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Snerticus;5401380]And yes, I too worked with Cougars myself and I was very close to a Fennec Fox as well as two other Fennecs, who btw ate mostly veggies much to my surprise, as too much meat in their diet causes problems! They eat more plant based foods than meat based. It was very interesting for me to learn. They are beautiful animals and I would love to work with them more if I could.
But at least you clarified your position and explained more correctly about meat. Although I don’t know how you found out that humans are stricly vegetarians. They were not in Biblical times and they are exactly the same today. But I’m sure that some were vegetarian back then too.
I’m curious see how it was back in the OT, you know, when people were obligated to sacrifice the first born male sheep (or whatever) that was unblemished to God and then eat it with their families. Remember, certain meat was only permitted to be consumed by the priests, but other sacrifices were to be eaten by the general population and to share it among their families. I wonder if there were vegetarians back then - and I don’t see why there wouldn’t have been - what God’s reaction to them was if they didn’t want to eat the sacrificed meat? Does anyone want to speculate? Does anyone have any documentation that might suggest this would or wouldn’t have been a rather uncommon but nonetheless real scenario back then? I’m acutally interested in this, now that I’ve been thinking about it. I kind of think now that it was a kind of punishment that was included in the exile that we were to eat meat as well as toil for our food.
Would anyone be interested in this research and if so, where does one start?
(I suppose ignoring this post would be a good indication that no one is interested, tho!
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So you worked with cougars and foxes. That’s cool. You have to respect how each animal was designed–and they were designed very specifically. The predators keep the prey populations in check. Everything works perfectly and you have to admire God’s design.You have to respect an animal’s natural diet–but that doesn’t mean you have to cheer when you see a predator snatch a prey animal (it’s OK to wince–and to even hope that the prey animal gets away). Predators typically go after the weakest, often sick prey animal–not the strongest and fastest–and culls that animal from the healthy ones. In the next life (according to the Bible), the lions will lie down with the lambs–this is God’s vision. In the Bible we were created in Genesis as vegetarians (vegans actually). Then the sin, the banishment from the Garden…
In the Bible we were given dominion over the animals. Some people interpret this as meaning we can do whatever we wish to animals, with disregard to them and their own lives completely. Others interpret dominion as meaning a very heavy responsibility for us to care for the Earth and all the creatures created by God–so that at the end of the world we may hand these gifts back to the Creator undamaged, untarnished, and well taken care of.
We have used these animals through the ages to advance ourselves, our lives here on earth–but now has come a time of change. Our civilization no longer needs these animals to eat, or wear their fur–we have much better alternatives. I agree with the author of
Dominion, Michael Scully, that God calls us now to respond to the situation before us with mercy, releasing the animals that we no longer need to live out the lives that God gave them and designed them for. We were created in the image of God–a merciful God, a loving God–it is below us to continue to use/abuse animals simply to satisfy earthly tastes and desires when we have plentiful other food available to us. It was different, in previous times, when we ourselves struggled to survive. Those of us who live in affluent countries, who are not in want of food, are called to to help solve the world food crisis, are called to make changes that will bring the entire world, all the people and animals back to the harmony of God’s original intentions.
I believe that civilization has been through quite a journey–and am mystified with people who do not see how we are evolving spiritually, in addition to technically. We are not a stagnant, unchanging people–we want to move closer to God, to a more perfect world, we should want to show God how we can grant mercy to the lesser of Earth’s creatures, just as we hope for mercy for ourselves…
Snerticus, you asked about vegetarians in the Bible: There is a book called Vegetarian Saints that lists 150 vegetarian saints (it was written for Catholics)–I think you might like that book as a starter book. I used to have that book but recently gave it away as a gift to someone else…need to get another copy myself. The book is listed on a booklist in the Catholic Vegetarians and Vegans group. You might be able to get a copy from your library.
Does that help? Is that what you are looking for? There are many of us here at CAF who have become vegan and/or vegetarian and we have many resources for anyone who is considering making a change, or who is looking for reading materials, as well as offering personal support.
Again, I work with carnivorous animals, and would never think to try to give them a diet that they are not designed for. I am not sentimental and unrealistic when it comes to animals, but do love them as creations and creatures of God, and feel that we owe them mercy–that God actually calls us to this now, at this moment, in the history of civilization. We have never been here before…
I asked people to view the video, to search their hearts, not to be foolish or sentimental, but to see what reaction is there in their hearts. When your heart speaks to you, listen–and of course also use your head to help you to decide what to do with the feelings that your heart brings to you.
