Raptor's Pick For Sunday, July 22 ~ It is a choice that we make.

[Raptor]

One of the major stories this week has been the indictment of Michael Vick, star quarterback of the Atlanta Falcons, for involvement with dog fighting. Allegedly, Mr. Vick has been involved in an activity that pits one dog against another in a fight to the death. The cruelty and violence is abhorrent to most civilized people. The outcry for the NFL to punish Michael Vick has been tremendous this week and several of his sponsors have dropped him.


I have a question for Christians. Do you find Michael Vick’s alleged actions reprehensible? If so, how do you justify the creation of a world by your God in which animals fight to the death and eat each other as a necessary part of their existence? Perhaps, Mr. Vick is just trying to imitate God.

I'm surprised you don't see the difference- it's in the purpose. If the allegations are true, Vick was doing so for his own profit and amusement. Christians today condemn this kind of violence-as-sport in the same way that ancient Christians refused to participate in or watch the violence-as-sport in Rome (i.e. gladiatorial combat, etc.).

There was nothing "necessary" in Vick's actions in the same way that carnivorous animals must consume prey to ensure their survival.

Another thing to note is that the violence we now see in creation was not in the original plan. The primeival histories of Genesis (whether one reads them mythologically or literally) are fairly clear that violence and death were not part of the original design. Furthermore, Isaiah's awesome vision of chapter 11 foretells of a day when all that violence will one day be ended through the gracious intervention of the "Root of Jesse":

Isaiah 11

6 The wolf will live with the lamb,
the leopard will lie down with the goat,
the calf and the lion and the yearling [a] together;
and a little child will lead them.

7 The cow will feed with the bear,
their young will lie down together,
and the lion will eat straw like the ox.

8 The infant will play near the hole of the cobra,
and the young child put his hand into the viper's nest.

9 They will neither harm nor destroy
on all my holy mountain,
for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the LORD
as the waters cover the sea.

The promise of Scripture (whether one chooses to believe it or not) is that one day the violence that plagues the world, including human violence and "natural" animal violence, will come to an end and the peace and harmony that so characterized the original plan of creation will be restored.

Oustanding post, Rando.

[Amazing Rando]

Word up, yo! Ya gotta represent!