Is Extermination of Ants a Sin?

[wayman]

I can see how the self-defense argument can be used for red ants who attack, but I mean black ants who don’t bite but who are still unwelcomed guests in a house. Can someone please back up your opinion with official Church teaching on the matter?

 

[Dorothy]

I don’t think there needs to be official Church teaching on whether it is okay to get rid of ants in your house. No one needs to have ants crawling on them, and in their food. We were created above the other creatures, and can defend ourselves from them if they are hurting our quality of life!

 

[Lui]

According to the teachings of the Vegan Church yes. In their religion it’s even a sin to even eat honey.
Otherwise no. What do you want to do if you have cockroaches if it is a sin too kill ants. Technically cockroaches don’t harm you either.

 

[BraveNewFamily]

It is not a sin. People kill ants everyday. Nothing is wrong with that. And regarding the “but they don’t do anything to us” argument, neither do cows. However, they taste good. (ants don’t taste good, but you get the point).

 

[Bookcat]

Now so long as you did not misspell the word…leaving the u out…

 

[wayman]

It is not a sin. People kill ants everyday. Nothing is wrong with that. And regarding the “but they don’t do anything to us” argument, neither do cows. However, they taste good. (ants don’t taste good, but you get the point).

But people kill cows to use them for food. Extermination of ants is just to get rid of them.

 

[Bookcat]

But people kill cows to use them for food. Extermination of ants is just to get rid of them.

To get them out of our living space…who wants ants crawling all over their cornflakes…

 

[BraveNewFamily]

Ants can carry disese. And plus, if they get on your food , it is probably not a good idea to eat it.

 

[Lost_Wanderer]

I also have the right to defend my property.

That includes my food as well as the structural stability of my house! DX

 

[philial]

I can see how the self-defense argument can be used for red ants who attack, but I mean black ants who don’t bite but who are still unwelcomed guests in a house. Can someone please back up your opinion with official Church teaching on the matter?

Not sinful, wayman, but I do advise you be careful. Ants have long memories, and come the day they’re 6 feet tall and ruling the planet, they’ll remember you…:sad_bye:

 

[Rascalking]

I’m a vegetarian, so clearly I’m into animal rights. But no, it’s not a sin.

 

[Rocks_91]

I’ve watched a trodden ant hopping and I do not like it personally. If I had to get rid of them, I’d do it in a mild manner, brushing them away gently with a broom or blowing air on them. Just like I wouldn’t want to tear a leaf either. Well, that’s what my mind says, but in practice I’m a lot different.

 

[Catholic90]

It is not a sin to kill pests that infest our homes and our food. This includes, but is not limited to, ants, cockroaches, those bugs that get into flour, mice, rats, squirrels in the attic, etc.

 

[Catholic90]

I’ve watched a trodden ant hopping and I do not like it personally. If I had to get rid of them, I’d do it in a mild manner, brushing them away gently with a broom or blowing air on them. Just like I wouldn’t want to tear a leaf either. Well, that’s what my mind says, but in practice I’m a lot different.

If you see them marching in force along your kitchen window sill or next to your bird cage you might see things differently…

 

[Lost_Wanderer]

If you see them marching in force along your kitchen window sill or next to your bird cage you might see things differently…

Not to mention your DVD player… or the cabinet were you also happened to have placed your expensive, rare graphic novels. >_<;;

 

[po18guy]

If it is, then you cannot swat a mosquito, either.

 

[Ohana]

Well I have no idea what happened to the post I wrote. Maybe it will show up. My philosophy on this issue is, “in my house your are dead, outside we can live peacefully.” I try to discourage ants and spiders in the house - avoid things that attract them. We had “ghost ants” at one place we lived. You would see al tiny moving line on the wall, look closer and yup, Ghost ants. Overnight they would be gone. They were usually just passing through to get to another place to nest - usually in walls or holes in concrete. They did not do any harm,

Unfortunately, they found a nest in my iron. Nice, dark place with hard walls! Good place to live! I tried to clean it out, but fire up the steam cycle and little ant bodies came flying out until we threw the iron away.

 

[philial]

I dont get much trouble from ants, but twice a year my spider-lodgers shift themselves looking for each other. mostly they seem to come from my sub-basement, which is very dank. some of them are huge, with big red eyes, and are sabre-toothed. They growl when they go past me as I cower in pathetic fear.

Happily, I have cats, and they protect me, though I do sometimes intervene 'cos the cats can be so very cruel, leaving me torn between compassion and triumph!

 

[wayman]

If it is, then you cannot swat a mosquito, either.

Black ants aren’t anything like Mosquitoes. Black house ants are generally passive while mosquitoes suck blood and are major spreaders of disease.

 

[Catholic90]

I dont get much trouble from ants, but twice a year my spider-lodgers shift themselves looking for each other. mostly they seem to come from my sub-basement, which is very dank. some of them are huge, with big red eyes, and are sabre-toothed. They growl when they go past me as I cower in pathetic fear.

Happily, I have cats, and they protect me, though I do sometimes intervene 'cos the cats can be so very cruel, leaving me torn between compassion and triumph!

My cat ate a big spider that snuck in on a bucket I had temporarily set on my deck and then brought it back in from outside. I set down the bucket, a HUGE spider started walking across the floor, and my cat pawed, pawed, pawed at it, and then finally bit at it. The spider slowly curled up and dried up. Then I vacuumed up the carcass. I have an awesome cat!