1 / 22 Was Vegetarianism Intended by the Judaeo-Christian God? This study seeks to determine whether the Judaeo- Christian God of the Bible, intended. and therefore, require Christians to follow a vegetarian diet , since that is the view of ‘James Bean’ (Bean, 2020) and the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA, n.d.a). This study does NOT seek to determine whether vegetarianism is healthy, unhealthy, good, or bad . The purpose of this study is exclusively to determine whether being a Christian necessitates vegetarianism From a theological perspective, it is true, that God originally intended a vegetarian diet for both humans and animals . (Gen. 1v29-30) That, however, was before the Fall . (Gen. 2-3) Right after the Fall , God himself presumably slaughtered some animals to provide Adam and Eve with coats of skin (Gen. 3v21). In the very next chapter, God rejected Cain’s offering of fruit, in favour of Abel’s meat offering . (Gen. 4v1-7) 2 / 22 And so, God continued, throughout the Old Covenant, to demand animal sacrifice . (Ex. 20v24; Lev. 1v3, v10-17. 3v1-9, 5v5- 10, 7v15-21, 7v37, 8v21, 9v4, v17- 18 , 22v21 , 23v19, v37; Num. 6v17, 7v17 , v23 , v29 , v35 , v41 , v47 , v53 , v59 , v65 , v71 , v83 , v88 , 15v3-5, 28v8, v13, v19, v24, 29v6, v13, v36; Deut. 15v21 , 16v2, 17v1, 18v3; 1 Sam. 16v2; 2 Sam. 24v22; 1 Kgs. 8v63 ; 2 Chron. 7v5 ; Is. 34v6 | Heschmeyer, 2015) 3 / 22 And on occasion demanded the utter destruction of animals – even punishing those who ignored His command . (1 Sam. 15v15-22) He then continued, throughout both the Old and New Covenants, to condone the eating of meat (Lev. 7v15-21; Deut. 18v3-8; Rom. 14v15-20; 1 Cor. 8v8-13), including oxen (Deut. 18v3- 8), sheep (Deut. 18v3-8), beetles (Lev. 11v22), grasshoppers (Lev. 11v22; Mt. 3v4), and locusts (Lev. 11v22). Jesus of Nazareth (5-30 AD) himself, did not only condone fishing, but also ate fish (Lk. 24v41-43; Jn. 21v5-13) and fed fish to others (Mt. 8v1-9, 15v32-38; Lk. 9v12-17 ), as an example for Christians to follow (Mt. 16v24, 19v28; Jn. 13v15; 1 Cor. 11v1; 1 Pt. 2v21) [WWJD] 4 / 22 John the Baptist ate locusts . (Mt. 3v4) The apostle Paul of Tarsus (5-67 AD) himself, ate meat (Acts 9v19, 16v34, 27v33-36), as an example for Christians to follow (Philip. 3v17; 1 Cor. 11v1; 2 Thess. 3v9). And when a dietary dispute arose at the Church of Rome, it was also the apostle Paul of Tarsus (5-67 AD) who in Romans chapter 14 verses 1 to 4 exhorted them to “Welcome those who are weak in faith, but not for the purpose of quarreling over opinions. Some believe in eating anything, while the weak eat only vegetables Those who eat must not despise those who abstain, and those who abstain must not pass judgment on those who eat ; for God has welcomed them . Who are you to pass judgment on servants of another? It is before their own lord that they stand or fall. And they will be upheld, for the Lord is able to make them stand.” (NRSV) Therefore, “ Let no man therefore judge you in meat , or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days:” (Col. 2v16) 5 / 22 Objections & Responses Herewith my response to the objections of the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), PETA Lambs, ‘James Bean’ , and others. Jesus Opposed Animal Sacrifice According to Mr Bean, “Jesus was a vegetarian” (Bean, 2020), because: “ Jesus opposed animal sacrifice in the temple , which preceded the consumption of animals .” - James Bean in a Tweet (Bean, 2020) That is FALSE Jesus did not “oppose animal sacrifice in the temple” (Bean, 2020), nor was it because said sacrifices “preceded the consumption of animals.” (Bean, 2020). 6 / 22 If Jesus opposed animal sacrifice, he would be directly contradicting his father who instituted animal sacrifice (Ex. 20v24; Lev. 1v3, v10-17. 3v1-9, 5v5-10, 7v15-21, 7v37, 8v21, 9v4, v17- 18, 22v21, 23v19, v37; Num. 6v17, 7v17, v23, v29, v35, v41, v47, v53, v59, v65, v71, v83, v88, 15v3-5, 28v8, v13, v19, v24, 29v6, v13, v36; Deut. 15v21, 16v2, 17v1, 18v3; 1 Sam. 15v15-22, 16v2; 2 Sam. 24v22; 1 Kgs. 8v63; 2 Chron. 7v5; Is. 34v6 | Heschmeyer, 2015), and that while he himself condoned fishing and the consumption of fish (Lk. 24v41-43; Jn. 21v5-13). The reason why Jesus expelled the merchants and the money changers from the Temple at Jerusalem (Mt. 21v12-17, Mk. 11v15-19, Lk. 19v45-48) was because they exploited the poor (Wikipedia, n.d.e) Marvin L. Krier Mich observes that a good deal of money was stored at the temple, where it could be loaned by the wealthy to the poor who were in danger of losing their land to debt. The Temple establishment therefore co-operated with the aristocracy in the exploitation of the poor 1 One of the first acts of the First Jewish-Roman War was the burning of the debt records in the archives. (Mich, 2011) Jesus Was Merciful and Compassionate According to PETA and Mr Bean, “Jesus was a vegetarian” (Bean, 2020), because: “ Jesus counsels mercy and compassion, which are the opposites of torturing, killing, and eating God’s creatures .” - James Bean in a Tweet (Bean, 2020), and 7 / 22 “ Jesus’ message is one of love and compassion, and there is nothing loving or compassionate about factory farms and slaughterhouses, where billions of animals live miserable lives and die violent, bloody deaths. Jesus mandates kindness, mercy, compassion, and love for all God’s creation. He would be appalled by the suffering that we inflict on animals just to indulge our acquired taste for their flesh.” - PETA, “Was Jesus really a vegetarian?” (PETA, n.d.a) IF , torturing, killing, and eating creatures are inhumane and heartless, God and Jesus are inhumane and heartless, since: One God himself instituted animal sacrifice . (Ex. 20v24; Lev. 1v3, v10-17. 3v1-9, 5v5-10, 7v15-21, 7v37, 8v21, 9v4, v17-18, 22v21, 23v19, v37; Num. 6v17, 7v17, v23, v29, v35, v41, v47, v53, v59, v65, v71, v83, v88, 15v3-5, 28v8, v13, v19, v24, 29v6, v13, v36; Deut. 15v21, 16v2, 17v1, 18v3; 1 Sam. 15v15-22, 16v2; 2 Sam. 24v22; 1 Kgs. 8v63; 2 Chron. 7v5; Is. 34v6 | Heschmeyer, 2015) Two Jesus condoned fishing and the consumption of fish (Lk. 24v41-43; Jn. 21v5-13) Three . According to the Jewish Tanakh (Christian Old Testament), God had no compunction in ordering the sleighing of a variety of animals, including lambs (Ex. 12v1- 21; Lev. 3v7-11, 5v5-10), sheep (Lev. 1v1-17), bullocks (Ex. 29v10-23), goats (Lev. 1v1-17, 3v12-15, 5v5- 10), roebuck (Deut. 12v15), turtle doves (Lev. 5v5- 8 / 22 10), pigeons (Lev. 5v5-10 | Heschmeyer, 2015), and other birds (Lev. 1v1-17). Four . According to the Jewish Tanakh (Christian Old Testament), God also had no compunction in ordering the sleighing and torturous enslavement of thousands of people (Ex. 21v7-11, v20-21, v26; Lev. 25v44-46; Num. 31v1-18; Deut. 13v6-10) So much for his ‘mercy’ and ‘compassion’ Five According to the Christian New Testament, God and Jesus will be torturing and killing millions of humans, following Jesus’ Second Coming . (Mt. 5v22-30, 11v28, 18v9; Mk. 9v43-47; Lk. 16v19-31; Rev. 20) There is nothing loving or compassionate about torture in hell-fire. Jesus’ Multiplication Miracle Did NOT Include Fish According to Mr Bean, “Jesus was a vegetarian” (Bean, 2020), because: “ The multiplication miracle did NOT include fish . The fish in the story are symbolic of Christians, the multiplication a sign of the burgeoning church.” - James Bean in a Tweet (Bean, 2020) The “multiplication miracle” Mr Bean is referring to was recorded in Matthew chapter 14 verses 15 to 21, Mark chapter 6 verses 35 to 44, and Luke chapter 9 verses 12 to 17 The 1611 King James Version of Matthew chapter 14 verses 15 to 21 reads: “ And when it was evening, his disciples came to him, saying, This is a desert place, and the time is now past; send the multitude away, that they may go into the villages, and buy 9 / 22 themselves victuals. But Jesus said unto them, They need not depart; give ye them to eat. And they say unto him, We have here but five loaves, and two fishes . He said, Bring them hither to me. And he commanded the multitude to sit down on the grass, and took the five loaves, and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, he blessed, and brake, and gave the loaves to his disciples, and the disciples to the multitude. And they did all eat, and were filled : and they took up of the fragments that remained twelve baskets full. And they that had eaten were about five thousand men, beside women and children.” The 1611 King James Version of Mark chapter 6 verses 35 to 44 reads: “ And when the day was now far spent, his disciples came unto him, and said, This is a desert place, and now the time is far passed: Send them away, that they may go into the country round about, and into the villages, and buy themselves bread: for they have nothing to eat. He answered and said unto them, Give ye them to eat. And they say unto him, Shall we go and buy two hundred pennyworth of bread, and give them to eat? He saith unto them, How many loaves have ye? go and see. And when they knew, they say, Five, and two fishes . And he commanded them to make all sit down by companies upon the green grass. And they sat down in ranks, by hundreds, and by fifties. And when he had taken the five loaves and the two fishes, he looked up to heaven, and blessed, and brake the loaves, and gave them to his disciples to set before them; and the two fishes divided he among them all. And they did all eat, and were filled . And they took up twelve baskets full of the 10 / 22 fragments, and of the fishes. And they that did eat of the loaves were about five thousand men.” The 1611 King James Version of Luke chapter 9 verses 12 to 17 reads: “ And when the day began to wear away, then came the twelve, and said unto him, Send the multitude away, that they may go into the towns and country round about, and lodge, and get victuals: for we are here in a desert place. But he said unto them, Give ye them to eat. And they said, We have no more but five loaves and two fishes ; except we should go and buy meat for all this people. For they were about five thousand men. And he said to his disciples, Make them sit down by fifties in a company. And they did so, and made them all sit down. Then he took the five loaves and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, he blessed them, and brake, and gave to the disciples to set before the multitude. And they did eat, and were all filled : and there was taken up of fragments that remained to them twelve baskets.” 11 / 22 It is very clear from all three accounts, that the two fishes were handed to Jesus along with the five loaves of bread, all of which were divided among the people and eaten . (Mk. 6v41) IF Jesus’ multiplication miracle were merely “symbolic” , nothing about it would be “miraculous” PETA and Bean’s attempt to pass this off as merely “symbolic” is deceptive at best. Jesus was a ‘Good Shepherd’ NOT a ‘Bloody Butcher’ According to Mr Bean, “Jesus was a vegetarian” (Bean, 2020), because: “ Jesus was a ‘good shepherd’ not a bloody butcher .” - James Bean in a Tweet (Bean, 2020) Well, as I have already demonstrated, Jesus was indeed “a bloody butcher” 12 / 22 ‘Many’ Biblical Scholars Believe that Jesus was a Vegetarian According to PETA, “ Many biblical scholars believe that Jesus was a vegetarian .” (PETA, n.d.a) One . Many biblical scholars, including “many Christians in South Africa” (Mail & Guardian, 2000) also believe the earth is flat. The mere fact that “many people believe” something does not make it true Two I would appreciate a list of these “many biblical scholars” since I could only find a handful. Three Most biblical scholars believe that Jesus was omnivorous , since that is what the Bible says God only Allowed for the Sacrifice of ‘Sickly’ Animals Some of my critics objected that the God of the Bible only allowed for the sacrifice of sickly animals. That is FALSE In fact, God demanded exactly the opposite , namely that those animals which were to be offered must “be perfect” (Lev. 22v21) and “without blemish” (Lev. 1v3, v10-17, 3v1-9, 22v21; Deut. 15v21, 17v1) In other words, “ if there be any blemish therein, as if it be lame, or blind, or have any ill blemish , thou shalt not sacrifice it unto the Lord thy God .” (Deut. 15v21, KJV) 13 / 22 God only Allowed for Animal Sacrifice but NOT Animal Consumption Some of my critics objected that the God of the Bible only allowed for animal sacrifice not their consumption. That is FALSE In fact, God’s people were instructed to eat their peace offerings and voluntary offerings ( Lev. 7v15-21), and to give “the priest the shoulder, and the two cheeks, and the maw” of their sacrifices as “portions to eat” (Deut. 18v3-8 ) Frequently Asked Questions Herewith some answers to the usual questions. Can you be both, a Christian and a Vegetarian? The answer would depend on your reason for vegetarianism. IF you are a vegetarian for “moral reasons” , you cannot also be a Christian , since your reason for vegetarianism would effectively condemn God, Jesus, and his people throughout the old and new testaments as “immoral” . Be a Christian, or be a vegetarian – just don’t be a hypocrite IF you are a vegetarian for “health reasons” , you cannot be a Christian , since contrary to popular belief, there is currently no conclusive evidence, that a vegetarian diet is any healthier than an omnivorous one , and God seems to think eating meat is good . (Mt. 14v15-21; Mk. 6v35-44; Lk. 9v12-17, 24v41-43; Jn. 21V5-13) Be a Christian, or be a vegetarian – just don’t be a hypocrite 14 / 22 P roof-Texts and Cross-References GENESIS CHAPTER 3 VERSE 21 “Also for Adam and his wife the Lord God made tunics of skin , and clothed them .” [New King James Version] GENESIS CHAPTER 4 VERSES 1 TO 7 “And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain, and said, I have gotten a man from the Lord. And she again bare his brother Abel. And Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground . And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the Lord . And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof . And the Lord had respect unto Abel and to his offering: But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect . And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell. And the Lord said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen? If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door . And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him.” [1611 King James Version] EXODUS CHAPTER 20 VERSE 24 “ An altar of earth thou shalt make unto me , and shalt sacrifice thereon thy burnt offerings, and thy peace offerings , thy sheep, and thine oxen : in all places where I record my name I will come unto thee, and I will bless thee.” [1611 King James Version] LEVITICUS CHAPTER 1 VERSE 3 15 / 22 “If his offering be a burnt sacrifice of the herd, let him offer a male without blemish : he shall offer it of his own voluntary will at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation before the Lord.” [1611 King James Version] LEVITICUS CHAPTER 1 VERSES 10 TO 17 “And if his offering be of the flocks, namely, of the sheep, or of the goats, for a burnt sacrifice ; he shall bring it a male without blemish . And he shall kill it on the side of the altar northward before the Lord: and the priests, Aaron's sons, shall sprinkle his blood round about upon the altar. And he shall cut it into his pieces, with his head and his fat : and the priest shall lay them in order on the wood that is on the fire which is upon the altar: But he shall wash the inwards and the legs with water: and the priest shall bring it all, and burn it upon the altar : it is a burnt sacrifice, an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the Lord. And if the burnt sacrifice for his offering to the Lord be of fowls, then he shall bring his offering of turtledoves, or of young pigeons . And the priest shall bring it unto the altar, and wring off his head , and burn it on the altar; and the blood thereof shall be wrung out at the side of the altar: And he shall pluck away his crop with his feathers , and cast it beside the altar on the east part, by the place of the ashes: And he shall cleave it with the wings thereof, but shall not divide it asunder: and the priest shall burn it upon the altar, upon the wood that is upon the fire: it is a burnt sacrifice, an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the Lord.” [1611 King James Version] LEVITICUS CHAPTER 3 VERSES 1 TO 9 16 / 22 “And if his oblation be a sacrifice of peace offering, if he offer it of the herd; whether it be a male or female , he shall offer it without blemish before the Lord. And he shall lay his hand upon the head of his offering, and kill it at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation : and Aaron's sons the priests shall sprinkle the blood upon the altar round about. And he shall offer of the sacrifice of the peace offering an offering made by fire unto the Lord; the fat that covereth the inwards, and all the fat that is upon the inwards, And the two kidneys, and the fat that is on them, which is by the flanks, and the caul above the liver, with the kidneys, it shall he take away . And Aaron's sons shall burn it on the altar upon the burnt sacrifice, which is upon the wood that is on the fire: it is an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the Lord. And if his offering for a sacrifice of peace offering unto the Lord be of the flock; male or female , he shall offer it without blemish If he offer a lamb for his offering , then shall he offer it before the Lord. And he shall lay his hand upon the head of his offering, and kill it before the tabernacle of the congregation : and Aaron's sons shall sprinkle the blood thereof round about upon the altar. And he shall offer of the sacrifice of the peace offering an offering made by fire unto the Lord; the fat thereof, and the whole rump, it shall he take off hard by the backbone; and the fat that covereth the inwards, and all the fat that is upon the inwards ,...” [1611 King James Version] LEVITICUS CHAPTER 5 VERSE 5 TO 10 “And it shall be, when he shall be guilty in one of these things, that he shall confess that he hath sinned in that thing: 17 / 22 And he shall bring his trespass offering unto the Lord for his sin which he hath sinned, a female from the flock, a lamb or a kid of the goats , for a sin offering; and the priest shall make an atonement for him concerning his sin. And if he be not able to bring a lamb, then he shall bring for his trespass, which he hath committed, two turtledoves, or two young pigeons , unto the Lord; one for a sin offering, and the other for a burnt offering. And he shall bring them unto the priest, who shall offer that which is for the sin offering first, and wring off his head from his neck , but shall not divide it asunder: And he shall sprinkle of the blood of the sin offering upon the side of the altar; and the rest of the blood shall be wrung out at the bottom of the altar: it is a sin offering. And he shall offer the second for a burnt offering, according to the manner: and the priest shall make an atonement for him for his sin which he hath sinned, and it shall be forgiven him.” [1611 King James Version] LEVITICUS CHAPTER 7 VERSES 15 TO 21 “And the flesh of the sacrifice of his peace offerings for thanksgiving shall be eaten the same day that it is offered ; he shall not leave any of it until the morning. But if the sacrifice of his offering be a vow, or a voluntary offering, it shall be eaten the same day that he offereth his sacrifice: and on the morrow also the remainder of it shall be eaten : But the remainder of the flesh of the sacrifice on the third day shall be burnt with fire. And if any of the flesh of the sacrifice of his peace offerings be eaten at all on the third day, it shall not be accepted, neither shall it be imputed unto him that offereth it: it shall be an abomination, and the soul that eateth of it shall bear his 18 / 22 iniquity. And the flesh that toucheth any unclean thing shall not be eaten; it shall be burnt with fire: and as for the flesh, all that be clean shall eat thereof . But the soul that eateth of the flesh of the sacrifice of peace offerings, that pertain unto the Lord, having his uncleanness upon him, even that soul shall be cut off from his people. Moreover the soul that shall touch any unclean thing, as the uncleanness of man, or any unclean beast, or any abominable unclean thing, and eat of the flesh of the sacrifice of peace offerings, which pertain unto the Lord, even that soul shall be cut off from his people.” [1611 King James Version] LEVITICUS CHAPTER 9 VERSE 18 “He slew also the bullock and the ram for a sacrifice of peace offerings , which was for the people: and Aaron's sons presented unto him the blood, which he sprinkled upon the altar round about,...” [1611 King James Version] LEVITICUS CHAPTER 22 VERSE 21 “And whosoever offereth a sacrifice of peace offerings unto the Lord to accomplish his vow, or a freewill offering in beeves or sheep , it shall be perfect to be accepted; there shall be no blemish therein .” [1611 King James Version] DEUTERONOMY CHAPTER 15 VERSE 21 “And if there be any blemish therein, as if it be lame, or blind, or have any ill blemish , thou shalt not sacrifice it unto the Lord thy God.” [1611 King James Version] DEUTERONOMY CHAPTER 17 VERSE 1 19 / 22 “Thou shalt not sacrifice unto the Lord thy God any bullock, or sheep, wherein is blemish , or any evilfavouredness: for that is an abomination unto the Lord thy God.” [1611 King James Version] DEUTERONOMY CHAPTER 18 VERSES 3 TO 8 “And this shall be the priest's due from the people, from them that offer a sacrifice, whether it be ox or sheep; and they shall give unto the priest the shoulder, and the two cheeks, and the maw . The firstfruit also of thy corn, of thy wine, and of thine oil, and the first of the fleece of thy sheep, shalt thou give him. For the Lord thy God hath chosen him out of all thy tribes, to stand to minister in the name of the Lord, him and his sons for ever. And if a Levite come from any of thy gates out of all Israel, where he sojourned, and come with all the desire of his mind unto the place which the Lord shall choose; Then he shall minister in the name of the Lord his God, as all his brethren the Levites do, which stand there before the Lord. They shall have like portions to eat , beside that which cometh of the sale of his patrimony.” [1611 King James Version] FIRST SAMUEL CHAPTER 15 VERSES 15 TO 22 “And Saul said, They have brought them from the Amalekites: for the people spared the best of the sheep and of the oxen, to sacrifice unto the Lord thy God ; and the rest we have utterly destroyed. Then Samuel said unto Saul, Stay, and I will tell thee what the Lord hath said to me this night. And he said unto him, Say on. And Samuel said, When thou wast little in thine own sight, wast thou not made the head of the tribes of 20 / 22 Israel, and the Lord anointed thee king over Israel? And the Lord sent thee on a journey, and said, Go and utterly destroy the sinners the Amalekites, and fight against them until they be consumed. Wherefore then didst thou not obey the voice of the Lord, but didst fly upon the spoil, and didst evil in the sight of the Lord? And Saul said unto Samuel, Yea, I have obeyed the voice of the Lord, and have gone the way which the Lord sent me, and have brought Agag the king of Amalek, and have utterly destroyed the Amalekites. But the people took of the spoil, sheep and oxen, the chief of the things which should have been utterly destroyed , to sacrifice unto the Lord thy God in Gilgal . And Samuel said, Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.” [1611 King James Version] FIRST KINGS CHAPTER 8 VERSE 63 “And Solomon offered a sacrifice of peace offerings , which he offered unto the Lord, two and twenty thousand oxen , and an hundred and twenty thousand sheep . So the king and all the children of Israel dedicated the house of the Lord.” [1611 King James Version] SECOND CHRONICLES CHAPTER 7 VERSE 5 “And king Solomon offered a sacrifice of twenty and two thousand oxen , and an hundred and twenty thousand sheep : so the king and all the people dedicated the house of God.” [1611 King James Version] ROMANS CHAPTER 14 VERSES 2 TO 3