Tom Chavez
Al, yes, I also find that picture repulsive. Have you ever visited a slaughterhouse? You support something far more repulsive when you buy the meat of slaughtered animals. Visit one sometime and you’ll see.
I’m not a Biblical scholar, but I respect Jesus as a son of God and a spiritual master who sacrificed his life for our benefit. He taught to love they neighbor as thyself. I consider the animals to be my neighbors. I try to love them, not to love eating them. Did he not also say, whatever you do to the least of these creatures you do also unto me?
I’m a vegetarian, but not a fanatic. If I had nothing else to eat, I might eat meat. I might even kill for it. Thankfully, I haven’t faced that situation. Every endeavor entails fault, just as fire entails smoke. We have to try our best and remain steady in success and failure.
I agree with you that there is one God and one Lord Jesus Christ. However, as William Blake wrote:
Both read the Bible day and night,
One reads black and the other, white.
There is much disagreement about the meaning, translation and applicability of Biblical teachings. Here is what my Christian friend sent me:
“And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is on
the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree
yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat.” Genesis 1:29 Shows that the true
diet of man is vegetarian.
“But flesh with the life thereof, which is the blood thereof, shall ye not eat. And
surely your blood of your lives will I require; at the hand of every beast will I
require it.” Gen. 9:4-5 Shows that man is not allowed to eat meat, and if he
does he will pay with his own life. This is called karma.
“To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices unto me? Saith the Lord: I
am full of the burnt offering of rams, and the fat of beasts; and I delight not in
the blood of bullocks, or of lambs, or of goats. When ye spread forth your
hands, I will hide Mine eyes from you: yea, when ye make many prayers, I will
not hear, for your hands are full of blood.” Isaiah 1:11,15 Shows that God does
not accept even the prayers of a meat-eater.
“He that killeth an ox is as if he slew a man.” Isaiah 66:3 Shows that cow killing
is equated with murder.
“It shall be a perpetual statute for your generations throughout all your
dwellings, that ye eat neither fat nor blood.” Leviticus 3:17 This is the origin of the
idea of Kosher food (meat with the blood drained out of it).
“And whatsoever man there be of the house of Israel, or of strangers who
among you, that eateth any manner of blood; I will even set My face against
that soul that eateth blood.” Leviticus 17:10 Note the term “any manner of
blood”. All flesh comes from blood.
Actually, I don’t read the Bible much, I read the Gita and Srimad-Bhagavatam, but the gist is similar.
Another great Blake poem:
God exists and God is light
to those poor souls who live in night;
But does a human form display
to those who live in realm of day.
Peace be unto you, Al. Hare Krishna!
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