(LawrenceU): Isn't it amazing how deeply Darwinistic thought has infiltrated the worldview of so many. Even those who would eschew Darwinism fall prey to its fruits. Barring some accidental killing of a man, goring would imply intent in the Scriptural illustration, an animal that kills a man should be dispatched. And, an animal that accidentally kills a man twice should as well. Cetaceans are intelligent creatures, for animals. But they are animals. This orca, killer whale, did not accidentally kills that trainer. It knew exactly what it was doing. It is one of the same techniques that is used on seals, a prey animal. Beware of what 'animal expert' you listen to about that behaviour. Those infected with animal rights tendencies will excuse it, not admit that it was a normal behaviour, and somehow blame humans; just like they have each time before.

In my post above, I was not alluding to anyone on this board, per se. I was addressing the fact that animals will respond as animals, tame or not. When that response results in the death of a human, the animal should be killed. Animals are not sacred. They exist to glorify God and serve man. When they cease to do that they do not deserve to live. That may sound crass and cruel. I assure you I am not. I have pets, have raised all sorts of animals. Trained dogs, horses, and other animals. That experience also teaches me that there is a distinct gulf between animal and man.

(TimV): If we have dominion over the earth and it's creatures, we can do whatever we want with them, within the bounds of Biblical law. And those laws prevent cruelty, like regular weekly rest on the Sabbath, not restricting feed while working, etc...I can enjoy fish in my big tank, tarantulas from South America, my pet boa constrictor and seaworld mammals without having a guilty conscience. And I can think it's pretty cool that the South African navy took out a couple Soviet military transports using trained dolphins in Luanda harbor.

(Peairtach): The putting down of animals, however valuable, when they kill humans is an important reminder of the sacredness of human life more to all humans rather than to animals, who don't usually read the newspapers. It is the way God wants us to remove blood-guiltiness and the potential for further loss of life in such cases. The whale should be humanely put down, inspite of the foolishness of human beings trying to play games with such creatures.

With the massive erosion of respect for the sacredness of human life in the West, e.g. the abortion holocaust, assisted suicide, euthanasia, allowing properly proven murderers to live, letting the whale live will be a very minor sin to add to the West's blood-guiltiness, and will not even be a footnote in the doom of the West.

I agree that such whale circuses are probably less than necessary and that we can enjoy seeing whales in all sorts of better ways, e.g. DVD, in God's providence today.