Someone recently asked me if I enjoyed eating shellfish. I told them no and explained that I don't typically eat "scavenger of the sea" as I like to refer to crusteceans and mollusks. The conversation ended up in discussion of biblical dietary law and how it applies, from Adam and Eve down through history to our current times.
If you read Genesis, you realize that Adam and Eve were vegan as were all their descendents up until the flood. After the flood when God opened the ark to let Noah's family and the animals off, God told Noah that from that day forward they were allowed to eat both that which grew and also every moving thing would be food (Gen 9). That scripture has never changed my mind about eating shellfish or birds of prey though.
I've had a few conversations over the years with both vegans and vegetarians. It usually started with a v/v expounding of the virtues of their lifestyle choice and how healthy tofu is while encouraging me to join their ranks. I would try to be respectful of their choices, but oft times when rebuffed v/v would come unhinged, personally attack me, and become comtemptous.
What I came to understand was that there were a couple reasons for this. First, nearly everyone of these people were "new agers" or involved in other various forms of eastern mysticism. They absolutely were not basing their choices on anything biblical related, including their attitudes. Most viewed anything biblical in pure disdain. Second, most of them were actively involved in the green movement and animal rights (not to be confused with animal welfare). I came to see a pattern that went beyond just food issues. Food seemed to be only a symptom of something larger.
I don't really care what others eat, meat or not, and I wish others didn't care what I ate. It is a God given choice either way. In Romans 14:2-4, the apostle Paul admonishes the Romans, "One person has faith that he may eat all things, but he who is weak eats vegetables only. The one who eats is not to regard with contempt the one who does not eat, and the one who does not eat is not to judge the one who eats, for God has accepted him." If it is good enough for God, it is more than good enough for me.
4 comments:
Well you know I'm a vegetarian, not a vegan, and I do think we need to be more humane in how we process meat. Having said that, as someone with 60 years on the clock of eating that which won't eat me ( Melanie late sixties ) I really don't care what other folks ingest. I do eat cheese and drink milk ( which makes me burp ) and I think the methods of obtaining these could be improved.
I could sure point out a couple of vegan nut jobs for you though.....
Until something you said recently, I didn't know you were vegetarian. I'm very lactose intolerant myself though I do eat/drink small amounts of dairy products, and I'm not very fond of cooked eggs either but do eat occasionally. It pains me greatly that I can't eat as much ice cream as I want, and no frozen yogurt does not taste like ice cream.
No please don't introduce me to more vegans. I did get sweet revenge once on HSUS though, whom you know I don't like very well. They paid for a filet mignon dinner for me once in Las Vegas. I thought their entire group of about 6 people were going to turn green, but they were gracious. However, I make no apologies for my food choices.
Mass food production and processing is not always as humane as it could be. I don't argue that.
I'm going to keep eating meat. Nothing better than a steak right off the BBQ.
I get pissed off when I hear stories about the crazies trying to shut cattle ranching down. If I have to grow my own cow to get meat I will.
I doubt we will see a day when the animal rights groups will have enough clout to shut down the cattle industry.
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