--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Animals are God's creatures, not human…" description: "\"Animals are God's creatures, not human property, nor utilities, nor resources, nor commodities, but precious beings in God's sight. ...Christians whose..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/91d/andrew-linzey-22857_absolutes_animals-are-god-s-creatures-not-human-pr_196120.jpg" --- # Animals are God's creatures, not human property, nor… ![“Animals are God's creatures, not human property, nor utilities, nor resources, nor commodities, but precious beings in God's sight. ...Christians whose eyes are fixed on the awfulness of crucifixion are in a special position to understand the awfulness of innocent suffering. The Cross of Christ is…” quote by Andrew Linzey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/91d/andrew-linzey-22857_absolutes_animals-are-god-s-creatures-not-human-pr_196120.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/91d/andrew-linzey-22857_absolutes_animals-are-god-s-creatures-not-human-pr_196120.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/91d/andrew-linzey-22857_absolutes_animals-are-god-s-creatures-not-human-pr_196120.jpg) > “Animals are God's creatures, not human property, nor utilities, nor resources, nor commodities, but precious beings in God's sight. ...Christians whose eyes are fixed on the awfulness of crucifixion are in a special position to understand the awfulness of innocent suffering. The Cross of Christ is God's absolute identification with the weak, the powerless, and the vulnerable, but most of all with unprotected, undefended, innocent suffering.” [Andrew Linzey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-linzey/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote asserts that animals are sacred beings, not property, and that Christian empathy for Christ’s suffering extends to all innocent suffering, especially of animals. **In simple terms:** Animals are sacred, not objects; Christians should feel compassion for all suffering. Key Takeaway Recognize and protect animal life as valuable. Themes compassion stewardship theology animal rights Mood reflective compassionate Type ethical theological When to use this quote - environmental activism - dietary choices - legislative advocacy - faith community discussions Key Concepts intrinsic value moral responsibility Christian ethics Questions to Reflect On - How does your faith shape your view of animal welfare? - What actions can you take to honor animals as precious beings? A Different Perspective Some may argue human needs outweigh animal rights in certain contexts. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Absolutes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/absolutes/) [Animal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/animal/) [Animals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/animals/) [Awfulness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/awfulness/) [Christ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christ/) [Christian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christian/) [Cross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cross/) [Crucifixion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crucifixion/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [Identification](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/identification/) [Powerless](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/powerless/) [Property](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/property/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Suffering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suffering/) [Vegan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vegan/) [Vegan health](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vegan-health/) [Vegetarian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vegetarian/) ## Related quotes > [For if animals are God's creatures, we have no absolute rights over them, only the duty to look after them as God would look…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-linzey/for-if-animals-are-god-s-creatures-we-have-no-absolute-rights-over/) [Andrew Linzey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-linzey/) > [“The cross always simultaneously means rejection, and that the disgrace of suffering is part of the cross. Being expelled, despised, and abandoned by people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/the-cross-always-simultaneously-means-rejection-and-that-the-disgrace/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [“I could never myself believe in God, if it were not for the cross. The only God I believe in is the One Nietzsche…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stott/i-could-never-myself-believe-in-god-if-it-were-not-for-the-cross-the/) [John Stott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stott/) > [Disciples will not be weakened by suffering, worn down, and embittered until they are broken. Instead, they bear suffering, by the power of him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/disciples-will-not-be-weakened-by-suffering-worn-down-and-embittered/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [“Got a kick for a dog Beggin' for Love I gotta have my suffering So that I can have my cross I know a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tori-amos/got-a-kick-for-a-dog-beggin-for-love-i-gotta-have-my-suffering-so/) [Tori Amos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tori-amos/) > [Look at Jesus Christ. Every time he was in trouble he used the Word of God. When he was tempted he used the Word.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/look-at-jesus-christ-every-time-he-was-in-trouble-he-used-the-word-of/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [“She glanced up but didn’t smile, realizing she’d been doing exactly that. Pining for what she couldn’t have was making her miserable. “You needs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vickie-mcdonough/she-glanced-up-but-didn-t-smile-realizing-she-d-been-doing-exactly/) Vickie McDonough > [God can be found only in suffering and the cross.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther/god-can-be-found-only-in-suffering-and-the-cross/) [Martin Luther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther/) > [“Day six: Then God says, “Let’s make people—like us, but human, with flesh and blood, skin and bone. Give them the job of caretakers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-halter/day-six-then-god-says-let-s-make-people-like-us-but-human-with-flesh/) [Hugh Halter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-halter/) > [Love animals: God has given them the rudiments of thought and joy untroubled. Do not trouble their joy, don't harrass them, don't deprive them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoevsky/love-animals-god-has-given-them-the-rudiments-of-thought-and-joy/) [Fyodor Dostoevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoevsky/) > [Eating animals is not our God-given right, but being kind to them is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tsem-tulku/eating-animals-is-not-our-god-given-right-but-being-kind-to-them-is/) [Tsem Tulku](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tsem-tulku/) > [There're going to be animals in God's Heaven on Earth, a New Heaven and a New Earth! God's not going to have His Creation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-berg/there-re-going-to-be-animals-in-god-s-heaven-on-earth-a-new-heaven/) [David Berg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-berg/) > [Love the animals: God has given them the rudiments of thought and joy untroubled.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/love-the-animals-god-has-given-them-the-rudiments-of-thought-and-joy/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If riding bulls was easy we would call it roping and if wrestleing was easy we would call it basketball and if country was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-riding-bulls-was-easy-we-would-call-it-roping-and-if-wrestleing/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“There are no longer any gods whom we can invoke to help us. The great religions of the world suffer from increasing anemia, because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-g-jung/there-are-no-longer-any-gods-whom-we-can-invoke-to-help-us-the-great/) [C.G. Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-g-jung/) ## More by Andrew Linzey > [When I was in my teens I had a series of intensely religious experiences. They deepened my sense of God as the creator of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-linzey/when-i-was-in-my-teens-i-had-a-series-of-intensely-religious/) [Andrew Linzey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-linzey/) > [If tomorrow we decided only to desist from killing and causing suffering for sport and entertainment, the world would be significantly better for animals.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-linzey/if-tomorrow-we-decided-only-to-desist-from-killing-and-causing/) [Andrew Linzey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-linzey/) > [Looking back through the mists of time, I recall some distinctly religious experiences in my teens--when I was only fourteen years old to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-linzey/looking-back-through-the-mists-of-time-i-recall-some-distinctly/) [Andrew Linzey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-linzey/) > [Despite one or two minority appeals our society is not outraged at man's unremitting use of the animal world. 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Those who resort to such…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-linzey/i-do-not-oppose-violence-simply-because-it-is-counterproductive-i/) [Andrew Linzey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-linzey/) > [Familiarity with holy things can often engender blindness, and churches are, for all their merits, institutions that embody, perhaps more than most, the will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-linzey/familiarity-with-holy-things-can-often-engender-blindness-and/) [Andrew Linzey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-linzey/) > [Humans have "dominion" over animals. But that "dominion" (radah in Hebrew) does not mean despotism, rather we are set over creation to care for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-linzey/humans-have-dominion-over-animals-but-that-dominion-radah-in-hebrew/) [Andrew Linzey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-linzey/) > [It took Christians many years to realize that we cannot love God and also keep humans as slaves. It has taken even longer for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-linzey/it-took-christians-many-years-to-realize-that-we-cannot-love-god-and/) [Andrew Linzey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-linzey/) > [I would happily, sometimes more than happily, have vacated my role as an animal theologian, if there were others prepared to take my place.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-linzey/i-would-happily-sometimes-more-than-happily-have-vacated-my-role-as/) [Andrew Linzey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-linzey/) > [We can't change the world for animals without changing our ideas about animals. We have to move from the idea that animals are things,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-linzey/we-can-t-change-the-world-for-animals-without-changing-our-ideas/) [Andrew Linzey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-linzey/) > [Although Christianity has a poor record on animals (as it does, it must be said, on the treatment of slaves, women, children, and gays),…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-linzey/although-christianity-has-a-poor-record-on-animals-as-it-does-it-must/) [Andrew Linzey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-linzey/) > [It is an unfortunate fact that those people who are most eloquent in their demand for the conservation of animals are often those most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-linzey/it-is-an-unfortunate-fact-that-those-people-who-are-most-eloquent-in/) [Andrew Linzey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-linzey/) > [For if animals are God's creatures, we have no absolute rights over them, only the duty to look after them as God would look…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-linzey/for-if-animals-are-god-s-creatures-we-have-no-absolute-rights-over/) [Andrew Linzey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-linzey/) [Explore all 27 Andrew Linzey quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-linzey/) ## More Absolutes quotes > [At the centre of the human heart is the longing for an absolute good, a longing which is always there and is never appeased…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-weil/at-the-centre-of-the-human-heart-is-the-longing-for-an-absolute-good/) [Simone Weil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-weil/) > [There is no perfect justice, just as there is no absolute in ethics. 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