Welcome to a community designed to share how kindness and respect for animals is being embraced by a broad denominational spectrum of people and leaders of faith. The Animals & Religion Network Community is designed to provide information and resources, for you and your religious or spiritual organization, that illustrate our spiritual connection with animals and how this connection can be better understood and embraced in religious circles. More>

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Animals & Religion

SIGNATURES OF COMPASSION CIRCLE THE PLANET!

November 12, 2007 : 12:13 PM

In less than a week, A Religious Proclamation for Animal Compassion makes its way around the globe!

by Kris Haley, Best Friends Manager of Multifaith Outreach

It has been less than a week since, A Religious Proclamation for Animal Compassion has been unveiled, yet animal-loving people of faith the world over have added their signatures to our online Proclamation at: http://www.bestfriends.org/signproc .

In a mere five days, thousands of signatures, staking their claim for compassion, have arrived from The United States, Israel, The Netherlands, Germany, Australia, Canada, Spain, Scotland, Finland, Japan, England, Portugal, Czech Republic, Mexico, Switzerland and more!

Who do you know who may wish to participate? Think of friends and acquaintences in your own state...and expand that to other states and countries. Use the, SEND TO A FRIEND link on the Proclamation page, to email them to join us! A Religious Proclamation for Animal Compassion is fast becoming a rich, patchwork quilt reflective of those from all faiths and locations who wish to make this a kinder world for animals.

Click here to sign today! And if you wish to financially support the work of the Proclamation, you may click here to donate. We thank you for your support!

Stay tuned for more reports of how the Proclamation is making its way into faith communities around the world. If you've just signed from a country we haven't mentioned, take a moment to tell us where you're from and share your comments with us, below!

Comments

November 27, 2007 at 11:02 AM
posted by: Godscre

I hope and pray that churches will come into the realization that compassion and speaking out for animals is God's will and should be done on a regular basis. The Bible says to "LET everything that has breath praise the Lord" Psalm 150:6 (emphasis mine). Church leaders need to speak out against the evil of supporting animal cruelty with dinners (including church dinners) made from animals who suffered horribly their whole lives. They say it's never too late to repent, but for billions of animals, sadly, it is too late to praise their Creator just because of our selfish ways.

Congrats to Best Friends for leading the way in compassion and justice for all!

"Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account." Hebrews 4:13

As Rev. Steve said at the signing in DC - "Dominion does not mean domination which is the true interpretation. We are not the center of the universe--- God is! We are just God's servants for others ---including God's creatures. May this effort continue to grow and produce "...the fruit of the Spirit of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control." (Galatians 5:22)

Jan Fredericks
Catholic Concern for Animals-USA
Founder, God's Creatures Ministry

November 16, 2007 at 6:13 PM
posted by: PamelaB

This is getting really exciting on the personal level, too! I've just heard from an animal advocate friend in Belgium who manages EVANA and animal_net and is VP of the EVU. I had sent her the Proclamation, and now she's hearing from people around the world--just heard from Indonesia--who are thrilled to sign the Proclamation she has sent on to them.

By virture of the Proclamation, a grand new global communications network for animals is being created--or rather an existing one is at last becoming illuminated and visible. The various strands that already exist worldwide are being turned on, as if somebody finally learned how to turn on the lights!

Pamela over at International Friends

November 16, 2007 at 12:03 PM
posted by: njcronk

As Chair of Animal Chaplains.com, I have witnessed an amazing explosive growth at the intersection of animal welfare and religious growth, in the past several years! One of the reasons for that is the hard work and dedication of a handful of amazing people committed to this work. On behalf of spiritually-minded people everywhere, and our furry, finned, and feathered friends, I thank Kris Haley, Sandy Passmore, Celeste, and the many, many wonderful people at Best Friends for all of the great work they do! Please stop by and visit the Animal Chaplains community at Best Friends, too. Our communities support one another in our work.

Chazak chazak v’nitchazek – May we all move forward from strength to strength so that we all may be strengthened by each other.

Shalom U’Veracha – With Peace and Blessing,
Chaplain Nancy Cronk
www.AnimalChaplains.com

November 14, 2007 at 8:04 PM
posted by: marla

I love your poem. I hope you will not mind if I share it with some of my friends.
Marla

November 14, 2007 at 7:45 PM
posted by: krislh

Just noticed a few more signers from Mexico, Switzerland, Portugal and the Czech Republic!

November 14, 2007 at 5:07 PM
posted by: royc

All creatures little or big have a purpose here on earth. We must respect them and realize that we humans are only a small part of the whole creation, We are only part of a big chain of living creatures.

We must embrace creation as a whole and enjoy and appreciate all living creatures that surround us, not destroy them. God bless us all.

Kindness to all gods creatures and non violence on earth starts on your plate.......Go Vegan

Thank you

November 14, 2007 at 3:24 PM
posted by: sharonstjoan

QMD333,

Thank you for your beautiful poem!

How wonderful it is that the Proclamation for animals is being signed by people all over the world!

November 14, 2007 at 2:45 AM
posted by: QMD333

Animals, like the human animal, are living, breathing, feeling, loving, soul-filled children of God.
We are all in this together.

We all get tired, we all get wet in the rain.
We all experience loneliness, we all experience pain.
We all thirst for water, and we all thirst for love.
We are all Children of God, Who's Angels watch over us from high up above.
We all breathe, we all play, we all feel.
We all get hungry and we all appreciate a satisfying meal.
We are all born, and we all deserve to live life.
Nobody should be left behind, or be subjected to a dissecter's deadly knife.
We all die, and we are all born into everlasting love and life in Heaven.... in paradise.
Where, as one spiritual family, we all share love, and we all get treated nice.
In Heaven, we all gather together, one species, one race, one religion, and all of us have lots of fun.
In Heaven, we all realize, that we all are really ONE.

We are all one.
One life.
One Soul.
One Spiritual Family.

November 14, 2007 at 2:42 AM
posted by: QMD333

In the end, when we all "unzip" our physical bodies, and leave them behind, and become one with each other, we will all look identical....light energies...Souls, Spirits.......all created by the same loving hands, and with the same loving care, made with the same Heavenly DNA: God's Love

It took society awhile to see that they were wrong to look at a Black person as being inferior to a White person.
But society finally understood the truth of the situation: Regardless of race, we are all equal.

It took society awhile to see that they were wrong to look at Women as being inferior to Men.
But society finally understood the truth of the situation: Regardless of sex, we are all equal.

It will take awhile for society to see that they were wrong to look at Animals as being inferior to the human animal.
But someday, society will finally understand the truth of the situation: Regardless of species, we are all equal.

God Bless us ALL.