I do live in the US and have not seen pro life ads on TV. Sorry if my post implied that all persons involved in these ads were not for human life, but I know many people who seem to love their animals more than children. In fact one of my friends who has many dogs was asked if one of your dogs was drowning and also a person and you could only save one who would you save and they could not give an answer. Of course many people love both, I am not saying that you should not love animals and care for them, as I said in my post I have not seen any ads of TV, and I do watch it. I live in a liberal state and maybe that is why. My daughters are big animal lovers so please don’t misunderstand what I meant. I probably used the wrong wording to try to get a point across. We have had several animals and felt a great loss when they passed on. I also wasn’t referring to organizations who help animals, just some individuals.
Forgive me if I sounded judgemental.
God Bless
Bernadette
I work with animals and know a lot of “animal people.” I do not know one person who views animals as equals to human beings, though I know many people who love and delight in animals, and are not comfortable with their abuse. I do not know one person who would exchange their child for a puppy, or trade their spouse in for a dog or a goat-- though many people do develop close relationships with their pet animals, those relationships are quite different than human-to-human relationships.
Your friend who had trouble answering your question, was perhaps taken aback by you asking it. It’s kind of an odd thing to ask because the mythical scenario will hardly ever happen. Maybe her hesitation was due to the fact that she didn’t want to get “the Answer” wrong. If she cares for dogs more than people, then why does she have ***you ***as a human friend? And if ***she doesn’t value you ***or your life, why do you have ***her ***as a friend?
The correct answer to your question is (if the person doing the rescuing can swim): after calling 911, jump in the water and go to the drowning person, while hollering for others on the shore to help you, or for someone else to help with the dog. And if no one else is around, after you pull the human from the drink, you can jump back in and go get the dog… Now myself, I don’t know what I would do because I can not swim. Another form of your drowning scenario question goes like this: ***If your child and the neighbor’s child were drowning, **
and you could only save one, **which would you save? *** Your question was an apples and oranges question. My question is an apples and apples question–and an even more troubling conflict, is it not? And how would you answer that question? Are you hesitating? Trying to figure out “the Correct” answer?
Bernadette, if you have an issue with an individual, perhaps you should take it up with that individual. Typecasting everyone is not honest and is malproductive. If your problem is with your friend’s values, then you should address it with your friend. Does she love dogs so intensely because she could never have children of her own and they fill that hole in her heart? Are you jealous of the attention that she bestows on the dogs? Do you feel neglected by that? Does she love dogs beyond all reason because she was hurt in a human relationship and finds the love of dogs to be easier and safer and less complicated? Again, you can’t generalize and typecast everyone.
Being concerned about the welfare and treatment of animals is a just cause, and in no way is related to human abortion and in no way detracts from that just fight… And I don’t know how you missed all the pro-life anti-abortion commercials–they have been around for a long time. I did a quick search on YouTube and found one that goes back to 1986–so they’ve been around that long!
So don’t take it out on the animals. They are not the ones who are aborting human babies or passing legislation on abortion. Direct your attention to the source and the solutions–slinging mud at other causes does not advance the abolishment of abortion or advance the pro-life movement.
I do not doubt that you are a caring and compassionate person, Bernadette, but you are a little misguided on this one. I am totally behind you, and on the same page with you when it comes to abortion. I suggest that you not alienate me, or all the others like me, who have love and compassion in their hearts for all suffering, all injustice, and all causes that afflict our lives, the planet, and the lives of both humans and animals. Injustices do not have to be equal–ALL need to be addressed and abolished. We are called to fight ALL.
There is nothing wrong with loving and enjoying animals–and our love and concern for animals is not connected in any way to human abortion. It is possible to love animals, be concerned for their welfare, love humans, be concerned for their welfare, and to fight to end ALL abuse, misjustice, and wrong in the world.
P.S. I forgive you. Forgive me if I sounded snippy. I long for a peaceful world sans pain, suffering, and injustice for ALL. And I know we can do it!!! I know we are capable of living in Christ’s light and spreading it to everyone!!!
In my mind it’s a waste of electrons. 
