faq #3, what about conflicts between animal and human welfare?

Continuing an FAQ series (the first questions were "Is caring for animals a valid Christian concern?" and "But don't we have other priorities as Christians?"), another important dilemma which is often raised is "What about conflicts between animal and human welfare?"  It's a question which even animal advocates struggle with to varying degrees, and one which those who want to discredit a robust concern for animals often point to as a core part of their argument.

Examples of conflicts which are often brought up include prevalent and complex issues, such as the belief that humans need to consume animals and their products to survive, that we need to take wild habitat away for community and commercial development, and that scientists need to be able to research on animals to keep humans safe and develop new treatments for diseases.  More isolated (even hypothetical) conflicts are wondered about as well, such as what happens if a human is attacked by a wild animal?  And some hit home quite hard, such as how much money should be invested in caring for a chronically and expensively ill pet?

This question obviously casts a wide net of potential conflicts, and each one deserves a careful answer in and of itself.  We'll be looking at a few conflicts in particular in the coming days, including one very important and complex issue which we haven't addressed in depth on the blog yet, animal research.  But here's an initial response to the general question from our FAQ page:

Even those who care about animals are confronted with conflicts between human and animal welfare.  From bugs in the kitchen to animal products on our dinner tables, cutting down trees for community developments to cancer research on animals, human and animal needs often seem at odds.  We know that God cares about animals but that He also prioritizes the well-being of His human children, and so we can protect ourselves from a charging predator in good conscience.

But is every conflict a real one?  Are our needs really needs, or simply wants in some instances?  Do we need new real estate developments when we could reuse old ones, and do we need to factory farm animals for sustenance when our current eating habits aren't healthy for us or the planet in the first place?  Some issues are even more complex, such as animal research which might contribute to life-saving medical treatments, but which is often duplicated and irrelevant just as well.

(photos courtesy The Animals Voice)

Comments

[Stephanie]

Well this is certainly a cliff-hanger. I'm very interested in seeing how you answer these questions. :-)

[Ben DeVries]

Thanks Stephanie :) - Ben