The Greatest Hypocrisy: Cruelty to Animals and People

In the United Kingdom, animal cruelty (defined as neglect) could bring up to five years in prison for the animal’s owner. Neglect is defined as not providing food, water, and care.

In the same country a couple of months ago, a little boy named Alfie was taken off of his breathing machine. He miraculously breathed on his own. But, the courts ruled that what was best for Alfie was for him to die. They ruled he could not be fed or provided with water—until he died. Now Alfie was a sick little boy. He was “incurable.” The Italian government and the Vatican volunteered to have him flown to Italy to try a different treatment. The U. K. courts voted no, that the best thing for this precious little boy would be for him to die—to be starved to death. He passed away a few days later, in April of this year.

That same ruling took Terri Schaivo’s life in the United States, in 2005. In many countries in the world, a physician may actively end the life of an elderly person by withholding food and water—with or without family consent.

It’s considered animal cruelty to do the same thing to a dog or a cat or an elephant, but if it’s a human baby, a man or woman in vegetative state, or an elderly person, it’s somehow acceptable. And, by health care professionals!

The Hippocratic Oath that doctors swear to says, “I will apply dietetic measures for the benefit of the sick according to my ability and judgment; I will keep them from harm and injustice. I will neither give a deadly drug to anybody who asked for it, nor will I make a suggestion to this effect. Similarly I will not give to a woman an abortive remedy. In purity and holiness I will guard my life and my art.”

A doctor’s job is, to the best of his ability, to keep his patients from harm. To aid them. No abortions, no physician assisted suicides, and no withholding of nutrients or water.

My heart grieves that Alfie’s parents had no choice in their son’s life. My heart grieves that society cares less for children than it does for cats, dogs, horses, and goats. I’m especially concerned about euthanasia for the elderly and abortion and doctor assisted suicides. Where will it end, now that it has begun?

God cares about the animals.

• Thou shalt not muzzle the ox when he treadeth out the corn (Deuteronomy 25:4).
• He giveth to the beast his food, and to the young ravens which cry (Psalm 147:9).
• A righteous man regardeth the life of his beast: but the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel (Proverbs 12:10).
• Be thou diligent to know the state of thy flocks, and look well to thy herds (Proverbs 27:23).

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus taught: Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you (Matthew 6:26, 31-33). God cares about little birds. He cares much more for people.

There are some clear Bible principles we’d do well to heed:

• Thou shalt not kill (Exodus 20:13).
• Withhold not good from them to whom it is due, when it is in the power of thine hand to do it (Proverbs 3:27).
• The merciful man doeth good to his own soul: but he that is cruel troubleth his own flesh (Proverbs 11:17).

I don’t know what can be done on the world stage, but here’s one blog post in protest for these killings.

Life is precious.

Life belongs to God.

No one should be actively killed.

It’s cruelty to starve someone to death.

It’s just plain wrong.