The Value of Human Life

What strange times we live in.

I noticed the cover story of the August 6, 2007 issue of BusinessWeek: "The Pet Economy." Under the title it reads, "Americans now spend $41 BILLION on their pets." That is "more than the gross domestic product of all but 64 countries in the world" it continues at the beginning of the article (page 45, 2nd paragraph). I haven't read the entire story- maybe I will later... but...

Holy Cow! Literally.

Ironically, also in the news and media this week is Michael Vick, the starting quarterback of the NFL Atlanta Falcons, who got mixed up in a dogfighting ring which was on his own property. Listening to AM680 today, Razor was ranting about how Vick would not play in the NFL next year and probably for a long while. He was saying how Americans have a soft spot for pets and they will not be able to look past (forgive) this, hence no NFL team would sign him; assuming the Falcons are rid of him. If you follow sports, you know that if the athlete can perform some team is going to sign him; no matter what he did.

Laurence Phillips, who beat up a girl in college, was drafted by the Rams and even played for the 49ers! What about Kobe Bryant, a confessed adulterer? It appears the media's forgotten all about it, though maybe his endorsement deals aren't what they once were.

Trust me Razor, if Michael Vick can perform he'll be back in some capacity.


Seeing these two stories in the media really got me thinking about the value of human life and man's place in the world. It seems our society affords more value and dignity to an animal than to a human being.

A pastor visiting our church noted the one thing that really struck him about The City after moving here was the sheer amount of people begging on the streets. His wife came up w/ the novel idea of always keeping McDonald's gift certificates in her purse to give out rather than giving cash which could go to cigarettes, alcohol, or drugs.

$41,000,000,000 each year, and growing, would go a long way in helping the homeless. Heck, I wonder if that could provide housing, food, rehab and job training to every single homeless person in the nation each year?


So what is man? Naturally, the answer comes from God, the Creator.

Genesis 1:26-28

26Then God said, "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth."

27God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.

28God blessed them; and God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it; and rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over every living thing that moves on the earth."

Psalm 8

1O LORD, our Lord,
How majestic is Your name in all the earth,
Who have displayed Your splendor above the heavens!
2From the mouth of infants and nursing babes You have established strength
Because of Your adversaries,
To make the enemy and the revengeful cease.
3When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers,
The moon and the stars, which You have ordained;
4What is man that You take thought of him,
And the son of man that You care for him?
5Yet You have made him a little lower than God,
And You crown him with glory and majesty!
6You make him to rule over the works of Your hands;
You have put all things under his feet,
7All sheep and oxen,
And also the beasts of the field,
8The birds of the heavens and the fish of the sea,
Whatever passes through the paths of the seas.
9O LORD, our Lord,
How majestic is Your name in all the earth!

FYI: I've never been a "pet person." I'm fine around them but I've never wanted pets- dogs, cats, birds, hamsters, fish, you name it- just wasn't not for me. I have enough things to take care of as it is. Nothing wrong with having pets though.

What Vick did was wrong, but what's worse, the abuse of animals or the abuse of a fellow human being?