The stupidest story of the day comes to us via the awesome Weasel Zippers.
(Gothamist) — After they heard that the latest translation of the New International Version of the Bible will now use gender- inclusive language such as “he or she” instead of just “he”, PETA saw an opportunity to change one other thing.
The organization has petitioned the Committee on Bible Translation to suggest that its next translation remove”speciesist” language, by referring to animals as “he or she” instead of “it.” “When the Bible moves toward inclusively in one area . . . it wasn’t much of a stretch to suggest they move toward inclusively in this area. Language matters. Calling an animal ‘it’ denies them something. They are beloved by God. They glorify God,” Bruce Friedrich, PETA’s vice president for policy, told CNN.
PETA said it hopes the switch to include more gender-inclusive language will spark translators to readdress the ways animals are referred to in the Bible.
“Updating the Bible’s language regarding animals would not only reflect modern writing trends but also reinforce the idea that animals are living beings valued by God, not inanimate objects. Jesus taught us the importance of mercy and compassion, and this update would encourage mercy and compassion for all God’s creatures — including those who have feathers, fins, and fur,” Friedrich wrote.
Alternatively, we could start referring to members of PETA as animals. A few come to mind.
March 27, 2011 at 6:01 pm
I liked the question at WZ's site – how many PETA-types actually read the Bible?
This might be kinda fun, though. We can rile up the Feminists by saying that Jonah was swallowed by a girl fish named Pearl.
March 27, 2011 at 6:22 pm
Sacrificing he or she instead of "it" isn't speciesist?
March 27, 2011 at 7:48 pm
I remember hearing the story of a priest who, during a baptism in which the child's godmother was a raging feminist, rephrased the first few questions in the Baptismal Promises:
Do you reject Satan?
And all her works?
and all her empty promises?
Of course we see just how ironic all this is when we remember that the same people deny humanity to the unborn, call them "lumps of cells" without the dignity of personhood and then proceed to abort these non-persons.
March 27, 2011 at 10:34 pm
Only one animal comes to mind…
March 27, 2011 at 11:20 pm
PETA has no concept of free will or reason
March 28, 2011 at 12:37 am
This is absurd! Troy McClure was right in the video on the importance of the Beef industry when he pointed out that, given a chance, a cow would eat you and everyone you love.
March 28, 2011 at 1:34 am
Yes, PETA is absurd.
But, beez, have you ever been around real cows? A couple of observations, based on my own experiences raising them: a) They're herbivorous, so they won't eat you–you can relax. b) While they're not terribly bright, they are also generally free of malice and aggression (bulls being perhaps an exception, but we're talking about cows).
I have no use for PETA. They don't love animals, as far as I can see. They're just another noisy left-wing activist group. But those of us who do love animals (as scripture suggests Jesus did, and the historical record shows St. Francis and many other saints certainly did) do not find the dismissive attitudes of some on the right to be any more helpful than the feverish obsessions of the left.
Since Adam and Eve were driven out of the Garden, we have to use animals, and so to kill them. But we should remember that "the righteous man regardeth the life of his beast" (Prov. 12: 10), and "the sparrow hath found an house, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, even thine altars, O LORD of hosts, my King, and my God" (Ps. 84: 3). God is not indifferent to the way that we treat animals, even as we must use them. That use of animals must be tempered with compassion and with as much restraint as our fallen condition will allow.
So yes, PETA is absurd at best, and I would even argue that they positively *harm* real animal welfare. But let's keep the necessity for compassion in mind.
March 28, 2011 at 1:51 am
Paul –
That was a joke, referring to a Simpson's episode where Lisa becomes vegetarian.
March 28, 2011 at 2:30 am
I like PETAistas; they go well with tator tots and iced tea.
— Mack
March 28, 2011 at 4:38 am
Check out this stupid video PETA made: http://meat.org