Oh, sure, it is probably in the Bible somewhere.  But if so, it is something that one does to an idol -- i.e., it is not a religious act to be encouraged.

The magazine Best Friends, published by the animal shelter/rescue/welfare organization of the same name, has been running a series called "Animals and Religion," in which one or another writer presents a unique perspective on how the love of animals is a religious value.  One of the writers, raised as an evangelical Christian, told of his frustration that in none of the churches that he is acquainted with is animal welfare ever mentioned.  It is as if the only creatures that count are human beings.

I have often felt a similar frustration, regarding the general silence in the Catholic Church about environmental issues.  Sure, there are some fine statements in documents, and there are some very good individual Catholics, priests, religious and layfolk, doing excellent work.  But for the most part, environmental issues still have not been introduced seriously into mainstream Catholic discourse.

When I was reading that article in Best Friends, it struck me as very ironic that while many religious conservatives have been complaining that their "moral values" are not taken seriously by people in politics, there are other values which are even more profoundly moral, such as animal welfare and care for the environment, which are not taken seriously by people in church.

I am grateful to Pastor Johnson for all he is doing to exhort our fellow Christian believers to join in working for this most worthy cause.  And I am grateful to Bill Moyers, for bringing attention to religious leaders, especially evangelical Christians, who are engaged in environmental issues.

Chickens are our cousins! So are other sensitive animals! Enough is enough! No more factory farms!