Petition: End Hubertus Masses in Churches

According to the traditional legend, Hubertus was born around 655 as the son of a nobleman and died in the year 728. Initially he led a pleasure-seeking life and was a passionate hunter. One day, while hunting, he had tracked down a stag and was pursuing it to kill it, when the animal suddenly turned and faced him. Between its antlers a cross shone forth, and in the form of the stag, Christ spoke to him: “Hubertus, why do you hunt me?” Hubertus dismounted from his horse and knelt before the stag. From that moment on, Hubertus ceased hunting and henceforth led a reverent life.

So much for the legend. After his encounter with the stag, Hubertus thus gave up hunting and became a devout Christian. For true Christianity and hunting simply do not go together. In his encounter with the stag, he was faced with a choice: either he kills the animal — in which case he also kills Christ — or he does not, and professes his faith in Christ. Or, in the words of Matthew 25:40: “Whatsoever you did to one of the least of my brethren, you did it to me.”

Hubertus Masses, which are primarily co-organised and attended by hobby hunters, are incompatible with Christian ethics, compassion, or respect for life. Hobby hunters disfigure and desecrate entire churches, as for example here in Göschenen.

Hubertus masses frequently mark the beginning of particularly cruel driven and special hunts, during which even senile hobby hunters roam the forests in ways that constitute animal cruelty, chasing, injuring and killing countless wild animals with their hunting dogs.

The IG Wild beim Wild therefore appeals via a petition to church representatives to distance themselves in future from the violence-glorifying and sectarian masses. Hobby hunters do not act in harmony with nature — they act against it!

Nowhere is it written that Jesus Christ, whom both denominations venerate as the Son of God, ever hunted animals. That would also be deeply contradictory, for God’s 5th Commandment states: »Thou shalt not kill«. Yet every hobby hunt is bound up with killing. Whoever is hostile toward God’s creatures cannot be very friendly toward God either.

The faithful are shamelessly deceived by militant hobby hunters, and the Church is exploited for selfish ends. Out on the hunt, an entirely different tune is played.

As a hunting horn player, one engages in public relations work especially at the Hubertus mass. «We are, so to speak, the mouthpiece of hunting, the means of communication between the hunting community and the public,» explains hobby hunter Buri-Frank.

Unlike at a wedding or baptism, hobby hunters instruct the worship leader in their own house that no photos, films, etc. may be taken during the celebration of their non-culture. Hunting is always also a form of war.

True Christianity is a religion of ethics that stands for compassion, respect for life and neighbourly love. Practising Christians engage with the question of how these core values can be implemented globally, and formulate — grounded in scripture and theologically founded — liveable ethical guidelines for a peaceful coexistence of humans, nature and animals. Animals are “our brothers and sisters”, our neighbours. Any use of them — whether for food production, clothing, entertainment or animal experimentation — and any reduction of them to a commodity contradicts a peaceful, preserving and life-respecting attitude.

Urge the government to respect children’s rights.

You can also email the petition text independently to politicians or a party of your choice.

Dear decision-makers

The word sect (from Latin secta, meaning ‘party’, ‘doctrine’, ‘school of thought’) is defined, among other things, as follows: A small community like hobby hunters, often with a hierarchical structure, whose views are usually very radical and far-fetched and contradict the fundamental ethical values of society.

The latter is evident, for example, in the hunting ethics of hobby hunters, which diametrically contradict animal protection laws in many countries, or in the prohibited depictions of violence against tormented wild animals in churches at the so-called Hubertus masses.

The Swiss Criminal Code states the following regarding depictions of violence in Art. 135 (similarly in Germany):

… anyone who possesses or presents items or performances as described in paragraph 1, insofar as they depict acts of violence against humans or animals, shall be punished with a custodial sentence of up to one year or a monetary penalty …

Saint Hubertus (Eustachius) serves as a fig leaf and patron saint for the evil practice of hunting. Hobby hunters deliberately choose not to follow the noble teachings of Hubertus.

Recently, a court in Bellinzona established that practically everything cruel, unnecessary and heartless is promoted by the association JagdSchweiz. This association JagdSchweiz cultivates above all disrespect and a culture of violence – the exact opposite of what a civilised person in our society should aspire to.

Wild animals suffer because of these hobby hunters. Furthermore, they make use of violence or other means suitable for intimidation (fearmongering, false propaganda, hunters’ tall tales, etc.) in order to exert influence over politics, the media, public administration, the judiciary or the economy.

We are convinced that no church wishes to be lumped together with such a group. Therefore, refrain from holding Hubertus masses in future.

An end to violence and animal cruelty!

If you too would like to get involved in this cause, join us, the IG Wild beim Wild. We will support you so that your fight is heard.

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