"I BELIEVE YOU ALL ARE MURDERERS AND SHOULD BE TREATED AS SUCH."

      So rabidly remarked one Internet writer concerning the entire hunting community.  Indeed, in recent days hunting has come under heavy fire.  Practices which were acceptable to the masses just decades ago have now largely fallen into disrepute.  Hunting has presently become (at least in the minds of some) equivalent to murder!  As a result, there seems to be an ever-growing chasm between certain hunting and non-hunting segments of society.
      Surprisingly, in a country which was primarily founded upon the Judeo-Christian ethic, the topic of hunting is seldomly addressed with scriptural principles in mind.  Furthermore, those who do venture to quote from the Bible often arrive at conclusions which are based more upon emotion or personal conviction than on sound interpretive methods.
      But just what does the Bible have to say about this ancient, yet controversial activity?  In his concise booklet, Hunting and the Bible: A Scripture Safari, Dr. Tom C. Rakow, a former poacher and now pastor and president of an interdenominational ministry to deer hunters, offers valuable insight on this subject.
      According to Dr. Rakow, "A major contributor to the anti-hunter sentiment which presently exists has to do with the extensive urbanization of our modern society.  Due to societal changes, people who were at one time directly tied to the food chain now eat at one instead."  He also sees that, "Our culture's views toward hunting have been strongly affected by such things as the influence of evolution and Eastern religious thought which places humans on a similar plateau with animals, the humanization of animals, erosion of Judeo-Christian values, and, of course, the unethical behavior of some hunters themselves."
      The Hunting and the Bible booklet is the first of a five-part series titled The Biblical Art of Hunting Series  Readers not only find out how people hunted in Bible times, but they also learn of ancient hunting lists, specific hunting regulations contained in the Old Testament, and what the Scriptures have to say about modern-day hunting practices.  The booklet may be ordered from Rock Dove Publications for $3.95 postage paid by calling 1-888-HIS-DOVE, on the Internet at www.rockdove.com, or writing PO Box 203; Silver Lake, MN  55381.  Other booklets by Dr. Tom C. Rakow in the series currently scheduled for release through Rock Dove Publications in 1998 are: Hunting Masters: Ancient and Modern; Hunting Methods: Ancient and Modern; Hunting Miracles: Ancient and Modern; and Hunting Motives: Ancient and Modern