Continuing the them from yesterday, I think the
scriptures and modern prophets show that animals are to be treated with
kindness and consideration. Even though
man in the beginning was given “dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the
fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every
creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth”—and that dominion surely includes
the ability for man to use animals for food and divinely appointed
sacrifices—it does not give any license to unnecessarily harm animals (Genesis
1:26). In modern revelation the Lord
gave us the kind of balance we must have: “For, behold, the beasts of the field
and the fowls of the air, and that which cometh of the earth, is ordained for
the use of man for food and for raiment, and that he might have in abundance…. And wo be unto man that sheddeth blood or
that wasteth flesh and hath no need” (D&C 49:19, 21). Animals are meant for the use of man as food
and clothing, but they should not be wasted.
The Lord who notices even the fall of a sparrow created the animals, and
our dominion should not equate to disrespect (Matt. 10:29). In the Old Testament we even have the story
of Balaam who beat his donkey. The
animal’s mouth was opened so that he could rebuke his master: “And the Lord
opened the mouth of the ass, and she said unto Balaam, What have I done unto
thee, that thou hast smitten me these three times?” However literally we are supposed to take that
story, it certainly teaches that animals have some level of intelligence and
deserve to be treated with respect.
The exact fate of animals in the
next life is not entirely clear, but D&C 77 does suggest a continuance of
their existence. We read in the inspired
description of John’s revelation that the four beasts “which were shown to
John, to represent the glory of the classes of beings in their destined order
or sphere of creation, in the enjoyment of their eternal felicity” (D&C
77:3). Elder McConkie’s chapter summary
puts it this way; “Beasts have spirits and will dwell in eternal felicity.” As an apostle Joseph Fielding Smith said
this about animals in general conference: “So we see that the Lord intends
to save, not only the earth and the heavens, not only man who dwells upon the
earth, but all things which he has created. The animals, the fishes of the sea,
the fowls of the air, as well as man, are to be recreated, or renewed, through
the resurrection, for they too are living souls.” What kind of connection we will have with the
animals we may have cared for in this life isn’t revealed, but the Prophet
Joseph apparently did believe, according
to Elder Orson F. Whitney, that he would “have his favorite horse in
eternity.” What we do know, though, is
that God’s work and glory is in the salvation of man, and that we are “of more value
than many sparrows” (Matt. 10:31).
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