us we are to take control over the earth/nature and are we doing it? Well looking at the way people exalt nature to the same level as human beings I would say no. Animals are property,not family members,not co-equal with men women or children-Property.

I understand the heathens worshiping animals because they don't know God and have no love for their fellow man but I also think i've seen some professing Christians doing this as well. I'm not sure how they can harmonize being a christian and animal worship.

I think domesticated Dogs are probably the best example of animals being worshiped. Although Dogs in society attack and kill people,bark and cause nuisances for their neighbors,leave dog foul on the floor western society still makes excuses for these. I think dogs in general are a nuisance but get away with these things because animal worship. God did not tell us to exalt nature but to subdue it.

Thoughts?

Animals are part of the created order, They were important enough to preserve on the ARK, God's covenant after the flood included animals.

God has used them for his purpose numerous times in scripture.

-The Dove from the ARK
-The Donkey who talked
-Christ riding on a Donky

I'm proverbs God called a man who watched out for his flock is wise.

Animals were placed here for our responsible use, they are a valid resource, and need to be treated that way.

Animals should not be simply breeding stock, they should not be abused, neglected, or abandoned.

On a personal note, I have three Cats, I would die for them, because I love them. They are members of my family, and I treat them as such.

Most animals deserve to live more than most people.
 
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Daniel C

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Animals are part of the created order, They were important enough to preserve on the ARK, God's covenant after the flood included animals.

God has used them for his purpose numerous times in scripture.

-The Dove from the ARK
-The Donkey who talked
-Christ riding on a Donky

I'm proverbs God called a man who watched out for his flock is wise.

Animals were placed here for our responsible use, they are a valid resource, and need to be treated that way.

Animals should not be simply breeding stock, they should not be abused, neglected, or abandoned.

On a personal note, I have three Cats, I would die for them, because I love them. They are members of my family, and I treat them as such.

Most animals deserve to live more than most people.


This is crazy talk! "Most animals deserve to live more than most people."

Nuts,crazy.
 
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Hank77

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Our pets have a way of softening our hearts, and that's a good thing.
True. Prisons use dogs, horses, etc. with prisoners. These programs have changed many hearts and taught people to be responsible for someone besides themselves.
 
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Daniel C

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This part of my OP is unfortunately a reality with some responses in this thread:


''I understand the heathens worshiping animals because they don't know God and have no love for their fellow man but I also think i've seen some professing Christians doing this as well. I'm not sure how they can harmonize being a christian and animal worship.''

We had a guy saying ''Most animals deserve to live more than most people'' so that's actually putting animals higher than humans and another one who keeps pretending he is one.

Jesus chose to kill-off 2000 pigs to save one man,that is Gods priority:

Mark
13 And forthwith Jesus gave them leave. And the unclean spirits went out, and entered into the swine: and the herd ran violently down a steep place into the sea, (they were about two thousand and were choked in the sea.

So where is the belief animals are equal to humans coming from? Well not from Jesus! He chose one man over two thousand animals. Sorry guys you're following the pagan way not Jesus way.
 
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AnneY

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Proverbs 12:10 "A righteous man regardeth the life of his beast: but the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel."

Since this thread focuses on animals, and seems to have a closer emphasis on pets kept by Christians, I will keep my opinions based on that narrowed topic (I have a tendency to wander off topic).

My thoughts on the matter:
I believe the worship of animals is a sin, and completely 100% against the will of God. I absolutely do not think an animals life is worth more than or equal to a humans. I absolutely believe that an animal that mauls or kills a human should be euthanized.

I also believe that when God gave the command for humans to subdue and have dominion over animals, He was not only telling us to control the animals but also giving us humans the responsibility to take good care of them, and this includes keeping the animals in a healthy, thriving state (whether wild, farmed, or pet).

There is only one place I can think of in the Bible (if there are others, I can't think of it at the moment) that mentions the keeping of a pet: II Samuel 12:1-7. Now, whether it was a true story or one Nathan made up, I don't know, the story was used as a comparison to the crime David had committed. But the man keeping the lamb as a pet and King David's response to the neighbor killing and eating the man's pet is on par with what you would consider "animal worship", while that wasn't the point of the story at all, and Nathan placed any sin squarely on the shoulders of the neighbor thief.

I do not believe that having a certain amount of care for the health and well being of the animals chosen as pets by Christians is equal to worshiping them. Nowhere in the Bible is it said that it is a sin to have a pet or to care about the health and well being of said pet, and as the verse in Proverbs states, a righteous man regardeth the life of his beast and does not say whether pet or farmed. We Christians, if we choose to have a pet, have a responsibility to regard their lives, to make sure they are well cared for, healthy, and thriving. Where responsibly caring for the pet crosses over line into the sin of animal worship is when the Christian places that pet on a pedestal above God.
 
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Daniel C

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Proverbs 12:10 "A righteous man regardeth the life of his beast: but the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel."

Since this thread focuses on animals, and seems to have a closer emphasis on pets kept by Christians, I will keep my opinions based on that narrowed topic (I have a tendency to wander off topic).

My thoughts on the matter:
I believe the worship of animals is a sin, and completely 100% against the will of God. I absolutely do not think an animals life is worth more than or equal to a humans. I absolutely believe that an animal that mauls or kills a human should be euthanized.

I also believe that when God gave the command for humans to subdue and have dominion over animals, He was not only telling us to control the animals but also giving us humans the responsibility to take good care of them, and this includes keeping the animals in a healthy, thriving state (whether wild, farmed, or pet).

There is only one place I can think of in the Bible (if there are others, I can't think of it at the moment) that mentions the keeping of a pet: II Samuel 12:1-7. Now, whether it was a true story or one Nathan made up, I don't know, the story was used as a comparison to the crime David had committed. But the man keeping the lamb as a pet and King David's response to the neighbor killing and eating the man's pet is on par with what you would consider "animal worship", while that wasn't the point of the story at all, and Nathan placed any sin squarely on the shoulders of the neighbor thief.

I do not believe that having a certain amount of care for the health and well being of the animals chosen as pets by Christians is equal to worshiping them. Nowhere in the Bible is it said that it is a sin to have a pet or to care about the health and well being of said pet, and as the verse in Proverbs states, a righteous man regardeth the life of his beast and does not say whether pet or farmed. We Christians, if we choose to have a pet, have a responsibility to regard their lives, to make sure they are well cared for, healthy, and thriving. Where responsibly caring for the pet crosses over line into the sin of animal worship is when the Christian places that pet on a pedestal above God.



Did you even read my OP before making that post?

I said this as part of my statement- ''Animals are not co-equal with humans they are inferior and should be treated with that status,not cruelty but human needs/rights come before animal needs/rights.''

This part of your post using scripture seems to agree with that,as the ''beast'' is his property but should be treated fairly: Proverbs 12:10 "A righteous man regardeth the life of his beast: but the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel."

You say the status of animals are not equal with humans but should be treated ''good'' ok, I said almost the same thing. However,in this very thread there are people who love animal more than humans-that's not Biblical and should be acknowledged. Some threads on this forum are dedicated to animals,not God or worship but animals so.......

You don't need to tell me because I already have a Biblical approach to this,it's the animal fanatics that have lost that connection and love for God and their fellow human brother and sister somewhere and their ways need to be shown as abnormal and unbiblical. It comes from the heathen Pagan cultures not the God of the Bible.
 
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AnneY

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Did you even read my OP before making that post?
Yes, sir, I did.
So I was wondering what the general viewpoint towards animals was.
You give your opinion. And then you ask:
Thoughts?

I gave you my general thoughts/opinions on the subject, limiting it to Christians and pets since the subject of animals is very broad. Isn't that what you were asking for? If not, I greatly misunderstood the point of this thread. If I was off base, what kind of replies are you looking for?
 
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Daniel C

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You give your opinion. And then you ask:


I gave you my general thoughts/opinions on the subject, limiting it to Christians and pets since the subject of animals is very broad. Isn't that what you were asking for? If not, I greatly misunderstood the point of this thread. If I was off base, what kind of replies are you looking for?


Ok fair enough.
 
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Daniel C

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Daniel, animals are not property just because we have dominion over them. There is a difference.


Well that's your opinion. God said this at the beginning of Mans creation:

Genesis 1
28 And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.

To subdue means to take control over. So who are you to override God?
 
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brinny

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Well that's your opinion. God said this at the beginning of Mans creation:

Genesis 1
28 And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.

To subdue means to take control over. So who are you to override God?

Daniel, to "subdue" does not mean to "sin", which would be to have a "skewed" notion of what it means to be as a "shepherd" to the animals, akin to Jesus being a GOOD Shepherd with us, His "sheep", so much so that He gives His life for His sheep, and in addition, goes to search for the one missing amongst the 99. In addition, David was a shepherd, a "good" shepherd. He protected and cared for his sheep, to the extent that he killed not only a bear, but also a lion to protect them. The 23rd Psalm not only gives us a picture of Jesus as our Shepherd, but us, as "shepherds" of the creatures we are to care for.

Our Creator God LOVES His creatures. That is why He created them in the first place. What also comes to mind for me is Balaam and the donkey. He beat the donkey, and God intervened, not only with an angel, but by giving the donkey a voice to ask Balaam why he was beating him.

Was Balaam sinning when he was beating the donkey?

The bottom line is, is it a sin to mis-treat God's creatures?

Why or why not?

iu
 
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