I’m offended that you defend eating meat
Question:
I would just like to say that I am a Christian and a vegetarian. I was kind of offended by your defending of eating meat. You made it sound like anyone who doesn’t eat meat is ridiculous. And your implication that vegetarianism is a departure from Christianity is very wrong and offensive. I also don’t think that God finds it ridiculous to not want to kill animals. We live in a very different time now and the way in which we treat animals and then proceed to take their lives from them, I firmly believe our Lord frowns on. If you would read a PETA newsletter you would see my point. I do not argue the fact that the law demanded sacrifices and Passover includes lamb, but we are not Jews and we do not live under the law.
Why does it seem that you felt personally offended by PETA’s ad campaign? Jesus did teach us compassion, and if we take a look at how animals are treated we can see clearly that there is not one ounce of compassion involved. The choice to consume any kind of meat (yes fish is meat because last time I checked they were still animals) should be a personal choice, and should not be judged by anyone, just as the choice to not consume any animals should also be personal and never condemned by anyone.
I just wanted to say that I feel that a large part of Christians come off as judgmental and this is how your writing sounded toward PETA. Judgmental Christians only drive people away from what we want them to embrace and don’t you think that maybe all the dogma and legalistic discussion should be left in private so it does not scare off new people? Just a thought.
Answer:
There is nothing wrong with choosing to eat only vegetables. "For one believes he may eat all things, but he who is weak eats only vegetables. Let not him who eats despise him who does not eat, and let not him who does not eat judge him who eats; for God has received him" (Romans 14:2-3). Nothing in the articles on this website condemn a vegetarian lifestyle. However, many vegetarians are adamant in condemning those who chose to eat meat, something Paul warns they are not to do. As typically happens, judgmental statements are only allowed to flow one way. You feel perfectly fine in telling me that I'm wrong, but if I demonstrate that the Lord allows the eating of meat, then I'm being judgmental.
You see, you claim that the Lord frowns on the eating of meat, but such a claim is without scriptural foundation. It was God who said, "Every moving thing that lives shall be food for you. I have given you all things, even as the green herbs" (Genesis 9:3). Paul warned Christians, "Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron, forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from foods which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth. For every creature of God is good, and nothing is to be refused if it is received with thanksgiving" (I Timothy 4:1-3).
PETA has come under fire because of their false teaching. They made claims that Jesus was a vegetarian. This was easily disproved. They claim that it is wrong to eat meat, this also was easily disproved. My duty as a preacher is to uphold God's Word. Current social fads should never be mistaken for doctrine. "I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom: Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables" (II Timothy 4:1-4).
If you want to be a vegetarian, I certainly will not stand in your way. But once you start saying that it is the Lord's will that men be vegetarians, then I will denounce the false teaching. Christianity is not a teaching that can be altered through the ages. It remains fixed. It is the Christian's duty to conform to the Scriptures and not to attempt to conform the Scriptures to his personal agenda. "I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel, which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ. But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed. For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ" (Galatians 1:6-10).
