Will there be a change through religion on animal rights?

[freshwest]

Nature and the environment

Many of the stories that surround the life of St. Francis deal with his love for animals.[36] Perhaps the most famous incident that illustrates the Saint's humility towards nature is recounted in the "Fioretti" ("Little Flowers&quot , a collection of legends and folklore that sprang up after the Saint's death. It is said that, one day, while Francis was travelling with some companions, they happened upon a place in the road where birds filled the trees on either side. Francis told his companions to "wait for me while I go to preach to my sisters the birds."[36] The birds surrounded him, intrigued by the power of his voice, and not one of them flew away. He is often portrayed with a bird, typically in his hand.

Another legend from the Fioretti tells that in the city of Gubbio, where Francis lived for some time, was a wolf "terrifying and ferocious, who devoured men as well as animals." Francis had compassion upon the townsfolk, and so he went up into the hills to find the wolf. Soon, fear of the animal had caused all his companions to flee, though the saint pressed on. When he found the wolf, he made the sign of the cross and commanded the wolf to come to him and hurt no one. Miraculously the wolf closed his jaws and lay down at the feet of St. Francis. "Brother Wolf, you do much harm in these parts and you have done great evil," said Francis. "All these people accuse you and curse you...But brother wolf, I would like to make peace between you and the people." Then Francis led the wolf into the town, and surrounded by startled citizens made a pact between them and the wolf. Because the wolf had “done evil out of hunger, the townsfolk were to feed the wolf regularly. In return, the wolf would no longer prey upon them or their flocks. In this manner Gubbio was freed from the menace of the predator. Francis even made a pact on behalf of the town dogs, that they would not bother the wolf again. Finally, to show the townspeople that they would not be harmed, Francis blessed the wolf.

Francis preached the teaching of the Catholic Church, that the world was created good and beautiful by God but suffers a need for redemption because of the primordial sin of man. He preached to man and beast the universal ability and duty of all creatures to praise God (a common theme in the Psalms) and the duty of men to protect and enjoy nature as both the stewards of God's creation and as creatures ourselves.[36]

On November 29, 1979, Pope John Paul II declared St. Francis to be the Patron of Ecology.[37]

Then during the World Environment Day 1982, he said that St. Francis' love and care for creation was a challenge for contemporary Catholics and a reminder "not to behave like dissident predators where nature is concerned, but to assume responsibility for it, taking all care so that everything stays healthy and integrated, so as to offer a welcoming and friendly environment even to those who succeed us." The same Pope wrote on the occasion of the World Day of Peace, January 1, 1990, the saint of Assisi "offers Christians an example of genuine and deep respect for the integrity of creation..." He went on to make the point that St Francis: "As a friend of the poor who was loved by God's creatures, Saint Francis invited all of creation – animals, plants, natural forces, even Brother Sun and Sister Moon – to give honor and praise to the Lord. The poor man of Assisi gives us striking witness that when we are at peace with God we are better able to devote ourselves to building up that peace with all creation which is inseparable from peace among all peoples."[38]

Pope John Paul II concluded that section of the document with these words, "It is my hope that the inspiration of Saint Francis will help us to keep ever alive a sense of 'fraternity' with all those good and beautiful things which Almighty God has created."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francis_of_Assisi

This is different from people who say the Earth with its flora and fauna belongs to humans to do whatever they want. We are going into a rough period in which we must value all life on this planet instead of wealth and power.

I posted about a Catholic group that justifies being vegetarian through the scriptures. Other faiths fervently believe eating animals is a sin.

The tale of the wolf is the main reason I'm posting, the details are so surprising. Can you imagine this philosophy taking hold in the USA?

[flvegan]

1. Unfortunately, no.

Nothing against them, but the vast and overwhelming majority of humans are too selfish to truly buy in to what they think they believe in. Adherence to what their religion teaches is a lost art that won't soon be practiced by those that believe themselves to be saved.

Living the life of an Essene is far, far too inconvenient and bacon tastes good, so screw that but I'll see you every Sunday at church. It's the American way.

Funny how that works.

Rant aside, thanks for posting this. A good reminder that dominion isn't what modern folks believe it is. St. Francis taught it well and serves as a positive example in how to live.

[Exultant Democracy]

2. Nope, man shall have dominion its in their first chapter.

Raping the planet is according to xtianity is a god given right.

[Still Blue in PDX]

3. I hope so. nt

[freshwest]

6. We'll find all the allies we can, it'll work.

[otherone]

4. I can see it being a part of an overall change..

spirituality is one angle.
The World Health Organization urges a reduction in meat consumption to combat climate change..
Doctors say eat your veggies..
one after the other --
change occurs ..

[freshwest]

5. Whatever it takes, is what I say. Find common ground. I'd initially thought it was mainly Hindus who

abstained from meat, but the second group I found was Catholic. So I posted this one here. The wolf legend in the OP reminded me of native American, Indian and African stories, the prophecy of the lion laying down with the lamb when peace reigns.

I recall of story with great excitement from Africa of a lion who adopted an orphaned gazelle although she was really not equipped and lost the gazelle to a male lion that showed up when she was out looking to feed herself. Many people want changes.

I am all in favor of whatever will reach people, health news or environmental education, the truth of the meat and diary industry, spiritual journeys of all kinds, to change our relationship with animals to a better one. It will be better for all of us.

[otherone]

7. agreed

thanks for the reply

[undeterred]

8. Judaism, Christianity, and Islam are about a God who acts in history

and has little interest in nature other than as a creator. To get people to take responsibility the Doctrine of Creation has to be reinterpreted as stewardship - which is great, but its a little late now.

And St. Francis is a wonderful figure, but he's pretty much out there by himself in the history of Christianity. Its great to see more attention paid to him. These religions are never going to be the strongest source for animal or environmental rights.

[muxin]

9. This has been my concern for a long time

Actually big religions like Christian, Islam, Buddha, Hindu have teachings about loving nature, but as acknowledged by previous posters above this part of the teachings haven't been properly "used" to really make some changes. This is too bad, because in many places in the world religion could be a very strong motivation for people to act.

I live in Indonesia and one of our biggest problems is deforestation especially in Borneo, Sumatra, and Java which leads to the extinction of endangered animals like orangutan, one horned rhino, and tigers, that makes me sick to my stomach. Mostly big companies are eliminating these forests and turn them into oil palm plantations and ironically these are mostly foreign companies.

Islam is the biggest religion here, and in Islam we are thought about 3 kinds of relationships; relationship between human and God, relationship amongst human, and relationship between human and nature. But as far as I concern the religious leaders almost never touch the last, or at least giving enough proportion for that teaching which I think could really make a difference because religion is still a big part of everyone's life in this country.