Is it morally wrong to hunt, kill and eat animals? \u00a0Do you or someone you know believe that it is? \u00a0Some animal rights activists have even made the claim that Jesus was a vegetarian, and in order to show respect for God’s creatures, we should follow His example. \u00a0Well, they’re not the first to misuse Bible scripture to push an agenda, and certainly won’t be the last. \u00a0As a Christian, it\u2019s up to me to examine the Bible to see if my actions are morally acceptable by God’s standards.<\/p>\n
Why should I even care to answer the animal rights extremists? \u00a0I think the apostle Paul said it best in\u00a0I Timothy 4:1-7,\u00a0“Now the Spirit expressly says that in\u00a0<\/em>latter times some will depart from the faith,\u00a0giving 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\u00a0commanding to abstain from foods which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth. \u00a0For every creature of God is good, and nothing is to be refused if it is received with thanksgiving, for it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer. \u00a0If you instruct the brethren in these things, you will be a good minister of Jesus Christ,\u00a0nourished in the words of faith and of the good doctrine which you have carefully followed. But reject profane and old wives’ fables, and exercise yourself toward godliness.<\/em>“<\/p>\n An examination of this ethical question begins by defining the word moral. Included in the Merriam-Webster Dictionary definition of the word moral, are the definitions \u201cof or relating to principles of right and wrong,\u201d and \u201cconforming to a standard of right behavior.\u201d \u00a0As a Christian, I strive to derive my standards and principles of morality from the Holy Bible. \u00a0Where do hunters, ranchers and animal rights activists get their standards and principles of morality?<\/p>\n Does the hunting, killing, and eating of animals stand up to the litmus test of Bible-derived morality? \u00a0Let me share with you what I have found.<\/p>\n Before we examine specific biblical evidence on this topic, it\u2019s important to understand God\u2019s authority. \u00a0We are not to add to or take away from God\u2019s commandments. \u00a0Please see\u00a0Deuteronomy 4:2\u00a0and\u00a012:32. \u00a0In addition, among other things, the apostle Paul wrote to the young preacher Timothy, that all Scripture is given by inspiration of God that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work. \u00a0Please see\u00a0II Timothy 3:16-17.<\/p>\n If you have a problem accepting the authority of the apostles\u2019 words, please see\u00a0I Thessalonians 2:13,\u00a0II Thessalonians 2:15,\u00a0II Timothy 2:2\u00a0and\u00a0II Peter 3:1-2.<\/p>\n For those who fail to understand the reasoning of the Almighty, remember what God said in\u00a0Isaiah 55:8-9. \u00a0\u201cFor My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are My ways your ways. \u00a0For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts.<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n Now that God\u2019s authority on the matter is established, let\u2019s examine His revealed will. \u00a0A proper discussion must begin in the book of Genesis. \u00a0In the first chapter, God created the earth and all its inhabitants and God saw that it was good. \u00a0That statement is important to note, especially for those who needlessly and recklessly abuse God\u2019s creation. God created the earth and saw that it was good. \u00a0Let\u2019s keep it that way.<\/p>\n Near the end of the first chapter of Genesis God explains that man was set apart from the animals, made in God\u2019s image, and\u00a0told to have dominion\u00a0over creation. \u00a0The command from God included the instruction to be fruitful and multiply and subdue the earth. \u00a0This has turned out to be a great responsibility for humans — one to be handled wisely and not emotionally. In\u00a0Psalms 8:3-9, David repeated this theme by saying the\u00a0Creator\u00a0of all things made man a little lower than the angels and made him have dominion over the works of God\u2019s hands and\u00a0put all things under man\u2019s feet.<\/p>\n In\u00a0Genesis 3:7\u00a0Adam and Eve tried to cover their body with fig leaves sewn together. \u00a0Notice God\u2019s response in verse 21.\u00a0God, Himself, made coats of skins\u00a0and clothed Adam and Eve. If the Lord God could choose to clothe Adam and Eve with whatever He desired, but chose animal skins, what right do I have to protest another person\u2019s desire to wear furs and leather products? \u00a0Wasn\u2019t the tabernacle covered in ram and badger skins (Exodus 39:34)? \u00a0Didn\u2019t John the Baptist clothe himself in leather and camel\u2019s hair (Matthew 3:4)? \u00a0Is wearing an Elk robe morally wrong? Not if your morals come from the Bible.<\/p>\n It\u2019s true God initially made man a vegetarian as we can read in verse 29 of the first chapter of Genesis. \u00a0However, God gave new instructions to Noah and his family after the flood in\u00a0Genesis 9:1-7. \u00a0In these verses, God says the fear and dread of man will be on every animal on earth and that every moving thing that lives should be for food, with the exception of the blood. \u00a0Remember, God destroyed the world, except for Noah and his family, because of their great wickedness. \u00a0Now no longer would God require man to be a vegetarian.<\/p>\n Reading further,\u00a0God even gave hunters\u00a0amongst\u00a0His chosen people\u00a0specific instruction\u00a0regarding the proper disposition of the blood,\u00a0Leviticus 17:13. \u00a0To place a distinction between God\u2019s people and the heathens, God also established food laws. \u00a0In\u00a0Deuteronomy 14:2-21, God listed the animals His people would now be allowed to eat, such as sheep and deer, and those forbidden, such as camels and eagles. \u00a0These food laws remained until God changed them.<\/p>\n We read of God\u2019s change in the food laws in the book of Acts. \u00a0In\u00a0Acts 10:10-16\u00a0God tells the apostle Peter that he was no longer under the restrictive food laws of the Old Law and that once again all animals were clean to eat. \u00a0The analogy was meant to show that as all animals would now be considered clean to eat, all people were now accepted into God\u2019s family, as had been the Jews. \u00a0When the apostle Peter protested God\u2019s instructions to\u00a0\u201cRise, Peter, kill and eat<\/em>\u201d,\u00a0God said that what He has declared clean to eat, do not call unclean. \u00a0Are you going to tell God it\u2019s morally wrong to hunt, kill and eat a deer, or that it\u2019s wrong to raise fish, chicken, or beef for our dinner table? \u00a0I for one will not.<\/p>\n Likewise, the apostle Paul explained that no food is unclean unless it personally offends your conscience to eat it, or causes a brother to stumble,\u00a0Romans 14:13-15,\u00a021-23. \u00a0Paul says\u00a0\u201cHappy is he that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth.<\/em>\u201d\u00a0\u00a0I can second that statement as my family and I partake of the many culinary delights of wild game. \u00a0Paul also explains in the same chapter in verses 1-3 that our vegetarian brothers are weak, and we should show the proper Christian spirit toward them. \u00a0Also please see\u00a0I Corinthians 10:24-33.<\/p>\n >Those of us who hunt with bow and arrow have our own set of antagonists who declare our methods to be cruel. \u00a0What does God say? \u00a0In\u00a0Genesis 21:20\u00a0Abraham\u2019s son Ishmael was described as an archer and God dwelt with him in the wilderness. \u00a0Likewise, when I am in the outdoors hunting, I\u2019m comforted to know that God is with me. \u00a0However, only Nimrod received the title from God as\u00a0\u201ca mighty hunter before the Lord\u201d\u00a0in\u00a0Genesis 10:9.<\/p>\n Remember the famous Bible story of Jacob and Esau in Genesis 27? \u00a0Isaac had plenty of livestock to eat but had a special love for the taste of venison. \u00a0He told his son Esau to take his quiver and bow out to the field and hunt game for him and then prepare it for him to eat before he blessed Esau and before he died. \u00a0I sure can\u2019t think of a better last meal than venison. \u00a0Under the Old Law, in Deuteronomy 12, God specifically mentioned the native Middle Eastern deer as a clean animal to eat.<\/p>\n Just like Isaac, we today could find other things to eat besides venison. \u00a0We could eat a strictly vegetarian diet and live, but as the Bible shows us, every creature of God is good, and nothing is to be refused if it is received with thanksgiving. \u00a0Please see\u00a0I Timothy 4:1-6. \u00a0The wise man Solomon, who had wealth and wisdom provided to him by God, had provisions consisting of both domestic animals and wild game,\u00a0I Kings 4:22-23.<\/p>\n Next, let\u2019s examine the often-misunderstood sixth of ten commandments found in Exodus 20, \u201cThou shalt not kill.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0People who grew up reading the King James version of the Bible, and whose intent was to simply understand God\u2019s will and obey it, should have known beyond a shadow of a doubt that\u00a0\u201cThou shalt not kill<\/em>\u201d\u00a0did not prohibit all killing. \u00a0Any thorough student of the Bible could learn that there were animal sacrifices under the Old Law, (please see Leviticus chapters 1\u2013 8), that God sanctioned the eating of meat in\u00a0Genesis 9:3\u00a0and\u00a0Acts 10:10-15,\u00a0(also, please see\u00a0Deuteronomy 12:20-25,)\u00a0that God at times guided his armies in battle as found in Joshua 6, and commanded capital punishment in\u00a0Genesis 9:6.<\/p>\n God also sanctioned self-defense as we read of the young David slaying both lion and bear in defense of his flock in I Samuel 17. \u00a0In verse 37 David said it was the Lord who delivered him from the attacking beasts and he would likewise deliver him in battle against the Philistine (Goliath.) \u00a0Remember the apostle Paul killing the attacking viper in\u00a0Acts 28:1-5? \u00a0It must then be obvious that\u00a0\u201cThou shalt not kill\u201d\u00a0means\u00a0\u201cYou shall not murder.\u201d<\/p>\n However, if the Biblical application of the sixth commandment doesn\u2019t convince the animal rights extremists, we should examine the original Hebrew word\u00a0\u201dratsach\u201d\u00a0used for kill in\u00a0Exodus 20:13\u00a0and the Greek word used for kill\u00a0\u201cphoneuo,\u201d\u00a0found in\u00a0Matthew 5:21\u00a0and\u00a0Mark 10:19. \u00a0In each case, the word for kill translates\u00a0\u201cmurder.\u201d \u00a0Newer translations such as the New American Standard and New King James Bibles clear up any misconceptions and accurately translate the famous command as\u00a0\u201cYou shall not murder.<\/em>\u201d \u00a0This is both honest with the original source texts and the Biblical context in which the command was given and observed.<\/p>\n By the way, one can only be a murderer if he kills another human. \u00a0Why? \u00a0\u201cFor in the image of God He made man,\u201d <\/em>(Genesis 1:26) and”Whoever sheds man\u2019s blood, by man his blood shall be shed; for in the image of God He made man<\/em>” (Genesis 9:6).<\/p>\n No theologian has any right to contradict God. \u00a0In fact, Jesus spoke of hypocrites who pretend to worship God but instead teach as doctrines the commandments of men (Matthew 15:7-9).<\/p>\n Do animals have the same rights as man? \u00a0Some extremists say it is morally wrong to use animals for pets, in zoos, in agriculture or as beasts of burden. \u00a0We don\u2019t have the space to examine the complete use of animals in the Bible as sacrifices, livestock, beasts of burden, and personal property, but anyone with a good knowledge of the word of God knows that these uses were a part of life in the Bible. \u00a0Didn\u2019t Jesus ride a donkey in Matthew 21? \u00a0Remember Peter lodging with Simon the tanner in Acts 9 and 10?<\/p>\n Is it wrong to drink milk\u00a0as some claim? \u00a0The apostle Paul didn\u2019t think so. See\u00a0I Corinthians 9:7.<\/p>\n Did Jesus as a Jew believe in animal sacrifice? \u00a0Didn\u2019t his heavenly Father initiate the practice? \u00a0We know by\u00a0Matthew 5:17-19\u00a0Jesus did not come to destroy the Old Law, but to fulfill it. \u00a0In so doing, he broke no laws and committed no sin,\u00a0I Peter 2:22,\u00a0II Corinthians 5:21, and\u00a0Hebrews 4:15.<\/p>\n Did Jesus eat the Passover lamb\u00a0as commanded in Exodus chapter 12? \u00a0\u201cThen they shall eat the flesh on that night; roasted in fire, with unleavened bread and with bitter herbs they shall eat it,<\/em>\u201d\u00a0Exodus 12:8. \u00a0In Exodus12:21, Moses called for all the elders of Israel to pick out lambs for their families and slay them. \u00a0Also see\u00a0II Chronicles 35:1-14, 26-27. \u00a0If Jesus did not eat the lamb, he would have violated the Law and would be guilty of sin. \u00a0See\u00a0Numbers 9:10-13. \u00a0On the contrary, Luke 22 records that\u00a0Jesus did indeed eat the Passover.<\/p>\n The Bible doesn\u2019t say if Jesus hunted or not, but we do know that He helped Peter catch fish and then recruited several fishermen to be apostles,\u00a0Luke 5:1-11,\u00a06:13-16\u00a0and\u00a0Matthew 4:18-22. \u00a0Jesus fed the 5,000 in Matthew 14 with only five loaves and two fishes. \u00a0Matthew 15:34-37\u00a0and\u00a0Luke 24:41-43\u00a0both say that\u00a0Jesus ate fish. \u00a0John chapter 21 says Jesus defined fish as food and tells the story of Him cooking a breakfast of fish and bread for His disciples. \u00a0In addition, please see what Jesus said in\u00a0Matthew 7:9-11. \u00a0No,\u00a0Jesus was definitely not a vegetarian! \u00a0Is it\u00a0apparent, that the positions of the Bible and of the animal rights movement are at polar opposites?<\/p>\n Animal rights extremists have complete freedom to either believe and follow God\u2019s word in the Bible or not. \u00a0But to purposely twist, distort, and exploit the Bible for their extremist agenda is shameful and out of touch with God. They would do well to heed\u00a0Proverbs 30:5-6,\u00a0\u201cEvery word of God is pure; He is a shield to those who put their trust in Him. \u00a0Do not add to his words, lest He rebuke you and you be found a liar.<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n Have you ever heard of Jesus\u2019 parable of the prodigal son? \u00a0In Luke chapter 15\u00a0the fatted calf was killed\u00a0in great joy over the return of a spiritually lost son.<\/p>\n In\u00a0Matthew 6:26\u00a0and\u00a012:11-12\u00a0Jesus proclaims the special place of man in the heart of God by saying that we are much better than the animals. \u00a0After all, the animals were not created in the image of God, only we were. \u00a0This contradicts the notion that animals have equal or greater rights than man, as some proclaim.<\/p>\n Finally, I\u2019d like to balance things by remembering that God\u2019s creation was created good from the beginning for the use of man, but not the abuse. \u00a0To wantonly destroy God\u2019s created plants and animals would be a violation of the responsibility God gave us when we were given dominion over creation. We can understand more about God by seeing what He has made. \u00a0Please see\u00a0Romans 1:20. \u00a0Mankind is so fortunate to have been granted dominion over this beautiful tapestry of life. \u00a0To destroy it would be to deny future generations the ability to fully understand the greatness of God.<\/p>\n In\u00a0Proverbs 12:27, King Solomon said that the slothful man roasteth not that which he took in hunting, but the substance of a diligent man is precious. \u00a0I couldn\u2019t agree more. \u00a0Great care is taken in my household when taking the kill from the field to the kitchen.<\/p>\n In the same chapter of Proverbs in verse 10, Solomon made another observation, this time about those who own animals. \u00a0The wise king said, \u201cA righteous man regards the life of his animal, but the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n Psalms 104 should be mandatory reading for those who study nature. \u00a0Verse 24 says\u00a0\u201cO Lord, how manifold are Thy works! In wisdom hast Thou made them all, the earth is full of Thy riches.<\/em>\u201d\u00a0\u00a0Can you dispute that that pearl of wisdom? \u00a0The wise man in Ecclesiastes said there is a time to kill and a time to heal. \u00a0The poetic truth from God found in\u00a0Ecclesiastes 3:1-8\u00a0stresses moderation and balance in the world. \u00a0Extremism on either side of this important issue is out of step with God. \u00a0I for one want to stay in step with God when I teach my children to hunt, to respect nature, and to practice wise conservation. \u00a0That\u2019s not too much to ask of oneself. \u00a0After all, God is watching.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" by Darryl G. Treat (With special thanks to Jeff Hamilton and Dana Treat) Is it morally wrong to hunt, kill and eat animals? \u00a0Do you or someone you know believe that it is? \u00a0Some animal rights activists have even made the claim that Jesus was a vegetarian, and in order to show respect for God’s…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[27],"tags":[242,240,241,243,239],"class_list":["post-1026","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-article","tag-animal-rights","tag-diet","tag-food","tag-hunting","tag-vegetarianism"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":23221,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/why-dont-you-quote-noted-animal-rights-activists\/","url_meta":{"origin":1026,"position":0},"title":"Why don’t you quote noted animal rights activists?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"May 4, 2010","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Upon reading some of the content on your website (admittedly, not the majority, as it's quite voluminous), I focused primarily on the animal rights\u00a0content and the\u00a0Roman Catholic Church\u00a0Demonination\u00a0section. I am curious because, upon doing a search, I couldn't find any listings for Dr. Albert Schweitzer. His \"Reverence for Life\"\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":16024,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/im-not-against-eating-meat-i-oppose-the-cruel-treatment-of-animals\/","url_meta":{"origin":1026,"position":1},"title":"I’m not against eating meat, I oppose the cruel treatment of animals","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"August 10, 2008","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: I have read your article on\u00a0Animal Rights and the Bible and it was enlightening.\u00a0 I am a Vegan and animal rights activist.\u00a0 I am not against people eating meat, I wish they wouldn't, but that is their choice.\u00a0 What I and all activists are opposed to here is the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":31069,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/im-100-with-you-on-what-you-say-about-animal-rights\/","url_meta":{"origin":1026,"position":2},"title":"I’m 100% with you on what you say about animal rights","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"December 31, 2011","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: I've read what you've said about\u00a0animal rights\u00a0not being biblically correct, and I'm 100% with you on that. Sometimes it's very hard to hear people go on and on about animal rights. Animals are not people. Jesus mentioned in Matthew how we are worth more than the sparrows. Thank you\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":16290,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/so-the-bible-says-its-okay-to-kill-animals-eat-them-wear-their-skins-and-even-abuse-them\/","url_meta":{"origin":1026,"position":3},"title":"So the Bible says it’s okay to kill animals, eat them, wear their skins, and even abuse them?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"September 6, 2008","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: i waz reading the \"animalz rights and christianity\" page ,so the bible is saying that killing all animal's ,eating them ,wearing there skin ,and even if had abused 1 ,its okay? Answer: Typically I edit people's poor grammar and spelling so that their question comes across more clearly. However,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":21790,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/dont-big-companies-mistreat-animals\/","url_meta":{"origin":1026,"position":4},"title":"Don’t big companies mistreat animals?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"January 27, 2010","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: I read your article about\u00a0the Bible and animal rights, and I see that it is right on. Anyone with biblical knowledge knows it is. My problem is not with the use of animals for food or leather, etc, but with the unbiblical practices of big agriculture, which unduly confines,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":49855,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/the-article-on-animal-rights-is-pitiable\/","url_meta":{"origin":1026,"position":5},"title":"The article on animal rights is pitiable","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"February 7, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: [This note was left unedited since it offers critique of this website.] I'm shaking my head in pity because I feel such sorrow for the author of this\u00a0sadly poorly unjust literature. Cognitive rehab is available. I just want to let the author know Killing wildlife as a means of\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1026","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1026"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1026\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1026"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1026"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1026"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}