Was Christ a vegetarian?? The Lost Bible??

[Kelly]

Vegetarianism & the Lost Bible

Hi all,

Just something to share with all of you….. (All the information and details can be found and extracted from the websites on Catholic & Christians teachings : addresses of websites below.

The more critical issues would be to :

1. Which version of Bible are we reading now : A meat eating interpretation of the Bible became the official creed of the Roman Empire

Tthe powerful Roman Regime had ordered chunks of texts to be removed from the Bible : (one topic is Jesus Christ was a vegetarian)

Mankind has been reading this version at least for the past 500 years or so..

2. Or the very original version of the Bible (which sad to say, was long lost at least 1000 years back

So, only GOD knows the answers.

The scenario now is :

Two groups of Christians :

1. The traditional group who believe Jesus Christ was a vegetarian (I am one of them).

2. The other group : GOD approve meat eating but must drain blood dry : this great challange set by GOD : have to leave it to the scientist to think how to drain blood dry : Can cook the blood : but then, if the blood is drained at the first place, there is no need to cook the blood at all…..hmm…..

The New Testament : mankind changed it to :Don't drink blood…. sigh….

So, the bet is 2 choices only : either group 2 ((the majority of christians now ) is correct or group 1 (the traditional christians : the minority now ) is correct : 50% vs 50%

A very risky choice indeed…..

Only GOD knows the answer..

To end off : John (The New Testament), chapter 14, para 6 :

“I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me”

On the surface, this statement appears simple and straightfoward and can be put in 2 equations

Equation 1 : Jesus Christ = One and the Only Truth

Equation 2 : One and the Only Truth = Jesus Christ

Actually, only one equation is correct. You can guess at the answer first. The answer is at the bottom of the page…..no peeping, okay,heee….

http://www.thenazareneway.com/index.htm

The above website also talks about reincarnation (this sensitive issue was also ordered to be removed by the two Roman Kings from the Bible…..sigh…

No wonder Christians are at a loss when this question was posed to them by the non-believers : what if I received Christ but did nothing good and I did all the sinful things……??

The answer was already removed from the Bible during the Roman Empire because the two Roman Kings would not want to accept Christ's teachings on this highly sensitve question.

Maybe an even more important question than that of whether or not Christ was a vegetarian, was why Christianity later abandoned its vegetarian roots. Steven Rosen in his book, Food for the Spirit, 1987, argues:

The early Christian fathers adhered to a meatless regime…many early Christian groups supported the meatless way of life. In fact, the writings of the early Church indicate that meat eating was not officially allowed until the 4th century, when the Emperor Constantine decided that his version of Christianity would be the version for everyone. A meat eating interpretation of the Bible became the official creed of the Roman Empire, and vegetarian Christians had to practice in secret or risk being put to death for heresy. It is said that Constantine used to pour molten lead down the their throats if they were captured.

Ironic indeed that pagan Rome here would have this longstanding influence upon Christianity.

In any case, I think we can all be thankful that it is a lot easier today to be a vegetarian. The occasional rudeness and social disapproval a vegetarian must tolerate is a pretty small inconvenience in comparison to Constantine's way of dealing with vegetarians.

To cite another sad example: in southern France a group of Albigensian vegetarians (a Cartharist religious group) were put to death by hanging in 1052 because they refused to kill a chicken!

http://www.ivu.org/history/christian/christ_veg.html'

June 3, 1999 (David Cloud, Fundamental Baptist Information Service, P.O. Box 610368, Port Huron, MI 48061-0368, [email protected]) – The animal rights group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) is embarking on a campaign to promote vegetarianism. One of their campaign slogans is “Jesus Was a Vegetarian – Follow Him.” PETA claims that “eating meat mocks God” and that converting to vegetarianism will “make one a better Christian.” The organization is spending $1 million on the campaign, which will involve billboards and a web site.

It is obvious that the organizers of PETA’s vegetarian campaign have not read the Bible very carefully.

WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS ABOUT ANIMALS : WE ARE ALLOWED TO EAT MEAT

The following study is from the Way of Life Encyclopedia of the Bible & Christianity, copyright 1994, David W. Cloud (Way of Life Literature, 1701 Harns Rd., Oak Harbor, WA 98277. 360-675-8311)–

ANIMALS AND PEOPLE ARE DIFFERENT CREATIONS: The first thing to note from Scripture is that animals and mankind are two different creations. Man is not a higher animal. Evolution is a lie. Man was created distinctly in the image of God (Gen. 1:24-28). Animals were not made in the image of God. Animals do not have a living soul. They are not eternal beings; man is (Gen. 2:7). They are described as “made to be taken and destroyed” in 2 Peter 2:12. Man is infinitely higher than and different from the animal kingdom. When proud king Nebuchadnezzar was humbled by God, his heart was changed from man’s to a beast’s (Dan. 4:16). The Lord Jesus Christ referred to the difference between animals and men in Lk. 12:5-7. “But I forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him. Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and not one of them is forgotten before God? But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows.” There are two important truths in this passage about animals and man. First, we see that God does care for animals; he does not forget even the tiny sparrow. Second, though, we see that man is infinitely greater in value than the animals because man has an eternal soul. Man will be held accountable for his actions. Without a Savior, sinful man will spend eternity in Hell. We also see Christ making a clear distinction between men and animals in Mark 5:2-16. Christ had compassion upon the demon possessed man and cast the unclean spirits out of him. The demons begged Christ that they be allowed to enter into a herd of swine which were feeding nearby, and Christ gave them permission to do so.

ANIMALS WERE MADE FOR MAN’S PLEASURE: We see further that the Bible says animals were made for man’s pleasure and use. Man was not made for the world; the world was made for man. Even the stars of the universe were made for man (Ps. 8:4-8). The Psalmist sees the animal kingdom under man’s feet. Throughout the Bible we see examples of men using animals for servitude, riding them for transportation and warfare (Ne. 2:12; Ps. 32:9; Pr. 21:31; Mt. 21:1-7), plowing with them (De. 25:4), etc. Nowhere in Scripture is this condemned. In fact, the Lord Jesus Christ and His armies will be riding white horses when He returns from Heaven (Re. 19:11-1
4). This does not mean that man has a right to be cruel toward animals; it means man has a divine right to rule over the creation and to use it for his purposes and needs. The Bible enjoins kindness even toward the dumb creatures of this world (Pr. 12:10).

ANIMALS ARE FOR MAN’S FOOD: From the time of Noah until today God has ordained that man eat animal flesh (Gen. 9:3). The nation Israel ate meat. The Lord Jesus Christ ate meat. The Passover meal was lamb (Ex. 12:5-10), and Christ ate the Passover (Mt. 26:17-19). He also ate fish (Lk. 24:42,43). What about Christians? The Apostle Peter was certainly a Christian, and in a vision from God, he was commanded to eat meat (Ac. 10:10-13). The vision was to impress Peter that Gentile believers were not unclean, but the fact remains that God commanded Peter to eat of the various meats. God would not have done that if He abhorred meat eating. The vision in Acts 10 also shows that God has removed the O.T. dietary restrictions. Some would have us believe that restrictions against pork and other meats were for health purposes. That’s not the case. Those restrictions were for separating Israel from the nations and for teaching her the difference between holy and unholy. In the N.T. churches, God has removed all such dietary restrictions. In fact, the Bible warns against those who would promote vegetarianism. In 1 Tim. 4:1-5 we read of those who “command to abstain from meats,” and we are told that this is a doctrine of devils! The Bible clearly says that God created animals to be eaten. It is not cruel to kill an animal in hunting or fishing, and to eat it. It is not cruel to slaughter animals for food. That is one of the reasons God made animals. Christians are free to eat meats or not to eat meats. This is the teaching of Ro. 14:2-3,6. Away with those dietary laws which purport to be Christian. If a Christian wants to eat a certain kind of food–only vegetables, for example–that is fine. If he wants to avoid something such as sugar or pork, fine. Let him eat what he feels God would have him eat, and what he feels will best benefit him. But let that one be careful that he not make his own conscience a law for others. The N.T. forbids dietary laws for religious purposes. Peter describes beasts which are “made to be taken and destroyed” (2 Pet. 2:12). This refers to animals such as pigs and chickens which are made for man’s eating pleasure.

ANIMALS ILLUSTRATE MAN’S SALVATION: Animals were used by God to illustrate salvation to the human race. In the Garden of Eden, when the man and woman had sinned, God made “coats of skins, and clothed them” (Gen. 3:21). Where did God get those coats of skins? From innocent animals that died that man might have a covering for his sinful condition. And note that it was God who provided the covering. God must provide salvation. Man cannot earn it himself. Salvation is a gift of grace, “not of works, lest any man should boast” (Eph. 2:9). From Eden to Calvary, the blood of animals was shed to illustrate salvation. Man is a fallen sinner who must have salvation from sin’s penalty, and that salvation was purchased by Jesus Christ on the Cross. There He shed His blood and died for payment for man’s sin. Those who trust Him receive eternal life. This is the Gospel which was preached so eloquently by the animal sacrifices. “Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world” (Jn. 1:29). That is what John the Baptist said of Christ. The Bible enjoins us to Look and Live. “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved” (Acts 16:31). Man is the crown of creation, but he is fallen and cannot be what God intended him to be until he is born again through the blood of Christ.

In response to the above that GOD allows us to eat meat, the more critical issues would be to :

1. Which version of Bible are we reading now : A meat eating interpretation of the Bible became the official creed of the Roman Empire

Tthe powerful Roman Regime had ordered chunks of texts to be removed from the Bible : Two topics are Jesus Christ was a vegetarian and the concept of killing.

Statement under the New Testament, Roman read :

Those whose faith in GOD is weak eat only vegetables…..

Old Testament “can eat meat, but must drain blood dry”

Under New Testament, become : “don't drink blood”

Mankind has been reading this meat-eating version (accorded by the Roman Kings) at least for the past 500 years or so..

2. Or the very original version of the Bible, which might be long lost, or if not lost, very difficult to find…

The scenario now is :

Two groups of Christians :

1. The traditional group who believe Jesus Christ was a vegetarian (I am one of them).

2. The other group : GOD approve meat eating but must drain blood dry : this great challange set by GOD : have to leave it to the scientist to think how to drain blood dry : Can cook the blood : but then, if the blood is drained at the first place, there is no need to cook the blood at all…..hmm…..

The New Testament : mankind changed it to :Don't drink blood)…. sigh….

So, the bet is 2 choices only : either group 2 ((the majority of christians now ) is correct or group 1 (the traditional christians : the minority now ) is correct : 50% vs 50%

A very risky choice indeed…..

Only GOD knows the answer…..

Vegetarianism in the Bible ~
By Denis Giron

Introduction
When I first began to study the bible, the people I studied with told me that it was wrong for me to be a vegetarian. I have found a common attack by Christians, and even Muslims on vegetarianism goes along the lines of “God said we could eat meat. Are you trying to say you are more merciful than God?” The answer to that question is “surely not”, God should be the most merciful being. To help faith-based vegetarians, this article will discuss how vegetarianism relates to the bible, animals, and God. I will be quoting from the NIV translation of the bible, unless otherwise noted.

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Jesus was a vegetarian
Now this is a touchy subject. Across the globe, there is a small handful of vegetarian Christians who assert that Jesus was a vegetarian. Vegetarianism is not without precedent in the Catholic faiths or even Christian faiths: Many early church fathers were vegetarian, including St. Basil, St. John Chrysostom, and St. Francis of Assisi.
The bible, and other sources, seems to support this belief.

In The Beginning
According to the bible, the first people were vegetarians. The first two chapters of Genesis tell a story of man and animal being companions, and trees being the source of food. In Genesis chapter 1, verse 29, God commands man to only eat fruits and vegetables…..

Genesis 1:29
Then God said, “I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food.

It is very clear, that right there it says God gave the first people the plants and the trees for food. Some people try to twist this scripture to mean other things, and try to argue that this does not prove people were eating only the fruits and plants. One popular argument is that it was allowing man to eat vegetables as well as meat, but this is wrong. Humans did not meat eat until after the flood. To prove this we need to turn to the 9th chapter of Genesis…..

Genesis 9:3
Everything that lives and moves will be food for you. Just as I gave you the green plants, I now give you everything.

Now notice God says “just as I gave you the green plants, I now give you everything”. This is proof that before this point, people were only eating fruits and vegetables. At any rate, at this point God allowed man to eat meat, which opens up the argument that abstaining from meat is a subconscious form of questioning God's mercy. This is not true at all. In fact, vegetarians who b
elieve in the bible are merely preparing themselves for heaven. When the kingdom of heaven is established, all beings will become herbivores. Some might argue that we will not need to eat in heaven, but the bible teaches that even in heaven, beings must eat. For example, in Genesis 19:1-3, angels from heaven ate a meal made of bread. So in heaven, beings will continue to eat. The prophet Isaiah gave many descriptions of this kingdom, and all his visions point to all beings being vegetarian. If all beings in heaven are going to be herbivores, then it would be safe to say that vegetarians living today are merely more prepared for that time. Isaiah chapter 11 gives a lengthy description of the peaceful kingdom, and the 65th chapter has a particular verse that strongly supports the idea of a kingdom filled with nothing but herbivores….

Isaiah 65:25
“The wolf and the lamb will feed together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox, but dust will be the serpent's food. They will neither hunt nor destroy on all my holy mountain,” says the LORD.

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Man's Dominion over Animals
The bible, on many occasions, says that man was given “dominion” over the animals. People have twisted this to mean that they can do anything they wish to animals. What is meant by “dominion” is the ability to impose our will. We do indeed rule over all animals, as we are the most powerful species on the planet. This however, does not mean it is okay to abuse this power, through animal abuse, and other wicked acts. God, without a doubt, wants us to show mercy for animals.

Throughout the bible there are many stories that have a strong moral value. Whenever you read a story in the bible, ask yourself what the moral of that story was. It has to have a moral, because if there is no moral, then the story has no relevance. Surely nothing in the bible is irrelevant. In the 22nd chapter of the book of Numbers, there is the story of Balaam beating his donkey. Within in these verses is a strong story about animal abuse, suffering, and animal rights. Lets look at this story closely (the story of Balaam abusing his donkey can be found in Numbers 22:21-33)

Numbers 22:21-23
Balaam got up in the morning, saddled his donkey and went with the princes of Moab. But God was very angry when he went, and the angel of the LORD stood in the road to oppose him. Balaam was riding on his donkey, and his two servants were with him. When the donkey saw the angel of the LORD standing in the road with a drawn sword in his hand, she turned off the road into a field. Balaam beat her to get her back on the road.

Now, it should be noted that God was not angry with Balaam only because he abused animals. No, God was angry for many other reasons as well, but in the above verses, the angel tests Balaam's morals by diverting the path of his donkey. Balaam failed this first test as he beat his donkey for not staying on the path.

Numbers 22:24-25
Then the angel of the LORD stood in a narrow path between two vineyards, with walls on both sides. When the donkey saw the angel of the LORD, she pressed close to the wall, crushing Balaam's foot against it. So he beat her again.

So, the donkey kept on moving, but the angel again diverted her path. This time the donkey's weight crushed Balaam's foot against the wall of a vineyard. In his rage, Balaam again beat the animal, not knowing that an angel was watching his wicked act.

Numbers 22:26-27
Then the angel of the LORD moved on ahead and stood in a narrow place where there was no room to turn, either to the right or to the left. When the donkey saw the angel of the LORD, she lay down under Balaam, and he was angry and beat her with his staff.

This third time, the angel makes sure that the donkey cannot go left or right, and she therefore chooses to lay down. This time Balaam beat the donkey with his staff. This is particularly viscous, as in those times staffs were usually used by shepards to fend off wolves. They were made to protect sheep by severely hurting predators, sometimes even breaking bones, so the donkey must have been in terrible pain when Balaam beat her with his staff. The beatings are getting worse and worse, and both God and the angel have seen enough…..

Numbers 22:28-30
Then the LORD opened the donkey's mouth, and she said to Balaam, “What have I done to you to make you beat me these three times?” Balaam answered the donkey, “You have made a fool of me! If I had a sword in my hand, I would kill you right now.” The donkey said to Balaam, “Am I not your own donkey, which you have always ridden, to this day? Have I been in the habit of doing this to you?” “No,” he said.

So God allowed the donkey to speak. The donkey expressed her suffering, showing that the bible teaches that animals indeed suffer and feel pain. In verse 29, Balaam lets the donkey know how cold his heart is, telling her he would have killed her if he had his sword. In verse 30, Balaam agrees that the donkey had never before disobeyed orders. Those beatings were rather severe for first time offenses…

Numbers 22:31-34
Then the LORD opened Balaam's eyes, and he saw the angel of the LORD standing in the road with his sword drawn. So he bowed low and fell facedown. The angel of the LORD asked him, “Why have you beaten your donkey these three times? I have come here to oppose you because your path is a reckless one before me. The donkey saw me and turned away from me these three times. If she had not turned away, I would certainly have killed you by now, but I would have spared her.” Balaam said to the angel of the LORD, “I have sinned. I did not realize you were standing in the road to oppose me.”

Once Balaam saw the angel, he realized he had made a mistake. The angel is disgusted by Balaam's actions, and tells him that had the donkey kept walking he would have killed Balaam, but spared her. Abusing is animals is wrong, and the angel even asked Balaam why he would do such a thing as beating his donkey. In verse 34, Balaam said to the angel “I have sinned”. What was Balaam's sin? It is clear his sin was beating his donkey. Even Balaam realized this. So, these verses show us it is wrong to abuse animals, and abuse the power we have been given over them.

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Animal Sacrifices
We have just discussed the concept of God having mercy on animals, and not wanting us to abuse them. The idea of animal rights being expressed in the bible comes under fire from those who point to instances of animal sacrifice. I admit the many mentionings of animal sacrifice in the bible have troubled me in the past. How can a merciful God command us to sacrifice animals? The truth of the matter is, we are NOT supposed to sacrifice animals. God does not command us to do this. The truth is, in Moses' time, after the Jews came out of Egypt, God allowed animal sacrifices for that time period.

The great Jewish philosopher Abarbanel believed animal sacrifice was briefly allowed by God in order to end the idolatry the Jews practiced in Egypt. He cited a Jewish writing that indicated that the Jews had become accustomed to sacrifices in Egypt. To wean them from these idolatrous practices, God tolerated the sacrifices but commanded that they be offered in one central sanctuary:

Thereupon the Holy One, blessed be He, said “Let them at
all times offer their sacrifices before Me in the Tabernacle,
and they will be weaned from idolatry, and thus be saved.”
(Rabbi J. H. Hertz, The Pentateuch and Haftorahs, p. 562)

This was after the Jews had come out of Egypt. One Jewish theologian indicated that God did not want the Israelites to bring sacrifices; it was their choice. He based this on a biblical verse read on the Sabbath when the book of Leviticus (which discusses sacrifices) is read:

Isaiah 43:23
I have not burdened thee with a meal-offering,
Nor wearied thee with frankincense.

The bible teaches that animal sacrifices were voluntary. Many have taken the scriptures to mean that we must sacrifice animals in order to please God. This is not what pleases God. We are commanded to obey his laws. This can be see in the book of Jeremiah:

Jeremiah 7:22-23
For I spoke not unto your fathers, nor commanded them on the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, concerning burnt-offerings or sacrifices; but this thing I commanded them, saying, “Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and ye shall be my people; and walk ye in all the ways that I have commanded you, that it may be well unto you.

God never commanded us to sacrifice animals. His message was “obey my voice”. Nowhere in the Ten Commandments is there any reference to sacrifice, and even when sacrifices are first mentioned (Leviticus 1:2) the expression used is “when any man of you bringeth an offering,” the first Hebrew word ki being literally “if”, implying that it was a voluntary act.

I say it again: animal sacrifices were never a law of God. Infact God prefers we don't sacrifice animals. That is what is meant by “To do charity and justice is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice” (Proverbs 21:3). Also, in Hosea 6:6, God said “What I want is mercy, not sacrifice.” As was stated before, animal sacrifices were permitted only for a brief time after the exodus from Egypt. After that, God began to hate animal sacrifice. Consider the following verses from the book of Isaiah….

Isaiah 1:11-16
“The multitude of your sacrifices– what are they to me?” says the LORD. “I have more than enough of burnt offerings, of rams and the fat of fattened animals; I have no pleasure in the blood of bulls and lambs and goats. When you come to appear before me, who has asked this of you, this trampling of my courts? Stop bringing meaningless offerings! Your incense is detestable to me. New Moons, Sabbaths and convocations– I cannot bear your evil assemblies. Your New Moon festivals and your appointed feasts my soul hates. They have become a burden to me; I am weary of bearing them. When you spread out your hands in prayer, I will hide my eyes from you; even if you offer many prayers, I will not listen. Your hands are full of blood; wash and make yourselves clean. Take your evil deeds out of my sight! Stop doing wrong!

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Jesus was a vegetarian
Now this is a touchy subject. Across the globe, there is a small handful of vegetarian Christians who assert that Jesus was a vegetarian. The bible, and other sources, seems to support this belief. Vegetarianism is not without precedent in the Christian, or even Catholic faiths: Many early church fathers were vegetarian, including St. Basil, St. John Chrysostom, and St. Francis of Assisi.

Many Biblical scholars believe Jesus was a member of the Nazarene Essenes, a Jewish religious sect that followed a vegetarian diet and rejected animal sacrifices. This is possible when one looks at the Shroud of Turin, a centuries old linen cloth that bears the image of a crucified man, whom many believe to be Jesus. If Jesus was indeed a member of the Nazarene Essenes, he would also have taken the vow of a Nazarene, thus not cut his hair (Numbers 6:5). In the imprint found in the shroud of turin, there is a man with west-asian features (Nazareth is in west Asia), who has long hair, further supporting the claim Jesus was a member of the Nazarene Essenes.

Of course, there is no definite proof the Shroud of Turin is legitimate, so in order to prove Jesus was a Nazarene Essene, or a vegetarian, we need to look into the bible. Now Jesus was loved by some, and hated by others, and accused of blasphemy by the priests of his time. This was because he claimed to be the Jewish Messiah that was prophesized about in the TaNaKh (Jewish bible, or “old testament”). Lets take a look at the Old Testament description of the Messiah to come…
Note: For these scriptures, I will use the King James Translation, which I feel is more accurate.

Isaiah 7:14-15 (KJV)
Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. Butter and honey shall he eat, so that he may know to refuse the evil, and choose the good.

First of all, it says God's sign of the Messiah will be a virgin giving birth to a son. Jesus was born of a virgin mother. It says his name shall be Immanuel, which means “God is with us”. Jesus' real name was Yeshua, which means “God is salvation”. The name “Immanuel” is meant to signify that this will be the Messiah, regardless of what his name is. At any rate, in verse 15, the pre-messianic prophesy of Jesus, it says he will eat butter and honey, so that he can know the difference between good and evil.

Now the question is, what does eating butter and honey have to do with knowing how to choose between good and evil. To answer this question, we must have an understanding of Jewish beliefs about dietary laws, and vegetarianism. Throughout history there has been many vegetarian jews. Even today, only India has more faith-based vegetarians than Israel. These vegetarian jews believed meat corrupted your soul. Eating meat was permitted by God, but so was drinking alcohol. Infact, just like alcohol, the bible teaches, meat makes you “stumble”, or corrupts your heart. That is why Jesus, the Messiah, would eat butter and honey, instead of meat, so that his heart would not be corrupted. Before, during, and after Jesus' time Jews argued wether or not meat was good for people. Consider the 14th chapter of Romans…

Romans 14:21
It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or to do anything else that will cause any man to stumble.

There were many vegetarian jews, so why not Jesus? Especially considering he was from Nazareth. Jesus is even called a Nazarene in Matthew 2:23. Want an example of another vegetarian Jew from the bible? How about the prophet Daniel.

The name Daniel means “God is my judge”, showing how confident he was that his actions were righteous in the eyes of God. Well, Daniel also was a vegetarian. In the first chapter of the book of Daniel, Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon has imprisoned Daniel. In verse 8, Daniel refused to defile himself by eating the meat being served to him in the prison. Some have said that this is because the meat was offered to Babylonian gods, but this is incorrect, as vegetables were also offered in the name of these same Gods. Daniel abstained from the meat offered because he was a vegetarian. He knew the benefits of such a diet. Consider the following verses…

Daniel 1:11-16
Daniel then said to the guard whom the chief official had appointed over him: “Please test your servants for ten days: Give us nothing but vegetables to eat and water to drink. 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.” So he agreed to this and tested them for ten days. At the end of the ten days they looked healthier and better nourished than any of the young men who ate the royal food. So the guard took away their meat and the wine they were to drink and gave them vegetables instead.

It's pretty clear Daniel was a vegetarian. So why not Jesus? The prophesy in Isaiah 7:15 said he would eat butter and honey (rather than meat) to be able to know the difference between good and evil. If Jesus ate meat, then he does not fit the Messianic prophesy of the Jews. Nowhere in the bible does it ever mention Jesus eating meat. In the King James translation, there are a few verses that mention Jesus eating meat, but in those cases, meat is translated from the Greek word “Broma” which literally means “food”. All other translations of those same exact verses do not use the word “meat”, rather they say Jesus sat down and ate “food”.

Nowhere does it say Jesus ate meat. Now, knowing that the
bible never mentions him eating meat, and taking into account the fact that Jesus taught love and kindness, how hard is it to assume he might have been a vegetarian? Also, Jesus was against animal sacrifice. He quoted Hosea 6:6, saying “For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings.” He quoted Hosea in Matthew 9:13, and Matthew 12:6-7. He did this in a challenge to the Pharisees. Could this have been a hint into him being a vegetarian?

What about Fish?
In the 14th chapter of Matthew (verses 13-21) Jesus takes his boat to a remote island. Thousands follow him there. Jesus tells his disciples to feed these people, but the tell him that they only have five loaves of bread and two fish (verse 17). Jesus gave thanks for the food, and it multiplied into enough to feed five thousand people. Now the question is, if Jesus was a vegetarian, why was he giving fish to his followers?

It should be noted that some scholars contend that the Greek word for “fish weed” (a dried seaweed) has been mistranslated in this story as “fish”. It is certainly true that dried fishweed would be more likely in a basket with bread, and fishweed remains a popular food among Palestinian peasants like the people to whom Jesus was speaking. Also, in the beginning of the story (Matthew 14:13) it says Jesus got to this place by boat. These people were right by the sea. If they were out of fish, why not just go on a quick fishing expedition? Surely with 5,000 men present it would not be that hard to go fishing. With this in mind, it further supports the thought that fishweed was being used, not actual fish.

Also, when one considers that the disciples did not even think about trying to catch some fish, this helps explain Matthew 4:18-20, where Jesus gets his first disciples by telling some fishermen to give up their profession and follow him. Jesus even says to them “I will make you a fisher of men”. Could this be Jesus was having them give up their barbaric line of work to do something more righteous? It may sound absurd, but it starts to make a little more sense when you take it in the same context as the story of feeding five thousand, where the disciples never even considered trying to catch some fish, despite being beside the sea. Why didn't they go fishing? Did Jesus teach it was wrong to eat fish?

Finally, there is the story of after the resurrection, in Luke 24:42-43, where Jesus eats some fish. This is an interesting story. Some scholars however, have stated that in this verse, the Greek word for fish is “ixous”, which happens to be an acronym for the phrase “Jesus Christ Son of God Savior.” Indeed, the fish is still a symbol of Christianity today. This argument could go on and on.

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Christian – Christianity

The Misrepresentation of Jesus's Directives

The Way of Jesus the Nazirene or “The Way vs. The Church” – Essenes (World Congress 1996)
The Word of Wisdom: the forgotten verses – Vegetarianism and the Mormon Church (VegSource)
Was Christ a Vegetarian?
Was Jesus a Vegetarian? (VegInfo)
Was the apostle Paul a vegetarian? (come2jesus.com)
What Would Jesus Eat…Today
1847-1997 Vegetariansm – A Cause for Celebration – religious origins of the Vegetarian Society UK (EVU News, 1997)

Italiano 1847-1997 Vegetarianismo – Un motivo per festeggiare
Italiano Animali e tradizioni bibliche (VeganItalia)
Animal Minds and Human Morals (book review) Comments on early Christian philosophy.
Christianity and Vegetarianism (TVS)
Does meat consumption corrupt the Eucharist?
Ellen G. White (1827 – 1915) – Co-Founder of Seventh Day Adventism
Ethics, Christianity and Vegetarianism (European Congress 1997)
Italiano Etica, cristianesimo e vegetarismo
God Does Not Eat Meat – read this book for free online
Honoring God’s Creation (CVA)
Español ¿Qué Comería Jesús…Hoy?
Français Honorer la création de Dieu
Polski Chrzeœcijañstwo a wegetarianizm
Português O que Comeria Jesus…Hoje?

Romanâ Onorând Creatia lui Dumnezeu
Human Animals? (EVU News, 2000)
Português Religião & Vegetarianismo / São os Cristãos Vegetarianos?
Responsibility of Christians towards Animals (EVU News, 2000)
Rev.Dr.Andrew Linzey
Rev. John Todd Ferrier (1855-1943)
Serbian Orthodox Church – some observations
St.Francis of Assisi (1181-1226)
The Cruelty and Wastefulness of Meat Eating – a Quaker view (IVU News, 1998)
The Essenes (IVU News, 1996)
¤¤¤å (Chinese big5) – ¦ãÁÉ¥§±Ð¬£ – “¨º¾ð¤WªºªG¹ê©M¨º´Óª«ªººØ¤l¬O§Ú½ç¤©µ¹§A­Ìªº­¹ª«¡C”
ÖÐÎÄ (Chinese gb) – °¬ÈüÄá½ÌÅÉ – “ÄÇÊ÷ÉϵĹûʵºÍÄÇÖ²ÎïµÄÖÖ×ÓÊÇÎÒ´ÍÓè¸øÄãÃǵÄʳÎï¡£”
Italiano Gli Esseni
Magyar Az esszéneusok
Português Os Essênios
? (CVA)
———————————————————————————–
The Answer :

Equation 1 : Jesus Christ = One and the Only Truth

Equation 1 is the correct equation.

All teachings lead us to the One and the Only truth : the Creator GOD & no other god.

Buddha, Prophet Mohamud,etc are all created by the Heavenly Father. Jesus Christ was a Son of the Father. We are all GOD (no other god)'s children.

All the other religions, if read carefully, ultimately, all link back to GOD (TRUTH) as described in the Bible

Did GOD change His Mind???

“And God said, See, I have given you every herb that yields seed which is on the face of all the earth, and every tree whose fruit yields seed; to you it shall be for food. Also, to every beast of the earth, to every bird of the air, and to everything that creeps on the earth, in which there is life, I have given every green herb for food; and it was so. Then God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good. So the evening and the morning were the sixth day”
(Gen 1:29-31 NKJ).

Thou Shalt not kill

Do Not Kill: Man has been commanded not to kill — and if he is to dwell in the Paradise of the Edenic Kingdom, to do no harm. And what few people today realize is the fact that the Disciples of Yeshua (Jesus) who were of the Nazirene Vow of Consecration — a Holy people who were set aside and touched not the dead — not only condemned animal sacrifice, but were all vegetarians. It is written of Jacob who people call James and the brother of Yeshua, who was the first leader of the Jerusalem New Covenant Community, that “He drank no wine or strong drink, nor did he eat meat” (Eusibius; Church History). Of the disciple Matthew it is recorded: “Accordingly, the apostle Matthew partook of seeds, and nuts, and vegetables, without flesh” (Clement of Alexandria; The Instructor). And in the writings of his disciple Clement, Peter is quoted as stating that “He drank no wine or strong drink, nor did he eat meat.” Epiphanius wrote that the Ebionites claimed that the disciple Peter “…abstained from that which had life in it and from meats, even as they do; and from all other food prepared from flesh” (Panarion 30.15.3 Bk I, Sec. II). Thomas is spoken of as eating only bread and water (The Acts of Thomas).

The Bible: The oldest known complete copy of our Gospels is called the Evangelion Da – Mepharresh and in it we find Yeshua saying at Luke 21:34: “See that you do not make your minds heavy, to do this, never eat meat or drink wine.” Was this rejection of eating meat an anomaly? There is overwhelming proof that important spiritual teachings such as this were removed from the Bible (see Bible Corruption). Why was the Bible corrupted and important teachings removed? As stated in the above article, the Gentile converts were too heathen in both their thinking and lifestyle, and the scriptures had to be corrupted in order to be of use to the
m.

The Original Followers: The original Disciples and followers of Yeshua were called Ebionites (see Ebionites) — and they were of the Nazirene Vow of Separation and Consecration (see Nazirene Vow). In order to change and corrupt the original teachings, the original Disciples and followers had to be condemned. The Ebionites were called heretics because it was said that they were Torah Observant. Yet, they rejected all animal sacrifice, were strict vegetarians, and they rejected the literal interpretation of the Law of Moses. Quoting Epiphanius: The Ebionites “do not accept Moses' Pentateuch in its entirety; certain sayings they reject… stating Christ has revealed this to me, and will blespheme most of the legislation” (Panarion 30.18.7-9). Epiphanius then quotes the Gospel of the Ebionites/Hebrews where Yeshua states: “I have come to destroy the sacrifices” (ibid. 30.16.5). They were Observant of the Law — but this was the Royal Law that is Spiritual.

Why was the disciples vegetarians?

The Kingdom Within: While the teachings of what Paul called the entry-level simple faith were focused on belief, the more advanced purpose of the teachings of Yeshua and TheWay was the process of the transformation of the body-vessel of the flesh, in order to make it an acceptable Holy and Consecrated Temple for the Kingdom to come within (see Gate Of Eden). When asked, Yeshua said that the Kingdom will never come upon the earth in the manner that carnal men predict — because it is within us (Luke 17:20-21). It is from this perspective that the requirement in the Book of the Revelation is set before us in the words: “Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful” (Rev 21:27 NIV). This same truth was expressed by Isaiah where it is written: “And a highway will be there; it will be called the Way of Holiness. The unclean will not journey on it; it will be for those who walk in that Way; wicked fools will not go about on it” (Isa 35:8 NIV). And this same truth is expressed in the words of Yeshua/Jesus when he warned: “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it” (Matt 7:13-14 NIV). The “narrow gate” that Yeshua speaks that we must open in order for us to be born into the Kingdom, has its parallels in the birth canal that serves as the gate that each of us has emerged through when we physically entered into this present world. That the next stage of birth has its similarities, is merely the result that all realities are designed in accordance with the same Divine Pattern of Creation.
The Mature Are Taught By God: Christians fail to comprehend both the inner meaning of the Gospels, as well as the Kingdom within us, because they selectively read only certain verses in the scriptures, and ignore what they do not understand. The works that Paul condemned, were the ritual observance of the Law. In the same way that Yeshua said that the righteousness of his followers must greatly exceed that of the Pharisees — “For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven” (Matt 5:20 KJV). The key is in the fact that an entry level system had to be instituted, for the purpose of converting the Gentiles and the people's of the world. And after conferring with the Holy Spirit, Jacob/James stated: “So that the rest of mankind may seek the Lord, even all the Gentiles who are called by My name, says the Lord who does all these things.' Known to God from eternity are all His works. Therefore I judge that we should not trouble those from among the Gentiles who are turning to God, but that we write to them to abstain from things polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from things strangled, and from blood” (Acts 15:17-20 NKJ). Thus, in order to ease the transition of “…the Gentiles who are turning to God”, different requirements were set up for the entry-level believers of the simple faith. And in the same way that we have primary schools for children who are yet too immature, so too were the teachings of the simple faith promoted among the Gentiles who were yet too carnal to know the Mysteries of God (see Why God Speaks In Enigmas). And thus, Paul states: “However, we speak wisdom among those who are mature” (1 Cor 2:6 NKJ) — and those who were mature in the teachings of TheWay, are have prepared themselves to undergo the necessary spiritual transformation that enables them to be Taught directly by God — i.e., “It is written in the prophets, 'And they shall all be taught by God.' Therefore everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to Me” (John 6:45 NKJ). But in order for this transformation to be brought about in the life of the mature Disciple, the lower nature mush undergo the process of Alchemical Transmutation — and this is why Paul states: “Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature” (Col 3:5 NIV). To the degree that Paul warned: “For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live” (Rom 8:13 KJV).
More Spiritual Scriptures Were Never Given To The Gentile Converts: Even in the first to second century, the Gentiles had corrupted the scriptures that had been given to them (see Bible Corruption). And thus, because of this corruption of the written word, and the inability of many of the Gentiles to mature beyond the entry-level, and embrace the necessary process of spiritual transformation, the more important scriptures were never placed in their hands. An important truth is contained in the Epistle of Peter to James where it is stated: “Hear me, brethren and fellow-servants. If we should give the books to all indiscriminately, and they should be corrupted by any daring men, or be perverted by interpretations, as you have heard that some have already done, it will remain even for those who really seek the truth, always to wander in error. Wherefore it is better that they should be with us, and that we should communicate them with all the fore-mentioned care to those who wish to live piously, and to save others.”
The first question that a modern believer would ask is why Peter and Jacob/James would state that if the teachings were corrupted, that “…those who really seek the truth, always to wander in error?” If we are saved by belief, isn't that all that is required? While that is all that is required of the entry-level believers of the simple faith, the Spiritual Elders were required to remove the carnal beam from their own eyes, so they would “learn from the Father”, and dwell upon the earth as a Consecrated Living Temple of the Most High.

Those Who Eat Flesh
Cannot Know The Mysteries of God
They Cannot Enter The Inner Kingdom
There still exists scriptures that contain many of the original teachings that were removed from the Bible (see Bible Corruption). And in such scriptures as the Gospel of the Nazirenes (see Gospel), it is taught that those who defile their body-vessel with the flesh of slain beasts, cannot learn of know the Mysteries of God. Thus, Yeshua is asked: “And again that one asked, If anyone comes to us who eats flesh and drinks strong drink, how shall we receive them? And Yeshua said to him, Let such a person abide in the outer court until they cleanse themselves from these grosser evils; for till they perceive, and repent of these, they are not fit to receive the higher mysteries.” Why can't they be permitted into the inner core of the Congregational Body of Messiah/Christ? Because their minds are incapable of contemplating the Mysteries of God by virtue of the polluted body-vessel — and therefore, the necessary spiritual transformation cannot be brought about.
Even among the Gentile converts, the earliest of Christians abstained from the eating of flesh. The Church
Father Irenaeus recounts how, when the followers of Jesus were accused of cannibalism with respect to the eating of the Lord's body and drinking his blood, the martyr Blandina replied: “How should those persons endure such accusation, who, for the sake of the practice of piety, did not avail themselves even of the flesh that was permitted them to eat?” In like manner St. Jerome wrote: “The eating of Flesh Meat was unknown up to the big flood, but since the flood they have the strings and stinking juices of Animal Meat into our mouths, just as they threw in front of the grumbling sensual people in the desert (Essenes). Jesus Christ, who appeared when the time had been fulfilled, has again joined the end with the beginning, so that it is no longer allowed for us to eat the Flesh of Animal Meat.” In total agreement St. Basil wrote: “The steam of Meat meals darkens the Spirit. One can hardly have virtue if one enjoys Meat meals and feasts. In the Earthly Paradise, no one Sacrificed Animals, and no one ate the Flesh of Animal Meat.” Clement of Alexandria in like manner explained: “Sacrifices were invented by men to be a pretext for Eating the Flesh of Animals.”
Unlike the carnal Jewish sects of the Sadducees and Pharisees, Spiritual Israelites (Essenes-Ebionites-Nazirenes) who were the true people of the New Covenant, were always vegetarians. If the objective of the teachings of The Way is to return the prodigal son to the Kingdom from which he originally emerged, then he must live in the manner of God's original vision, and do no harm to any living creature. With respect to the above verses in the Book of Genesis, the Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament writes: “From this it follows, that, according to the creative will of God, men were not to slaughter animals for food, nor were animals to prey upon one another; consequently, that the fact which now prevails universally in nature and the order of the world, the violent and often painful destruction of life, is not a primary law of nature, nor a divine institution founded in the creation itself, but entered the world along with death at the fall of man, and became a necessity of nature through the curse of sin. It was not till after the flood, that men received authority from God to employ the flesh of animals as well as the green herb as food (Gen 9:3); and the fact that, according to the biblical view, no carnivorous animals existed at the first, may be inferred from the prophetic announcements in Isa. 11:6-8; 65:25, where the cessation of sin and the complete transformation of the world into the kingdom of God are described as being accompanied by the cessation of slaughter and the eating of flesh, even in the case of the animal kingdom.”
What the Keil & Delitzsch Commentary clarifies is the fact that if man is to return to the Kingdom, then he must inflict no harm upon any living creature. This is one of the main tenets of what is referred to as the Royal Law of the Most High. With respect to the above verses sited at Isaiah 11:6-7, Keil & Delitzsch Commentary writes: “There now reign among irrational creatures, from the greatest to the least — even among such as are invisible — fierce conflicts and bloodthirstiness of the most savage kind. But when the Son of David enters upon the full possession of His royal inheritance, the peace of paradise will be renewed, and all that is true in the popular legends of the golden age be realized and confirmed. This is what the prophet depicts in such lovely colours. The wolf and lamb, those two hereditary foes, will be perfectly reconciled then. The leopard will let the teazing kid lie down beside it. The lion, between the calf and stalled ox, neither seizes upon its weaker neighbour, nor longs for the fatter one.”
Unlike the Old Testament, in the New Testament there is the very clear and open declaration that the Kingdom of God will never come upon the earth as carnal man expects, because it already exists within us (Luke 17:20-21). The objective, then, of the teachings of The Way, was to prepare carnal man for the next stage of birth that will enable him to gain access into the inner Kingdom. In order to accomplish this, he must live his life in the manner of God's original vision, and inflict no harm to any living creature. This requirement which was very clearly presented in the scriptures in their original form, was altered and removed from our Bibles by the Gentiles and Pagan Church of the Roman Empire.
Perhaps the most clear explanation was given by Jesus in the thirty-third chapter of the Nazirene Gospel where he taught: “Jesus was teaching His disciples in the outer court of the temple and one of them said to Him, Master, it is said by the priests that without shedding of blood there is no remission. Can then the blood offerings of the laws take away sin? And Jesus answered, No blood offering, of beast or bird, or man, can take away sin. For how can the conscience be purged from sin by the shedding of innocent blood? Nay, it will increase the condemnation. The priests indeed receive such offerings as a reconciliation of the worshippers for the trespasses against the Law of Moses; but for sins against the Law of God there can be no remission, save by repentance and amendment. Is it not written in the prophets, Put your blood sacrifices to your burnt offerings, and away with them, and cease from the eating flesh. I did not speak to your fathers nor commanded them, concerning these things, when I brought them out of Egypt. But this thing I commanded saying, Obey my voice and walk in the ways that I have commanded you, and you will be my people, and it shall be well with you. But they did not listen, nor inclined their ear. And what doth the eternal command you, but to do justice, love mercy and walk humbly with your God? Is it not written that in the beginning God ordained the fruits of the trees and the seeds and the herbs to be food for all flesh? But they have made the house of prayer a den of thieves, and for the oblation with incense, they have polluted my altars with blood, and eaten of the flesh of the slain. But I say to you, shed no innocent blood nor eat flesh. Walk upright, love mercy, and do justly, and your days shall be long in the land”.
What Yeshau is teachings is that if we wish to dwell in the Paradise of our Creator God, and inherit the promise of eternal life, then we must live in the manner that God intended when mankind dwelled in Eden. We must do no harm to any creature — we must cease to do evil — and we must “do justice, love mercy and walk humbly with our God”. And if you say that such a thing is impossible — that you cannot live your life in this manner — then your soul has eternity to aimlessly wander this world of suffering, death and pain, until which time you desire to enter into the Paradise that awaits you.
Natural man often has great problems when he attempts to embrace such a manner of life. He reasons: The animals were put here for me to eat. The problem is that because he is ruled over by the beasts of his animal nature — i.e., carnivores — he craves the blood and fat of slain beasts. In scripture, the good animals are always portrayed as vegetarians that inflict no harm upon any other creature — i.e., the lamb — and if we are to make any progress in following in The Way, we must convert the lower nature within us from a beast, to a subdued companion that supports our quest of higher consciousness. We cannot even begin to accomplish this transformation while our physical bodies are the tombs of dead animals. Why is this truth not more clear in our Bibles today: It is near impossible for carnal, sensually driven men not to eat the flesh of slain beasts. In like manner, the teachings of The Way were unacceptable to the Gentile-heathen world, so they simply eliminated what was objectionable in the scriptures they inherited from the holy men of Spiritual Israel.
Modern Christians often point to the biblical verse where the Pharisees ask Jesus: “Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? They don’t wash t
heir hands before they eat!” (Matt 15:2 NIV) — and the answer of Jesus to affirm that Christians were not required to observe the dietary restrictions in the Old Testament: “What goes into a man’s mouth does not make him ‘unclean,’ but what comes out of his mouth, that is what makes him ‘unclean… Don’t you see that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and then out of the body? But the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and these make a man ‘unclean.’ For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander. These are what make a man ‘unclean’; but eating with unwashed hands does not make him ‘unclean’” (Matt 15:11-20 NIV).
Regardless of the fact that what is being presented here is true — the question remains, is it the whole truth? What should make us question the completeness of what is being presented, and give us an immediate clue that these verses have been doctored, is the fact that we know the author of this scripture — i.e., the Apostle Matthew — was himself a vegetarian, as seen in the words of Clement of Alexandria: “Accordingly, the apostle Matthew partook of seeds, and nuts, and vegetables, without flesh” (Clement; The Instructor).
That the New Testament in like manner condemned the eating of flesh is seen in the Gospel of the Nazirenes, where we can see what the original message that Jesus taught conveyed to the reader: “And Jesus said, ‘Well has Moses commanded you to be clean, and to keep your bodies clean, and your vessels clean, but you have added things which ofttimes cannot be observed by everyone at all times and in all places. Hear me therefore, not only unclean things entering into the body of man defile the man, but much more do evil thoughts and unclean things which pour from the heart of man, defile the inner man and others also. Therefore take heed to your thoughts and cleanse your hearts and let your food be pure. These things ought you to do, and not to leave the others undone. Whosoever breaks The Law of Purification of necessity, are blameless, for they do it not of their own will, neither despising The Law which is just and good. For cleanliness in all things is great gain. Be not therefore followers of evil fashions of the world, even in appearance; for many are led into transgression by the outward seeming, and the likeness of evil” (NG 43:13-16). Thus, the original words of Jesus paint an entirely different picture than the corrupted texts of our modern biblical translations.
Further confirmation that the original people of the New Covenant ate no flesh foods is seen in the Clementine Homily 7, chap 4, where it reads: “Wherefore, as then ye were deceived by the forerunner Simon, and so became dead in your souls to God, and were smitten in your bodies; so now, if you repent, as I said, and submit to those things which are well-pleasing to God, you may get new strength to your bodies, and recover your soul’s health. And the things which are well-pleasing to God are these: to pray to Him, to ask from Him, recognizing that He is the giver of all things, and gives with discriminating law; to abstain from the table of devils, not to taste dead flesh, not to touch blood; to be washed from all pollution; and the rest in one word, — as the God-fearing Jews”

Higher Consciousness

The Effects Of Eating Meat
The Development And Activation
Of Man's Innate Spiritual Essence

Charles Fillmore And Unity Church

Charles and Myrtle Fillmore were the co-founders of what has come to be known as Unity Church (see Unity). And while Unity Church is not Ebionite, as can be seen in the following, the co-founders of Unity Church had much in common with TheWay which the Ebionites embraced. For years Charles Fillmore walked the path of an inner search for Truth and the Kingdom. He was a deeply religious man who fervently studied the scriptures in search of Truth. And while Charles Fillmore began his journey as a meat eater, somewhere in his journey along TheWay he became cognizant of the fact that his meat-based diet was inhibiting his spiritual progress. In the above quotation of Jesus on the sin of eating flesh and its relationship to seeking the knowledge of the Mysteries of God, the witness of Charles Fillmore verifies both my own witness as to why the Ebionites and Disciples of Jesus were all vegetarians, as well as the experience of others associated with these teachings. And while it can be demonstrated that no connection whatsoever exists between Charles Fillmore and the Ebionites — and neither authority would promote the idea that vegetarianism in and of itself is the answer — both sources independently confirm the relationship between a purified body-mind and mans' search for Truth. What they are saying is that, in order to begin to receive the higher revelation and knowledge of the Mysteries of God, the mind of the seeker must begin to undergo the process of spiritual transformation which will permit the person to transcend the limits of the organic physical body, and begin to develop those latent areas of the mind that don't correspond to the physical, and are able to interface with man's higher soul and spiritual reality. In Charles Fillmore's own words he tells of his struggle to embrace the innate spiritual, while still eating a meat-based diet:
I have in years of experiment tested the effect in mind and body of meat-eating and non-meat-eating, and I feel that I am more competent to judge of the effects than one who theorizes about the question.
Some sixteen years ago when I began the study of Truth I was told that it made no difference what I ate if I was in the right thought. This seemed to prove true up to a certain point in my experience. While my spiritual development was confined to the conscious mind there seemed no special need of food discrimination. But gradually a new phase set in. I found that I was having vibrations in the sympathetic nerve centers — the subconscious mind was being quickened, and I was becoming a conscious vital battery. The vital currents gradually grew stronger and stronger until I could hardly control them. Appetite, passion, emotion, etc., were greatly increased. Then my prayers for guidance were answered and a system of communication set up with the higher realms of consciousness. I was shown that the food that entered the organism had to pass through a process of regeneration every day before it was in condition to be built into the new body of Christ. Just how to carry on this regenerative process in the various subconscious centers was also shown, and here is where I discerned the effects of food in body building.
The vitalizing element in food is contained in the cell, which may be termed a mind battery vibrating with intelligence, force, and substance. These elements are present in the living cell — dead cells are those in which intelligence and force have withdrawn and inanimate substance only remains. Man appropriates these cells and they become part of his consciousness according to his capacity to use them. Those who have not developed the capacity to consciously regenerate the cells get but a small part of their energies. (First published in the October 1903 issue of Unity Magazine, Volume 19, number 4)
On the process of transforming the body in order to enable it to begin to accommodate man's innate higher soul and spiritual natures, Charles Fillmore wrote: “I can say about flesh eating that the Spirit has shown me repeatedly that I could not refine my body and make it a harmonious instrument for the soul, so long as I continued to fill it with the cells of dead animals” (The Vegetarian, May, 1920). And thus, when Yeshua/Je

[Worshipping Jesus]

Quote

The more critical issues would be to : 1. Which version of Bible are we reading now : A meat eating interpretation of the Bible became the official creed of the Roman Empire Tthe powerful Roman Regime had ordered chunks of texts to be removed from the Bible : (one topic is Jesus Christ was a vegetarian) Mankind has been reading this version at least for the past 500 years or so.. 2. Or the very original version of the Bible (which sad to say, was long lost at least 1000 years back So, only GOD knows the answers.

Kelly

If you believe this, then maybe you should just write your own bible and leave the canon alone.

[Cubes]

Hi Kelly,

Welcome to the board.
Jesus was a passover celebrating Jewish male, so would have had to eat lamb or goat meat.  We also know he ate fish with two apostles and certainly helped the apostles catch a lot of fish:  what else to do with the fish if not for eating purposes?
Also, recall Peter's vision of the mixed animals… Peter did not interpret or perceive the vision in vegetarian terms.

[NickHassan]

Hi and welcome Kelly,
Quite so cubes.
He asked for it
and ate it.

Lk 24
' 41And while they yet believed not for joy, and wondered, he said unto them, Have ye here any meat?

42And they gave him a piece of a broiled fish, and of an honeycomb.

43And he took it, and did eat before them.'

[david]

It's odd. I was actually thinking about this about 2 months ago. I really can't remember any accounts where we are told that he specifically is eating meat.

[seekingtruth]

Quote (david @ Dec. 21 2006,21:06)

It's odd.  I was actually thinking about this about 2 months ago.  I really can't remember any accounts where we are told that he specifically is eating meat.

David,
We have an account of Him cooking one in a pan, of His blessing fish for consumption, and I believe it is required for Him to eat the passover meal.

[Cubes]

My husband, “Spheres,” just reminded me of this portion of scripture… which is so appropo to the times.

1 Tim 4:1 Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, 2 speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron, 3 forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from foods which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth. 4 For every creature of God is good, and nothing is to be refused if it is received with thanksgiving; 5 for it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.

[charity]

Hi kelly

Eat what you like Jesus! And that which is profitable we should eat also for it is eternal food for the soul to survive, that which the body eats is different than the parables spoken
Or we might need to eat his body.
Really speck thou straight said the disciples

Jhn 4:32 But he said unto them, I have meat to eat that ye know not of.
Jhn 4:33 Therefore said the disciples one to another, Hath any man brought him [ought] to eat?
Jhn 4:34 Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.
Jhn 4:35 Say not ye, There are yet four months, and [then] cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest.

charity

[david]

Quote

David, We have an account of Him cooking one in a pan, of His blessing fish for consumption, and I believe it is required for Him to eat the passover meal.

Yes,he would have eaten the passover lamb. But it just struck me for some reason that there is no account of him eating meat. I don't even know why I thought that was odd at the time. He surely must have.

[NickHassan]

Hi david,
He shared the final passover lamb with them.

[david]

Yes, I know. All I'm saying it that it struck me as odd a while back that I don't remember the Bible anywhere specifically saying: “Jesus ate…” or “Jesus had eaten…”
But yes, of course he shared that passover lamb.

[seekingtruth]

David,
Sorry my mistake, I got to admidt I was surprised when I thought you were advocating that Jesus was a vegetarian.

[NickHassan]

Hi david,
Some gleanings
Matthew 26:17
Now on the first day of the Feast of the Unleavened Bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying to Him, “Where do You want us to prepare for You to eat the Passover?”
Mark 14:12
Now on the first day of Unleavened Bread, when they killed the Passover lamb, His disciples said to Him, “Where do You want us to go and prepare, that You may eat the Passover?”
Mark 14:14
Wherever he goes in, say to the master of the house, ‘The Teacher says, “Where is the guest room in which I may eat the Passover with My disciples?”
Luke 10:8
Whatever city you enter, and they receive you, eat such things as are set before you.
Luke 15:23
And bring the fatted calf here and kill it, and let us eat and be merry;
Romans 14:2
For one believes he may eat all things, but he who is weak eats only vegetables.
Romans 14:17
for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.

[Author]

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