Reflection on May 14, 1980

https://www.ewtn.com/library/PAPALDOC/jp2tb26.htm

In the beginning man has a full and total acceptance of the gifts God has given in creation and humanity. When he hides himself for God, it shows a lack or incomplete acceptance of this gift. I mentioned last time that the hiding from God was something more than putting on the fig leafs that they did for each other, but in thinking about the fig leaves, I thought of another question. What does it mean when we put clothing on animals? Is it more that we are trying to elevate them to the level of humanity (could also be seen as lowering humanity down to the level of animal) or is it a reaction to shame and wanting to cover them up, like Adam and Eve with the fig leaves. Animals do not have the “knowledge” that man does, so they so need to cover up. I have to think that it is more the former because even most the outfits for animals (shirt for a dog) don’t actual cover up the private areas that would require fig leaves.

As I was typing that, I thought the better question is whether it is us trying to bring animals to our level or degrading humans down to the level of animal. Before you totally disregard the latter, think about what is said about gay marriages effect on heterosexual marriage. They tell us that gay marriage has no effect on traditional marriage and that it only adds to it. But that just isn’t the case. By allowing gay marriage, you totally and substantially change the definition of what it means to be married, thus effecting anybody that is married. When you change the definition of a thing, it can’t but effect all of those things. Putting clothing on an animal, where it doesn’t belong, changes the nature (for our example, the definition) of what clothing is. Perhaps putting it on something that doesn’t need it leads to a belief that it isn’t needed where it does belong. (changing definition of marriage from one woman, one man, for life may lead to heterosexual couples to thinking it isn’t something necessary) It might be interesting to see whether the increase in clothing on animals has coincided with a decrease in the modesty in clothing on humans.

Words I looked up.

Preternatural - out of the ordinary course of nature; exceptional or abnormal:

Determinism - the doctrine that all facts and events exemplify natural laws.