Nothing like using animal cruelty to teach god's love?

[thistlechaser]

Main Street Christian Church in Indiana. Pastor Stephen Bishop gave a children's sermon (titled "Finding Nemo"), in it he took 200 fish (goldfish, guppies, and others) and dumped the entire tank of fish into the church floor and watched as panicking children attempted to save the dying fish. His point in this? That the kids cared more to save "15 cent fish" than their friends' souls.

From his Facebook page: "Well, yesterday's sermon was a big hit! We had a mass execution of feeder fish that I pulled out of a fish tank and then threw all over the floor. The kids were in shock and then started to pic[sic] them up and put them back into the fish tank. Obviously, most of them died in the effort...the point however was made that they cared more about .15 cent feeder fish then[sic] they do about their friends dying w/o Christ."

Link to the church's Facebook page.

Screenshot of the pastor's FB post about it.

The church has curiously empty forums, and a website.

What horrible people, and the poor kids who had to go through that.

Comments

[kirbyk.livejournal.com]

! How utterly awful.

And if they do pick up the message, it's teaching them to be the kind of Christians that make me, by default, not trust Christians. The kind who cannot accept that I am happy not being one of them, and feel an urgent need to judge me.

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

Yep. Poor fish, poor kids.

[amanuensis1.livejournal.com]

There are not enough heads to headdesk upon. Whatta douchey thing to do.

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

Totally. Poor fish, stupid people.

[kaelash.livejournal.com]

Yeah, setting aside the emotional abuse standpoint, someone needs to teach that preacher about how the Bible ALSO says in Proverbs 12:10 "A righteous man regards the life of his animal, but the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel."

I don't care what kind of point you're trying to make, traumatizing kids by killing fish is way over the line. Honestly, what he did to those poor kids bothers me more than killing fish, 'cause I mean come ON. :| If I were a parent of one of those kids, I would get the hell out of that place.

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

While I do feel bad about the fish, I agree with you it bothers me more about the kids. The fish were feeder fish, they were going to die soon anyway (though hopefully in a quicker, less cruel way), the kids will either have to live with this, or perhaps worse accept it that it's an okay thing to do.

And thanks for the quote! I knew there were some, but couldn't think of any offhand.

[bricriu.livejournal.com]

He could have just as easily made the same point with a verbal only sermon.

I'm guessing the kids were old enough to understand "fish + no water = dead fish" so I'm sure they could have understood it in "Imagine if the fish were taken out of water, would you try to save them?" story terms.

That aside, all he proved is that the kids had more regard for another life than he did.

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

I'm guessing the kids were old enough to understand "fish + no water = dead fish" so I'm sure they could have understood it in "Imagine if the fish were taken out of water, would you try to save them?" story terms.

Exactly.

That aside, all he proved is that the kids had more regard for another life than he did.

And yeck yes.

[elo-sf.livejournal.com]

ugh, that's sick

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

Totally. I hope he gets arrested for animal cruelty.

[firebyrd.livejournal.com]

He won't. Fish aren't considered animals. I don't know what the hell they are if they're not animals, but not even in your crazy state run by animal rights activists would someone get arrested for something like this. Totally disgusting that someone can get away with something like this, though.

[quistie.livejournal.com]

It bugs me that a pastor (named Bishop of all things...) apparently writes at a fifth-grade level. I can understand the then/than part, but "started to pic them up"? Seriously?

And of course the kids care more about the fish. You don't ever see fish pulling crap like this, do you?

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

Yeah, based on his writing, I couldn't say that I was surprised that he'd think this sort of thing were okay...

And of course the kids care more about the fish. You don't ever see fish pulling crap like this, do you?

HA!

[achika-soladia.livejournal.com]

It's things like this that actually make me feel bad for Christians. Obviously not in the "feel like I should trust their judgement" way. I feel bad in the "these type of people are supposed to be representing them?" way.

I may have little love of Christians, and I respect their beliefs if they respect mine, but that is not a belief. That is animal cruelty, even if the fish are set to die anyways, and someone that does something like that should not be representing God. Don't they teach about loving ALL life or am I mistaken on that bit?

And to put kids, of all people, through that. Absolutely appalling.

[achika-soladia.livejournal.com]

Though re-reading it...The people who replied (Except the first) are all equally terrible if you take what they say at face value (The one person doesn't state what kind of impression it left on their kid. Could've been positive or negative.).

I know when I did attend church, I would've probably been like "What the hell?" when he threw the fish on the floor, because I certainly wouldn't have paid attention before and I'd probably be too traumatized after to pay attention.

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

Yeah, agreed. I know there are some good religious folks out there, and to have this person be grouped with them? Wouldn't make me happy at all.

[voidmagus.livejournal.com]

Sounds like a great opportunity to set up shop outside the church representing Buddhism or a particularly squishy branch of Pagan. Preach love and respect for all life. If you need the extra oomph, include puppies (I worry that Bishop will start killing puppies/kitties next to prove his point, actually).

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

Ha! I like that idea. Put pens of cute little puppies and kittens out for the kids to pat, teaching them to love and respect animals instead of torturing and killing them.

[veloxe.livejournal.com]

the point however was made that they cared more about .15 cent feeder fish then[sic] they do about their friends dying w/o Christ.

The difference being if I go 1-2 minutes without Christ I won't suffocate and die. Like was already said, all this proved was that the kids are far better people then this fool is.

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

The difference being if I go 1-2 minutes without Christ I won't suffocate and die.

I bet this guy would change that if he could!

[webbapettigrew.livejournal.com]

I think this would have worked better as a story. Aside from the mess on the floor, those poor little fish!

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

!!! Hello there you! It's been forever since we've talked. :D How're you?

And totally agreed, a story would have been much much better.

[sahn.livejournal.com]

This guy and this act isn't representative of Christians in general.

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

Thankfully!