Annalex, you've posted many interesting and heart-felt thoughts. I even like your kind words about Rushdooney on your homepage.
This insistence on preaching to animals, however, is very disappointing. I have many Roman Catholic friends and relatives who would be stunned to hear a fellow Christian make such absurd claims. Zeeba is correct; this attitude can be traced to Hindu origins and beyond, ultimately to the earth cult of Cybele. A shameful foundation for Christian beliefs. PETA, however, will be thrilled.
The preaching of the Gospel is to facilitate God's decree of salvation. Do animals need salvation?
Do insects and lobsters need the Gospel preached to them?
They (animals) are God's creation and just like the planets and the stars are sustained by Christ's love.
Are we now supposed to preach the Gospel to the stars and planets? This is gnostic, Annalex. Repent of it.
...the good news of Christ's love, which can, and must, be transmitted to the animals in a way in which they can understand.
My schnauzer knows nothing but Meatybone. We both like it that way. I think God favors that approach, too.
My advice is if you have enough spare time to preach the Gospel to assorted frogs and mules and chickens, you should stop immediately and go out into the world and find a lost wretch who has never heard the Gospel and tell him the Good News of Christ's resurrection.
Life is short. Prioritize, man.
...blabbermouths of Spurgeon's mold don't.
That reminds me...how about molds? They're alive. Should we preach the Gospel to mold?
It is you who magnified St. Francis eccentricity when we could be discussing the Gospel between us humans. But generally, I would take an opinion of a medieval saint and mystic over virtually anyone in the past five centuries. I explained why St. Francis said what he said, and no it has nothing to do with the gnostics, or the hindus, or what have you. It has everything to do with Christ.
Here is another anecdote from the life of St. Francis. There was a priest who was known to be a bad priest. He lived with a woman as his wife, cursed at God, etc. St. Francis wandered into the town and the locals took him to that priest hoping that St. Francis would rebuke him. St. Francis met the priest, fell on his knees, kissed the priest's hand and exclaimed: -- Blessed be the hand that gives me my Lord! The priest repented and reformed himself instantly.
I've tried preaching the gospel to my cat. He smiles and purrs and then goes outside and murders some innocent little furry animal and brings it back to me.
I don't think he quite gets it. When I talk about the blood of the lamb, he just licks his lips. (do cats have lips?)