/christian/ - Christian Discussion and Fellowship

>>697954

No, this rock is ours.

Where's the prohibitions for it in the Bible, or in traditions? I don't think you'll find many. Actually Leviticus 11 even suggests bugs you can eat (not that I think you'd want to). Genesis 1:26 is given dominion over the material life in the world (although God of course still has ultimate authority, as seen in Psalm 50:10-11).

Since He does still have ultimate authority, I personally would act as a steward for your father's land. Treat carefully all that is His, but get rid of that which causes distress. Certainly mosquitoes not only can harm you (and spread disease) but they can also harm and harass the other creatures in the fields similarly. However, the fish and the dragonfly eat mosquitoes; so keep them under control by all means, but leave some things wet and fallow for the other animals.

>>697960

>Genesis 1:26, humanity is given dominion over the material life in the world

Fixed. Spellcheck may be evil in function, since it does not detect the absence of good contextual information…

>>697954

No, because such beings on the one hand lack the intellect to understand what is good or evil for themselves and others, and on the other the free will to follow through with such moral choice. In other words, they don't possess the characteristic human traits most responsible for moral worth so their deaths are not accorded the consequences that follow from violations of such worth. It, however, does not follow from this fact that humans can use them as they please since they ultimately belong to God and as such are to be treated with a significant degree of respect and reverence.

In so far as killing any animal is sin.

protip: it isn't

>>697967

No it isn't, but you must be judicious about what you remove. Non-human life may not have a divine soul but they are still ultimately created by him in Genesis, and things that God makes should be respected for what they are and provide. Hunting for food is all well and good for instance, we are meant to eat the Lord's bounty. Hunting an animal for sport and a photographic trophy, and leaving the carcass to rot when it could feed others? That is probably less ideal. Certainly you could raise questions on how that hunter is controlling his pride and vanity, or rather if it controls him…

It is not a sin to kill the harmful insects but it is a sin to want to kill them.

I see here a very wrong interpretation of "dominion". To be given a dominion doesn't mean we are authorized to rule arbitrarily. It means that we are caretakers of the creatures.

The blood-sucking insects are what they are because of our sins. "For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together." (Romans 8:22) It is not a sin to kill the harmful insects just as it is not a sin to kill people in defensive war. But it is a sin to like the killing of the harmful insects just as it is a sin to be cruel during a war.

"For the impiety of Lebanon will cover you,

and the misery of wild animals will terrify you—

on account of human bloodshed and impieties of the earth,

of the city and of all who live in it." (Habakkuk 2:17)

NO, they don't have a soul. But obviously don't commit sin with them (so killing mosquitoes in defense is fine, but torturing kittens is not)

>>697954

this >>697957

The language used to command our subduing the earth in Genesis 1 is military language, and implies that we would have to kill.

Killing mosquitos and all the other bugs should grant you and instant VIP ticket to heaven.

winnie the pooh them.

Nice try Buddha. We are Christians here.