How do we justify giving money for animal causes when there is so much human suffering?

Question

Some time ago, I went to a meeting attended by rich professionals for the cause of elephants in captivity. Thousands of dollars was raised for this cause. I kept thinking about how this money could be used for the human condition. What is best for society? If you believe in God, what would you think God would want you to do with your money?

The elderly and abused children cannot help themselves. The victims of Katrina do not have the resourses to help themselves.

Answer 1

Their giving money to help animals, who are suffering through no fault of their own, doesn't mean they don't also give money to help suffering humans.

Rich professionals who attend charity meetings probably have a LOT of causes they support.

They, as you, have the right to do what they want with their money.

I don't believe in god, but can't help thinking god would want us to take better care of all his critters, not just ourselves.

People shouldn't have to justify what they do with their money.

Yes, there are a lot more causes than any one group could possibly fix.

But suffering is suffering.

Suffering that we (humans) have caused needs to be addressed.

Whoever it is that's doing the suffering.

Which particular slice of suffering motivates money-giving is up to each person.

I don't like to see one cause denigrated for not being some other cause. That's a bad, ugly road to go down.

Do you not give money to provide non-essentials to people, when there are other people who are hungry? But who would denigrate giving musical instruments to the poor, who would otherwise have no means to make their own art?

See what I mean? There's more suffering that any room of people can stop. So you do what you can, what comes to your attention.

I do understand what you're saying, but we put elephants in captivity. Alleviating the suffering WE CAUSE them seems right to me.

For several years I had money to spare but didn't contribute anything.

I'd think I should, then get tangled in "WHERE" should I send money?

I did finally start giving (to only 3 groups: helping war refugees, eliminating torture, defending the environment).

Making it a question of the BEST place to give money made it impossible for me to give; taking the plunge was more important (inspired by our attack of Afghanistan -- the people we were bombing not having harmed us in any way drove me to finally give).

(I'm reminded of the bit in the TV show Sports Night, where Danny can't decide where to give, and Natalie says, in effect, JUST GIVE. "Get in the game" is the way she put it.)

As I said, most, if not all, of those people DO give to alleviate human suffering.

I see nothing wrong in their ALSO giving to alleviate suffering of other critters.

Answer 2

Psalm 104.

God breathed life in to all creatures. As such, all those creatures carry the same breath of God.

All our activities are connected. If only we would realize this. Peace can only be achieved when a few of us are working on it across the board.

Not everyone is called to the same ministry. But all ministries are linked. Global warming is linked to factory farming. Factory farming is linked to world hunger and violence. And so on.

If we have compassion for the small, we will then have compassion for the large. That is to say, when we start finding that those animals that are denied life deserve life we will win out over the belief that MAN does not deserve life.

Forensic psychologists all know that you can recognize a potential killer because they start out torturing animals. Then they move up to men.

This is us. We kill 12 billion animals a year in the US alone for our love of meat. 10% of that is an acceptable loss. It takes 5000 gallons of water and 22 pounds of grain to produce one pound of edible beef. One cow weighs about 2000 pounds.

You do the math.

Think of the global good we can do if we have compassion for ALL of God's creatures.

Answer 3

There will always be those who criticize us no matter what cause or charity we give to. Some people criticize us for giving any help to other countries. They say we need to take care of our own first.

I tend to agree with you about the elephants, though.

Everyone does what they think is best. PETA has a huge following.

I would think God wanted me to help humans, but that's just me. I spend lots of $$$ every year on my students at school. (parents on drugs, don't care, buy booze, etc.) I have been criticized for that. It's what I want to do. That is my tithe.
Some people don't like that, either. It's their problem.

Everyone makes his or her own choice. That's all I can tell you. Thanks for the thought provoking question.

Answer 4

I don't have to justify it. What is happening to animals all over this earth is our fault, we caused it, we should do our best to help. I'm not saying to ignore human suffering, we should do our best there first, but we are told to be good stewards of the earth, and we haven't been or we wouldn't have so many animals going extinct. None of us can save the world, we can only do our part, whatever that part may be. My helping out the local animal shelter is not taking away from the child we sponser in Africa.

Answer 5

God provides a job and money and expects that element of what you acquire would be used to alleviate suffering. of course element of that money would desire to flow to help with human suffering yet God cares approximately each and all the creatures that He created so He does not assume you to overlook related to the abuse of a residing creature basically as a results of fact it does not have an eternal existence. I commit a reliable ingredient of my earnings to helping people and, alongside with that, charities that help animals. i don't experience in the slightest degree of shame as a results of fact I commit a number of my money to animals and that i visit proceed to donate to those motives.

Answer 6

And why do animals suffer? Through the human condition that man brought upon himself AND animals. Since man won't change everything needs help.

Answer 7

We are the only species capable of saving another species. Human suffering is never going to be solved. It's life. I would help with the elephants they are Gods creatures also.

Answer 8

how many elephants of that species where left? There are what, 2 billion, people in the world. I be there arent 2 billion elephants.

Try and look at it that way.

Answer 9

I like animals over most people because most people are to stupid for their own good.

Besides if moses worked so hard to get two of every animal don't you think we should work had to make sure they don't become extinct?

Answer 10

Since the donators can choose what their funding goes to, they chose Elephants. There is no need for justification.