I’m not sure how I feel about the shaming of the dentist. His lifestyle and his beliefs made it okay for him to go on safari to acquire a trophy. He contracted professional guides who took him on what he may not have known was an illegal hunt of a protected animal. I am not sure where this falls as far as is it okay to shame someone for having a different belief system? I do know it falls under God permits all things to happen, and if we’re in the midst of God’s will, which we are at all times, how can we not rejoice? 

I can say I do not want animals to suffer, however I’m not a vegetarian and I have a cat who I allow to go outside. I am not ashamed of that since it is my belief and lifestyle. But who’s to say I should not be shamed for that?

And while we’re on the subject of karma, what do you think is the backlash for shaming someone? I am not without fault, a few years ago I spent several months shaming an ex. But I got a lot of insights about it and so I’d think again now before I’d do it.

Who am I to shame anyone for any atrocities they have done. My belief system tells me that all things are permitted to exist for a designed purpose. Just because I do not see what that purpose is or just because I have an expectation of civility and moral integrity, an expectation that is unmet, that does not mean there’s not a designed plan and purpose being fulfilled.

And that’s where I pull the God card by saying that in my belief system God permits all things that exist to exist. The kicker to my belief system is that since this is not the only life we get, there will be many more chances for everyone to go up the evolutionary scale in consciousness. If I’m beating up redheaded kids in kindergarten, maybe by the time I get to grade school I won’t do that. And then maybe by the time I get to Middle School I’ll be even more compassionate. At each stage I know better so I do better. In my belief system that’s what the never ending series of lifetimes is all about.

It was not his intention to go out and do intentional harm to other living things, it was his intention that perhaps the beasts are there for our use and trophy hunting is something that everyone in his circle does so he was just keeping up with the Joneses

An observation on what some would consider a wasted life: Rev. Marshall Wright said, “Reminds me of the misconception of the First Peoples being “hunters” when they were actually “visionaries”. Before going out, they asked for volunteers from the animal kingdom to feed and sustain them. When an animal presented their body to them, they accepted in deep reverence to the connectivity of “we are all one.” Cecil did the same, not for food, but for our very sustenance as humanity.” Aho.

I’m not a Bible person but Newton Boyd hit the nail on the head, “I am part of a culture that turns its head when it should speak up and act and speaks up when it doesn’t require anything of them. It would be easy for me to look good by shouting my opposition to the death of this poor lion and although it may need some attention, the thing I should really be doing is ‘looking at me’ and ‘doing where I am’. It’s a little like the prayers of the Pharisee and the tax collector… “The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed this prayer: ‘I thank you, God, that I am not a sinner like everyone else. For I don’t cheat, I don’t sin, and I don’t commit adultery (or kill lions like some). I’m certainly not like that tax collector! (dentist)”

I’ll say right now I’m not a Bible person because the Bible has been editorially suppressed through all these years by everyone in power who had to edit and revise it to suit their own needs and agenda. Do I believe in God? Absolutely. Do I believe God spoke to us? Absolutely. Do I believe the Bible reflects that accurately? Absolutely not.