The debate over whether or not animals should be given “human rights” is a longstanding issue in which the creation versus evolution struggle plays a large part. Groups to prevent people being cruel to animals have been around since the 1800s, beginning with work animals. Then in 1975, Peter Singer published Animal Liberation, a book that fanned the flames of the animal rights Movement and turned it into a roaring wildfire. It is important to understand why people get involved in animal rights and why they do not. One of the main components of animal rights is evolution. If someone believes evolution, then they would believe that people evolved from animals and are therefore no different. Eating an animal could be considered cannibalism. If they believe in the creation account of the Bible, then they would believe that humans are made in God’s image and that He gave them dominion over the animals. A person’s view of creation versus evolution shapes their view of animal rights and if animals should be used for food, clothing, and testing. One of the things that animal rights groups criticize people for and campaign against the most is the use of animals for clothing. Killing animals for their skin and fur is considered pointless and cruel by animal rights activists (Perdew 53). The first death on earth was when God killed an animal to clothe Adam and Eve (The Bible KJV, Genesis 3.21). Although animal rights groups abhor the use of animals for clothing, God has obviously approved it. However, he did not approve almost completely exterminating a species for the sake of greed (The Bible KJV, Romans 13.9). Evolution, the preposterous belief that mankind evolved over millions of years, sheds an entirely different light on things. In an evolutionist’s eyes, man evolved, from and is therefore no more important than, animals. Skinning one of them would be like skinning a person. It would be the same with eating an animal. . Where did vegetarians and vegans come from? The rapidly spreading animal rights movement. For decades the different animal rights groups have struggled against the farmers and factories that raise animals for food. By introducing the vegetarian and vegan diets, animal rights groups have succeeded in causing a few people to avoid animal products. Although they could not obliterate the use of animals for food, animal rights groups have succeeded in making living conditions better for some factory raised animals (Perdew 21-28). This is one of the few places where animal rights activists and the bible agree. They both believe that even if animals are raised for food, they still should not be abused. The idea that we should not eat animals lines up with evolution. Eating an animal would be like eating a person and would therefore be wrong. The truth of the bible tells people otherwise: “For
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Having been given a boost by the Silver Springs Monkeys case, animal rights groups now protest against testing done on animals more hotly than ever (Perdew 6-16). People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) and the other extremists views line up with evolution. If mankind is no different than animals, then it would be wrong to test things on an animal that could potentially kill it. Extreme animal rights activists have been known to say absurd things such as: “A rat is a pig is a dog is a boy.” (Ingrid Newkirk, founder of PETA). God clearly did not spawn the animal rights movement because he proclaimed in His Word that the human race was made in his image and he gave them dominion “over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.” (The Bible KJV, Genesis 1.26). As much as animal rights groups dislike testing done on animals, much of it is the cause of important advancements in the medical field (Hayhurst 43-45). Many originally serious diseases have been cured and many medicines developed that that have saved thousands of lives due to testing done on animals. Even vivisection done purely to satisfy curiosity about how a certain animals live organs work can be useful. The knowledge gained could, at a later date, be used to help a sick or injured animal of the same
Having been given a boost by the Silver Springs Monkeys case, animal rights groups now protest against testing done on animals more hotly than ever (Perdew 6-16). People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) and the other extremists views line up with evolution. If mankind is no different than animals, then it would be wrong to test things on an animal that could potentially kill it. Extreme animal rights activists have been known to say absurd things such as: “A rat is a pig is a dog is a boy.” (Ingrid Newkirk, founder of PETA). God clearly did not spawn the animal rights movement because he proclaimed in His Word that the human race was made in his image and he gave them dominion “over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.” (The Bible KJV, Genesis 1.26). As much as animal rights groups dislike testing done on animals, much of it is the cause of important advancements in the medical field (Hayhurst 43-45). Many originally serious diseases have been cured and many medicines developed that that have saved thousands of lives due to testing done on animals. Even vivisection done purely to satisfy curiosity about how a certain animals live organs work can be useful. The knowledge gained could, at a later date, be used to help a sick or injured animal of the same