Most of us have read the story that’s flooding the news this week about Harambe the gorilla that was killed in its zoo domain when a young child fell in and was threatened by its presence. The Huffington Post Canada reported this past Monday that by the afternoon of this event, before the story was released in its entirety, and with only small portions of what seemed to have happened flooding the internet, there were thirteen petitions filed and over 100,000 online signatures against the mother of the child. (this number grew quickly to over 330,000) People want this mother held accountable for the gorilla’s death, and what’s disturbing is that they aren’t even concerned about the injuries or the trauma that this little boy suffered. Where is our human loyalty?

It’s a very scary thought that many people in America care more for animals than they do for people! They believe that animals have feelings and emotions that are equal to humans and therefore, they deserve the same rights. This obsession is a type of animal worship, one that is called Zoolatry, which is an actual religious ritual in many countries where animals are considered to be deities and have more value than people. There’s the worship of cows in India, the elephants in Thailand, and the monkeys in China to name just three. And this mindset has spread throughout America so we have animal activist groups that proclaim animal rights to be equal with human rights.

• “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness.” … “Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator who is blessed forever. Amen.”—Romans 1:18 & 25

It’s good that people are compassionate about animals and that they feel the sorrow in an animal having to be killed because of an unfortunate accident. But they need to be careful on how much value they put on an animal’s life compared to the value of a person. God made man in His image and He gave him (Adam) dominion over the animals and told him to take care of them. And we have inherited this desire to protect them and care for them, as well. But we’re taking this responsibility out of context when the life and value of an animal exceeds that of a person.

• So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. ²⁸ And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.—Genesis 1:27-28

This incident received far more attention and action than the recent news that revealed the thousands of live babies being tortured by the Planned Parenthood organization, or of the millions of babies who have been brutally murdered through abortion since it became legal in 1973. What is wrong with people when news of one animal having to be killed because it threatened a child’s life becomes more outrageous to them than the murder of unborn babies?

How far have people fallen from God and from His ordinances when the value of an animal’s life is greater than that of a child! They will opt to sign petitions against the mother of a child who fell into the gorilla’s pit causing it to be shot, but they won’t defend the thousands of babies who are murdered legally in our own country every day!

Animals were not created in God’s image. Animals were not given the same rights or authority as people. Jesus did not come from Heaven to die for the souls of animals; He came from Heaven and died on the cross for people!—John 3:16. This is not to say that God doesn’t love animals because He created them and told Adam to care for them, so He obviously has compassion for these creatures that He made. But He did not put their value above that of mankind.

There are two instances in the Bible where animals spoke, but they didn’t speak with intelligence or intellect. The first is found in Genesis 3 when Satan used a serpent to deceive Eve, and the second is found in Numbers 22:28 when God used a donkey to speak to Balaam. These creatures didn’t speak through their own intellect or emotions; they were used to relay a message.

Animal rights activists are adamant about what they stand for. They believe animals are equal with man, that they are made up of the same mental and emotional components as man, and have the capability of equal intelligence as man. But regardless of where people want to direct their honor, animals are still animals.

• All flesh is not the same flesh: but there is one kind of flesh of men, another flesh of beasts, another of fishes, and another of birds.—1 Corinthians 15:39

And although many Christians realize that these people are acting out of emotion and that they lack the knowledge or love for God as their actions clearly show, there is a lesson to be learned here. When something comes against what the world believes, the people take a stand and will stop at nothing to get their victory. Many Christians, however, will buckle and fold under the challenge and just stand by and do nothing.

If Christians would stand up for the things of God, for what is right in the sight of the Lord, then perhaps the truth would get out there and more people would come to know Him. But we hide and say nothing because we don’t want to stir the waters and create an issue—in essence, we don’t want to be criticized or disliked for pushing our “Christianity” onto others.

God told us in Mark 16:15 to preach the gospel to the world—and as individuals that means to share the truth, live the truth and stand for the truth with those around us. God wants us to show His love to others and to be a witness for Him. We need to take a stand against the things that this world is bringing upon us; things that God has said are sinful and that we should not engage in. If we would all obey God’s direction for us as Christians, we could push back the sin of this world and reveal God’s light.

But the darkness is spreading faster every day and we need to do all we can do to keep our light shining. Jesus is soon going to return to earth as King and end all sin, but in the meantime, we need to stand for His Kingdom and that means to put the value of human lives above that of animals. It means to stand and remain standing for the things of God. It means to love Him with all of our heart and to be obedient to His word.

• And He answering said, ‘Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself.’—Luke 10:27

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