“Take your stinking paws off me you damn, dirty ape!”
This famous line from the film classic The Planet of the Apes has taken on new meaning thanks to a decision last week by the Spanish Parliament: “Spain's parliament voiced its support on Wednesday for the rights of great apes to life and freedom in what will apparently be the first time any national legislature has called for such rights for non-humans.” (http://www.reuters.com/article/scienceNews/idUSL256586320080625) According to Reuters, “Keeping apes for circuses, television commercials or filming will also be forbidden and breaking the new laws will become an offence under Spain 's penal code.”
I kid you not.
If it wasn’t so frightening it would be laughable.
"This is a historic day in the struggle for animal rights and in defense of our evolutionary comrades, which will doubtless go down in the history of humanity," said Pedro Pozas, Spanish director of the Great Apes Project. Evolutionary comrades? Although it would be tempting to dismiss these ridiculous comments as proof of an unknown gas leak in the Spanish parliamentary building, Pozas statements are in actuality indicative of the chaotic views of our increasingly secular, anti-Christian western society.
Scripture tells us that God made Man in His own image. Secularism rejects God and tells us that Man is merely a rational animal, with the emphasis placed on the word animal. Few realize that once God is rejected, Man’s self-view as a transcendent creature with the authority “to fill the earth, and subdue it” is discarded as well (Genesis 1:28). Ultimately, Man is of no greater value than an ape, or any other creature, despite Christ’s words to his apostles as he sent them off on their first mission:
“29 Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and not one of them shall fall on the ground without your Father. 30 But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 Fear not therefore: better are you than many sparrows.” (Matthew 10: 29-31)
Proof of this equating animal life with human life can be found among the extreme sect of the animal rights movement. Here are a few examples from news items published during the past few years:
· During the past two decades, radical environmental and animal rights groups have claimed responsibility for hundreds of crimes and acts of terrorism, including arson, bombings, vandalism and harassment, causing more than $100 million in damage. (ADL - http://www.adl.org/Learn/Ext_US/Ecoterrorism.asp)
· On July 30 the government of Prime Minister Tony Blair unveiled its latest plan to combat extremists operating on British soil. Irish Republican Army militants? Islamist radicals? No: animal-rights activists. (Aug 30, 2004, Business Week-European Business: http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/04_35/b3897069_mz054.htm)
- Officials in Indian-Kashmir have poisoned hundreds of dogs and aim to kill all 100,000 strays in the region's main city - saying the animals pose a risk to humans and make urban life unbearable. With the world's highest rabies fatality rate, India has long struggled to control its millions of stray dogs, a problem exacerbated by rapidly growing cities and slums. Animal rights activists vowed Thursday to go to court to stop the slaughter planned by Srinagar , saying it is an illegal and cruel solution to a problem that could be addressed in other ways. (Associated Press - Friday, March 7, 2008: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/03/07/MNT2VEUPC.DTL)
Spain may be the first nation to devalue human life by officially proposing measures that subordinate Man to the level of the animal kingdom, but don’t expect it to be the last. In fact, don’t be surprised if the United Nations jumps on board and adds a “Wildlife Civil Rights” clause to its charter.
Donald Tremblay
