Steve and Sundance Dec-2008

Below are my comments regarding the article 'keeping Pets In Their Place" by Charles Colson on ChristianityToday.com While I respect mr. Colson, and his incredible contributions to the lives of many, I felt deeply compelled to respond


Mr. Colson, these are lonely and unchartered waters for me. No voice, money, status or backing to challenge you on this, and trying to learn anger (mine) is not helpful and really just mask my hurt.

First, I am broken, having been so wrong in so many ways, I seek forgiveness and want to change, and make My God proud of me. So maybe this will help you see my point:

You will never see me picketing, disrupting, fighting ,or as some of the animal advocate extremist do, harm people and property, rationalizing that absolute wrong as animal defense. I would gladly stand with you any day, side by side, and defend the church against ANY such behavior. But just as if you were standing on one side of the Grand Canyon, and they on the other, it is not kind or necessary to trample those of us in between who deeply love our animals like Sundance, who have literally done a divine work for God in our lives on his behalf. These relationships are the catalyst for many of us finding, or in my case, returning or truly surrendering to God, wanting to change.

Mr. Colson, the morning of January 7^th, before I could react and began running to Sundance, he was hit, and he slid along the pavement with his head raised and turned back towards me, he cried. It is only because I tell myself that at impact Christ was not only with him, but holding him, and took that hit with him, that I can even get up each day.

I read in your biography (extensive and truly shows how your work has been helpful to thousands for God) and of your “cutting edge work between the Evangelical and Catholic Church. But Mr. Colson, in 1990, to a public audience, Pope John Paul II made a statement that animals DO, as I believe possess a soul and are to be held equal to man (text of statement on my blog “Animals Possess Souls”) and here is a concern I have:

I cannot come to terms with the disconnect of your words in the article you wrote I speak of “Keeping Pets In Their Place” because in your words from that article, 'we know from scripture animals are soulless creatures”, which is a direct and extreme opposite of the Catholic Pope's teaching.

Further the ( Fido's operation vs Uncle Ben's Life support) comment is so deeply unkind, and untrue in our house.

And Mr. Colson, the “as if Christ atonement somehow included them” comment really hurt us deeply” and sounds very sarcastic

How would anyone, seeing things that way, want to give a child a pet to love, and tell them, “ok open your heart and love this animal, but if it passes away tomorrow, it's over, they are soulless, and will, in your comments, “perish with creation”

Mr. Colson, among some of the services our dogs are helping with is much deserved and healing therapy for our most suffering citizens, our soldiers and the soldiers behind the soldiers, their families.

I do not agree with you at all, but further I ask you, is it truly necessary to sound so harsh, all knowing and cold to do what you believe, while many of us are looking forward to God, in his mercy, reuniting us with our beloved pets

And it breaks my heart to think of having the privilege to go to Heaven and Sundance have his existence simply end when his life, on behalf of OUR Creator, brought me to my knees, seeking God.

Think about what you say Mr. Colson, and how you say it.

I am struggling, truly seeking God as a child needing to make many changes, but I am his child too, as is Pam. I would like you to remember  some words like "boasting" and "works" a man named Paul used, and also I will close by sharing words that help me beyond what you know

Second status is not the definition of spiritual. Check your tone Mr. Colson, in that article, and know, I'm working on my tone too!

My friend Mike, a pastor, has encouraged me to find a “band of brothers, very wise and perceptive on his part. Pam and I have been pretty isolated daily for too long.

Third, AND I SAY THIS FOR SUNDANCE:

Psalms 37:4, a promise with a condition I will meet, ASSURES ME, My God will give me the desires (right desires) of my heart, so know this:

I WILL Be with Sundance in Heaven and on the New Earth, he lives in spirit with my Lord because he did his work in my life. I WILL have the opportunity to tell him I love and am proud of him, and I am grateful for you and all of us going to Heaven. most certainly I am grateful for God's forgiveness and kindness that will let me in through Christ.

Christ, as stated in Hebrews 6, is our anchor, and as Paul said to the Corinthians if our hope in Christ is for this world only, we are to be pitied above all men.

Sundance, though a canine, if the truthful obidience and living as God intended were the Lord's requirement, heaven's entry was on merit alone under Christ atonement, and the Lord had not created me in his image, Sundance is more deserving of Heavens entry than I because he lived far more respectful and representative of our LORD than I have. You, as a child of God, should have the compassion to understand that I hope my salvation, and the horrible incident that cost Sundance his life, which was the catalyst that turned me back to my God, was not a loss for Sundance he will never have made right for him, and Romans 8:28 gives me hope that God will right that horrible wrong. It is hard to accept or understand how my loving God, would not reward him for a job well done.

And, if I am wrong,

In the words of ReepACheep from " Dawn Treader" by CS Lewis, " If I sink, I shall sink with my nose to the sunrise"

I want to be proud of you, but I'm sorry sir, I just truly and deeply believe what we feel for Sundance, and the reasons for our deep hope he will be with us in heaven and on the new earth is not in any way wanting to dilute or minimize Christ atonement. Christ answered many by using the example of a child's trust and faith. That's what we are doing

Take your suit and glasses off Mr. Colson, put some flops and shorts on, go on down to Florida and swim with some dolphins like those who I joined in helping support several years ago, my friends Pax (latin for Peace) who was born on an Easter, and Jax, who lost half his dorsel fin and  was rescued on a beach and survived, and have been part of God's work with special needs people. They swim with them, and as an instructor once said, know intuitively what special needs people “need” when they get in the water, they don't even have to be shown.

Sounds like a wonderful God thing to me.

Enjoy your swim,

I wish you well sir, and will see you there when it's time. I'm done with this.