Dear Artists scheduled to perform at SeaWorld's 2016 Praise Wave,

Since the 2013 release of Blackfish, millions of people have become aware of the mistreatment of orcas in captivity.

In captivity, orcas face a range of illnesses, injuries, and dental problems that often lead to premature death. They are kept in tiny tanks, either in complete isolation, or in tight quarters with aggressive orcas.

Reproductive problems are common in captivity, including stillbirths and miscarriages. It is common practice for an orca calf to be shipped to another park, permanently separated from its mother.

Incidents of orca aggression towards trainers are estimated to number in the high hundreds. Four people have been killed by orcas in captivity.

As Christians, we should be the first to stand in opposition of the suffering of God’s creatures.

In the garden, mankind was given the charge to be stewards of God’s creation (Genesis 1:26-28).

In the Old Testament, there are many examples of God’s expectation of how we should treat animals (Leviticus 25:6-7, Deuteronomy 5:14, Deuteronomy 22:10, Exodus 23:5, Deuteronomy 25:4, Proverbs 27:23).

Throughout the Bible we read that animals give praise to God:

Revelation 4:9
The living creatures give glory, honor and thanks to him who sits on the throne.

If animals themselves praise God, how can we justify praising Him in the presence of their suffering?

Most secular artists that have been scheduled to play at SeaWorld over the past few years have canceled their performance after learning of the horrors of marine mammal captivity.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, join me in protecting God’s precious creation. Please cancel your upcoming performance at SeaWorld.

For more information on marine mammal captivity, CLICK HERE 

Sincerely,

Jillian Barnhart
Leviathan Project