Nancy Flood-Golembeck: Reverence for all of God's creatures is common theme in many religions
Today marks the beginning of Be Kind to Animals Month and, while at first blush this topic may seem an incongruous subject in a newspaper section devoted to religious beliefs, it doesn’t take much effort to find the connection. Reverence for life and showing kindness to animals is a common theme in almost all religions.
The revered Mahatma Gandhi, of Hindu background, said, “The lower animals are our brethren,” and “To my mind, I hold that the more helpless a creature, the more entitled it is to protection by man from the cruelty of man.”
Judaism has an ancient tradition of showing kindness and compassion for animals. Indeed, Jews are thought to be the first people in the world to have recorded and adopted teachings forbidding cruelty to animals. These teachings included being forbidden to pass by an animal in distress or an animal being mistreated.
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Probably the first person who comes to mind as a Christian representative of compassion toward animals is the beloved St. Francis of Assisi, patron saint of animals. His fellow-feeling for all living creatures is legendary, and stories of his preaching to the birds and taming ferocious animals such as the wolf of Gubbio abound. No doubt such stories have been enhanced over the centuries, but they are still valid illustrations of how believers are to regard animals.
From Islam, we have the story of Prophet Muhammed and the sleeping cat. There are several versions of this story. Here is one I especially like: Muhammed had a great love for cats, particularly for Muezza, his favorite. One morning, as the call to prayer was being raised, the Prophet went to get his prayer robe only to find Muezza asleep on one of its sleeves. Choosing not to disturb her slumber, He cut off the sleeve, donned the robe and hastened to morning prayer.
In the scriptures of the Baha’i Faith we find the following words of ‘Abdu’l-Baha: “O ye friends of God! Ye must not only have kind and merciful feelings for mankind, but ye should also exercise the utmost kindness towards every living creature.” And further, “Educate the children in their infancy in such a way that they may become exceedingly kind and merciful to the animals. If an animal is sick, they should endeavor to cure it; if it is hungry, they should feed it; if it is thirsty, they should satisfy its thirst; if it is tired, they should give it rest. Man is generally sinful and the animal is innocent; unquestionably, one must be more kind and merciful to the innocent.”
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The benefits of what religions have taught regarding animals have been abundantly upheld by science. Studies have shown that being kind to and helping animals boosts happiness, helps us heal from trauma, and nurtures a sense of purpose. Showing kindness, whether to fellow humans or to animals, increases the production of neurotransmitters such as dopamine, serotonin, and oxytocin — chemicals that Eva Ritvo, M.D. calls “the happiness trifecta.”
Studies done by the American Heart Association show that heart attack and stroke survivors have a reduced risk of death if they own a dog. Research also validates the benefits of pet ownership on mental health. These benefits include lower levels of depression, anxiety and stress.
The Pets for the Elderly Foundation is a nationwide charity committed to connecting seniors with therapy animals. This group’s research shows many physiological and psychological benefits of interaction with pets, including the lowering of blood pressure and cholesterol, improving levels of activity, increasing interactions with others, and decreasing loneliness.
Albert Schweitzer was both a man of science and a man of God. Who better, then, to synthesize the teachings of both? His words: “When man learns to respect even the smallest being of creation, nobody has to teach him to love his fellow man. Compassion for animals is intimately connected with goodness of character, and it may be confidently asserted that he who is cruel to animals cannot be a good man.” And, “By ethical conduct toward all creatures, we enter into a spiritual relationship with the universe.”
Nancy Flood-Golembeck is a retired teacher and longtime member of the Baha’i faith.
This article originally appeared on State Journal-Register: Reverence for all God's creatures is a common theme in many religions