There is not a lot to say about Christianity and cats unlike the Islamic faith. The Islamic faith is very specific and clear in its directives on how to treat cats. It even provides examples. As for Christianity: nothing, and for most of the duration of the Christian faith all animals are treated as second class citizens for humans to use. Christianity is human-centric. Christianity inspires speciesism. There is no mention of cats in the bible except for the lion as a beast.
The traditional Christian view is that animals are to be preyed upon by humans and other animals. Animals were downgraded. Animals were considered in relation to humans and not as distinct sentient beings with souls, feelings, emotions and intelligence. Christianity is still burdened with this human-centric viewpoint. Although the religion has moved on considerably in respect of animal rights, Christians across large areas of the planet remain shackled to the crude past, which often leads to various forms of animal abuse judged by modern, enlightened thinking in a modern world. Some time ago I argued that Christians were more likely to accept declawing of cats.
Christians have historically struggled to explain away why animals suffer in a world created by God. Some of the arguments used are that (a) animals don’t feel pain or feel less pain than humans or (b) feel pain but don’t suffer or (c) deserve to feel pain. It is all rather human-centric as usual.
Modern Roman Catholicism remains rooted in the tradition of the human having dominion over animals. The human is a steward of animals to be used for his benefit. Although the church preaches respect for animals.
Even today Christian theologians don’t believe that animals have rights. However, they do afford animals respect and consideration. Modern Christians believe in looking after nature rather then using it to human advantage.
Some well known Christians had a more enlightened attitude towards animals. St. Francis, born in 1182, was sensible enough and ahead of his time in declaring that animals “had the same source as himself”. That must have been difficult for a lot of people to digest at that time. He is almost saying that humans are animals, which of course is the case but even today most people can’t accept that, especially Christians.
The prophet Isaiah referred to the Kingdom of Heaven as a place where humans and animals live together in peace.
Jesus preached that people should be kind to the weak and vulnerable. Often animals fall into this category and should, therefore, be well treated by people.
Andrew Linzey writes that God loves all creation. To be honest this does not sound like some sort of revelation. For me is more a matter of common sense. However, from a Christian perspective it gets away from the human-centric history of the religion.
Today, the Anglican church’s view is that people are “co-partners with the rest of creation”. That seems to say that we are all equal.
Conclusion? Christianity got off on the wrong foot with respect to its attitude towards animals and therefore cats. That legacy is still felt today.
Important note: this is the second in a series of religion and cats. I respect everyone’s views on religion. It is a sensitive subject. Everyone has an obvious right to be critical of what I have written and I accept that totally.
To the ones who have lost faith in the Bible, I beg you let me try to clear up something before you find animals in hell that you wish had no rights. God made the earth and everything in it. God gave man the responsibility to take care of the earth, God also gave man food in form of meat. For meat you have to kill and that is reality as human culture. Domestic animals e.g cats and dogs its common sense, a young child with relatively happy childhood would not harm pets, what leads to hostility at adulthood is a result of interactions between humans. Why do men work so hard to kill other men? Why would you kill or not kill someone? These are questions which are answered by the environment you are in and the type of heart you have to deal with that environment. Everybody is unique that is why this earth is worth living in. As an individual you do your best to uphold animal rights if that is what your heart says is right, other people in other parts of the world have bigger problems like trying to save their own lives from starvation and war. Why not thank Jesus you have a choice to be vegiterian? Some people dont even have a drop of water, that also is reality. You should be asking God for the wisdom to teach people how to love animals because in another part of the world if the people there hear how much money is spent on pet food they would flip, if they had the energy. Be happy you have your lifestyle, if it sucks, pray for wisdom. Shit will change. I personally love cats wild and domestic. People are the ones you need to deal with when it comes to emotions the Bible is a manual to deal with human nature at different times to sustain harmony because if human life and freedom of expression is not upheld then animal rights wont be considered important. The is the book that believes in Life and Love more than any other. Evil is a reality and so is death, better the thought of heaven after death than to find reality as hell.
Yes, why doesn’t the Bible have a decent sized section an animal rights? Animals have an equal right to live and to have a decent life. But they are ignored by the Bible and you hardly ever hear priests and bishops preaching about animal rights and welfare. Hopeless state of affairs.
Although I grew up with a strong Christian family, I am not Christian. I reject the teachings of the Bible because of the conflicts with my own beliefs, particularly about animals. There are references in the Book related to lions, lambs and asses. I can’t find any discussions about compassion for animals. Sacrificing lambs isn’t my idea of caring.
I don’t think of God as a person, I think of ‘him’ as Nature, the sky, sunshine, trees, flowers, etc, land and sea that should belong to every living creature, not just our species.
I rarely go to Church now because it’s become see and be seen, even at funerals people are noisy nowadays, waving to friends, gossiping over the organ music before the service.
I’d rather go into the country or to the sea where there is peace and quiet to gather my thoughts and then face the world again ready to carry on battling on behalf of those who need help, especially cats of course, as it seems too few of us really do care about their welfare and they do need us to speak out on their behalf.
I agree, as usual with you. I am an atheist, which won’t surprise you, or at least I believe there may be God but not the sort of human God envisaged by Christians. Christianity is 2000 years old and in those days animals were treated less well than today. There were no animal protection laws etc. That early attitude towards animals and the idea that humans were superior is evident in the bible. The Christian God is a human God not a God for all creatures because it is a human creation. That is my argument.
This is one thing I don’t understand about Religion, I don’t think anyone who doesn’t love animals should call themselves a Christian.
How can we all ‘love one another’ yet exclude animals, who after all are living beings, just not in the same form as we humans are?
To love God and Jesus Christ is to love the world and everything in it and to practise being like the ‘Good Samaritan’
Yet some so called Christians don’t put themselves out to help others, or animals, some are selfish, surely we are supposed to share what we have?
I had a Priest friend (she’s moved away now and we’ve lost touch) who said she was vegetarian, yet she ate bacon and lamb and she didn’t care about pet animals either.
My jury is out as to whether I believe in God and Heaven or not, I want to but doubts creep in because of the way humans are abusing animals and the environment and ruining this world.