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Brown Bear Bruno

and the Churches

Numerous online surveys were carried out on Internet following the underhanded killing of brown bear Bruno. The results are unequivocal: The Germans were against the shooting! In an GMX internet survey, 87% voted against the shooting; 82% of the SPD (Social Democratic Party) faction in the Bavarian Parliament said that the order to shoot was a mistake, and in a survey conducted by the television station N24, 76% said they did not agree with the shooting of Bruno.

However, a small minority agreed with the murder of a young bear, including representatives of the mainstream churches. Winfred Röhmel, the speaker for the Archbishopric of Munich, stated: “We feel sorry about it, but can also understand. Unfortunately, the bear did not move around in Bavaria as was fitting…” (Bild.de, June, 27, 2006). Röhmel probably considers the “fitting” movement for a bear in Bavarian to be fear and flight from people.

Animals do not have souls

The fate that caught up with brown bear Bruno is shared by many millions of animals. For instance, the five million wild animals that die every year in Germany from hunter’s bullets and ultimately, the almost 500 million animals in animal ghettos, who die at the hand of slaughterers. They are all “Brunos”! – and according to church teachings, they do not have souls.

The well-known doctor of the church Thomas of Aquinas wrote in his book “Summa Contra Gentiles, the Defense of the Highest Truths,” in Book II, Chapter 82: “We believe that man alone possesses a substantial soul, that is, a soul that lives of itself, while the souls of animals come to an end in the bodies.” This disparaging teaching about animals was continued in the Catholic Church and is still visible today, for instance, in the Catechism of the Catholic Church, where we can read: “God entrusted animals to the stewardship of those whom he created in his own image. Hence it is legitimate to use animals for food and clothing. They may be domesticated to help man in his work and leisure. Medical and scientific experimentation on animals, if it remains within reasonable limits, is a morally acceptable practice since it contributes to caring for or saving human lives.” (No. 2417)

And further it states: “One can love animals; one should not direct to them the affection due only to persons.” (No. 2418)

And according to Luther’s teaching, animals have no souls. It says in the Lutheran Catechism, for example:... The animal in particular makes profanity of conception, birth and death in the lack of inhibitions or taboos concerning these, which appear as most inhuman and alien to our nature. It is only the sense of shame and the burial rites of people that mark the beginning of the history of mankind. No animals conceal their genitals, none honors and buries their dead (Illies)” (p. 508, translated from German).

Since funeral rites apparently is what defines a human being, one can naturally understand why the pastor of the Protestant-Lutheran Church in Miesbach, Germany, Heinz Otto, answered the question “Will there be a funeral service for Bruno?” as follows: “No – and what should we be mourning? Even if many animal friends wish this – a funeral service for brown bears is not a task of the church.” (Bild.de, June 27, 2006)

And the Bavarian Protestant-Lutheran deacon Michael Wehrwein (Lohr am Main) described the excitement about the shooting of Bruno, the bear “as an example of an insane ethical standard…” (idea.de, July 5, 2006)

At this point an analytical mind will conclude: As long as there are churches, there will be no freedom for animals!

Jesus lived for people and for animals.

Jesus died for people and for animals.

It is the concern of many people that the death of the brown bear not be forgotten so quickly. This is why they have erected a cross on the site where Bruno was shot. This is a thorn in the side of church officials and the already quoted speaker of the Archbishopric of Munich, Winfried Röhmel, said the following about this:

“… mourning the death of an animal should not be expressed with, of all things, the most important symbol of Christianity. The cross is actually meant for places where people have died or are buried.” (Rheinische Post, rp-online.de, July 6, 2006)

Unfortunately, this shows they are not acting according to what it says in the Bible, for there we can read: “Man’s fate is like that of the animals; the same fate awaits them both: As one dies, so dies the other. All have the same breath; man has no advantage over the animal.” (Ec. 3:19)

How Jesus really treated the animals can hardly be found in the gospels of the Bible, but various apocryphal texts point out the long hidden love of Jesus for the animals. You can learn more about this under “The Hidden Love of Jesus for the Animals.”

An occurrence from the life of Jesus, written in “The Gospel of Jesus,” demonstrates very clearly that Jesus would never have given the order to shoot Bruno. Anyone who reads how the great teacher of freedom, Jesus of Nazareth, also stood up for the freedom of the animals will realize that all those who ordered Bruno’s shooting, who carried it out or affirmed it, are against the teaching of Jesus, that is, they are un-Christian!

“And one day He was walking on a mountain path along the edge of the desert; He met a lion being pursued by many men who wanted to kill it with stones and javelins. But Jesus rebuked them, saying, ‘Why do you hunt the creatures of God, which are more noble than you? Through the cruelties of many generations, they were made the enemies of men, whereas they should have been their friends. Just as the might of God is visible in them, so is His patience and His compassion. Stop persecuting this creature! It does not want to harm you. Don’t you see how it flees from you and is terrified by your violence?’ And the lion came and lay at the feet of Jesus, and showed Him its love. And the people were very astonished and said, ‘See, this man loves all creatures and He has power even over the animals of the desert, and they obey Him.’ ” (Chap. 6:18-21)

However, today, we are no longer dependent of apocryphal scriptures, because Jesus, the Christ, has been revealing Himself anew through a prophet: through Gabriele, the prophetess and spiritual ambassador of God. In the word of God through Gabriele, we learn that Christ did not come to the earth only for people, but also to redeem the animals and all of nature from their suffering and torment. You can learn more about this in “The Hidden Love of Jesus for the Animals.”

In the year 2001, God-Father turned to mankind in an earnest and momentous message: If you do not yet know these words, read them here: The Message of the Creator.

Reflect on these words and compare them with the events taking place in this world! If the Creator is referring to animals, this also includes Bruno. But not only him – for every animal is “Bruno”!

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