Pope Francis and the Idolatry of Spending on Pets

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You make some really good points. I think the problem of becoming dependent on therapeutic treatment goes beyond animals. And, our radical individualism and the accompanying lack of social connection no doubt leads to people seeking substitutes for this basic human need.
 
The reason that many people have pets is because they have no family.

And the reason many Catholics have no family, besides the poisoned dating pool, is that some so-called “Catholics” shame Catholics (and others) for seeking traditional marriage and family, including hurling accusations of “idolatry” in wanting to get married.

You just can’t win with some “Catholics” these days…

But maybe this is an attempt by Pope Francis to try to get people to place more value on marriage and family life. After all, he did make a similar remark warning couples who voluntarily avoided children of bitterness in old age:



So this appears to be a consistent theme.
 
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I have a companion-type dog. She’s sort of trained, but still a stubborn little mutt most of the time. She does, however, warn me of people in the yard or at the door. To me, she’s a bit of a warning system. If she greets me at the door in her usual happy way, I know all is well in the house. As a single mom, that just makes me feel a bit better.

My cats are great little furry companions. But I always have a cat or two in the house to fight against the rodent population that explodes without them in the yard. They’ve eliminated all rabbits in the backyard, and most in the front. And mice are all but non-existent inside the house now. Good kitties. :+1:t4:

And all the animals get lots of love and snuggles and treats for their services. 😄
 
Just think that in some Asian countries they eat dogs and cats. Maybe that will give everybody something to chew on.

I could never quite forgive myself for the dog we took in as a stray, and we couldn’t keep her in our apartment. It hurt to watch as the animal shelter came for her, and I know they probably put her down. That was a long time ago, and I swore I would never do that again. If I was in doubt as to my ability to keep an animal I just wouldn’t get any more until I was sure I could handle it.

Animals are real, live creatures. The devil must hate dogs the most because they are closest in a human’s life. They are therapy dogs, seeing eye dogs, and just pets that hang around and keep the evil spirits away. I never regretted getting my dogs, but I also sacrifice for them; I never go on long vacations or overnights. I am usually home with them because I don’t have a lot of money to travel and eat out.

If makeup is an unnecessary expense, a lot of people would go around looking ghastly. Makeup will stay as long as people buy it.
 
I don’t know. It could be. I didn’t know he had a pet rabbit.
 
I don’t wear make-up. What are you implying??

j.k.
 
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Don’t tell me you’ve never seen Monty Pythons Holy Grail movie.

Kids.
 
I’ve never seen Monty Python’s Holy Grail movie. (anything else?)

I’ve seen sniipets of it, though. (really should watch it , I’m sure)
 
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Norseman82 said:
Life rejuvenates and acquires energy when it multiplies, pontiff tells audience in St Peter’s Square
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I was married and took care of a very sick husband. I watched as his life drained out of him after a few years. I had a daughter. He died later on, and I remember he did not like dogs that much. I don’t know why he didn’t, but he seemed to have it in for them. After he died my animals kept me busy and consoled me, being companions that they were.

I couldn’t help but realize that things happen; things hit the fan sometimes. Plans don’t always work out. But, I realize that whether or not I have a husband, the house still needs to be cleaned. I used to blame him for making messes, but the house gets dirty even when nobody is home. I can’t blame anyone now for various annoyances. It hurts when I hear of animals being abused. Some people need to understand why pets are important. Of course buying a pet a diamond collar is a little bit ostentatious.
 
Like anything, excess in anything (with the exception of God’s love ) is usually not wise. As several people have pointed out, animals can be a source of comfort. And we need to be good stewards, towards pets included.

I think what is being pointed out is that this shouldn’t be the center of our life.

Blessings,
Stephie
 
petra22:
I have a theory of my own…
about pets, that is… God made us to love, and lots of us do and that often makes children for us to love. But if there are no children or not many children then we fill up the space with pets and lavish our love on them… not that there’s anything wrong with pets… no, they are good. But people were made to love…
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Interesting insight petra22.

I heard a priest say much the same thing once from the pulpit.

Very insightful.
 
TK421 said:
It isn’t rare to be shocked by pet expenditures if you’ve traveled the world. I remember somebody who spent a year in Palestine in the 1990s. When she came back to the US and walked past an entire aisle dedicated to pet care, she couldn’t help but start crying.
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Years ago, a missionary friend returned to the States after having spent seven years in rural Brazil. On his first day back, he went grocery shopping with the cook, and was almost physically ill when he saw aisles devoted to food for pets - food that, processed differently, could have fed villages…
On the other hand…there are now veterinarians who are oncologists…after a certain age, 50% of all dogs will develop cancer…if these vets find treatments that can be adapted for humans, who is to say that expensive vet bills are money ‘wasted’ on animals…[a holistic vet recommended hemp for my dog’s liver cancer…the cancer remained, but it didn’t grow or spread…]
 
Regarding all the people who are claiming that people have pets “because they have no family”, this is just silly given the number of families I know who have and love pets. I’ve had pets my entire life, including when I was living at home with my mother and dad in a family unit, when I was single and living on my own, and when I was married and living with my husband. At least half to 2/3 of the people I know who have pets are living in a family unit of some type. In fact, it’s the people who are single who seem less likely to have the pets because having to take care of an animal cramps their social life.

It is a sad stereotype that when you are living alone for any reason (you’re young and single, or older and your spouse has died/ children moved away, etc.) and you have a pet, some people will assume you have the pet because you are lonely and the animal is a child or family member substitute. it couldn’t possibly be because you just like dogs, cats, rabbits, reptiles whatever and have had them your entire life and like having them around because they are fun and interesting, now could it?

And as far as having animals because you do not have children, I don’t have children because we physically couldn’t have them, but if I had children I would almost certainly still have pets because I like animals and have had all different kinds of pets since I was a child myself. And the pets are not child substitutes; they are nothing alike other than the fact that both pets and children need to eat and be cleaned up after and taken to the doctor from time to time.

But I guess judgy people are going to judge.
 
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Tis_Bearself said:
It is a sad stereotype that when you are living alone for any reason (you’re young and single, or older and your spouse has died/ children moved away, etc.) and you have a pet, some people will assume you have the pet because you are lonely and the animal is a child or family member substitute.
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I for one don’t judge people like that, but I hear and see the ones that refer to their pets as family and call their dogs their children and so the parents call the dog or cat their grandchildren… sometimes they are NOT joking… Pets are not a bad thing… just like anything else–unless it’s taken to extremes…
 
There’s nothing wrong with having pets (ie using animals for ones benefit, even if only leisure/recreation, rather than food or clothing or work). The problem is when we treat them like humans.

From the CCC:

2417 God entrusted animals to the stewardship of those whom he created in his own image.198 Hence it is legitimate to use animals for food and clothing. They may be domesticated to help man in his work and leisure. Medical and scientific experimentation on animals is a morally acceptable practice if it remains within reasonable limits and contributes to caring for or saving human lives.

2418 It is contrary to human dignity to cause animals to suffer or die needlessly. It is likewise unworthy to spend money on them that should as a priority go to the relief of human misery. One can love animals; one should not direct to them the affection due only to persons.
 
It is not necessary to choose either or. Having children and a pet could work out.
 
Surprised that the residents weren’t eating the cats…

Cruciferi: Nice photo of an Akita Inu. I’ve really contemplated getting one. ~75 pounds of stay the hell away. I don’t like you, Akira here doesn’t like you, my 12 gauge doesn’t like you… please leave. I do wonder how well the modern ones hunt, as that’s partly what they were bred for.
 
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