Why does your Bible endorse Cannibalism?

Question

What the Bible says about Cannibalism
Sometimes God forces people to eat other people, often their own children or other family members.

"I also will do this unto you... You shall sow your seed in vain, for your enemies shall eat it." -- Leviticus 26:16

"And ye shall eat the flesh of your sons, and the flesh of your daughters shall ye eat." -- Leviticus 26:29

"And thou shalt eat the fruit of thine own body, the flesh of thy sons and of thy daughters." -- Deuteronomy 28:53

"And toward her young one that cometh out from between her feet, and toward her children which she shall bear: for she shall eat them." -- Deuteronomy 28:57

"Through the wrath of the LORD of hosts is the land darkened, and the people shall be as the fuel of the fire: no man shall spare his brother. And he shall snatch on the right hand, and be hungry; and he shall eat on the left hand, and they shall not be satisfied: they shall eat every man the flesh of his own arm." -- Isaiah 9:19-20

"And I will feed them that oppress thee with their own flesh; and they shall be drunken with their own blood, as with sweet wine." -- Isaiah 49:26

"And I will cause them to eat the flesh of their sons and the flesh of their daughters, and they shall eat every one the flesh of his friend." -- Jeremiah 19:9

"Therefore the fathers shall eat the sons in the midst of thee, and the sons shall eat their fathers." -- Ezekiel 5:10

"I will not feed you: that that dieth, let it die; and that that is to be cut off, let it be cut off; and let the rest eat every one the flesh of another." -- Zechariah 11:9

Sometimes the Bible just reports, often with apparent relish, cases of cannibalism.

"This woman said unto me, Give thy son, that we may eat him to day, and we will eat my son to morrow. So we boiled my son, and did eat him: and I said unto her on the next day, Give thy son, that we may eat him." 2 Kings 6:28-29

"The hands of the pitiful women have sodden their own children: they were their meat." -- Lamentations 4:10

"Who pluck off their skin from off them, and their flesh from off their bones; Who also eat the flesh of my people, and flay their skin from off them; and they break their bones, and chop them in pieces, as for the pot, and as flesh within the caldron." -- Micah 3:2-3

"Heap on wood, kindle the fire, consume the flesh, and spice it well, and let the bones be burned. Then set it empty upon the coals thereof, that the brass of it may be hot, and may burn, and that the filthiness of it may be molten in it, that the scum of it may be consumed. She hath wearied herself with lies, and her great scum went not forth out of her: her scum shall be in the fire. -- Ezekiel 24:10-12

Answer 1

Lets see. Some say those verses are "symbolic". Others say they are the "literal" word of God. Evidently, the best thing about Christianity is that you can have your cake "AND" eat it too. Whatever fits the moment. How convenient! And Christians wonder why people think they're goofy???

Answer 2

I've been wondering the same thing lately. I don't think it is an endorsement of cannibalism- But I am disconcerted by the wording in the verses where God repeatedly says "HE WILL CAUSE IT" to happen. I could see that it was a loving warning of what might happen to those who took a bad path... But it is not that. If you read carefully you see that it is a direct consequence that God will inflict upon these people if they disobey. I'm wrestling hard with these pieces of scripture to make it jive with the love of God. I hope you end up finding the answers you seek.

Answer 3

Its not symbolic at all. The verses in the law are warnings. The verses in the prophets were prophesy, and the and the others are exactly what you said reports. God doesn't endorse cannibalism it was used as a punishment for a rebellious, hard hearted, and stiff necked people. Now my question for you is if God would do this to His chosen people after He rescued them from slavery out of Egypt what do you think he will do with you? I have seen you write that you are searching for truth but why don't you accept it? Itsead of searching so hard to find fault why don't you spend you energy on searching for the menaing in the scriptures? ANd might i remind you that the scriptures have undergone farther scutiny through the centuries than you have been able to muster and they are still intact and still stand.

Answer 4

Most of those scriptures you quoted, are prophesies. It is a curse, if you didn't keep Gods Commandments it would come to past or (happen). God is not telling you to eat people. The bible doesn't endorse the practice, those scriptures are predictions of the future or prophesies.

EXAMPLE:
Leviticus 26:
14 But if ye will not hearken unto me, and will not do all these commandments; 15 And if ye shall despise my statutes, or if your soul abhor my judgments, so that ye will not do all my commandments, but that ye break my covenant: 16 I also will do this unto you; I will even appoint over you terror, consumption, and the burning ague, that shall consume the eyes, and cause sorrow of heart: and ye shall sow your seed in vain, for your enemies shall eat it.

READ ABOVE YOUR VERSES FROM THE VERSES YOU POSTED AND YOU WILL SEE, IT IS A WARNING FROM GOD, OF WHAT WILL HAPPEN BECAUSE ISRAEL DIDN'T OBEY HIM.

Deuteronomy 28:
15 But it shall come to pass, if thou wilt not hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe to do all his commandments and his statutes which I command thee this day; that all these curses shall come upon thee, and overtake thee:...

IT CONTINUES WITH MANY CURSES THAT YOU FAILED TO READ, OR NOT POST HERE. ONE OF WHICH IS YOU WILL EAT YOUR CHILDREN.

Jeremiah 19:
5 They have built also the high places of Baal, to burn their sons with fire for burnt offerings unto Baal, which I commanded not, nor spake it, neither came it into my mind: 6 Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the LORD, ...

IT CONTINUES WITH CURSES THAT WILL COME UPON ISRAEL, ONE OF WHICH IS YOU WILL EAT YOUR CHILDREN.

Answer 5

Since you took the time to look these passages of scripture up I will assume that you also took the time to read them in context and are aware that the Bible does not endorse cannabalism. If you are not aware of the context go back and read it again. These are a warning of what will befall those who turn away from God and worship idols.

Answer 6

They're just symbols. Why the Bible full of symbols? Because ONLY to people who really seeks the real Truth instead of people who are just trying to find justification for themselves, God will reveal His Truth and wisdom....

That's the only reason why you don't understand the verses on The Holy Bible.....Wht's your agenda anyway????

Answer 7

there are lots of verses that make no sense, or read disturbingly. there are a lot about incest, etc. beating your wife, how a slave should behave towards his/her master, etc.

im not a Christian, but i was raised in a christian household. these verses are NOT studied or taught in church, they are over looked for a reason, the ppl are given certain verses and books to study from, and lessons on them alone.

if you want to find what other wierd things are in the bible you have to read it from cover to cover. there are many verses, that are sexually charged.

http://www.ffrf.org/fttoday/1997/may97/green.html

http://www.nobeliefs.com/DarkBible/darkbible4.htm

Answer 8

Read John chapter 6. All of it.

Answer 9

You mean God said it's alright to eat your fellow man??!! Anyone got any Lima beans?

Answer 10

It's not an endorsement or a commandment. It is prophecy concerning what would happen (and in some cases did happen) if they didn't turn from idolatry.

Answer 11

I've never seen so many verses taken out of context in one question.