It's the same only different.

You know the moment when someone says something so outrageous that you are forced to say, "Please come again." or "Say What?" (DEEP BREATH. HERE GOES.)

I want to be the best steward of God's earth I can be. I think environmental issues are important and conservational measures should be on everyone's priority list. I am confident, God placed humanity in charge of caring for the earth. We are to care for that which God created. That means we are responsible to act with mercy and justice. As a pastor living in Wesleyan theology, I have a responsibility to speak for those who can't do so for themselves. It is our tradition to be involved in addressing injustices in the world. This past week was celebrated as Sanctitiy of Human Life week. My voice speaks out for all of the unborn whose voice will never be heard this side of heaven.

(God's mandate for stewardship from Genesis)

"Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea

and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along

the ground.” So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female

he created them. God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth

and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that

moves on the ground.” Then God said, “I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth

and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food. And to all the beasts of the earth

and all the birds of the air and all the creatures that move on the ground—everything that has the breath

of life in it—I give every green plant for food.” And it was so. God saw all that he had made, and it was

very good. And there was evening, and there was morning—the sixth day. (Genesis 1:26-31, NIV)

Compare and contrast the two partial news items below. The first was published in June of 2015 and uncovered some pretty horrific animal abuse. I do not approve any animal being abused. Stewardship of the earth and all the inhabitants of it are our responsibility. Ultimately, the animals on any farm are destined to be used as food and will undergo the process of butchering and preparation for consumption. This means death will come to them and a level of pain will be part of that process.

(The tenor in both headlines suggests a mindset about death and abuse that might be a bit out of whack)

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Slaughterhouse takes action after shocking undercover chicken abuse video

LIVINGSTON, Calif. "Mercy for Animals released the secretly recorded video showing abuse of chickens and baby chicks at a Foster Farms slaughterhouse and farm in Fresno in California’s Central Valley, home to much of the country’s agricultural production. “Workers punch, throw and beat terrified animals while hanging them on the slaughter line,” said Bob Barker, an animal activist and former TV game show host, who narrates the video. “Here a worker rips out the feathers of a live bird just for fun. Birds who aren’t shackled properly often miss the kill blade and go through the entire slaughter process fully conscious and able to feel pain.” Foster Farms released a statement that it is “cooperating fully” with the sheriff’s department and is “conducting its own investigation.” The company also said it had suspended five employees that were “either directly involved in abusive behavior or witnessed the incidents without reporting the violations to management.”....

(http://fox43.com/2015/06/18/slaughterhouse-takes-action-after-shocking-chicken-abuse-video/)

POSTED 10:16 AM, JUNE 18, 2015, BY CNN WIRE

The undercover journalists in this first article are hailed as heros for uncovering the egregious practices of abusive farm workers. They uncovered the abuses and government oversight addressed the issues, workers were disciplined, and new procedures were implemented.

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Just yesterday, this next partial article was released regarding the same kind of undercover journalism. In this case, the journalists are called 'foes' and portrayed as the villians. Those who sought to bring justice to a legal practice of abortion and the possible sale of human body parts were swiftly stopped and then indicted. Tables successfully turned in favor of death.

2 Abortion Foes Behind Planned Parenthood Videos Are Indicted

HOUSTON — A grand jury here that was investigating accusations of misconduct againstPlanned Parenthood has instead indicted two abortion opponents who made undercover videos of the organization.

Prosecutors in Harris County said one of the leaders of the Center for Medical Progress — an anti-abortion group that made secretly recorded videos purporting to show Planned Parenthood officials trying to illegally profit from the sale of fetal tissue — had been indicted on a charge of tampering with a governmental record, a felony, and on a misdemeanor charge related to purchasing human organs. That leader, David Daleiden, 26, the director of the center, had posed as a biotechnology representative to infiltrate Planned Parenthood affiliates and surreptitiously record his efforts to procure tissue for research. Another center employee, Sandra Merritt, was indicted on a felony charge of tampering with a governmental record. Abortion opponents claimed that the videos, which were released starting in July, revealed that Planned Parenthood was engaged in the illegal sale of body parts — a charge that the organization has denied and that has not been supported in numerous congressional and state investigations triggered by the release of the videos. On Monday, the Harris County district attorney, Devon Anderson, said in a statement that grand jurors had cleared Planned Parenthood of any wrongdoing. She declined to provide details about the case against Mr. Daleiden and Ms. Merritt, including any documents or evidence presented to the grand jury, citing state law on the secrecy of grand jury proceedings.

http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/2-abortion-foes-behind-planned-parenthood-

videos-are-indicted/ar-BBoGSEJ?li=BBnb7Kz

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It isn't my intention to convince you who read this blog to favor one article over another. It is my intention to juxtapose these two items for your review. You alone must decide if life (in all forms) is valued by God and whether we as a society must do likewise. (EXHALE)