You know, I am not embarrassed to say that reading of Barbaro (Tuesday Jan. 30) actually brought tears to my eyes. That a colt, a baby, was forced to endure so much pain and suffering in his young, short life. And all for the sake of the almighty dollar. But reading of Barbaro caused me to sit and ponder some things.
The reason I like writing letters is to try and inspire more compassion. Hopefully some will find time to ponder some things I”ve written or to read the books I”m mentioning instead of just saying you don”t believe it. For example, does anyone think that when we die, in the afterlife, there will be horse or greyhound racing, animals euthanized for overpopulation, that there will be research labs, slaughterhouses, or zoo”s where animals can go crazy from boredom and become aggressive ?
How many know there are multitudes of Bible passages about animals and they are “for” the animals ? For instance, in the New King James Version: Deuteronomy 22:6-7 (not endangering animals); Numbers 22:28 (Balaam and his ass); Exodus 23:5 (kindness to animals); John 2:14-17 (money changers in the temple was about selling and slaughtering animals); Judges 15:4-5 (cruelty to foxes); 2 Samuel 8:4 (cruelty to horses – hamstrung); Proverbs 12:10 (proper care of animals).
I”ve also read that what we do in this life is done to us in the next. You are a tormentor, you will be tormented; you”re a hunter, you will be hunted; a cruel abuser, you will be abused. Yes, God is a loving God but also a disciplinarian. Who pays the penalty for the sins against his “other” creation, the animals? Just a few things to ponder while “life” goes on.
Danielle Holliday
Kelseyville
