From: Rick_Granberry@pts.mot.com (Rick Granberry)
Newsgroups: soc.religion.christian
Subject: Re: Meat and the Bible
Date: 26 Jan 93 08:22:14 GMT
Reply-To: Rick_Granberry@pts.mot.com (Rick Granberry)
Organization: Paging, Wireless Data Group of Motorola, Inc.

In article <Jan.22.03.41.22.1993.5933@athos.rutgers.edu>, 
jlong@uhunix.uhcc.hawaii.edu (John Long) writes:
> ...
> Now that we know that "meat" == "food" [as far as the KJV Bible goes]
> What does the KJV Bible say about eating *animals*?
> 
The Bible does indeed speak to our eating of *animals*.  The first mention of 
meat is made in Genesis 1:29&30  but every example is of plants, both for man 
and for the animals .  The next mention is in Genesis 9:1-6 right after the 
flood.  In verse 2 God tells us that the animals (birds, etc.) will fear man, 
and Rinto your hand are they delivered.S  I think the reason is explained in 
verse 3, R Every moving thing that liveth shall be meat for you; even as the 
green herb have I given you all things.S  That strongly indicates that man 
(and animal) was vegetarian before then, but now is given flesh to eat also.  
Since this is God speaking, I take it very authoritarian, but the next 
portion was repeated by the council at Jerusalem regarding the Gentiles 
(which I do not take to be so authoritarian!)
> 
> Can a Christian eat meat? (I mean *flesh*, baby, bloody, carnal, *flesh*)
> 
The above pretty much answers the question, but it is important to more 
closely examine the word RbloodyS above.  Reading on in Genesis 9:4 it says 
RBut flesh with the life thereof, which is the blood thereof, shall ye not 
eat.S  Did you ever wonder why we drain the blood from meat and why the Jews 
codified their kosher rules?  Today we may also realize that meat (bodies) 
with blood in it spoils faster.  But that is not the reason God gave for his 
instruction, given in verses 5 & 6.  RAnd surely your blood of your lives 
will I require; at the hand of every beast will I require it, and at the hand 
of man; at the hand of every man's brother will I require the life of man.  
 6) Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the 
image of God made he man.S
   You can read a lot into this statement.  To the discussion at hand, the 
blood was holy because we are made in the image of God - IUm not sure I 
understand that, but I accept its clearly stated admonition.
   Then there are statements in this text about the sanctity of life, both 
animal and man!  The animals are RdeliveredS to us, Like in everything else 
we RpossessS, we are stewards of the animals.  It seems God will have an 
accounting of the beasts for killing man.  God reiterates his command not to 
kill (man), with a warning that he will require the life of man, or demand an 
accounting for the life of a man.  Some would state that this opens the door 
for capital punishment by His authority vested in government.

(: DonUt you all like spell checking documents with quotes from the KJV?? :)

|  Rick Granberry                          Phone (407) 364-2619 |
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|  I think we're all Bozos on this Bus!                uh, Clem |