Of Dogs and Men

Here's the deal. John O Neal is dead because he put himself in traffic in order to save his dog. My hope is that he died by accident, not realizing his danger, and that if he did, he would have let the dog die instead of dying himself. Read the story here.

We cannot know what he was thinking in that last moment. However, I am certain of this: a large percentage of people in our country will think and say that even if he knew he was risking his life, what he did was good and heroic, on par with saving a human being.

Such sentiments reveal a bankruptcy of common sense due, I believe, to being cut off from God-based thinking.

The Judeo-Christian God, the One of the Bible, paints a picture of man as being the crowning achievement of Creation. All creatures are under his dominion, for his pleasure, and for him to rule. Of course, God, being good, expects man to be responsible, to care for the growing things of the earth in a way that shows respect for their maker. Destroying the beautify of a forest or a mountain, or wiping out entire species of animals would be thoughtless, and thankless towards God. Likewise, cruelty to animals who are helpless and dependent on our oversight would also dishonor God, as we are the only creatures capable of morality and should therefore not seek pleasure from enjoying the pain of another.

That said, God makes it clear that the land is there for us to manage for OUR benefit. We can eat the food, tend the garden, cut down trees here and plant them over there. We can eat the animals, wear their skins, etc. Dogs and cats are indeed unique gifts to mankind as they both can be domesticated and serve man without eating him or going to the bathroom in the house (if trained). We should treat them with respect because of their maker.

But a dog's life never, ever, ever rises in value to that of a man. Ever. Why? Because, according to the Bible, man was made in the image of God in a way that dog was not. Furthermore, man is to rule over the animals, and not vice-versa. This way of looking at human life has revolutionized history, planted the seeds that ended slavery, brought the idea of equality of all under the law (women, children, minorities, etc), and the idea of human freedom being given to each one by God Himself. No doubt, fallen man doesn't administer this high ideal as consistently as God intends, but man is at his best when he begins by embracing the ideal.

Our society no longer is taught such things. Instead, the difference between an animal and human is minimized by many. Some will read of John O Neal and think him noble if he laid down his life purposely for his dog. Such people do not realize that they are not elevating the value of the dog, but reducing the value of the man. I would hope that John O Neal was careless, foolishly so, rather than that he laid down his life for a dog.

"Let Us make man in Our image" is God's view. Let's stick with that. Thoughts?