A crowd gathers to watch as a two-year old baby giraffe is shot and dissected before being fed to lions. For fear of inbreeding, the Copenhagen Zoo made the decision to dispose of baby giraffe Marius after discovering the similarity of his gene pool to the rest of the herd. In spite of public outcry and offers to relocate the young giraffe the zoo went forward with the public execution and dismemberment of the young animal. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2555079/Danish-zoo-kills-young-giraffe-deemed-surplus-feeds-lions.html
I find it interesting that this gruesome and sad spectacle was carried out in front of young school children who watched as the animal was shot, skinned, dismembered and fed to lions during the same week that the Danish government deemed kosher or ritual killing of animals as prescribed by Jewish and Islamic law to be inhumane because kosher slaughter houses do not first use a stun gun before killing the animal. http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/denmark-bans-halal-and-kosher-slaughter-as-minister-says-animal-rights-come-before-religion-9135580.html
But is this what this is all about – animal rights? I don’t think so.
A Dangerous Precedent – Rights over Religion
As I read these stories I was struck by the fact that there is much more going on here than meets the eye. First of all the assertion that the kosher slaughter of animals is inhumane is just not true for kosher butchers are very skilled at what they do, in fact, it is required that they be specially trained and licensed in order to ensure that the animals are processed as quickly and painlessly as possible according to Jewish law. *see below
*The Hebrew term shechita (anglicized: /ʃəxiːˈtɑː/; Hebrew: שחיטה, [ʃχiˈta]), also transliterated shehitah, shechitah, shehita, is the ritual slaughter of mammals and birds for food according to Jewish dietary laws (Deut. 12:21, Deut. 14:21, Num. 11:22) The animal must be killed “with respect and compassion“[1][2] by a shochet (Hebrew: שוחט, “ritual slaughterer”), a religious Jew who is duly licensed and trained. The act is performed by severing the trachea, esophagus, carotid arteries, jugular veins and vagus nerve in a swift action using an extremely sharp blade (“chalef”) only by a qualified shochet. This results in a rapid drop in blood pressure in the brain and loss of consciousness. According to Jewish religious sources, the animal is now insensible to pain and exsanguinates in a prompt and precise action.[3] The animal can be in a number of positions; when the animal is lying on its back, this is referred to as shechita munachat; in a standing position it is known as shechita me’umedet. Before slaughtering, the animal must be healthy, uninjured, and viable.
So as you can see this is not really about animal rights at all. What it is really about is setting a precedent – rights over religion – whether they be reproductive rights as it applies to abortion, gay rights as it applies to marriage or just about anything else.
No, this is a smoke-screen for something else; for if animal rights were so important, the baby giraffe would not have been killed – and killed in front of children.
Think about it. A giraffe for most children is a warm and fuzzy kind of animal. Crib toys are often shaped like a giraffe and on almost every depiction of Noah’s ark it is the head of a giraffe that can be spotted first towering high above the heads of the other animals. Children love giraffes!
So if children can be convinced that it is more humane to kill a beloved animal such as this than it is to let it live, what’s next? I can imagine the conversation at the zoo going something like this.
“Children, poor Marius the giraffe is defective. His genes are not right in a way that could hurt the rest of the herd. In fact, we would have to keep him away from the other giraffes and that would make him very sad. So as you can see it would be best for him if he were not around. But, don’t worry, he won’t feel a thing and his meat won’t go to waste as we have some very hungry lions just waiting for a tasty meal!”
Yeah, right.
Fed to the lions. One of the favored methods for disposing of Christians at one time as we all remember. Interesting, the name Marius comes from the Roman god of war – Mars.
Friends, the stage is being set for war on Christians. The day is coming and very soon, when people of faith will not be tolerated. Other religions will bow to secular pressure and surrender their rights but, Christians (true believers) will not – and, there will be a price to pay. Are you ready?
“Pray for the peace of Jerusalem they shall prosper who love thee” Psalm 122:6
Watching and waiting with YOU for the soon return of Jesus! Cindy
Heaven Bound 
I can not, as a parent, imagine allowing my children to witness this.
Making it OK because the giraffe is “defective” is very telling. Setting the stage for more and more euthanasia. The killing of anyone, no matter the age, born or unborn, who is “defective” by the so called standards of society will soon not even illicit a second thought.
By: Karen Harris Gann on February 23, 2014
at 1:31 pm
Ouch, this was so painful to even look at from the picture this Sunday morning. I have to agree with Karen, I can’t think of any reason for a parent to bring their child to such a grusome inhumane act, other than to desensitize them, and perhaps themselves, if there is a trace of human kindness left in them.
But here in America, we pack stadiums on Sundays, for an injuring sport called football, ice rinks for mean hockey, and rings for fights and boxing. The fights break out, and the crowds grow enormously excited! The movie theaters also pack in to see violence and horror, and the Hunger Games, is as close to Gladiator sports, as we have seen yet I think. I have not seen the movie myself, but I am still surprised that so many young children can’t wait to see the series. The movie series seems as welcome as the vampire movies, paranormal movies, and super hero movies, that don’t appear to be going away either.
As disturbing as it is to even think about, we are at the unveiling point, in the human history story, for those that have eyes to see, or ears to hear. Wide are the gates that lead to destruction!
As a former Medical Assistant, I believe we are already practicing euthanasia in America, under the polite heading called, Hospice Centers, Planned Parenthood, and Area Mental Health Centers. Death/end justifies the means!
By: Tamra on February 23, 2014
at 2:13 pm
I hope you are all vegetarians. What’s the difference between killing a giraffe and killing cows, chicken or fish for us to eat. Maybe you also didn’t know they feed lions only meat, where does it come from. Would it be better to throw the meat away and spend a $1000 for cow meat to feed the lions. Medical schools dissect human bodies, doing the same with the giraffe for veterinarian training is educational, even for kids. In high school, didn’t you dissect frogs. The giraffe was killed instantaneously, no suffering at all. Most people didn’t read the whole story or didn’t understand the details. This situation has nothing to do with religious intolerance. More kids identify with baby chicks than giraffes. How many kids eat easter candy shaped like chicks. More kids have chicken toys than giraffe toys. In Genesis, Abel raised animals for food and God required offerings from his stock. Cain was a farmer, and his offerings were rejected. So killing animals is normal since the beginning of time. Since we don’t eat giraffe meat, better to use it for the lions than throwing it away.
As far as why they had to kill the giraffe, there were a lot of details people ignore or don’t understand. Genetic diversity is required to keep the animals healthy in the long run. Look what happens when humans are born from inbreeding. It costs a lot of money to keep animals in zoos. Eliminating one allows them to save money to use on others, hence the meat being used for the lions. There’s a lot of details we probably don’t know about as well.
Zoo officials don’t take these issues lightly, they try to do what’s best in the long run, even if you don’t understand them.
I don’t see any link to this situation and religious intolerance. God gave man DOMINION over all the animals as described in Genesis. So decisions on treatment of animals has nothing to do with how we treat humans. We should look at music, movies and games that do more harm in desensitizing kids to authority and religious beliefs.
[Ken, thank you for taking the time to write. In response to your comment, I will say “no, I am not a vegetarian”. I know where meat comes from and I agree God has provided it to us for consumption. I am also old enough to remember seeing my grandparents neighbors kill chickens on the chopping block – that is not what this about. I also dissected frogs in HIGH SCHOOL – which is a far cry from killing a live animal such as a giraffe in front of young school children. I don’t for a minute believe this was the only option for the zoo in protecting their investment (the rest of the herd). Also, this is a two part story. The same week, in the same country that kosher killing was deemed inhumane (which it is not) – the zoo killed the animal in front of children, which was unnecessary and calloused – it did not need to happen this way and further contributes to desensitization to children and others towards disposing of that which is considered useless. I stand by my opinion. C]
By: Ken on February 23, 2014
at 9:15 pm
I think I get your point Cindy. People are being conditioned. In the same country where it has been deemed inappropriate to kill for human consumption (Kosher method), people are being conditioned to accept killing for the “good” of the community (the herd).
Our God designed the world and everything in it, including the order in which it would live. He is the creator and the provider. The devil seeks to gain authority and wants people to indulge in his “replacement understanding”.
The kosher method is Gods method. It has been rejected.
People are being conditioned. To accept killing like this.
I saw that in Belgium that euthanasia had been legalized for children.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-26181615
[Thank you Jeff! That is exactly my point! The gratuitous killing of one for the “good of the community” while God’s prescribed methods are rejected. A dangerous precedent around the globe as you have so succinctly pointed out. Comment much appreciated! C]
By: jeff on February 24, 2014
at 9:48 am
I’m sorry to say that your reading of this event is correct.
That these, uh, Good Global Village citizens would allow their children to be traumatized, without necessity, without complaint, and probably with approval, speaks volumes.
Wanna gun down a baby animal in front of the kids today? Yeah sure no problem. Doubtless the bone-crunching during ingestion will impress their young minds.
That event was satan and co. sending a message. Like crowds lining Jerusalem’s bloodsoaked streets. Tossed to the lions indeed.
By: ray on February 25, 2014
at 1:06 am
I agree with you Cindy. The giraffe did not have to be to be slaughtered in front of children. There were other options. I understand that other zoos had offered to take the giraffe. I wholeheartedly agree with your assessment of the situation. This goes much deeper than just a baby giraffe being killed.
By: Linda on February 27, 2014
at 7:17 pm
Cindy, I really wish you would remove the picture of the baby giraffe. It’s quite disturbing… with those poor children having been subjected to that evil crime. Please!
By: Nancy on March 14, 2014
at 11:23 pm
What this boils down to is a hardening of the child’s conscience. Denmark has legalized the euthanization of humans since 2000. It is therefore no big deal for them to put down animals after they no longer have any purpose or usefulness.
By: stu001 on March 25, 2014
at 11:46 pm