Anti-Vegetarianism??

[Maledicte]

Lately my sister's been following a vegetarian diet, for personal reasons. She told her pastor that she was no longer eating meat, and instead of encouraging her efforts he said something along the lines that vegetarianism was "new age" or something, in a rather negative way.
What's really odd is that over half the church members are on the Atkins diet. Is it just coincidence or...
Personally, I thoroughly enjoy a double cheeseburger now and again, but if I had to choose between all meat or all fruit and veggies I'd go with the greens...
Still, I think that's just strange, don't you?

[skynes]

I'd say your Pastor is out of line there. Humans were originally created to be vegetarian, it was after the flood that we were given permission to eat meat.

I think Paul put it like this "nothing is to be refused, if it is accepted with thanksgiving"

[Nate]

Yes, yes, what skynes says is true. God gave us permission to eat meat after the flood, and more specifically, permission to eat any living thing in Acts 10:13. Peter has a dream where he sees animals that Jews aren't supposed to eat, and God tells him "Get up, Peter. Kill and eat."

Personally, I'm one of the ones who says that if God commands us to eat meat, who am I to say He's wrong? However, there's nothing really wrong with vegetarianism, it's actually quite healthy...I know I could never do it though (I'd take the all-meat diet any day ^^).

One thing I'd like to point out though, if you're a vegetarian for health reasons, kewl. But if you're a vegetarian because you don't like to eat living things, you must've failed science class. Plants are living things too. They're just easier to catch.

[Ingemar]

Fruits, by their nature, should give one less guilt. They are designed to be scattered on the ground or excreted by the animals' digestive system. The end result? The plant proliferates and the one who does the eating gets all the nutrition.

But I don't mind a New York strip steak.

I once knew someone who was a vegetarian but wore leather from head to toe. He was aware of the irony and told everyone that his reasons were amoral.

[John316]

I suspect that the pastor is worried that vegetarianism could be a "gateway" habit that could lead her to interacting more with people who hold the more "evil" beliefs. That's kind of paranoid to me. I do agree with him, however, although for different reasons. People should eat meat, God created us humans to be naturally superior to all the other living beings on this planet, and we should exercise that God-given status whenever we can. Nothing says you are inherently superior to a being better than killing it and consuming its flesh.

Well...except for the Lord Jesus Christ's flesh, we eat Him for our life and our salvation.

[agasfas]

All I know is that before the flood people were vegetarians. Adam and Eve especailly. They lived in paradise where they could eat any fruit or veg. in the garden (besides the apple). But like someone else said, God gave the animals and humans the okay to eat meat. So I don't think it's a bad thing to be a vegetarian, but for me, I love my steaks. But I never understood why some vegetarians would eat sea food but not red meat..... They are both living creatures... oh well. It's harder to get a complete diet and nutrients from only vegetables and fruits. YOu have to mix and match a million things, and I don't think you can get amino acids from vegetables... Oh well, it's easier being a meat eater, but like I said, there is nothing wrong w/ becoming a vegetarian.

Edit: Never mind you can get amino acids from vegetables:
"Amino acids come from protein rich sources such as meat, fish, dairy products, and vegetables such as legumes, peas, and grains." It's just easier getting them from meats.. Vegetarians have to mix and match a million things to get the "complete" essentials.

[Hitokiri]

I think what the pastor i getting at is that Vegetarism is a possible gateway to things like transcedental meditation, Hinduism, Buddhism, and hippieism.

As much as I respect thier choice, I'm not a big fan of Vegetarians and Animal Rights Activist but that's for a later day.

[Technomancer]

There's nothing wrong with being a vegeterian, and plenty of people get along just fine (doing it for either health or religious reasons). There's certainly not anything "new age" about it, since it's long been practiced by some Hindus and Buddhists. It's not even an especially new idea in the west. In any case, we are omnivores and always have been, so it's not like there are any necessary biological problems with such a diet.

[shooraijin]

Also, having gone to a Seventh-Day Adventist institution (although I myself am not Adventist), there are many Christians who are vegetarians as well -- in that denomination as in many others.

[Shao Feng-Li]

If your sister's doing it for a new age reason, then there's a problem. No where in the bible does it say you you aren't allowed to not eat meat. If anything, you don't get mad cow or something like that from vegies and fruits. Though, personally, I think it's silly and exspensive- well if you go organic... better be careful you don't accedently bite into a worm when you eat an apple.

[skynes]

My sister and mum are vegetarians but for a good reason. They seen how the animals get killed and were never able to touch meat again.

[Hitokiri]

My sister and mum are vegetarians but for a good reason. They seen how the animals get killed and were never able to touch meat again.

Thats all fine and dandy and I say more power to them when thats the reason but you get the people who don't want to eat meat cause it's "spirtually sinful" and they think it's thier brothers and sisters. Heck, I even have friends who refuse to own pets cause they feel they are holding prisoner a human who has took that shape.

So whenever I eat a hamburger in front of my veggan friends, they throw it away ::grumble grumble:: If you don't want to eat meat cause of 1) health and/or 2) it grosses you out, I'm all fine. But when you get all fanatical and try to force your opinions on others who eat meat, than I have a problem.

Sorry I just can't embrace the Vegetarian philsophy fully. Proably cause I've ate meat everyday of my life (bacon in breakfast, turkey sandwich for lunch, and hamburger or steak for dinner...I'm content with that )

[Hephzibah]

Remember Daniel and his friends? They only ate vegetables and drank only water...

Daniel then said to the guard whom the chief official had appointed over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah, 12 "Please test your servants for ten days: Give us nothing but vegetables to eat and water to drink. 13 Then compare our appearance with that of the young men who eat the royal food, and treat your servants in accordance with what you see." 14 So he agreed to this and tested them for ten days.

15 At the end of the ten days they looked healthier and better nourished than any of the young men who ate the royal food. 16 So the guard took away their choice food and the wine they were to drink and gave them vegetables instead.

(chapter 1)

I personally dont really have a problem with people eating only vegetables, its more the motive behind it. Is it honouring God, like Daniel and his friends did, or is for another reason? Personally, I doubt I could ever become a vegetarian... I love chicken too much

[ShiroiHikari]

like others have said, it all depends on the intentions behind the vegetarianism. what the pastor might be worrying about is that a lot of "vegans" these days are also wiccans or other new-agey type stuff.

[Warrior 4 Jesus]

Meat! Mmmm! There is nothing new age about being a vegetarian but its wierd because meat rocks! I don't think the Atkins diet is good though, I have seen several current affair programs where health experts say participants aren't getting the right variety of vitamins when they do it.

[Hephzibah]

I did the atkins diet a few years ago... it was fun for the first 2 days, but then it was absolute hell! I still cant stand the smell of bacon in the morning *feels sick*
It also makes you feel really unhealthy.

[Warrior 4 Jesus]

I love bacon and eggs! But I agree that if you aren't in the right mood or something sometimes (the smell) makes you feel nauseous.

[Nate]

Atkins diet... :/

Okay, here's the deal. Losing weight is easy. If you eat 2,000 calories and burn off 3,000 calories by exercising, you lose weight. PERIOD.

It is THAT easy. Carbs don't matter. Fat doesn't matter. NOTHING matters except calories. It's a scientific FACT.

Eat less and exercise more, that's the BEST way to lose weight. Don't go on fad diets.

*Gets off soapbox*

[Mangafanatic]

I think being a vegetarian isn't anything that would trouble God. On the other hand, we are told that our bodies at the temple of God, and I believe that part of our obligation to that "temple" is to keep it healthy. My only concern surrounding being a vegetarian is that people can't do it right. They leave out meats and their bodies suffer from a lack of the essential nutrients provided by meats.

There's my two cents.

[Sephiroth]

some people can make dumb associations like that, vegitarian>evil heh heh, joking there, but seionsly, theres nothing wrong with eating meat: to quote a funny tract:

"If God didn't want us to eat animals, why did He make em out of meat?"

conversly theres no prob with not eating meat, just personal taste, i'm even weirder that either catagory, i eat no meat and hardly any veggies, because i don't like the taste of either - i'm pretty much a carbs diet guy, and some fatty stuff like chips or 'french fries' for the americans

[Mr. SmartyPants]

Eat less and exercise more, that's the BEST way to lose weight. Don't go on fad diets.

amen brotha. I agree, people take stuff like diet pills and other programs. The best way is to eat less, eat a well balanced meal, and exercise!

[Shao Feng-Li]

After all who killed the first animal on earth?

Well I think we're gettong of track. I hope your pastor comes to reason... You sister's not doing it for evil reason, she's obviously not anti- uhh- meat. She doesn't like it. I know how some animals are killed, and it doesn't seem like they suffer. though I was rather grossed out when I was at my cousin's cattle ranch and they butchered a bull...

[Maledicte]

I think she's doing it for health reasons, and because it's not a hard diet for her to maintain.
I like meat, myself. But I can't stand eating a whole ton of it. I don't even like meat for breakfast. (must...have...cereal)
It's also weird that there's yet another girl at that church who's a vegetarian, but no one bugs her about it...but I won't say anything negative about that church, not here anyway.

[Arnobius]

Some people do it for health, others do it out of a sense of values that might be out of kilter with Christianity (called new age). I think that so long as it is not done out of a belief that all creatures are one or that an animal life is equal to a human life, or otherwise saying it is evil to eat meat, vegitarianism is OK to practice. I'm more of a carnivore myself, but so long as people don't try to hassle me for eating meat, I don't have a problem with their diet.

Yes, yes, what skynes says is true. God gave us permission to eat meat after the flood, and more specifically, permission to eat any living thing in Acts 10:13. Peter has a dream where he sees animals that Jews aren't supposed to eat, and God tells him "Get up, Peter. Kill and eat."

I believe that was referrng to opening up Christianity to the gentiles-- who would have been unclean to the Jews. Remember right after that Peter was summoned by Cornelius and then baptized his household. When other Christians were shocked, Peter cited this dream (Acts 11:1-18).

[Stephen]

Vegetarian...old Indian word for lousy hunter.

[Arnobius]

Vegetarian...old Indian word for lousy hunter.

You a fan of Red Green by any chance?

[EvilSporkofDoom]

I like eating meat - I have no moral qualm whatsoever about that. I don't care whether other people chose to be vegans or not.. except I get rather nettled by self-righteous neohippies these days who think us carnivores are inhumane, heartless animal-haters. I've read various sources [here's one I found that's very informative, if anyone's interested, and I have a few more as well] that state that, actually, grain harvesting season kills millions of animals every year to support the organic foods that vegans consume. So, I think this "meat is murder" rhetoric that these animal rights activists preach is a bunch of malarkey..

[Jasdero]

Hmm.. so.. most people here are anti-vegetarianism? ._. Or at least.. partially...

I've been a lacto-vegetarian for more than 4 years.... But no, I don't try to pressure people into following my eating habits.

[Mave]

There are many grey areas in the definitions of different types of vegetarian.

Type 1) Semi vegetarians - These 'vegetarians' eat all types of foods in their diet - including meat. However these individuals limit the amount of animal products they consume. I would be considered a semi vegetarian.

Type 2) Lacto vegetarian - Individuals in this group are a step up from the semi vegetarians. They avoid all animal products except for dairy products in their diet.

Type 3) Lacto-ovo vegetarians - This type of vegetarian diet excludes all meat except for dairy and eggs. Not too different from the previous type.

Type 4) Vegans - These are the 'hard-core" vegetarians who avoid all animal products in their diet, such as meats, dairy products, and eggs. The vegan diet rely on lentils, beans, soy products etc..

A vegan does not eat any fish, meat, poultry, eggs, dairy products or foods that contain any of these products. They also do not use any non-food items that contain products from animals, including wool from sheep, leather and silk. Vegans often do not eat honey, because bees may be killed while harvesting it.

A macrobiotic diet is mainly vegetarian, but macrobiotic diets often include seafood. In this diet all other meat products are excluded, as are eggs and dairy products. They also do not eat "nightshade vegetables" (potato, pepper and eggplant), refined sugar and tropical fruits. This diet contains many foods found in Asian countries such as miso soup, root vegetables (daikon and lotus) and sea vegetables (seaweed, kelp, arame).

A fruitarian is a person who only eats fruits and vegetables that are actually classified as fruits such as avocados, nuts, seeds, eggplant, zucchini and tomatoes.

Demi-Vegetarians don't eat red meat or poultry, but they eat fish, eggs, Vegetarian cheese, and milk-based products. This is not true Vegetarianism, although it is probably easiest for those just starting to become Veggie.

I'm not posting where I got the second piece of info since it looks suspiciously spiritual.

I myself only avoid pork and beef vehemently simply because I can't stand the taste (I might make an exception if cooked REALLY well). LOL I'm more of a poultry/seafood person and love eggs so I'm probably a semi-vegetarian. ^_^

Oh yeah, vegetarians should be able to get a good supply of protein if they ate legumes, soy products and beans. While it may seem a hassle, it's actually healthy to eat a variety of foods.

[Debitt]

Hmm.. so.. most people here are anti-vegetarianism? ._. Or at least.. partially...

I've been a lacto-vegetarian for more than 4 years.... But no, I don't try to pressure people into following my eating habits.

I don't know if I speak for everyone else, but I think the sentiment isn't against vegans in general, just against people who see you eating meat and go "OMG! You go to hell 'cause you killed poor baby cow! I better than you, I no kill baby cow! You be vegan too! I beat you!" and beat you over the head with the guilt stick. If you feel that following a vegan diet is the right thing for you, and you're still keeping yourself healthy then there's nothing wrong with that.