The title of this post could imply so much, but I’m going to try and narrow it down a bit; otherwise this particular entry might have no end. For simplicity sake I will simply discuss one issue where we’re slowly killing our own compassions. You see, I’ve noticed this specific problem for some time, but it just seems to get worse, and each time I seem to get more sad. We currently interact with one another in a world of social networking where we can quickly and easily share our outrage about certain topics, and I’ve noticed one that always seems to grab our rapt attention and motivate our rage. No, it’s not hot topics like abortion or very serious problems like human sex trafficking. No, the sole topic that will unite the entire internet in a frenzy of activity happens to be the subject of animal rights.
And I saw it again just this morning with a recent story out of Cincinatti where a gorilla was euthanized before it could harm a human child. Listen, this post isn’t about whether the boy was a brat (as I’ve seen some people call him) or if his mother was neglectful (which most other people have said she was). I won’t try and hypothesize if the animal would have hurt the boy, or even if they should have used tranquilizer darts instead of bullets.
Because that’s not what this is about.
I repeat, that’s not what this is about.
And just last week I watched with a grimace while so many shared the story of a local woman who left puppies abandoned at a store. While I truly believe her actions were a huge error of judgement, I was too distracted by the hateful words of seemingly perfect posters to give it much deeper thought.
It was an honest to goodness Facebook tar and feathering, and while I also didn’t agree with the lady’s decision, I couldn’t help but wonder why we don’t have such a concentrated anger over other just as horrifying topics?!
Why do we see a picture of a neglected puppy spread like wildfire on social networks, but we close our eyes to kids in our community being neglected at home?
You’ll have a fundraiser for someone’s pet garner much more attention than the exact same thing for someone’s ailing spouse.
I’m not sure why our compassions are so easily stoked by a helpless animal, but not by a helpless child.
To a degree I understand it. I would say that 95% of us have been emotionally scarred, physically hurt, and/or mentally tormented by another human being in our time. And in that unjust or cruel treatment from man we no longer trust our brother. Instead we place our unconditional affections on animals who are nine times out of ten incredibly loyal and kind.
I get it.
It’s not to say that animals don’t deserve our protection. They do. And it’s not to say than humankind hasn’t shot itself in the foot as far as deserving empathy from those around it. People are jerks. Puppies are sweet.
I get it.
But why? Why do we place so much more emphasize on the kind treatment of animals, and less and less on our fellow man? This should not be so.
Matthew 25:45
“And he will answer, ‘I tell you the truth, when you refused to help the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were refusing to help me.’
If you proclaim yourself as a Christian then you are called by God to treat other people with kindness, to father the fatherless, to love all of God’s creation, even those who don’t deserve it. End of story.
Instead, though, we are slowly killing our own compassion. We are bit by bit burying our consciences. We are closing our eyes to the atrocious murder of the unborn, and turning a blind eye to the beggar on the street. And when someone does step up to be kind to others we question their motives that they must be anything but pure.
We’ve been hurt and abandoned by an ugly world so we throw it right back atcha. We close our hearts to the plight of man, but we open our arms and homes to four-legged friends.
Don’t misunderstand; I’m not saying not to be kind to animals. I truly believe God gave us charge over his animal creations to care for them. I do. But we are also instructed to care for our fellow man, the poor, the widows, and all in need. Yet we are not. Look honestly at yourself and see.
To become so livid at a stranger mistreating a dog, but then rolling our eyes about pointless crime is a crying shame. To become infuriated over poaching in a foreign jungle, but care less about the starving children there is regrettable. To place so much energy on feeding and housing multitudes of domestic felines while pretending homelessness doesn’t exist in our own city is absolutely crazy.
Do you see? Do you see my heart? We, we are the reason our country continues to crumble. If we can no longer care for one another then what will be left? A bunch of fat cats chewing on our corpses.
All I mean is this. While there is nothing wrong in my book with caring for animal rights, we are making an error of judgment by forgoing the rights of man. It’s only right to help a brother in need. It’s only right to feed the hungry, cloth the naked, and house the homeless. You can say they caused their own demise, but haven’t we all been bestowed grace? Shouldn’t we all pay that grace forward to our fellow man?
And above all this. We should open our hearts to loving one another, offering patience and kindness, and certainly not the awful things you see spoken when internet rage wins. Take the time to respond in compassion, and take the time to extend humankind just an ounce of the sympathy you give to the animal kingdom.
Allison Bath says
Another timely, we’ll spoken post. Thank you!
brieann.rn@gmail.com says
Thank you.
Michelle says
Wow. I thought the exact same thing when I was reading that article about the little boy and the Gorilla. I am a huge animal advocate but he was a baby, a human in danger. The things that were said truly horrified me. I am so so saddened for the loss of such a beautiful creature but the boys life was threatened. The comments were horrific and I had to stop reading. I truly pray for a more compassionate world where we are just as loving to one another as we are to our animals. Thank you for sharing.
brieann.rn@gmail.com says
Thank you.
Ruthie says
Yes!
Elaine says
Beautifully stated. I completely agree.
brieann.rn@gmail.com says
Thank you!
Patricia Roberts. says
Very well said…Thank you.
brieann.rn@gmail.com says
Thank you.
Bobbie says
I am not good with words, but u read my mind. I also love my dog, but thats ridiculous. ?? thank u!!!!
brieann.rn@gmail.com says
Thank you.