Teaching Kids the Value of Human Life

I recently read some survey data that caused me to pause and ponder a couple of lessons we need to teach our kids about human dignity and friendship. The survey looked specifically about what we American’s think about our pet dogs. I love dogs. In fact, I’ve had six different dogs over the course of my life. But could we love our dogs too much? For example, four in five dog owners say they pamper their dogs as much as possible. We give them treats, walks, loving touch, and toys. All of that’s fine. But here’s where it gets interesting. Eighty-three percent of dog-owners who have children agree that taking care of their dogs is equally as important as taking care of their child. Sixty-nine percent of dog owners consider their dog their best friend. First, I wonder if we’ve forgotten that at Creation, God created human beings in his image as the crowning point of creation. We are above animals. And second, need to do a better job as learning how to befriend others.