So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. Paul states that it is lawful to eat anything because Christ has cleansed believers from the inside out. However, he acknowledges that Christians should be cognizant not to force those whose consciences are pricked by this idea to eat this meat, or to make them uncomfortable by doing so.
He encourages them to be polite, to exercise their freedom responsibly. For if your brother is grieved by what you eat, you are no longer walking in love. If a brother in Christ does not eat meat, do not eat it in front of him or her.
When looking at what the Bible says about meat, it is clear that it is not un-Biblical to be a vegetarian and a vegan. For those who feel they do not want to participate in the meat industry, do not feel well after eating meat, or feel they should give it up for any reason, they are not violating any precepts, and are exercising their freedom in Christ to pursue a lifestyle that works best for them.
It reflects the concerns the Corinthians had about eating sacrificed meat. If a Christian feels they should give up meat for health or moral reasons, they have the freedom to do so.
Ultimately, diet is an individual choice, made based on health needs and personal taste. Food exists first for nourishment, and secondarily to provide a pleasurable experience. Food is tasty, but can be a stumbling block for some people.
Whether it is meat, alcohol, or sugar, there is freedom in Christ to consume it, but it should never become an idol or a stumbling block for others. Davies, Philip and John Rogerson. The Old Testament World. Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, Wenham, Gordon J. The Book of Leviticus. Grand Rapids: Wm. Eerdmans Publishing Co.
Bethany Verrett is a freelance writer and editor. She maintains a faith and lifestyle blog graceandgrowing. Share this. Bethany Verrett 12 Apr. People are horrified to hear this, and of course I talk with them about guilt. But when it comes to the system, I am just as guilty as they are. This entire area is a major producer of industrial meat. But it's not only the animals that are suffering. It's the misery of the human beings working here like slaves that I've been addressing in my sermons.
I know of many people who are suffering mental health problems because of their work in the slaughterhouses. If you treat animals like objects, you will become a savage. Something inside you dies. And for many attending my sermons, this has been the first time they have ever been confronted with the question: What does eating meat have to do with my Christianity?
This is where the donkeys are essential for my work: Through the experience with Freddy and Fridolin, people are able to remember their first experiences with animals as they ponder the question of meat consumption, and suddenly they have a theological understanding of their kinship with animals.
This is often very moving for them, and they tell me, "Father, you haven't said a word about vegetarianism But you didn't have to! I'm not going to eat meat anymore. Germans on average eat 60kg of meat per year and over 1, animals in their lifetime, according to the study 'Fleischatlas'. Read more: Vegan meat: The future of planet-saving plant-based eating. The Bible has a really nice story that might help us answer this fundamental question: Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden.
This story tells us that we cannot live as humans without the experience of guilt. We have left the Garden. But animals have not.
In other words, they are still innocent and have not lost the presence of God. When we are in the presence of animals, we are in the presence of God. Their actions come straight from God. Humans are the only beings forced to decide: Are my actions from God, or are they the product of my own egoism? We will never escape the cycle of consuming other life forms in order to exist. Guilt is thus perhaps something we will never live without. But we are different than animals because we are able to choose which forms of life to consume.
We have the choice to stop eating meat — and we know that this decision will result in a less violent existence. This knowledge is of great consequence because it means there is no longer a morally relevant argument for the consumption of meat. I am not saying what you should or should not do.
For far too many centuries the Church has assumed the role of moral authority, telling people what to do. All I am doing is collecting facts and laying them on the table. But as a theologian, there is an important thing to ask here: How can a religion that trumpets the love of one's neighbor, mercy, solidarity, and empathy turn a blind eye to the slaughter of innocent animals?
We know he took part in the marriage feast at Cana. Also, according to scripture, after the Resurrection, he and his disciples caught and ate fish. So there is no evidence from the Bible that Jesus was vegetarian. However, what did Jesus eat at the last supper before he was crucified? Keep in mind that it was during Passover, where all households were bound by law to slaughter a lamb — not for food, but as a religious act.
He ate bread. The question of whether or not Jesus was a vegetarian is complicated. There is no direct statement on the subject by Jesus in the New Testament. The story of Jesus feeding fish to people would support the view that Jesus may have been a pescatarian. Paul seems to have been more open to meat eating, but even Paul was open to vegetarianism. In 1 Corinthians Paul said, "Wherefore, if meat make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the world standeth, lest I make my brother to offend.
Modern Christianity has produced the vegetarian Seventh Day Adventists who are vegetarians because of the teachings of their co-founder Ellen G. So what can I say to ease your carnivorous guilt? I would suggest that you experiment with meatless Mondays, and then no meat till dinner, and then maybe a period of time when you eat no meat for a period of time.
Your moral intuitions are right. There is something hypocritical about the way we profess life and then eat the world to death. Remember that your journey to God has many levels and you ought to have no shame or guilt about the stage of your journey that you have reached so far.
Send questions and comments to The God Squad via email at godsquadquestion aol. Rabbi Gellman is the author of several books, including "Religion for Dummies," co-written with Fr. Tom Hartman. Facebook Twitter Email. The Bible's stance on eating meat may surprise you. Marc Gellman The News Star. Show Caption.
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