38 Comments

The lyrics from the Style Council’s song “blood sports” sum this up. Thank you Paul Weller.

“Who wins the hooves loses respect

Who kills the Grace treads with intent

Into Heaven's domain, playing little Christians

Hear their voice soar in church

Giving thanks for this earth

Then destroying its birth”

Who do they think they are, evil hypocrites. Long run the fox! 🦊

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Nice to play it at the Diocese of Londons funeral.

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So sad, the hypocrites. All creatures great & small? Their Jesus would not approve, I feel.

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Most religions have a history of persecution and cruelty and seem to encourage, condone and perpetuate a doctrine that man must have dominance and domain over nature and all it’s animals. Religious leaders could put an end to this destructive and ignorant view but perhaps they wish to maintain that arrogant, ignorant power. Do leaders of world religions teach/encourage empathy and respect for animals and exercise/implement this whenever and wherever they can? Do Christian leaders in the UK come out against Bloodsports? Does the Pope speak up against the sadism and horror of bullfighting? Do religious leaders speak up for the exploited, traumatised elephants and other animals used in religious ceremonies? Do any of them speak out against the cruelty and sadism of trophy hunting? Which religions/do any speak out against the horror and suffering taking place in factory farms and slaughterhouses? 🤔 If they aren’t leading their congregation to respect and have empathy for all sentient life and put this into practice then they don’t actually value, have respect for, have regard for, have empathy for, nature or for life.

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Beautifully said

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Goodness me, that is so right, you have made total sense of what should hit us in the face, I did not think of it in those terms, "BRILLIANT SAID"

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Very well said Rosie - I totally agree with you.

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Poor foxes, the church should be ashamed.

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I am swearing like a trooper in my head right now!! Oh what I could call those savages 😾😡🤬🤬🤬!!! I just wish I could have loads of land where absolutely NO hunting, shooting, fishing, culling etc was allowed/goes on and anyone who tries, gets what they deserve!!! RIP all those poor foxes who were barbarically murdered. I notice the government doesn't allow people to have firearms to shoot the most dangerous creatures in the world: human murderers, serial killers, dangerous drug dealers etc!!! I even remember hearing about a prisoner who got loose and was swinging an axe around a town and decapitated innocent people in the street but was that "person" shot to protect anyone??!! Oh but they shoot innocent animals just because they are different to us!!!!! Oh this makes me so mad beyond words 😾😡🤬🤬🤬🤬!!! That isn't a church, it is a butchers!!!! To anyone who knows that church, please boycott it and tell everyone you know to do the same!! If only everyone was like kind Claire. Bless her. As for the police, there are NO police!! They don't exist!!!

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Despicable behaviour on the part of the church who have acted out of ignorance and stupidity, influenced by a desire to appease certain members of the public who are equally misinformed. Unacceptable on every level.

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The Reverend Father Tobias shooting, killing, maiming foxes in Hackney !! This should be national news! Does this man have a congregation? Will they want to listen to his “preaching” when they discover what he has done? How we treat nature and animals is a good indicator of character.

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I wonder if he will have the brass neck to sing All things bright and beautiful ever again !

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Good point

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I am appalled by the article on foxes being shot - I am against any wildlife crime, for this is undoubtedly a wildlife crime - I am not however, surprised that the church had a hand in this 'criminal' act and it should most certainly be a punishable crime. So very tragic.

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Could you please supply the contact details for the delightful father tobias and the diocese....I'd like them to know exactly what I think of them?

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Surely we are all God’s creatures and none is above the other. Some small children might be scared of a man in a long black dress- does that mean all vicarage should be shot?? What they say is ridiculous. No one has the right to think their life is more precious than another living sole. I really despair 😩 of being a human sometimes

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Completely agree, vicars always looked creepy to me when I was young and let’s be honest a fair few of them are definitely not to be trusted.

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Recently a fox killed all my chickens but l realised it was breeding season and it was feeding cubs, although very upsetting l would never dream of killing the foxes for doing what is natural.

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Foxes used to be commonly kept as pets before fox hunting was introduced as a sport by prince Albert in the 19th century so there is a connection between religious entities and hating foxes. And the one Tory politician who advocated against fox hunting was stabbed to death in public by a Muslim. So it's not just Christians.

Why do religious people hate foxes? And if they hate foxes, then do they hate all mammals, all creatures great and small. Or just foxes? Maybe it's because foxes are indigenous, and religious people don't like indigenous species because then that explains why hares and birds of prey are targeted too. And when they've killed all the indigenous animals, then they can proclaim themselves as indigenous. And the children will never know the truth.

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Nasty religious hypocrite. So much for "all things bright and beautiful, ALL CREATHURES GREAT AND SMALL".

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Disgusting the church should be ashamed to let this happen. I hope whoever sought this to happen has the wrath of god.

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Many of the posts 'Protect The Wild' post on substack sometimes make me angry and reduce me to tears-but this has made my blood boil with anger!! The sheer hypocrisy!! For your information-idiot vicar!-the mission of Jesus Christ was about love-and that extends to his sentient creatures!-even if they inconvenience you-you moron!.I am a Roman Catholic and my priest had no problem at all about giving my dog a 'blessing'-as he would have done with foxes who have been looked after

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Oh I am heartbroken to read this. Appalling treatment of these poor foxes. It can't be right that people ho about randomly shooting wildlife. 😠😥

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