The good shepherd = why help homeless cats?

[StefanZ]

We do see there are places where it is more or less forbidden to help homeless cats.
Lets look at the religious aspects and what our major religions says.

Judaism says a lot for caring for animals. Many places in the Old Testamente witness of this.
Islam is known for caring of pregnant camels, but I know at least one tale of the duty to help a homeless dog to get water even if it is troublesome - if the dog cant get water from the well himself. And mind you, the dogs had a very low standing in the arabic society in these time...

Our problem is Christianity is supposed to spread decency yes, etc. But as I know Christianity doesnt say much about animals. Christianity is about our relation to God and our relation to other humans.
Does this means christian americans are forced to point back to the Old Testamente?
Not only!:

There is the very central tale of the good shepherd and his sheeps. The shepherd caring about ALL the sheeps, even - especially -that sheep which get stray. There is also the similiar tale of the father and the son who went astray but is returning back.

This tale is about God and His followers - the humans..

Sometays it is also interpreted as the parish´priest and the people in his town.

But where in the Bible is it written it must be taken only as such? Nowhere.

So it may very well also be about a real shepherd taking care of his sheeps!
Or a cat-lover taking care of hers cats - even - and especielly - cats who went astray or were abandoned.

Ie helping abandoned, astray, or feral cats should be good work according to Gods will and Christians ideals.
Of course, helping people in distress is important yes. But nobody can help all, but all can help somebody. And we are helping the cats, therefore doing our share in Gods holy work.
Either we are Christians, Jews, Moslems, Buddists or even atheists.

So is my firmly believing, so help me God.

Comments and filling in are welcome.

 

[katiemae1277]

I'm not religious, but my personal belief is that, as domestic animals, the cat problem is a direct result of human action, or inaction as the case may be, and therefore it is also a human problem to fix.
Whatever your beliefs, we as humans have a responsibility to protect and care for all creatures on this earth because we are the ones destroying their habitats and putting harmful chemicals in their water and food.

 

[consumerkitty]

Originally Posted by katiemae1277

I'm not religious, but my personal belief is that, as domestic animals, the cat problem is a direct result of human action, or inaction as the case may be, and therefore it is also a human problem to fix.
Whatever your beliefs, we as humans have a responsibility to protect and care for all creatures on this earth because we are the ones destroying their habitats and putting harmful chemicals in their water and food.

We domesticated animals for our own benefit. It is our responsibility to take care of them. We are destroying the habitats of wild animals which is not in keeping with our self perception as the "highest" most intelligent species on the planet. We should be the guardians and caretakers of all the animals on the planet. We should be helping them, not hurting them.

 

[StefanZ]

A major point with my writing is to have arguments when talking with the people in City Counsel/the Mayor whatever. Or writing about homeless cats in the papers... Or even lobbying.
It may be a way to get allyies among the christians, jews, moslems...

Apparently it doesnt bother them to go against suffering homeless cats. And it doesnt bother them to go against these people trying to help the cats. But to go against their own Gods will! Entirely different. Or against Gods will of their electors! Impossible.

 

[jeanw]

Originally Posted by StefanZ

We do see there are places where it is more or less forbidden to help homeless cats.
Lets look at the religious aspects and what our major religions says.

Judaism says a lot for caring for animals. Many places in the Old Testamente witness of this.
Islam is known for caring of pregnant camels, but I know at least one tale of the duty to help a homeless dog to get water even if it is troublesome - if the dog cant get water from the well himself. And mind you, the dogs had a very low standing in the arabic society in these time...

Our problem is Christianity is supposed to spread decency yes, etc. But as I know Christianity doesnt say much about animals. Christianity is about our relation to God and our relation to other humans.
Does this means christian americans are forced to point back to the Old Testamente?
Not only!:

There is the very central tale of the good shepherd and his sheeps. The shepherd caring about ALL the sheeps, even - especially -that sheep which get stray. There is also the similiar tale of the father and the son who went astray but is returning back.

This tale is about God and His followers - the humans..

Sometays it is also interpreted as the parish´priest and the people in his town.

But where in the Bible is it written it must be taken only as such? Nowhere.

So it may very well also be about a real shepherd taking care of his sheeps!
Or a cat-lover taking care of hers cats - even - and especielly - cats who went astray or were abandoned.

Ie helping abandoned, astray, or feral cats should be good work according to Gods will and Christians ideals.
Of course, helping people in distress is important yes. But nobody can help all, but all can help somebody. And we are helping the cats, therefore doing our share in Gods holy work.
Either we are Christians, Jews, Moslems, Buddists or even atheists.

So is my firmly believing, so help me God.

Comments and filling in are welcome.

I like your post. And I agree with you.

 

[lionessrampant]

I'm also not religious either, but my whole spiritual outlook on this is that we as humans have a responsibility to nurture the earth and all of her creatures since we are the ones who have been both so dominant and destructive to her. It goes back to the whole notion of giving back and of treating everyone as you would like to be treated. I give back to planet and stand in solidarity with my community when I help animals.

 

[dhenders]

I agree, the cats are in this situation because of us so we need to care for them. I hope that people of all religions would agree with that.

 

[sta]

PETA has a good article that compiles a list of the biblical support for caring for animals (their point is to support vegetarianism, but the article lists some places in the Bible and other religious writings there is support for caring for animals. Judaism's support is listed at http://www.jesusveg.com/4.html ; and Christianity's support is listed at http://www.jesusveg.com/5.html

When I hear Christians say it is o.k. to hunt for sport or to drive away homeless animals, I remind them that Jesus said, “Two sparrows [are] sold for a copper coin. Not one…falls… apart from your Father’s will." Matthew 10:29-31. "Five sparrows [are] sold for two copper coins? Not one…is forgotten before God.” Luke 12:6-7. I say, "Since God knows when one of His sparrows fall, he also knows if a person hurt His sparrow, or could have saved His sparrow but didn't. Maybe it doesn't matter to you, but are you sure you want God to see you doing hurting or neglecting His animals? You'd always have to be looking over your shoulder, wondering what God was going to do about it."