{"id":20739,"date":"2009-11-03T20:09:00","date_gmt":"2009-11-04T02:09:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/?p=20739"},"modified":"2020-03-06T20:13:20","modified_gmt":"2020-03-07T02:13:20","slug":"shame-on-christians-who-think-god-ordained-that-they-should-eat-meat","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/shame-on-christians-who-think-god-ordained-that-they-should-eat-meat\/","title":{"rendered":"Shame on Christians who think God ordained that they should eat meat"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\t

Question:<\/h2>\n

To consume animals that begged for mercy in their own tongue is not conducive to manifesting the fruits of the spirit “as found in Galatians” in fact it is impossible to harm man or beast and still manifest\u00a0such fruit.<\/p>\n

Those who are not merciful will be denied mercy themselves Matthew 5<\/p>\n

Also, it is impossible for them to be followers of the Prince of peace, as they are not peaceable and are therefore cannot be the true children of God.\u00a0 Matthew 5<\/p>\n

In two thousand years, many Christians have not progressed in love and respect for life, if they believe that it is God-ordained that they should eat meat, then they will also be found adhering to the rest of the so-called divine commands of the Old Testament, bashing juvenile delinquents to death with bricks, buying slaves from the nations, and a multitude of other barbaric acts.<\/p>\n

In our attitude toward animals, most Christian denominations have not progressed in the compassion, pity, and mercy that they are very able to do, not in several thousand years instead they have buried their talent in the ground in this respect and have not made it grow.<\/p>\n

Shame on such proclaimed Christian denominations.<\/p>\n\t

Answer:<\/h2>\n

Despite the claim of higher moral ground, let’s examine what this person has actually said.<\/p>\n

First, he doesn’t believe the Bible is God’s word. Notice the use of the phrase “so-called divine commands of the Old Testament.” Even if he wishes to say that only the Old Testament isn’t inspired, he ignores who often Jesus, the apostles, and other writers of the New Testament quoted from the Old Testament to prove their points. When Paul said, “But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them, and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work<\/em>” (II Timothy 3:14-16), it is both the Old and New Testament which are from the mouth of God.<\/p>\n

Second, he thinks that only the Old Testament allows the eating of meat. It is true that the Old Testament is so clear that eating meat is allowed by God that people like this man are unable to deny what is said, so they are forced to deny its authority. “Every moving thing that lives shall be food for you. I have given you all things, even as the green herbs<\/em>” (Genesis 9:3). But more importantly, he ignores the fact that Jesus did eat meat and even told the disciples to slaughter a lamb for the Passover meal (see “Did Jesus Eat Meat?<\/a>“). They also choose to ignore the fact that Paul said that God gave men animals to eat. “For 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<\/em>” (I Timothy 4:4-5). To teach otherwise is a doctrine of demons (I Timothy 4:1-3).<\/p>\n

The core problem is that he believes that animals are equivalent to men. Yet the Bible teaches that only mankind was made in the image of God (Genesis 1:24-28). Men have an obligation to treat the animals under their care with kindness, but the fault in his logic is to assume that this kindness means not using animals for food.<\/p>\n

While he alludes to phrases from the Scriptures, notice that in every aspect he pulls them out of context making them apply in ways that the original speaker did not believe. He truly doesn’t understand what it means to be a Christian because he is focused on his own man-made ideals. “Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless; and consider that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation — as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, has written to you, as also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand,\u00a0which untaught and unstable people twist to their own destruction, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures<\/strong><\/em>” (II Peter 3:14-16). Because others point out that his logic is flawed and that he isn’t righteous in his false stand, he deludes himself with claims that his ideals are higher than God’s. He believes that because others don’t accept his thoughts, then they are barbaric.<\/p>\n

I would much rather follow the Creator than such delusional people.<\/p>\n

“Seek the LORD while He may be found, call upon Him while He is near. Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the LORD, and He will have mercy on him; and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon. For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,” says the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts. For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven, and do not return there, but water the earth, and make it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; it shall not return to Me void, but it shall accomplish what I please, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it<\/em>” (Isaiah 55:6-11).<\/p><\/blockquote>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Question: To consume animals that begged for mercy in their own tongue is not conducive to manifesting the fruits of the spirit “as found in Galatians” in fact it is impossible to harm man or beast and still manifest\u00a0such fruit. Those who are not merciful will be denied mercy themselves Matthew 5 Also, it is…<\/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,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[20],"tags":[242,240,239],"class_list":["post-20739","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-answer","tag-animal-rights","tag-diet","tag-vegetarianism"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":20541,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/how-far-should-a-christian-go-in-making-sure-meat-was-properly-prepared\/","url_meta":{"origin":20739,"position":0},"title":"How far should a Christian go in making sure meat was properly prepared?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"October 19, 2009","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: How far does God expect Christians to go in determining if meat has been properly prepared for consumption (i.e. the blood has been drained and the animal has not been strangled)?\u00a0 I know that I Corinthians 10:25-31 talks about not asking questions for (the other person's) conscience' sake, but\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":2549,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/im-offended-that-you-defend-eating-meat\/","url_meta":{"origin":20739,"position":1},"title":"I’m offended that you defend eating meat","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"February 13, 2005","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: I would just like to say that I am a Christian and a vegetarian.\u00a0 I was kind of offended by your defending of eating meat.\u00a0 You made it sound like\u00a0anyone\u00a0who doesn\u2019t eat meat is ridiculous.\u00a0 And your implication that vegetarianism is a departure from Christianity is very wrong and\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":13308,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/is-it-a-sin-not-to-eat-meat\/","url_meta":{"origin":20739,"position":2},"title":"Is it a sin not to eat meat?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"November 20, 2007","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: I am a vegetarian, I am also Catholic. I read a page on your web site:\u00a0Did Jesus Eat Meat? This subject has always been a struggle for me. My question to you is: Would you agree that when we are judged will we also be judged upon our merits\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":1023,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/isnt-vegetarianism-the-ideal-for-man\/","url_meta":{"origin":20739,"position":3},"title":"Isn’t vegetarianism the ideal for man?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"March 15, 2004","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Hello. I recently read your article and was very intrigued at your points of view. I would like for you to address two points for me: First of all, the Lord's prayer says, \"on earth as it is in heaven.\" The Garden of Eden was the perfect creation. There\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":58574,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/on-offending-others\/","url_meta":{"origin":20739,"position":4},"title":"On Offending Others","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"January 29, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"by Jefferson David Tant Did you ever offend someone? Have you ever been offended? I am quite sure we can all answer \"Yes\" to both of those questions. And while it should never be our intent to offend others, we know it does happen. Sometimes it is done unintentionally, while\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":21343,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/isnt-the-only-reason-god-allowed-noah-to-eat-meat-was-because-it-was-convenient\/","url_meta":{"origin":20739,"position":5},"title":"Isn’t the only reason God allowed Noah to eat meat was because it was convenient?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"December 16, 2009","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: I came across your article when\u00a0doing research in the bible and trying to find an answer in why is the world so evil. Interestingly man is of course evil as it is evil to animals. No other animal on the planet will use another in the same way. 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