Even though reptiles get a bad wrap (specifically snakes: after Satan chose to reveal himself to Eve as one) they are still God’s creatures.
It is a common misconception that reptiles do not feel pain, when in fact there is every indication that they do. Reptiles have vertebrate, nervous systems, and a pain response similar to humans.
Millions of reptiles are killed every year for fashion.
It is estimated that python skin alone is worth $1 billion annually in the US. Just about every top designer has bags, shoes, or wallets made out of alligator, python or lizard skin.
Snakes and lizards are almost always skinned alive because it is thought that the skin has more elasticity than if the animal were dead.
The head is nailed to a tree and the skin is slowly peeled off.
Because reptiles are cold blooded, their slow metabolisms cause a slow death and leave them to experience pain for hours after being skinned.
Most alligators and crocodiles are bred on factory farms in the US. There are no laws regulating the living conditions, care, nutrition or slaughter of these animals.
A metal rod is shoved into the spinal cord to immobilize the animal, which is not killed until another rod is inserted into the brain.
Ostriches are prized for their diamond-pattern skin. Before they are slaughtered, their feathers are painfully pulled out one at a time with pliers.
Kangaroos are also prized for their tough skin; millions being killed in Australia every year.
The animals are shot, dragged, hooked, and hung upside down to be skinned, many times while still conscious.
Often these kangaroos have babies in their pouches, too small to leave their mother. They are ripped from their mothers and their heads are stomped or they are left behind to die.
Again, it is important to note that almost all of these animals are killed only for their skin.
Wearing fur or leather is morally questionable because it is likely that the animal was tortured during the process.
If we look at the verses in The Bible that command us to take care of animals and the verses that warn against vanity, it can be safely assumed that God would not approve of the slaughter of His creation purely for the sake of clothing.
In our day and age, there are so many faux leathers, furs, and fabric options, that there is no viable excuse to wear animal products.
