Reconciling animals and suffering
by Pacopoolio 34 Replies latest jw friends
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raymond frantz
3.Predators is a more viable option for a complex eco-system: The alternative to predation is worse. When a zebra is killed by a pride of lions, it may appear to be a horrible end to a beautiful pastoral life for the zebra. The reality of the situation is that predation is normally a merciful end to a troubled animal. In a balanced natural ecosystem, healthy animals are rarely eaten. It is the old, crippled, infirmed, diseased, wounded animals that are usually the victims of predators.
What would happen if there were no predation? Suppose every animal born lived to a ripe old age with no threats of ever being eaten or removed from the population. It is very obvious that in short order there would be so many animals that all food supplies would be exhausted. Low food supplies make animals vulnerable to all kinds of disease and problems.
The other factor that needs to be mentioned in this discussion is that man has caused many of the problems that animals face. Injudicious use of the land has led to restricted habitat for many forms of life. When predators are faced with restricted habitat, they sometimes engage in activities that they would not be a part of were they not under enormous stress.
It is easy to look at a particular situation and pronounce it to be cruel or violent. When you look at the whole picture of the natural world, you see violence and destruction to be the exception, not the rule. Overall, the natural world functions in a very consistent and beautiful way with various forms of plants and animals assisting and providing for one another in complex ways.I would suggest this system is a much stronger argument for God's wisdom and design than it is for His cruelty.
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cofty
Raymond - Did you get your natural history from Walt Disney?
The most common form of economy in the world is parasitic. There is no end to the ingenious ways creatures have evolved to exploit other creatures.
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cofty
Animals do not feel pain as we do.
Why do we prosecute people for animal cruelty?
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raymond frantz
There is also a theological side to it all .I'm pretty sure most of my atheist friends here will strongly disagree but I will quoted nonetheless . There is a direct connection between man falling from Grace and the corruption of the physical creation .
Romans 8:21,22:"the creation itself will also be set free+ from enslavement to corruption and have the glorious freedom of the children of God. 22 For we know that all creation keeps on groaning together and being in pain together until now."
How much has that contributed to the animal creation is something that can only be revealed in time.
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cofty
Raymond - You really did get your natural history from Walt Disney!
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raymond frantz
I'm a man of faith .It is easy to look at a particular situation and pronounce it to be cruel or violent. When you look at the whole picture of the natural world, you see violence and destruction to be the exception, not the rule. Overall, the natural world functions in a very consistent and beautiful way with various forms of plants and animals assisting and providing for one another in complex ways.I would suggest this system is a much stronger argument for God's wisdom and design than it is for His cruelty. I'm happy to accept this explanation and expect God to explain to me the rest later .I'm happy to wait on God than some scientist that may provide me (or maybe not) a more satisfactory answer one day.
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cofty
I'm a man of faith... I'm happy to wait on God than some scientist that may provide me (or maybe not) a more satisfactory answer one day
Wilfull ignorance.
As I was saying recently faith isn't a virtue.
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