Cancer
My son found Faith. She had been born three weeks before, and was very small – probably the runt. She had no front arm on the right side. She had a left arm that was upside down and backwards placed at the shoulder, rather than at the front of the body. That limb had grown but did not have a joint where the elbow would be, and it had seven toes. It was a mangled mess. We’re not sure what went wrong. Probably the mother, Princess, had a uterine infection.
My son Reuben’s best friend Jonathan had called him and said, “We have to jump a fence at my mom’s flea market and bury some of the puppies that my mom’s dog had.” Reuben was to passing the dead puppies through the fence to Jonathan when he heard Faith whimper and scratch at something. He went over and found the mother dog suffocating her.
We think Faith had probably been too small to suckle, and so her mother tried to put her down naturally. For about 10 minutes the mother would lay on her and then get back up to see if she was dead, and then lay on her, over and over again. By the time my son found Faith, she was in a state of exhaustion and probably fear.
He knew it was probably natural, and probably what happened to the other puppies, but he didn’t like that. He kicked Princess off of Faith, put Faith under his jersey, and jumped back over the fence.
We actually didn’t name her for quite a long time. I called her ‘Yellow Dog’ for a while, and still sometimes do.
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Re: She Walks: Faith The Miracle Dog
By Bud Oracle (not verified), May 19, 2008 at 09:43Jude Stringfellow,
I loved your story about Faith as I have real empathy for any underdog. It was beautifully told and inspiring, but I have some questions.
“Once you see her in person and see her walking on two feet, with no one holding her up, you start realizing, “Wow, if a higher power can do this for an animal, what can he do for me?””
This is a statement of belief to which you give no support rather, you explain how you trained Faith to walk on two legs “It was not easy to train Faith to walk upright”
So where does the higher power come in from? Your personal religious beliefs need a little marketing on the side, do they? Served up with a feel good animal story to make it appear an act of God, perhaps?
I see this dichotomy between reason and the invocation of the Divine, a compassionless gesture toward those who hold more rational points of view. As a teacher you must understand the value of being honest and not marketing propaganda. To smear God all over this lovely story of commitment, perseverance and personal triumph of another sentient being, Faith, by hanging a, “praise the Lord” around it, unsupported, spoils it for me.
The story loses its honesty and makes a concession to faith marketing. Why? To draw in people who are religious, believers to buy your book as well? (sorry about the reality check, but if you leave these questions open, someone like me will ask them)
Certainly, if it was any of God’s doing we could expect you to actually support that with stories of how prayer vigils and laying on of hands, had a role. But not a single word of support do you give it, only the emotional impact of story itself, which you rightly attributed to diligent training. So why mix a higher power into it?
Thankfully we may still ask questions, even if the answers aren’t forthcoming, eh? It’s too bad people don’t ask more rational questions in your country. The world is suffering for the lack of reason and too much belief in higher powers in my opinion.
Other than that objection, I loved your story.
Bud Oracle,
a devoutly Spiritual Atheist, as well as a cruel cynic, who enjoys honesty more than popularity.
Re: She Walks: Faith The Miracle Dog
By Bud Oracle (not verified), May 20, 2008 at 22:40I have just repeated a revue of this article in light of what was said to me about my words. And yes I ascribed, by suggestion, some not so nice motives to your including that statement: "Once you see her in person and see her walking on two feet, with no one holding her up, you start realizing, “Wow, if a higher power can do this for an animal, what can he do for me?””.
I did not get that from watching Faith walk “Wow, if a higher power can do this for an animal, what can he do for me?” I got what you explained were the reasons: training and more training and nurturing even at the expense of your job (Not much commitment to those children who depended on you)
This statement is an affront to anyone who can read and reason and doesn't believe in God. It makes no sense you demanding what I'm to realize about a higher power from what you've told me, or what I've seen. Please explain it if I am missing something here.
Again, because it makes no sense, it leaves all these honest questions anyone with half a brain will have. Why include this nonsensical statement, if not for a purpose? What might the purpose be?
In my estimation the story doesn't need the cloak of a 'higher power" to show true spirituality in the telling of an interspecies love story. Everything that is Spiritual can be taken from it by anyone in that frame of mind, without being pressured without any proof to think of a higher power as the cause behind this miracle.
Does your god really need that much help from you?
Can't you just let Him speak from the honest emotions within your story, without making a demand of a belief in God of me before it even begins??
Re: She Walks: Faith The Miracle Dog
By Bud Oracle (not verified), May 21, 2008 at 08:39Because its so d*mn important I'll link to my other comment on my article on Cyber Bullying and through a homosexual lifestyle "promotion" as well as LSD, give you rational point of view. http://www.orato.com/podium/2008/05/20/cyber-bullying-what-it#comment-30...
http://live.orato.com/current-events/2008/04/28/i-trusted-rcmp#comment-3...
The California Homo issue is being intelligently discussed on the Current. It all mixes into an amalgam of oppression through religion. You have to wonder why it is that god only operates through judgmental people who wish to control others with their point of view.
http://www.cbc.ca/thecurrent/
21 May. Listen to this religious moron try to tell us what is normal.
Re: She Walks: Faith The Miracle Dog
By Paul Sullivan, May 14, 2008 at 14:04I'm a sucker for an animal story, and this is right up there with Tillman the Skateboarding Bulldog in the Orato.com Animal Heroes Hall of Fame. She restores my faith in the canine spirit, in the spirit, period.
Paul Sullivan,
Editor-In-Chief