When Kathryn and I lived in Dallas, millennials talked about their “fur babies.” Excuse me—fur what?! I recently heard someone say in a commercial for super-expensive, “human-grade” dog food, “No living being should ever eat processed food for every single meal of their life.” What a strange statement. 38% of US households have at least one dog, and only 30% of households have a child. Toys R Us is dead, but PetSmart is booming. This “pet over people” movement shows the outworking of mankind’s depravity.
God creates mankind in His image (Gen 1:26). This means that we all desire to show and receive love, and God instituted the family for these desires we have (Eph 5–6). The desires to nurture and to receive comfort do not go away if we reject God. Rather, these desires become distorted, and this is where the “fur baby” trend fits. As the world becomes increasingly anti-God, individuals treat animals as if they’re people and treat people as if they’re animals. Many of the same people who champion animal rights also strongly support a woman’s “right” for abortion. God, help us!
We need not pit people against pets. I’m a fan of the both/and approach: both people and pets! I love my little Poochon, Mitzi, as I do my kids. However, when faced with the choice of raising children or acquiring pets, God’s Word is clear: “Behold, children [not fish, cats, hamsters, or dogs] are a heritage from the LORD, the fruit of the womb a reward” (Ps 127:3). Let’s reject the “fur baby” nonsense—it’s symptomatic of the madness of our age.
Pastor Chance