April 14, 2006
I don't really have much to say about PETA. The "animal rights" group has essentially adopted a position of militant idolatry towards animals. And they use shock value, naked actors, and vast media campaigns to great effect in attempting to get their message out - that animals are people too, and that eating meat is somehow tantamount to murder.
Now they've decided to co-opt Christ's crucifixion for their own purposes. Today, Good Friday, PETA is holding a "day without meat" and commemorating the plight of animals by "crucifying" activists wearing animal masks (each complete with a crown of thorns apparently).
A row erupted on Thursday over plans by animal protectionists to symbolically "crucify" three activists with animal masks in a Good Friday protest outside Vienna's St Stephan's Cathedral.
The militant pro-animal group PETA said the activists would be suspended from crosses with crowns of thorns on their heads.
The slogan of the protest action would be "We suffer and die for your sins of nourishment."
PETA said its aim was to catch the attention of consumers who ignored the suffering of animals.
Head of Vienna's central 1st district, conservative People's Party (VP) politician Ursula Stenzel, condemned the plan.
Her office spokesperson Angelika Mayrhofer-Battlogg spoke of "mockery of a religious community on one of the most important days of the Christians".
"The action would be more blasphemy than animal protection."
The Archdiocese of Vienna said: "It's a completely unacceptable falsification of the religious dimension of Good Friday."
As well-intentioned as the animal protectionists might be, the crucifixion of Jesus Christ was not suited "to transport secondary messages".
PETA has shown they have no regard for anyone really, unless it furthers the accomplishment of their designs. The personal outrage of millions of Catholics, Christians of all denominations, observing the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ means nothing. They have merely zeroed in on one piece of the holy observance, abstaining from eating meat on Good Friday, and decided to claim the entire religion for their audio visual shock purposes.
As Fr. Shane Tharp opines:
Animals may deserve respectful treatment, but that is a long way from saying they are "just like us." The reason animals should get proper moral use comes from humanity's creation as co-creators, or more accurately, sub-creators with God.
Further, do the folks at PETA really expect me to take them serious because of their blasphemy? It is the peak of irony for them to hold a protest about meat eating on a day of abstinence in the Catholic Church. What this little protest suggests is that before they will respect the religious beliefs of Catholics and all Christians, we must bend the knee to their political ideology. Sorry, but I'll pass. One crown of thorns is more than enough in a lifetime.
Father Shane suggests praying for PETA. Not a bad idea. Though I also think they are worthy of a heap of shame as well - for doing it, and for taking advantage of the compassion and good nature of Christians worldwide.
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