J. Y. Jones, Worship Not the Creature: Animal Rights and the Bible (2009)
Nordskog Publishing, Inc.
176 pages
ISBN 978-0-9824929-1-8
$19.95
Buy it here.

The animal rights movement seems to be gaining momentum, power, and influence all over the United States and Western Europe, working in conjunction with its close allies in the radical environmental movement. It has moved completely away from the issues of animal stewardship and now calls for a wholesale halt to all animal utilization to meet any human needs. This trend is linked to a dangerous form of radical vegetarianism, the logical outcome of such a philosophy. The movement touts all aspects of its plan for humanity as good for people, the environment, and animals. While the Bible unquestionably teaches good stewardship of animals under man’s dominion, it is highly deceptive and absolutely erroneous to use it in support of arguments for animal rights. All such attempts to make these radical philosophies "God-sanctioned" are highly in error and beg a scholarly attempt to refute them. That is essentially what this book is all about.

J. Y. Jones’ Worship Not the Creature is written from a Bible-believer’s perspective, yet he invites anyone—atheists included—to examine the sound arguments for animal welfare and the unsound premises which undergird the movement for animal rights. Jones correctly distinguishes between animal welfare—which is everyone’s responsibility, Bible-believer or not—and animal rights, for which no sound or even sane arguments can be presented.

Jones begins by establishing the authority of Scripture and the Creator’s will regarding the animal kingdom. He continues with the Great Flood of Noah, focusing on the dietary consequences of that great cataclysm. (His fascinating observations on the impact of vitamin B-12 production and consumption and its relative scarcity after the Flood are something I had never considered before.)

He continues from the Old Testament period—which consistently supports the Creator’s intentions for man’s use (not abuse) of animals—into New Testament times. Jones, knowing there is a vegetarian subculture which attempts to wrench Scripture into supporting their lifestyle, intentionally puts forward the rather shocking (to them, anyway) idea that Jesus Christ, as the oldest male in his family and in accordance with Jewish law and custom, might have cut the throats of Passover lambs on many occasions and killed barnyard animals at other times. Jones’ intention is to show that the Bible also supports animal use (not abuse) from Christ’s birth to the present day; he is also underlining the hypocrisy of many so-called "Christian" groups who cherry-pick the Bible to support their own narrow views while ignoring Scripture’s authority in other areas. (In other words, it’s the whole thing or no thing.)

Jones notes the recent upswing in animal-on-man violence. (Did you know, for example, that just over a year ago 133 people were killed in Mozambique by a variety of animals, with elephants and crocodiles being the most common predators?) He believes this is a trend that will continue and intensify because of animal rights activists, who almost always press for regulations that favor predators. It’s only a slight exaggeration to say that one day, if these activists have their way, it could be a federal crime to interfere with a bear while he is pawing through your trash can.

The increase in wild animal attacks on people may reach a culmination in what the Bible calls the Great Tribulation, a time when a world dictator will attempt to murder anyone—but especially Jews and Christians—who do not worship him as god. Jones believes this man—called "the Beast" or the Antichrist—will very probably be both a rabid environmentalist and an animal rights advocate. "The Beast" could have all the caged animals of the world set free to prey at will on any would-be resisters in order to spread terror among the populace. Since the Bible tells us he will be inhabited by Satan himself, Jones’ scenario isn’t that far-fetched.

In the meantime, we have animal rights advocacy groups that can’t withstand public scrutiny. Among them, according to Jones, are People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) and the Humane Society of the United States, both of which are top-heavy with overpaid lobbyists and fundraisers and light on meaningful animal welfare programs. Jones believes these associations exist almost solely to fund radical groups that push for legislation, rules, and regulations which are aimed at crippling the United States in one way or another. If any animals get helped, it’s almost by accident. As Jones notes, the ultimate aims of radical animal rights groups and radical environmentalists often dovetail; their mutual interests inevitably overlap. (What Jones doesn’t say is that the present administration is also top-heavy with people who hold such radical views of man, animals, and nature—and that’s not good news.)

All in all, Worship Not the Creature is worth your while. It’s an easy read, but with substance; the author supports his thesis well; and, like me, you might encounter ideas you had never thought of before.

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Chapters:

1. Creation, Evolution, and Biblical Integrity
2. In the Beginning
3. A Changed World
4. Post-flood Animal Utilization
5. Animals and the Law of Moses
6. God’s Judgment Through Animals
7. Biblical Stewardship of Animals
8. The Relationship of Jesus to Animals
9. New Testament Animal Utilization Apart from the Four Gospels
10. The Vegetarian Angle
11. The Key Connection: The Spirit of Antichrist and Modern Environmentalism
12. The Role of Animals in the Predicted Tribulation
13. Final Thoughts
Appendix: Wild Game Recipes from the Kitchen of a Hunter’s Wife (Linda Jones)
Scripture Index

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—Mike Gray