I began writing this blog a month ago, and it has kind of evolved into a two-part soap box post. I myself have learned so much due to the amount of research involved... I've also been reading When Helping Hurts, which has corrected so much of my own ideas about my Christian responsibility.
Most readers already know my feelings on America's obsession for "saving wild life", but in case you are just now tuning into Christine's Soap Box, I'll brief you.
I love animals. I'm not afraid of spiders, I've caught dozens of snakes at summer camp, I've ridden horses as long as I can remember, I own and pamper an adorably ugly dog, and my husband has to stop me from bringing home every stray cat, dog, horse and snail we pass on the way home. I even cried once when I killed a bumble bee while watering flowers.
So you may wonder, why does this advertisement bother me so much?
There is nothing wrong with an organization that wants to preserve the beautiful creation that God has given us. In fact, there's nothing wrong with supporting this organization.
But.
There is everything wrong with a society who values these animals more than humans. Why does the ASPCA have so much money to advertise, and why have I only ever seen one sign advertising for foster care? I think this is an indicator of America's priorities.
Look at all the animal welfare groups listed below. Do we really need so many when millions of children world-wide are in foster homes and orphanages?
Alley Cat Allies
Alley Cat Allies
Animal Chaplains
Animal Defenders International (ADI)
Animal Legal Defense Fund (ALDF)
Animal Rights UK
Animal Protection Institute (API)
Animal Rights Party USA
American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA)
Animal Welfare Institute (AWI)
Anti-Cruelty Society (in Chicago in the US) ("to prevent cruelty to animals")
Arizona Humane Society
Bat Conservation International
Bat World Sanctuary
Best Friends Animal Society
British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR)
Born Free Foundation
The Blue Cross
Cats Protection (formerly Cats Protection League)
Compassion In World Farming (CIWF)
Dogs Trust (formerly National Canine Defence League)
Ducks Unlimited
Eurogroup for Animals
Friends of Animals (FoA)
Grey2K USA
Houston Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (HSPCA)
Humane Society of Huron Valley (HSHV)
International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW)
International Primate Protection League (IPPL)
It's Meow or Never For Ferals (IMON For Ferals) [1]
JAWS-Japan animal welfare society
The Greyhound Protection League (GPL)
Kathmandu Animal Treatment Centre
League Against Cruel Sports (previously also known as LACS)
Marine Connection
Michigan Humane Society
National Animal Welfare Trust
National Anti-Vivisection Society (NAVS)
New England Anti-Vivisection Society (NEAVS)
ORCA (animal welfare organisation in Serbia)
Party for the Animals USA
Pennsylvania Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
People's Dispensary for Sick Animals (PDSA)
PETA
The Retired Greyhound Trust (RGT)
Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA)
Royal New Zealand Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RNZSPCA)
Sanctuary One
Scottish SPCA (SSPCA)
Society for Animal Protective Legislation (SAPL)
Society for Protection of Animal Rights in Egypt
Shark Trust
WDCS (Whale and Dolphin Conservation Socitey)
Wolf Preservation Foundation (WPF)
World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA)
Chinese Animal Protection Network
-(foumd on a wikipedia page)
-(foumd on a wikipedia page)
The last one really makes me laugh. Chinese Animal Protection Network, are you kidding? The one-child policy in China has people taking desperate measures. Little girls and birth-defect babies are tossed into dumpsters or left in the hospital so the parents can flee and try again for a boy or healthy child.
Oh, don't get on your high horse, Americans. Abortion is no more humane.
Oh, don't get on your high horse, Americans. Abortion is no more humane.
Here's an interesting headline:
1,770 children died as a result of neglect or abuse in 2009. But no chickens were caged in the making of your egg McMuffin.
Read that number again. 1,770. One THOUSAND, seven hundred and seventy children dead. In one year. America, how can you be concerned with the comfort of chickens when our future generation is being strangled, raped, starved, and beaten?
That's only the number of children who died from abuse. In 2009, Child Protective Services reported more than 3.6 million cases of child abuse.
Million.
Keep that in mind while looking at the following advertisement.
Yes, it's sad when we lose pets and its ok to be mad when animals are mistreated. But the following should break our hearts SO MUCH More.
This is a picture of a baby born at 23 weeks. (full-term babies are born at 38-42 weeks)
Just look at all that is being done to preserve his life. Feeding tube, oxygen, bp monitors... these doctors here know how precious that life is, they are fighting for his life!
Keep that in mind while reading the following story.
Keep that in mind while reading the following story.
An unnamed woman paid $1,200 for a late-term abortion; the abortion failed and she went into labor and delivered a live, healthy, almost full-term baby who had a much better chance of survival than the tiny baby above. She promptly put the child in a plastic bag and into a dumpster.
It's ironic to me that she paid $1,200 for an abortion when that's about the sum my husband and I have to pay for a fertility treatment.
That would be better labeled as a disgusting irony.
Again, these things continue to happen and it seems a large portion of charity donations are going to Animal Rights/ Welfare groups.
Did you know there is a rising problem in elderly abuse? Read the following report:
At Alexandra Hospital in Redditch, Worcestershire, inspectors reported ‘major’ concerns on nutrition. Doctors often have to prescribe ‘drinking water’ for patients to ensure nurses remember to give them enough fluids. At Ipswich Hospital, the elderly are made to suffer the indignity of using a commode by their bedside because staff are too busy to take them to the toilet. Inspectors also found routine examples of patients’ meals being dumped by their bed while they were asleep and then taken away again untouched. Emergency call buttons are often left out of patients’ reach and they often have to press them seven times before a nurse responds. One elderly man was forced to attract attention by banging on his water jug or shouting.
The issue comes down to this: those animal rights organizations ARE necessary. Despite millions of dollars being poured into conservation programs, hundreds of habitats, animals and plants are still in danger of extinction. And the truth is, we need a balanced Eco system if we humans want to keep living on the Earth. Admit it, we'd all love to have the Dodo bird around. So, support the ASPCA, if you wish. Help pay for the research! But don't meet those animal's needs FIRST.
I hope you're still reading, because the most important part is next.
These animal rights organizations are missing the key first step; in fact, we will continue to see conditions get worse and worse and beyond hope without this first step.
Step one would be recognizing that this is a fallen world, and in it are sinful people. We have NO HOPE to come together and do GOOD on behalf of our fellow man or animal without the Lord. There are plenty of people who can do good deeds, but there are many many more who just don't give a rats patooty. How will you convince them to stop overfishing? or to stop hunting rhinos for their ivory? A $10,000 fine is certainly a motivation, but a change of heart is a permanent solution.
Knowing the Lord and growing in the instruction of the Bible softens our hearts, convicts us of our evil and teaches us how to work as a community. How can you expect your neighbor to stop pouring his oil down the sink?- his only concern is for himself. He needs a heart change, and it can't be done with a billboard of a skinny dog with sad eyes. He needs to realize he's a sinner, he needs his eyes to be opened to the beautiful creation of the Lord, and then he will be compelled to respect the Creation he has been given to enjoy.
Just think of the changes we could see in our cities if our efforts begin with the Gospel. You can hang "Keep America Beautiful" signs everywhere- they are somewhat effective. But it's not the radical change of heart we need.
If we were sharing the News with our neighbors, committing to being a friend who is salt and light, we will see the ripple effect the Gospel has!
We will have fellowship with our neighbors and co-workers. Fellowship breeds personal growth. We all begin learning more, and change from individuals pursuing the "American Dream" to a community pursuing the Glory of God.
We use Scripture to admonish the idle and to encourage the week (1 Thes. 5).
Our eyes are opened to the needs of our community:
orphans who need adopting
the homeless who need training and encouragement
widows on fixed income
the mentally ill
prisoners who need rehabilitation
troubled youth who need a kick in the pants and then a big hug
cancer patients who have no one to visit them in Hospice
the bratty kid in Sunday School who's acting out because his parents are getting divorced
animals mistreated or left to starve (this is listed last for a reason. I'm hoping by now I don't have to spell that out)
Then our eyes are opened to the needs of the nation:
Child Protective Services needs drastic reform
Our soldiers who fight for our freedom and come home with post-traumatic stress syndrome
Politicians are spending thousands of dollars on campaigns- while our already- underpaid teachers are buying their own classroom supplies
The Ten Commandments and prayer being banned from from public places
People who cheat the welfare system but in the end are really only cheating themselves
Laws that are passed that allow homosexual marriage (thanks a lot, New York)
People giving donations to ridiculous things... like.....$4,500 spent to "feng sui" the Monkey Exhibit in LA zoo. That's more than a High School teacher makes in a month, by the way. I think the monkeys could have found a better way to spend that money.
Then our eyes are opened to the needs of the world:
War
Starvation
Poverty
Disease
Social injustice, rampant immorality (You should read the book "I am Nujood, Age 10 and Divorced")
Communism
Terrorism
Pollution
Oil Spills
Endangered Animals/ Habitats
Global Warming
In the end, it's easy to throw up our hands and feel the hopelessness consume us. But withdrawing from the world and all it's problems is not Biblical; just be patient and wait on Heaven! Meanwhile, knock on your neighbors door with a freshly baked loaf of bread and say: "I want to tell you a story. It's the story of the Bible-- I wouldn't be a good neighbor if I lived next to you for five years but never told you about the greatest thing that's ever happened to me."
But don't let your relationships with non-believers begin and end with sharing the Gospel- ugh, that's like a spiritual one-night stand.
Visit the nursing homes and find who is there that has no family. After a while, those nurses will want to know what it is that brings you in week after week to love a person you don't even know. There's your chance: tell them of the reason of the joy and hope that is within you!
Adopt a child; don't let him grow up in foster care. The abandoned WILL become a burden to society.
Don't buy the new iPad when your church is $1000 short on it's building fund
Hire one of the residents of a homeless shelter and coach them on keeping a job, good work ethic, and smart financial decisions.
Get a dog from the pound instead of spending hundreds of dollars on a ridiculous yippy chiwawa. Donate the money you would have spent to help research a cure for childhood cancers.
I hope the few suggestions above convinces you that there are more pressing needs than stray cats. But I also hope I don't undermine the real trouble that our world is in. I hope this is an encouragement to stop putting "bandaids on cancer". There is only one cure for our world's problems; He is Jesus Christ!
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