Expert: Leisha Hiester - 2/21/2011

Question
Hello :)
I am in year 9 (age 13/14) at school and for our year's RS project we need Christian views on animal fur being used as clothing.
Here are my questions:

1) What do you think of using animal fur for clothing?
2)Does god or the bible approve?

Thank you very much (:

Answer
Dear Danielle,

What an interesting topic! Whenever I have a topic I want to understand I first look up scriptures about it. For your age group I love to use The Message translation of the bible because it helps you to understand the bible in such plain language. God gave us all things to utilize, but with that he also gave us a responsibility too. Consider this scripture;

The Message (MSG)
Genesis 9:2

Genesis 9
1-4 God blessed Noah and his sons: He said, "Prosper! Reproduce! Fill the Earth! Every living creature—birds, animals, fish—will fall under your spell and be afraid of you. You're responsible for them. All living creatures are yours for food; just as I gave you the plants, now I give you everything else. Except for meat with its lifeblood still in it—don't eat that

The Message (MSG)
Romans 14:14

13-14Forget about deciding what's right for each other. Here's what you need to be concerned about: that you don't get in the way of someone else, making life more difficult than it already is. I'm convinced—Jesus convinced me!—that everything as it is in itself is holy. We, of course, by the way we treat it or talk about it, can contaminate it.

Another way I study or learn is through reputable theologians' commentaries. Consider Matthew Henry's commentary  related to this passage;

God blesses Noah, and grants flesh for food.

The blessing of God is the cause of our doing well. On him we depend, to him we should be thankful. Let us not forget the advantage and pleasure we have from the labour of beasts, and which their flesh affords. Nor ought we to be less thankful for the security we enjoy from the savage and hurtful beasts, through the fear of man which God has fixed deep in them. We see the fulfilment of this promise every day, and on every side. This grant of the animals for food fully warrants the use of them, but not the abuse of them by gluttony, still less by cruelty. We ought not to pain them needlessly whilst they live, nor when we take away their lives. (Ge 9:4-7)

I hope this is helpful. Feel free to write again if you need to. Leisha