Myth # 77 : " But God authorized us to eat animals ." ( also heard as “ But the Bible says it ’ s OK to eat animals .”)
Myth # 77 : " But God authorized us to eat animals ." ( also heard as “ But the Bible says it ’ s OK to eat animals .”)
I will admit that this is one of my favorite myths to dissect , for I truly Love discussing the intricacies of the Bible almost as much as I truly Love defending my animal Friends from unjust persecution . And it just so happens that the texts of the former lend themselves very well to the cause of the latter . As such , I could have chosen to discuss many things in this particular chapter ...
* I could have chosen to discuss the apparent likelihood – at least according to the ancient Hebrew texts of the book of Genesis – that it was not God at all who gave humankind " dominion " over the animals and offered them to us as food ; that it was actually the lessthan-moral fallen angels (" Elohim " in the ancient Hebrew ) who did so .
* I could have relied upon the principle of " Biblical primacy " and noted that God ’ s very first Commandment – and the only Commandment that God Himself gave to humankind in the entire Bible ; most certainly the only Commandment given to us humans before our " fall into sin " – was to live as vegan stewards of the Earth ( see Genesis 1:29-30 ).
* I could have brought up the practical conundrum that using the Bible as a literal justification for imprisoning , abusing , killing & eating animals also mandates the same strict adherence to other Old Testament verses as well ; verses that – among many other unpleasantries – advocate slavery , affirm genocide , subjugate women and condone rape .
* I could have mentioned the various Biblical portrayals of Paradise – ostensibly an environment that would be good for us all to emulate here on Earth ; descriptions that show Heaven to be a place of perfect Peace where unconditional Kindness is given to all sentient beings ( see Isaiah 11:6-9 , Isaiah 65:17-25 , Hosea 2:18 , Revelation 5:13 ).
* I could have quoted some of the many verses that actually show God ' s unconditional Love for all his animal creations ( see Proverbs 12:10 , Psalm 36:6-7 , Psalm 145:9 , Ecclesiastes 3:19-21 , Jeremiah 7:5-7 , Isaiah 66:2-3 , Matthew 9:13 ).
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