Environment Failed General Election
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PEAPAC Recommends: NO

Violates dominion mandate (Gen 1:26); elevates animals over man; trapping is a legitimate exercise of dominion.

Summary

Prohibits using body-gripping traps and certain poisons to capture/kill animals.

Biblical Reasoning

The Bible calls mankind to exercise dominion over the earth, and all its creatures ( Gen. 1:26 ). Surely this calls us to properly care for the created world, and to exercise proper stewardship over animals. Fallen man is cruel, and his mistreatment of animals should be restrained.

It is proper and expected of mankind to kill animals for various purposes, including food, clothing, protection of crops, etc. This is not the principle of might makes right at work, but of godly dominion. God himself clothed Adam and Eve in fur.

Those that seek to put man under the dominion of animals are motivated not by a love of animals, but by a hatred of God and His chief image-bearer, dominion man (Rom. 1:23-25) . Isaiah 34 and other Scriptures speak of wild animals abounding and taking over cities in a time of judgment and distress.

Genesis 1:26 — “The Bible calls mankind to exercise dominion over the earth, and all its creatures”
Romans 1:23-25 — “hatred of God and His chief image-bearer, dominion man”
Isaiah 34 — “speak of wild animals abounding and taking over cities in a time of judgment and distress”

Election Results

41%
59%
YesNo

Voters rejected the ban on traps and poisons (59% No).

Full PEAPAC Analysis

PEAPAC Explanation: If passed, Measure 97 would prohibit the use of body-gripping traps to catch most animals, and the sale of the fur of animals caught in these traps, as well as the use of certain poisons to kill animals.

The Bible calls mankind to exercise dominion over the earth, and all its creatures ( Gen. 1:26 ). Surely this calls us to properly care for the created world, and to exercise proper stewardship over animals. Fallen man is cruel, and his mistreatment of animals should be restrained. The Puritans in 17th century England were responsible for the banning of bearbaiting, bull baiting and various other cruel and torturous “sports.” This led to these ungodly activities being permanently outlawed by act of Parliament in 1835. But it is not Puritans that sponsor Measure 97!

It is proper and expected of mankind to kill animals for various purposes, including food, clothing, protection of crops, etc. This is not the principle of might makes right at work, but of godly dominion. God himself clothed Adam and Eve in fur. The trapping of animals in this exercise of proper dominion inevitably involves some degree of “suffering” for the animal. We already have laws on the books to prosecute men who intentionally torture animals. This Measure would go far beyond this and remove some of the most effect means of men’s exercise of dominion over the animals.

Those that seek to put man under the dominion of animals are motivated not by a love of animals, but by a hatred of God and His chief image-bearer, dominion man (Rom. 1:23-25) . Isaiah 34 and other Scriptures speak of wild animals abounding and taking over cities in a time of judgment and distress. Coyotes, wolves and bears are making their way once more into the populated West. As man moves further away from God, he moves closer to the wild animals that he seeks to be like in his rejection of God’s call to be His image-bearer. We urge a No vote on Measure 97.

← PreviousMeasure 96 (2000)