Vegetarianism & Christianity

Hello everyone,

I was wondering if it was okay to be vegetarian and Christian. I have heard mixed arguments, and read verses in the Bible. I honestly feel very bad eating animals, and that the way they are killed in factory farming is inhumaine, but I would like to do what God advises. I have also read verses for and against this in the Bible. I am not looking for any mean, or overly opinionated answers. I am not saying if it is right or not, I would just like to hear some honest, good opinions please. Thank you all very much for your guidance, and kind advice. God Bless!

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"Every saint has a past, every sinner has a future. The truth will set you free."
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I see no Biblical injunction against choosing not to eat meat.

I also see none against eating meat.

Doesn't matter, do whatever floats your boat.

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I am a Christian vegetarian and recommend it to everyone! I chose to go vegetarian to see how my body would feel without animal fat. Long story short, I feel much better overall. I also cut out processed foods and Corn Syrup.

We as Christians should take care of our bodies more. Both our soul and our physical bodies have been bought and paid for by the precious blood of Christ. Being gluttonous and eating 2-3 times our recommended daily caloric intake is not honoring our bodies and subsequently dishonoring the temple of the Holy Spirit.

There is not a Biblical mandate for or against eating meat. It's up to the individual. Do as you please, but remember, whether you eat or drink, do it to the glory of God.

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For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. Romans 1:16

There is no mandate from the bible that we do or do not eat meat. If you feel so inclined to be a veggisaurus, more meat for the carnivorous among us I say.

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Ephesians 2:8-9
For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.

Romans 14

The Weak and the Strong

1Accept him whose faith is weak, without passing judgment on disputable matters. 2One man's faith allows him to eat everything, but another man, whose faith is weak, eats only vegetables. 3The man who eats everything must not look down on him who does not, and the man who does not eat everything must not condemn the man who does, for God has accepted him. 4Who are you to judge someone else's servant? To his own master he stands or falls. And he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand.

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If I do not respond in a timely manor to your post, I invite you to send me a PM or a E/M to remind me of your situation. I'm having a hard time keeping up with everyone, and sometimes the squeakiest wheel gets the grease.

I recently did some research on our diets and the effect that our excessive "lust of the flesh" has on the world food supply and the environment.

• Pounds of edible product that can be produced on an acre of prime land: Apples 20,000; Carrots 30,000; Potatoes 40,000; Tomatoes 50,000; Beef 250
• The number of gallons of water needed to produce one pound of edible product: Apples 49; Carrots 33; Potatoes 24; Tomatoes 23; Beef 2,500

Resources used in the production of livestock:

• 33% of world’s fish catch
  
• 38% of the world’s grain harvest
  
• 50% of all the water used in the US
  
• 60% of Brazil’s grain harvest
  
• 70% of US grain harvest
  
• 80% of US corn harvest
  
• Almost half of all energy expended in US agriculture

• The drinking water in nearly every midwestern city south of Chicago is contaminated with agricultural weed killers.
• Meat, poultry and dairy products contain the major source of pesticide residues in the western diet.
• 95% of human exposure to the potent carcinogen dioxin comes from consuming meat, poultry and dairy.
• The EPA issued more than 1,000 warnings against eating fish from chemically-contaminated waters in 1994.
• Nearly half of all fish sampled by Consumers Union was contaminated with bacterial from human or animal feces.
• 99% of US non-vegetarian mothers’ milk has significant levels of DDT.
• Only 8% of US vegetarian mothers’ milk has significant levels of DDT.

• 5 million children in the US go hungry every month.
• Approximately 40,000 people die each day worldwide due to hunger or hunger-related causes.
• If Americans reduced their intake of meat by merely 10%, 100,000,000 people could be fed using the land, water and energy that would be freed up from growing livestock feed.
• 10 billion people could be sustained from present croplands if all ate a vegetarian diet.
• If everyone in the world cut their meat consumption to reduce their fat intake to the 30% level, there would be enough grain to feed the world’s population increases through the year 2000 (to present).

EarthSave International

The Sheep and the Goats

Matthew 25:31"When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. 32All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. 34"Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.'
37"Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?'
40"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'
41"Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, 43I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.'
44"They also will answer, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?'
45"He will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.'
46"Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life."
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/...25&version=NIV


FOOD FOR THOUGHT!

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"Many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but those who stand firm to the end will be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come. (Matthew 24:10-14)

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It falls in the category of something we are free to adopt or reject for ourselves without condemning those who differ.

John
NZ

Just one thing...make sure when you make the switch to vegetarian to get enough vegetables that contain protein in it. My friend made the switch and went very sick when her body was depleted of protein...just read up on it and ensure that you get vegetable substitutes for the things that are in meat (eg iron, protein, salts etc).

Other than that, I think that vegetarianism is very healthy and the Bible says your body is a temple...so keep it healthy . I personally just enjoy the taste of meat too much to give it up

Oh yes, be4 I forget...this actually goes for every1...try to get free range veggies (ones that arent filled with hormones etc). They tend to taste better and those added hormones arent in it, so it's incredibly healthy too

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I celebrate my religion. I dont mourn it
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Of course, in fact people were initially vegetarians... just as long as you don't condemn meat eaters on a spiritual basis. We have the freedom to eat as we choose.