Posted by Brent Reed (216.12.97.23) on May 10, 2002 at 16:10:46:
In Reply to: Re: Do animals go to heaven? posted by Brett Zamir on May 09, 2002 at 18:13:21:
Dear Brett,
Where did I call the infallibility of 'Abdu'l-Baha' or Shoghi Effendi into question? All I said was what is evidently true. That is, that their infallibility is limited, and there is still much debate over the nature of that kind of infallibility. You no doubt agree with this, don't you?
Now, what are you really saying about the souls of animals? And is your heritage from a predominately Muslim nation? Sure animals are cute, and so are human children. I see no connection between the cuteness of something and whether it has eternal existence or not, or between, as you say, the "materialistic age's excessive dwelling on cuteness" of animals (you're really saying Western peoples, aren't you?) and disinterest in human suffering.
Canines (Dogs) began a relationship with humans from the prehistoric beginning of our species. This natural bonding between humans and dogs developed long before any Caninophobic civilization came into being. Cats have also shared an ancient relationship with humans, dating at least back to ancient Egypt. The West's aversion to the Korean tradition of eating dog meat is well justified, as should our aversion to cannibilism, still practiced by some civilizations, or the eating of human embyros or fetuses, as some Chinese do for medicinal purposes. I would say that the eating of Dogs and Cats and human fetuses by other human beings would be nearly universally condemned by our species. The same could not be said about eating pigs, although I sympathize with their suffering and hope that some day humans abandon the eating of other animals altogether.
Light to you!
Brent Reed
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