[sr4402]

I care about animals, the environment and many things. But human suffering is the most important to me. Millions are without jobs and being driven out of their homes. Whole families are being thrown out on the streets.

I personal have felt this problem and know many who are suffering it now.

So when people tell me to care about something else more. Well, you can guess what I think.

[1rudeboy]

So when people tell me to care about something else more. Well, you can guess what I think

In any event, I’ve not yet noticed that anyone who cares for animals is diminished in his capacity to care for humans. To the contrary, in fact. Surely our compassion is not in such finite supply that we must measure it out in teaspoons lest there be none left.

[Opinionated Blowhard]

Exactly. I love animals too and I certainly would not want to see an animal being tormented for the amusement of the person tormenting it. However, if an animal suffers in drug experiments or because we are killing it for food or some other legitimate purpose to help humans, then let it suffer. An animal is not a person. If we take our religion seriously, it does not have a soul. We need to keep our priorities straight.

[Joe 6-pack]

"But human suffering is the most important to me."

I'm not trying to rebut or refute what you say, but it's my opinion that many people's callousness and lack of sympathy for their fellow man may grow from, or be galvanized by cruelty to animals.

This is certainly an established principle for many serial killers who "graduate" from animal torture to human depravity. I would not expect a person who is perfectly comfortable kicking a non-threatening dog or throwing a cat into traffic to have a lot of sympathy for their fellow human being, so animal and human suffering may not always be as separate as you seem to think they are.

"If you have men who will exclude any of God's creatures from the shelter of compassion and pity, you will have men who will deal likewise with their fellow men."

~ St. Francis Assissi