Prefatory Note: For all the smugness that churches and the religious command, most if not all claiming to represent the will of a good, compassionate deity, organized religion has been absent from the struggle, and often complicit in most major human crimes, from wars between humans, to various forms of slavery, and the all-out war on nature and defenceless animals.
Opportunistic to a fault, the record of churches almost everywhere has not been to question or denounce the status quo (which normally represents the most backward and criminal segments of humanity), but to support it. From antiquity to our times, religion and the priesthood have been quick to claim a share of the power by bestowing the seal of legitimacy on regimes that —under elementary morality— should have prompted a forceful rebuke. Leaving aside ancient times when barbarism was commonplace, some of their modern alliances have been notorious. Far from opposing slavery in the antebellum South, most pastors preached a chauvinist and racist creed that facilitated the war, their stance mirroring the poisonous and misguided posture of many Christians during the Inquisition, and the mutually savage sectarian warfare that tore Europe apart for centuries. Under Nazi Germany, the record was mostly shameful, at best mixed.
Today, with the imperial state the new unofficial deity, with corporatism eating the planet like a ravaging cancer, with rapidly expanding inequality injecting unneeded suffering upon billions, American religion remains a powerful accomplice, at times vocally endorsing the self-flattering myths that sustain the nation’s repulsive chauvinism, and many other times simply saying nothing in the face of enormous institutionalized crimes. It’s telling and typical that neither the leading protestant churches nor the Pope and his representatives in the US have said anything audible about Edward Snowden or the goals and methods used by the imperial cliques to accomplish their goals. Against this backdrop, it’s not surprising that religions here and elsewhere have said little and done less to temper the pervasive brutality of the human species toward its weaker brethren. All this rot may one day be swept away. But when—and if—that day comes, it won’t be because institutionalized religion did anything major to hasten that joyous date. —Patrice Greanville
“You’re right, she [instigator of a cull] is not a hypocrite, she is true to her religion. And you should also know that in at least a couple of towns around here who are killing deer en masse some churches volunteered their property as a killsite.” —animal activist [/pullquote]
In a climate where violence to animals is a cherished right associated with dominion over the animals, hunting is passed down from one generation to the next, sometimes even as a religious rite of passage. Young children who still want to caress a deer rather than shoot him, are taught to hunt and kill. Too often this terrible violence, both to the well-being of the child and the animal victim occurs in a religious framework.
At Christian Youth Hunting Ministry camps young children must witness and perhaps even participate in carrying out the dictates of dominion. The damage done to the deer is clear. The harm done to this child, though not as visible, will take its toll, for he has learned he has the divine right to kill the weak and defenseless.
Such brutality to children and animals is allowed for it serves a presumably greater purpose: The Outdoor Mission Camp was created to bolster up Christian membership, by bringing participants closer to Christ, as it destroys compassion in children and innocent animal lives.
http://www.outdoormissioncamp.org/?page_id=21
“Founded by Ruffin and Jamie Shackelford in 1998, Outdoor Mission Camps fulfills a life long preparation to lead youth to Christ through a Christ centered wilderness experience
Through the marvelous grace of God, Ruffin turned his life to Christ after witnessing the majesty and awesomeness of His creation. Jamie surrendered to the Lord after facing various challenges in life. However, both of them grew up loving the creation as they backpacked, paddled, hunted and fished while spending time with their fathers in wilderness settings.”
The well-being of a child and the life of a deer may be sacrificed to the lofty goal of recruiting converts. The excuse sometimes given that children must learn gun safety, quickly turns into an oxymoron when they are taught to kill:.
“ http://www.outdoormissioncamp.org/?page_id=21
‘loving the creation’, is made possible by the judeo.christian view of animals: animals may be used or killed for a higher cause: in this instance increased fellowship and membership to fund and support religious institutions.
Another organization: Outreach Outdoors, is completely explicit:
“Outreach Outdoors is a Christian hunting ministry aiming to spread the message of Jesus Christ to non-believers and challenge Christians to live a life of purpose”
(http://www.outreachoutdoors.com/christian-hunting.php)
A life of purpose: to build up membership, based on violating the sensibilities of young children and killing defenseless animals is questionable, though both are sanctioned by the intention of dominion. Ideally religion deals with the spiritual realm, but when the goal is political dominance, then it is necessary to entice recruits with the carcass of an animal.
ours just happens to be hunting – but whatever it is, God wants to use it to draw people to Him. So, Christian hunting is, to us, going out on stand with the goal of experiencing God and making Him the goal, versus leaving disappointed that you went home empty-handed once again.”
It could not be more clear: ‘ -” It does not matter what harm is done to gentle animals. Whatever it takes. the institution comes first, as was the case with the cover-up of child sexual abuse by the Catholic Church.
Building a Christian Empire with dominion over the entire United States is in part the intention of hunting for Christ. It would seem the militarization of religion is contingent on teaching young children to kill:
It is no wonder that those most in need of self esteem feel compelled to hunt down harmless animals, often with high powered rifles that do every thing but pull the trigger. It is no wonder they participate in canned hunts, where tame animals are released to be shot close range as non-moving target. It is no wonder that every animal from wolves to geese to prairie dogs may be culled with the proper excuse. Only those in doubt of their true worth would feel the need to prove their dominion over the animals by murdering them, then call it sport or a cull:
‘Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth. The fear and dread of you shall rest on every animal of the earth, and on every bird of the air, on everything that creeps on the ground, and on all the fish in the sea; into your hand they are delivered. Every moving thing that lives shall be food for you; and just as I gave you the green plants, I give you everything.’ genesis
No matter how much we plead or reason with those who claim the god given right to hunt, very little will change until we acknowledge the influence of dominion religions. As long as we ourselves cooperate with these religions, we too are complicit in promoting the violence we so detest.
