Posted on 06/18/2003 3:11:07 AM PDT by Buckwheats
Killing Fluffy the Mining Poodle and eating her would likewise constitute self-defense of the hypothetical miners' health. Not eating would lead to muscular and systemic weakness, preventing the miners from escaping the cave-in.
Killing is not a sin per se. Killing can be a holy act -- for example, killing a robber, a rapist, or an enemy soldier in a war. Killing an animal for food is perfectly moral, but such killing should be done as quickly and painlessly as possible -- not because the animal has any rights we need respect, but because a callousness towards suffering tends to kill one's empathy towards human beings. The act of killing a dog or cat (or any other animal that trusts people enough to form an emotional bond with its owner) isn't itself a sin, but it's a sign of a person who has no respect for loyalty -- a sure sign of a sick soul.
According to your theory, it would also be an act of "self-defense" for one of the miners to kill the other in order to survive. Not eating is fasting, and that won't kill you for a long time, but dehydration will kill you very fast. I don't think it's an act of self-defense to kill a trusting animal just because you're smarter, you're "entitled" to survive, or just because you can. Otherwise, to paraphrase C.S.Lewis, as a matter of self-defense, we should kill the Democrats as a matter of self-defense.
If we cut up beasts simply because they cannot prevent us and because we are backing our own side in the struggle for existence, it is only logical to cut up imbeciles, criminals, enemies, or capitalists for the same reasons. C. S. Lewis
According to your theory, it would also be an act of "self-defense" for one of the miners to kill the other in order to survive.
Not at all. Human life is sacred; a dog is just a dog.
I don't think it's an act of self-defense to kill a trusting animal just because you're smarter, you're "entitled" to survive, or just because you can. Otherwise, to paraphrase C.S.Lewis, as a matter of self-defense, we should kill the Democrats as a matter of self-defense.
See above.
"If we cut up beasts simply because they cannot prevent us and because we are backing our own side in the struggle for existence, it is only logical to cut up imbeciles, criminals, enemies, or capitalists for the same reasons." -- C. S. Lewis
Red herring. Lewis was referring to vivisection here -- cutting apart living animals for purposes of research. To my knowledge Jack Lewis was not a vegetarian.
-PJ
The cat was IN on IT...Kitty planned the whole thing... :)
Ecclesiastes 3:19 Man's fate is like that of the animals; the same fate awaits them both: As one dies, so dies the other. All have the same breath [1] ; man has no advantage over the animal. (Footnote 1, "breath" is also interpreted in some versions as "spirit" or "soul".)
I don't know if C.S. Lewis was a vegetarian or just sympathetic to animal rights issues (like Mark Twain and Joseph Wood Krutch), but it appears that St. Paul was, most of the noted early Church leaders were (St. Francis, St. John Chrysostom, Clemens of Alexandria, Tertullius), religious reformers such as Clara Barton, John Wesley, and Martin Luther, politicians such as Benjamin Franklin (at least for awhile), scientists and thinkers such as Pythagorus and Einstein, and numerous others.
I'll bet
How do you explain Jesus multiplying the loaves and fishes to feed 5000, and eating broiled fish after the Resurrection?
Noticed your statement that "wasn't Jonesboro the location of those killings". Well, yes and no. There is absolutely no relation to the killings at Westside School and Nick and Matt disgusting act. I have known Nick personally for a very long time and I have some things to write about him here to, but to the first part now. Westside is "technically" in Jonesboro, but it may as well be considered a part of Bono Arkansas as it is so close to Jonesboro's border that kids who live in areas where they are a part of Jonesboro High School's district as Nick and I both were that they rarely if ever encounter any children who attend Westside as the Westside killers did. Neither Nick nor myself knew those boys and in fact they were quite younger than me or Nick. As for Nick's case, Matt Harden is a very sick individual and I don't understand what brought him to this, however I can say for Nick that he is what I would call an extreme and foolish follower. I know you find it hard to believe that a follower would be led to do THIS and even I couldn't believe and still can't quite bring myself to believe it to this day after all these years knowing Nick as I do. Nick is actually rather kind, at least to people and he has always been kind to pets in my presence. I have a feeling that Matt had a serious problem with the owner of the dog and somehow convinced Nick to enact vengance against this guy with him as both knew him but I don't know Matt's reasons for sure. Nick is not the sick individual Matt is and despite what the reports say, Nick did not join Matt in eating the dog. I think what enticed Nick to join in this idea the most was the humor in throwing the head in the mayor's (yes, the mayor) pool. Nick just followed a friend and to this day he is extremely embarrassed and upset about what he has done.
Weslion, thanks for not judging me. I don't know who you are so please reveal yourself sometime. =) nick@byteusa.com
Bottom line is this: WE messed up. This has made both of us more appreciative of life and good has come of it.
well, technically this wasn’t cruelty if they killed the dog quickly with minimal pain. It is disgusting though....
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.