Killing Shamu

When I got home from work Monday night my wife wasn't standing in the kitchen to greet me like she normally does. Instead, she was standing in front of our television in the living room. "They're having a story about Shamu!" she yelled. My wife loves animals.

"Oh . . . neat," I replied, heavy on the sarcasm.

As the news story ran we found out that Sea World is terminating their main act- a killer whale show and it's star, Shamu. There have been protests against the show, the environment the whales are kept in and the breeding of these same whales in captivity. You can read the story here . . . AFTER you're done reading this story, of course. :P

As my mind began to drift away from Shamu, I started thinking about the industry of circuses and zoos - capturing wild animals and training them for our own entertainment. If we simplify it, and take a look at this subject from a more generalized viewpoint, what do we see? One species captures another species for its own entertainment and viewing pleasure. That same species even breeds its captors to perpetuate that enjoyment cycle. Is that right? Is that what God would have us do?

Let's examine the zoo keepers (that's us). We are all about entertaining ourselves. We take our kids to the zoo to see wild animals behind bars, we spend hours in front of a television screen or on the computer doing what? Entertaining ourselves. Movies, sports, music, telephones, you name it. We love to be entertained, distracted from the mundane things in life. We enjoy anything that keeps us from thinking about our dull, meaningless lives because, quite frankly, we are so easily distracted. Sigh.

Contemplate this thought, if you will. Zoom out even further and look at the world in which we live. Ask yourself, "Who is really the captor? Who is the one to be pitied? Who is held captive in this planetary zoo"

We are.

Think about it. Aren't we really captors of sin? Isn't Satan really the zoo keeper in this eternal scenario? For whose entertainment are we being held captive then? God's? No. Satan's! If Satan is the zoo keeper, what is God's role in this all-to-real zoo example? Let's open our Bibles and find out.

"16 And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up. And as was his custom, he went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and he stood up to read. 17 And the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written,

18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
    because he has anointed me
    to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives
    and recovering of sight to the blind,
    to set at liberty those who are oppressed,
19 to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.”

20 And he rolled up the scroll and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. 21 And he began to say to them, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” - Luke 4:16-21

Jesus is the one who opens up the gates and lets us out of our cages!

I'm not suggesting that all Christians show go to the zoo and let all of the animals free. What I am suggesting is that we examine our motives as we walk through this world. Are they selfish, for our own enjoyment and pleasure? Or are they for Gods glory?

Personally, I think we should close ALL of the zoos and take the animals back where we got them from. Let them do what God intended for them to do. And may we do the same. May we live OUR lives as God intended for US to live them. In worship for . . . and in love of . . . our King. The one who set us free from OUR bondage. All you Shamu's out there . . . .      rejoice!!!

The following is a video of Shamu. I encourage you to watch it, placing yourself in the role of Shamu while the people in the stands represent Satan and his demons being entertained by us. WHat do you think?

Shamu - Sea World