A while back DogsInDanger was interviewing renowned theologian Dr. Laura Hobgood-Oster on a WABC radio show about animals and religion. A fascinating discussion transpired. We were talking about how the Bible speaks of Paradise, prior to Adam and Eve's original sin. Dr. Hobgood-Oster explained that it is commonly accepted by most theologians that Adam and Eve were vegetarians. Paradise was a strictly vegetarian land. Recall how the lion and the lamb lay together in peace and harmony. A posture reversed by their committing the original sin.

A most remarkable point in the interview came when we began discussing how the Bible describes Gods' pronouncements as he evicts Adam and Eve from Paradise and reverses their immortality.  According to Dr. Osgood "it is the belief of many theologians that God curses humanity".  We were all speechless for a moment as we let that sink in and then repeated, "God curses humanity?"  She said yes, this is the interpretation most theologians have taken of what the Bible describes as the exodus from Paradise.

Curses and eviction does not exactly abide with the Christian belief that God loves humans eternally thus we were "made in his image."  And that God's adoration of us is so immense that he/she forgives all our indiscretions all the time and blows kisses before saying good night.  Ever ask yourself, "Why does God love humanity so much?"  Maybe it's because we hate and destroy everything we touch.  Or possibly it's because our insatiable greed and jealousy is so admirable.  Could it be our love of death and destruction that is particularly appealing to God?  Certainly, the deity that created "the meek shall inherit the Earth" must adore how we decided all creatures besides ourselves are lowly beasts, put on Earth to obediantly serve us.  Thus we give ourselves permission to exterminate 10 Billion lives a year (yes, that's with the BIG B).

All this discussion of God and his/her motives leads us to an inexorable question; if killing and eating animal flesh is so revolting, then why did God make animal flesh so flavorsome to the human pallet?  The answer is surprisingly simple, it's all part of being cursed (yes, remember that)!  Imagine a vegetarian world where neither the lions nor humans desire the taste of flesh.  Then one day our overlord becomes angry at us and reverses the rules.  We suddenly love dead flesh, as well as killing, robbing, lying and other human niceties. Does that sound pretty accurately like someone being cursed?

Can we ever return to the good graces of God?  This small website will not profess to know the answer to such weighty questions.  We can't even confirm or deny the existence of God. But we do know that all the animals and all the humans bleed the same color red.  We all have the same organs.  And we all feel love, pain and fear.  Does the path to God's grace pass through a humanity that has forced itself into pre expulsion behavior?  No killing, animal or human, and yes, no killing in war either.  Killing was never meant to be an honor! And less lying, less thieving and less greed.

Maybe the only way we humans avoid extinction, whether by the climate or weapons, is by listening to what is written in a very ancient book, about a period when humans were immortal and the Earth was at peace.