Vegetarianism and Religion.

[LlamaLlamaDuck]

So I have a question for everyone based on something I read a while ago.
Basically it was a story somewhere about a girl who was discussing quorn (or tofu or whatever it is) options with her father in a supermarket when a passing lady heard their conversation and instantly told them that they were going to Hell because not eating meat was against (the Christian) God.
I know some religions say that some animals may/may not be consumed, others don't allow it at all.

What do you guys think?
Is it "against God" not to eat meat?
Is the purpose of animals just to be eaten and nothing else?
Do you think that the fact Jesus, if he did exist, consumed animal products means that by not doing so, all Christians are condemned to punishment for not following his example?

Give me your opinions, I'm insanely curious.

[Kitty.]

It is not a sin to be a vegetarian. I am a Christian and I am a vegetarian.
God gave us meat to eat but He never said it was a sin if you don't eat it.
It is a personal choice.

[VampirePrincess]

That's a little weird. There may be a religion that requires you to eat meat, and perhaps that is the religion that lady is in. Still...why would you even say that to someone? Lol.

I'm 100% for choice, so obviously I feel people have a right to choose if they eat meat or not, and they shouldn't be punished for their decision. I actually think it's more sinful to eat meat than to not, if we really get down to that, but I don't actually view people's choices of food as sinful at all.

[MadPoet]

I've actually never heard this kind of thing before. xD I don't believe it's sinful to eat meat. And I think that lady was totally out of line telling someone they were going to Hell over something so stupid.

[ALLorNOTHINGforCHRIST]

It is not a sin; however he did put it there for us to eat but I believe it is a choice. As for rather that is all they were placed here for no we are to take good care of the Earth and all in it. Although, we can eat the animals we should not wipe them out. This means by eating OR other means.

[John 6:29]

No. It's not against God, and I'll show you why in a second. But first let me clarify the law.

The Law:
From my understanding, the Levitical law prohibited certain kinds of meats because God was trying to protect His people from unclean animals. Things that carried diseases, etc. When Christ died on the cross, we were set free from the law of commandments expressed in ordinances. This is because Christ abolished the hostility of man and God in His flesh (Ephesians 2:15). The only "law" we abide by, is a new law, considered, "The Law of Christ" (Galatians 6:2). Therefore, the laws that essentially passed over from the Old Testament, are the ones which Paul, and other Apostles, exhort to refrain from. Things such as adultery, thievery, murder, etc. The reason being is because the "Law of Christ" is summed up in two commandments. 1) Love the Lord your God will all your heart, soul, mind, and strength 2) Love your neighbor as yourself. This is what Jesus, who claimed to be God (and was God in the flesh), said for us to do. Later, in the Epistles, the Apostles write that all the Law is summed up by loving your neighbor as yourself.

Regarding Meat:
In Acts 10:9-16, Peter has a vision where a sheet bound at the four corners descending to him on the earth. Inside the sheet were, "All kinds of four-footed animals, wild beast, creeping things, and birds of the air." Then Peter heard a voice that said, "Rise, Peter, kill and eat." But Peter said, "Not so, Lord! For I have never eaten anything common or unclean." The voice spoke again and said, "What God has cleansed you must not call common." It's explained that the Lord justified eating all kinds of meat through this vision.

In fact, later in the Epistles, it's even noted that in the end times, people will try to keep people from eating meats, things that God called good. Which is essentially what's going on today.

However, Paul noted that he was free, but when he was among people such as Jews, he would live as Jew in order to win people to Christ. It's also noted in the Bible that a certain man's faith may allow him to eat anything, while other man's may not allow him to eat certain foods. But both are to eat with thanksgiving. The man's faith who doesn't allow him to eat meat is not to condemn the man who eats meat, and the man who eat's meat is not to look down on the man who does not eat meat, because God has allotted different measures of faith. Therefore, we are to do what we do in private in order not to allow another to stumble.

[OMFG!You'reActuallySmart!]

In the bible, the Apostles were told to eat bread as a representation of Christ's body. So she may have considered it a sin because in no way did you want to eat meat of any form (i.e. considered you a non-believer and spewed nonsense). If anything, not eating bread would be more sinful because that was the actual representation. I've never heard nor seen any Christian condemn another person for this though, so I'm hoping she was just joking. If not, she's the type of Christian who condemns people for whatever mindless stuff. Either way, she was a moron.

Some of the Abrahamic religions discourage eating certain meats because the animals were quite unclean or not cooked properly, so many people became ill and died. From there, some of religions state to not eat that animal. In Christianity, there are some traditions where one a certain day, you shouldn't eat meat or a certain meat, although eating fish is fine. But even then, it's a tradition and not sure if according to the bible it'll lead to being condemned.

[Megan1]

I don't think that either way is wrong. I know that eating animals isn't wrong because Jesus did it....But I don't think it's wrong to be a vegetarian either and I completely understand why someone would. It's a personal choice.

[off to a new life]

My Catholic step-mother has told me multiple times how I'm disappointing God by being a vegetarian. She's never said it's a sin, but she thinks it's bad anyway. I just think that's silly! (but I'm not religious)

[FeistRawr]

I'm a vegetarian (and I would be a vegan if my family would support me), and my super religious bigoted grandmother always tells me that God put animals on earth for us to eat. Yeah, because we're meant to eat lizards and flies and all that other great stuff:/ If there is a god and a hell, wouldn't he send people to hell for like... murder? Or rape? I don't think not eating meat would be such a big deal in His eyes.

[OMFG!You'reActuallySmart!]

Originally Posted by helvetica

If there is a god and a hell, wouldn't he send people to hell for like... murder? Or rape? I don't think not eating meat would be such a big deal in His eyes.

I'm pretty sure the gods of the Abrahamic faiths do that already but even then it's not always justified I think, such as someone killing another in an act of self-defense. It'd be considered manslaughter but that's a type of murder. He may send people to hell for not killing and not raping, such as when he demands it to be done and if someone (i.e. follower of him) decides not to. I think that person would get punished in some way, maybe going to hell or not.

[Bean]

Some people claim that Jesus was vegetarian himself (sorry, I don't have any sources atm). I'm confused as to how it would be 'against god' to be a vegetarian. What about people who try not to eat vegetables? Did the god not put those there for people to eat too? And the Ten Commandments.. is 'thou shalt not kill' not applicable to any other species besides humans?

[Anonymity]

I'm an Atheist, and I haven't read the Bible, but I have heard that the Bible says Noah was the first human being to consume animal flesh. I doubt that everyone up until Noah would be damned.

[OMFG!You'reActuallySmart!]

Originally Posted by Bean

Some people claim that Jesus was vegetarian himself (sorry, I don't have any sources atm). I'm confused as to how it would be 'against god' to be a vegetarian. What about people who try not to eat vegetables? Did the god not put those there for people to eat too? And the Ten Commandments.. is 'thou shalt not kill' not applicable to any other species besides humans?

The "thou shalt not kill" is what's taught now in the New Testament. In the Old Testament, it was the same except it added on "without reason". So it allowed killing of animals for food because somehow people have to eat. Newer versions cut out the "without reason". But that aside, you've got to consider the norms and practices of when it was written. Humans were higher than animals and didn't care too much about killing animals. Killing a bunch of animals for the fun of it I guess was frowned upon at the time because it's a waste of food. It'd only be done sometimes when parts of the bible commanded that communities be overthrown, men killed, woman and children killed/raped/made slaves and the farm animals killed so as to wipe out the entire community and pound it into the ground. So to answer your question, the Ten Commandments are meant for humans.

[Spirit.]

Well, to be perfectly honest, each religion has it's own beliefs.
However, facts remain that humans weren't exactly made to eat meat. I say that, being non-vegetarian myself, though!
Our teeth weren't made to chew meat, nor was our digestive system. Our alimentary canal is very long and food, especially meat, takes a very long time to digest as compared to carnivores, who digest food very quickly. So that basically means, the meat might rot in our system, because it stays there for so long (I'm not trying to paint the wrong picture, just saying!).
But religiously, I'm not supposed to eat meant. Well, I don't eat beef, coz they're really against it, being Hindu.
An do, I don't think it's against God to eat meat, but then again, what are veggies for? So you can argue both sides and could go on forever...but I guess more than anything, it's what you choose and believe...?

[John 6:29]

The command in Deutoronomy is a primitive root which means, "too dash to pieces," it's meaning is to kill another human, to slay, esp. by murder. The command is better translated, "Thou shall not murder," not kill.

The command: "Thou shall not kill," is better translated, "Thou shall not murder."

In certain cases it's even used as, "slayer," "manslayer," "murderer."

So the command is simply not to murder human beings. Hebrews weren't vegetarians, they were just restricted from certain meats. In fact, when they sacrificed animals, I believe, they even ate their sacrifices. I could be mistaken.

[emma01]

I am not religious at all, but for someone to say that to a complete random is totally over the top, it is so not a 'sin' to be a vegetarian, god gave us food to eat, does that mean people with EDs are sinning because they dont eat? Lol this is one of the silliest things I have ever heard!