Should Christians be Vegetarians?

In this regular feature, Dave and Tom respond to questions from listeners and readers of The Berean Call.Here’s this week’s question:Dear Dave and T.A.,Does the Bible teach or recommend vegetarianism?

Tom:

We have some indications.We have Daniel.He didn’t want to eat when he was taken off to Babylon.He didn’t want to eat the food that the Babylonians ate and so on.On the other hand, we used to have billboards—I haven’t seen one in awhile, but PETA—People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals—they would have (supposedly) an image of Jesus saying that he was a vegetarian.Now, straighten us out on this Dave.

Dave:

Well, even after his resurrection Jesus ate some broiled fish (Luke 24).He certainly ate the Passover so the Jews were not vegetarians because they at least ate the Passover lamb.In fact, the Bible tells us—well, let’s take Peter—he got a sheet let down—it’s got living creatures—these are animals and the voice from Heaven says “Rise Peter, kill and eat.”And Peter says no, I’m a vegetarian—no, he doesn’t say he’s a vegetarian, he says well supposedly there are some things in there that are really supposedly unclean according to mosaic law.“What God has called clean, don’t you call unclean.”So it wasn’t a question of whether he should eat meat or not, it was which kind.So I don’t think you could possibly justify vegetarianism from the Old Testament, or from the New.In fact, if you get to Genesis, (where is it Genesis 8, about I think) that it very clearly tells you that God has given the animals for meat.So I don’t know where a person would get the idea, do they justify this at all or….

Tom:

Well, this person just wants to know if the Bible does teach it.Now, Dave you’ve talked—I know many people who are vegetarians and they are doing it for health reasons.And I don’t have any problem with that.Maybe eating less meat might not be a—(if there are any beef growers out there, or chicken growers or whatever…).

Dave:

Don’t tell that to the Texans….

Tom:

Or the turkeys…yeah, whatever.But my point is that our concern is when people turn to vegetarianism as a religious practice; as a spiritual practice and many do and that’s a concern.Not only do they have a wrong idea…for example in the previous segment you talked about Hindus and Ahimsa.In other words, non-violence.Well, they have that belief but the war between Pakistan and India was one of the bloodiest wars ever over Bangladesh, I think it was.So my point here is that there are religious beliefs and they’re going to dictate our lives, but are they true; are they valid; are they legitimate?

Dave:

Yeah, Tom vegetarianism for the sake of becoming more holy, drawing me closer to God or as part of my salvation.I didn’t have time to mention something else that might be of interest to our listeners—not only do they have old-aged homes for cows and you’ve got cows wandering through the streets and so forth….But some of these dear people—they get so hungry—now you said ahimsa, that means non-violence, I mean you wouldn’t kill—you wouldn’t dare to kill anything, now I don’t know how they get around—you know when Buddha would boil his water for his tea he’s killing millions of microbes, anyway, but Tom, some of these dear people will go after a cow and they will cut a big hunk of meat out of its hindquarter.Now they didn’t kill it—it may die later—but they are trying to adhere to their religion but it has made these people so poor.Now personally Tom, I try to cut down on red meat or meat, because I think I am healthier, I feel healthier if I eat more vegetables than meat, but I certainly don’t do it for a religious reason and the Bible would never suggest that.But Tom, lest anyone get the impression—the question was: Does the Bible teach vegetarianism?So let me read, actually it was Genesis 9, (I said Genesis 8), but let’s go to Genesis:9:3Every moving thing that liveth shall be meat for you; even as the green herb have I given you all things.
See All...—this is after the flood now, God said be fruitful and multiply and replenish the earth.Verse 3 says that “Every moving thing that liveth shall be meat for you; (well later on that is modified, but….) even as the green herb have I given you all things.But flesh with the life thereof, which is the blood thereof, shall ye not eat.Because when we get to Leviticus 16 and so forth we find that the life that is in the flesh is in the blood and I’ve given it for you upon an altar and it is significant that the body of Jesus, His resurrected, glorified body does not have blood in it or he would have been bleeding from 5 wounds.When the disciples—when He appeared to them in Luke 24 they were afraid that this was a ghost, a spirit.He showed them His hands and His feet and said handle me and see. We would say a real flesh and blood person—no, handle me and see a spirit doesn’t have flesh and bones as you see me have because the life of the old flesh, you know the sinful flesh, that was in the blood, that’s been poured out and I don’t believe that our bodies, new bodies in heaven, will have blood in the veins either.But it says that Christ lives in the power of an endless life—not according to the blood flowing through His veins.

Tom:

Umhm.Well Dave just one last point on this—he says does the Bible recommend vegetarianism?I think the Bible recommends—particularly the New Testament—we are temples of the Holy Spirit—we are God’s instruments—we’re His servants and so on and we want to be as healthy as we can be and good diet, exercise, eating right and eating more fruits and vegetables is (I think) a far better thing than too much meat.

Dave:

I would agree Tom.