Posted by:
Wally Prince
(
)
Date: October 24, 2019 10:47PM
“I never could see why a man should be imbued with a blood-thirsty desire to kill and destroy animal life. I have known men-and they still exist among us-who enjoy what is, to them, the “sport” of hunting birds and slaying them by the hundreds, and who will come in after a day’s sport, boasting of how many harmless birds they have had the skill to slaughter, and day after day, during the season when it is lawful for men to hunt and kill (the birds having had a season of protection and not apprehending danger) go out by scores or hundreds, and you may hear their guns early in the morning on the day of the opening, as if great armies had met in battle; and the terrible work of slaughtering the innocent birds goes on” (Joseph Fielding Smith, Answers to Gospel Questions, vol 4, p.45).
Joseph F. Smith (who actually is Joseph Fielding Smith, Sr.):
"I do not believe any man should kill animals or birds unless he needs them for food . . . I think it is wicked for men to thirst in their souls to kill almost everything which possesses animal life," President Joseph F. Smith stated in "Gospel Doctrine," a book published in 1939.
https://www.deseret.com/2000/10/7/19532179/churches-speak-out-on-huntingSpencer W. Kimball:
"The decision to hunt and fish, under appropriate regulations, is left to the discretion of the individual. However, many clear guidelines have been supplied to assist those who may be involved in such activities. These guidelines are designed to stop the unnecessary and wasteful slaughter of animals and birds, not to define public policy on predator control and game management."
https://www.deseret.com/2000/10/7/19532179/churches-speak-out-on-hunting++++
The common thread in all of these statements is that hunting per se is not evil or forbidden, when necessary to "put food on your family" (as George W. Bush maybe would have put it). But hunting just for sport and taking pleasure in wasteful, unnecessary killing of animals was bad according to the above prophet guys. Generally, that's a sentiment I agree with. Like broken clocks, they still get things right now and then. Of course they have no real authority to make pronouncements on behalf of the creator of the universe and EVERYTHING they ever say is just a case of some man speaking as a man, regardless of any pretentious claims they may make to the contrary.