June 27: Anyone for PETH?

Stem cells, war, the death penalty, animal rights and euthanasia. Arguments over all of the above are heated and escalating. So I figure I’ll give my two-cents worth.

I believe life begins at conception; if not at that point, then when? I believe this fantastic universe was created, and I call that Creator "God". And God has put into every embryo all the “stuff” it needs, the DNA, the potential, for a full and fruitful life. There’s much more there than “just a clump of cells”.

War is horrible and evil. Life is sacred. War involves not just the combatants who choose to fight, but innocent civilians who are not warriors and have no means of escaping the consequences. “Collateral damage” sounds so much more benign than “slaughtered and maimed innocent men, women and children”.

Because I believe life is sacred and valuable I am opposed to the death penalty. I favor life in prison for horrible crimes, although I think the “rights” and freedoms of violent criminals need to be limited far below the standard some enjoy today.

On all these issues some people would simply make the distinction between born life and unborn life, and only recognize the value of the former. They would distinguish between innocent life and guilty life; the former to be protected, the latter to be snuffed out.

What about seeing all lives as sacred and valuable; born and unborn, innocent and guilty?

Abortion continues to be a hot topic, the argument often being reduced to “choice” or “life”.
God gave us both “choice” and “life” and God values both. We have not only the freedom, but the responsibility to make choices; but when the two values collide and one has to choose between “life” and personal preference or freedom, then God says, “Choose life!”

The way we treat prisoners, both military combatants and domestic criminals is a reflection of the value we place on human life. Some people are more concerned with the way animals are treated than the way people are treated. Some will physically beat up or harm a person who doesn’t agree with them about the value of animals. To them animals are sacred, people a little less so.

The area where I live in Virginia is home to PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) and Michael Vick. For those who don’t know, Vick is quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons football team and has made national news lately when evidence of dog fighting, including dog carcasses, were found on the grounds of a home he used to own in the area. The investigation is still on-going regarding his knowledge and involvement in these activities.

To say that PETA and Vick have different views about the place of animals in our society would be an understatement. To say that PETA is up in arms over these discoveries in their own neighborhood would be an understatement.

I want to start a new movement. Let’s call it PETH—People for the Ethical Treatment of Humans. There would be no registration, membership dues or meeting requirements. Just live out two ideal ideas taught by Jesus: “Love you neighbor as yourself” and “do to others as you would have them do to you.”

What would our families, neighborhoods, nation and world look like if we lived by those two principles and treated all life; born and unborn, innocent and guilty; as though life were sacred and valuable?