The shooting of a domestic cat by a chapel maintenance worker exposed many ungodly wrongs. The Bitterroot Valley Calvary Chapel Church declare on Facebook that “we believe that God’s rule and reign came to earth expressed in the life and ministry of his son…”. This is a Christian church doing their best to live by the morals and code set by the Bible. A catalogue of wrongs followed by a nice apology tells us that on this occasion they failed in that objective.
Although the church had a legitimate problem in that community cats were defecating in a sand pit used for sand volleyball, they recklessly put out traps to catch them. Unsurprisingly they trapped someone’s pet. Sheila Fallows’ cat was caught in the trap. Lee Maxey, 65, the chapel maintenance employee, shot Sheila’s cat in the trap. It was an act of so-called euthanasia. This was not euthanasia because the cat was healthy. It was a killing. I would argue that the cat must have felt pain and certainly a lot of distress.
Subsequently, Mr Maxey has been charged with discharging a firearm in city limits. He has not been charged with animal cruelty under animal welfare laws. I don’t know whether the police and prosecution service discussed the potential of a crime under animal welfare laws. I sense that they did not. This is the second ungodly mistake in this saga.
The initial mistake was that they put down traps with a disregard for the possibility that they would trap someone’s pet. I’m surprised that they failed to understand the possibility.
Maxey admitted that he killed the lady’s pet. The chapel dug a big hole for themselves in terms of morality and in doing God’s work. And the prosecution services have failed as well in my opinion.
On the upside, the chapel has demonstrated great contrition and have done all they can to remedy the matter. They adopted a new cat for Sheila Fallows and Maxey apologized profusely and asked for forgiveness. Of course she is very distressed, “it was heart-wrenching, it really was heart-wrenching” she said. Maxey is also distressed but in all honesty his attitude towards animals is ungodly.
Lessons
She also said that she hopes that the people involved have learnt a lesson. The police say that there is no law preventing the use of live traps but anybody contemplating putting down traps should contact the Humane Society on how to do it. The great danger is the one that this story highlights: you trap someone’s pet. In this instance the pet was shot but an alternative scenario is that the animal is taken to a shelter where it might be euthanized.
There is also the added complication that Sheila has an action under civil law. She is not taking that course of action but her cat was stolen from her and killed. This was ungodly behavior by people who should know better.
Source: Faceook and 8KPax.com.
I think the church would have been better off by either covering or removing the sand out. I’m sure it would have been cheaper in the long run, especially after this publicity.
Cats are cats and prefer to use soft soil for their toiletries. If you don’t want a giant litterbox, don’t have a giant sand box outside. That’s what cats think about it and that is why children’s sandboxes now come with covers. DUH! The
I tend to agree with you. We are commanded to care for God’s creatures, even when they anger us.
We all will stand before God one day. I am extremely thankful that I will only be standing in my shoes and not an animal abuser’s.
This sad case of a church being involved in the murder of cats and getting away with it, just adds to the body of evidence that religion is not a force for good, it is too often used as a licence to abuse vulnerable cats, humans or any species, with impunity.
Do Christians relate to animals well? I think we probably reflect much of society’s norms when it comes to animals. There are people who don’t care for animals on one end of the spectrum, and Christians like me who dote on them and are sometimes animal activists. One big difference is that we are commanded in God’s word to be good stewards of the Earth, including animals. There are also a fair number of Bible verses that admonish us to care for animals. I believe people like that custodian and those to do even worse things to animals will have to answer to God one day. I will too, for all I have done. But those who have mistreated animals I’m sure will be dealt with in God’s own way. I don’t think it will be pleasant.
Yes, they should have known better. But do Christians relate to animals well?
That will never happen. Remember,priests have gotten away with child sexual abuse, with no consequences except being moved around.
Religious/spiritual leaders of all sects/cults have gotten away with evil deeds from the beginning, and I don’t think that will change.