Discussion Board

Ok I know it is not a commandment.. but I am trying to figure out why I sometimes feel like we are supposed to eat meat, because God told us to??? I do not like meat and never did...But the Bible tells us to eat meat and talks about the land of milk and honey,and even says to eat the fat of meat sometimes... I would love to hear what all of you believers think about this
And my mama tells me I need to eat meat so my faith is not weak, and not to put my hope/faith in food, not that I do... It talks about that in the Bible too... Do you think it was only for the old testament people or does it also say it in the new testament?? I should really know this, right?

Genesis 1: 29,30
Genesis 9: 3,4

Check out www.all-creatures.org

Lots of eye-opening information there. And look up the verses kimba mentioned as well.

Genesis 1:29-30
King James Version (KJV)
29 And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat.

30 And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to every thing that creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is life, I have given every green herb for meat: and it was so

Genesis 9:3-4
King James Version (KJV)
3 Every moving thing that liveth shall be meat for you; even as the green herb have I given you all things.

4 But flesh with the life thereof, which is the blood thereof, shall ye not eat.

Ok, so is it aloud but not necessary to eat meat... right? Is that what I am reading?
Romans 14:2-3
King James Version (KJV)
2 For one believeth that he may eat all things: another, who is weak, eateth herbs.

3 Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not; and let not him which eateth not judge him that eateth: for God hath received him.
I wonder why someone who doesn't eat meat is weak??
But it is soooo awful how animals are treated, and I am sure it's not as healthy as it was when Jesus was on earth... and on top of that I would never choose a piece of meat over a piece of fruit or potatoes!!! I was always a sugar eater anyway But I don't want to be disobedient or stubborn for my own personal desires to be slim or something...

Hmmm.

Generally, the word "meat" in the bible means food, not necessarily animal flesh.
http://www.all-creatures.org/discuss/svtmeat.html

Is eating toxin-laden animal flesh with the hope that it will sustain you on Earth more an act of faith than eating arsenic-laden rice?

Do they kill chickens for Sunday supper in Heaven?


http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?se ... ersion=NIV :
Do Not Worry

25 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life[e]?

28 “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? 31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Don't worry. Be happy. That's what faith looks like.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-diB65scQU

Faithslanding, I suppose many of us have grappled with these questions.

First, I often remind myself that the Bible was written for me...but not ONLY for me. So in regard to food, we can think about all of the people who have lived since the first century and how the Book applies to all of us. Most have been relatively poor and had few food choices. In other words, they ate what they had. In areas near the sea, this often included fish. In inland areas, for many, it included a bit of meat. For the affluent, more animal products were available. It seems that most ate a starch based diet.

The Book proclaims liberty in regard to this subject and many others.

Galatians 5.1 Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free , and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage. (KJV)

So, IMHO, you are free to consider food as your medicine and to eat for health. You are free to eat the foods that you think are best for health. For some people in some parts of the world, this has/does include animal products...because that is what they had/have.

For many of us, living in the hear and now, we believe that omitting the animal products is good for health and we do it. This reminds me of the old apostle's advice to young Timothy. He advised him, for the sake of his stomach, not to drink only water but to also drink a little wine (1 Timothy 5.23). In other words, he was free to ingest something to benefit his health and I believe that we are too.

Related to the Bible, the only foods that I consider strictly out of bounds are those from strangled animals and blood (Acts 15.29).

Unfortunately, many Christians disregard their health in regard to their choices about food. I hope more will wake up and take care of the wonderful bodies God has given them.

Thank you AlwaysAgnes and PinkRose sooo much!!! That was all very comforting and freeing Just perfect

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Faith, I think that the 'meat' being talked about in this passage has been 'offered to idols.' Paul was saying that the meat is ok to eat, but if it hurts someone's conscience when they see you eating it, then you should consider NOT eating it--so that you will not shake their faith (their weak faith).

Everything has to be taken in balance. You could argue from this that we SHOULD eat meat so we won't offend SAD eaters!

I'd rather use the verse that "my people die from lack of knowledge" to support my mcdougall diet. So many people eating the SAD diet are dying of cancer, heart disease, etc and if they'd only knew the truth they could live a longer, healthier life.

Just kind of a fun story from the first chapter of Daniel in the Bible:

1 In the third year of the reign of King Jehoiakim of Judah, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it. 2 The Lord let King Jehoiakim of Judah fall into his power, as well as some of the vessels of the house of God. These he brought to the land of Shinar, and placed the vessels in the treasury of his gods. 3 Then the king commanded his palace master Ashpenaz to bring some of the Israelites of the royal family and of the nobility, 4 young men without physical defect and handsome, versed in every branch of wisdom, endowed with knowledge and insight, and competent to serve in the king's palace; they were to be taught the literature and language of the Chaldeans. 5 The king assigned them a daily portion of the royal rations of food and wine. They were to be educated for three years, so that at the end of that time they could be stationed in the king's court. 6 Among them were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, from the tribe of Judah. 7 The palace master gave them other names: Daniel he called Belteshazzar, Hananiah he called Shadrach, Mishael he called Meshach, and Azariah he called Abednego. 8 But Daniel resolved that he would not defile himself with the royal rations of food and wine; so he asked the palace master to allow him not to defile himself. 9 Now God allowed Daniel to receive favor and compassion from the palace master. 10 The palace master said to Daniel, "I am afraid of my lord the king; he has appointed your food and your drink. If he should see you in poorer condition than the other young men of your own age, you would endanger my head with the king." 11 Then Daniel asked the guard whom the palace master had appointed over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah: 12 "Please test your servants for ten days. Let us be given vegetables to eat and water to drink. 13 You can then compare our appearance with the appearance of the young men who eat the royal rations, and deal with your servants according to what you observe." 14 So he agreed to this proposal and tested them for ten days. 15 At the end of ten days it was observed that they appeared better and fatter than all the young men who had been eating the royal rations. 16 So the guard continued to withdraw their royal rations and the wine they were to drink, and gave them vegetables. 17 To these four young men God gave knowledge and skill in every aspect of literature and wisdom; Daniel also had insight into all visions and dreams. 18 At the end of the time that the king had set for them to be brought in, the palace master brought them into the presence of Nebuchadnezzar, 19 and the king spoke with them. And among them all, no one was found to compare with Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah; therefore they were stationed in the king's court. 20 In every matter of wisdom and understanding concerning which the king inquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters in his whole kingdom. 21 And Daniel continued there until the first year of King Cyrus.

Peace,
Suz

Daniel wouldn't defile himself with the food from the king's table because a good jew would not eat the food of heathens. Especially if it had been sacrificed to idols. Elsewhere in the Bible the necessity to refrain from eating the food of heathens is mentioned. The israelites had no scruples about eating most kinds of meat--except for those kinds specifically prohibited such as pork, shellfish etc. Despite what Dr. McDougall either says or implies, Daniel ate vegetables, relying on God to keep him healthy even though not eating meat. The idea of the scripture is not an endorsement of veganism but an acknowledgement that with God's power, Daniel and his friends, through their faith in God, could remain healthy on a diet of nothing but vegetables and water. As a matter of fact, the idea of eating nothing but vegetables was probably even considered by Daniel to be a not so healthful diet which the power of God would render superior. You will notice that Daniel says he will not eat the meat or BREAD from the kings table. Bread can be part of a plant only meal--but not bread that may have been an offering to idols or simply the food of heathens.

The command not to eat flesh with the life in it is the reason for draining the blood from the meat.

Just because one is permitted to do something does not mean one must do it.

Didi

I read Exodus 12:8 "And they shall eat the flesh in that night, roast with fire,.." as being obligatory and not optional regarding Jewish Passover service.

j

See, this is all sooo true.. And yet, you are correct Jay Kaye!! It was a direct order So then what do we do with that ?
oh and... They were fatter!?!?! Oooh nooooo!!!lol
And I was saying to my mom, who is eating this way too now, by the way In the future, if she decides she really wants to eat meat, is her choice, but at least for this short period of time (a few months to a year...or two ) she can live with out the animal products, and all fats..right?

Yes, it was a command for the descendants of Abraham until Passover's fulfillment in Christ (1 Corinthians 5.7; Hebrews 9.11-28; 1 Peter 1.18,19).

In regard to Daniel and his friends being "fatter," I wonder if that simply means they looked better.

Daniel 1. 15 At the end of the ten days they looked healthier and better nourished than any of the young men who ate the royal food. (NIV)

If they ate only the same (or similar) unrefined "vegetables" we eat today (including starches), it is hard to imagine that they were "fat" as we think of fat today.... Of course people today can become quite fat by eating only vegetables if they include vegetable oils....

The OP wanted to know if eating meat was a religious commandment. While it may not be to you, to others it still is.

But even the commandment to eat the lamb on passover is only a one meat meal a year event.


j