Is it against the Bible to eat meat?

Question

A friend of mine told me it is, but in Genesis 9:3 it says" Every moving thing that liveth shall be meat for you; even as the green herb have I given you all things."

So is it biblically wrong to eat meat?

P.S I hope this is the right section to post this in. If it isn't, let me know and I will move it.

Answer 1

ooh, this is a toughie. i believe that God intended for every living creature of the earth (human and animal) to be herbivores. genesis 29-30 states: "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. and to all the beasts of the earth and all the birds of the air and all the creatures that move on the ground— everything that has the breath of life in it— i give every green plant for food. and it was so."

it wasn't until AFTER the fall of humanity that things started to die, and there had to be a way for the living creatures to die. since man ate from the tree and 'knew' both good and evil like the serpent had promised them, evil started to occur.

anyway, i just wanted to point that out. biblically, i really don't know if it's okay to eat meat. even jesus ate fish and the apostles feasted on once-living creatures. but it also says that God cries over every creature's death, even a sparrow. so why would it be okay to eat those very creatures He created if He is going to cry over their death? i don't think He wants us to. it is our own free will that decides what is okay to eat or not eat.

i see it this way... although i am a believer of God, i do not let the bible tell me what i can and cannot eat. what i do not eat will be between God and i, if that day of judgment should come. i am sure that God will not be mad for eating animals.

Answer 2

I've heard a lot of different things on this. Some say that the bible says that it's wrong to eat meat or certain meats and some say that the bible said it's ok. Some also say that man was intended to not eat meat until the great flood of Noah's ark. It's a very difficult subject with no specific answer because so many people interpret it differently. For instance, it does say that god mourns every fallen sparrow, meaning he cares deeply for all living creatures. Well, if that's true, he's morning a lot with the average consumption of meat in America. Personally, I'm agnostic(have no religion) and my choice not to eat meat is in regards to animal welfare because of the horrible practices of factory farming. Even if the bible did say that eating meat was wrong most people wouldn't be convinced, anyway. I'm sure it doesn't say that not eating meat is wrong so I'm sure vegetarianism is fine in the eyes of the Christian god. I'm sorry my answer is so very vague.

Answer 3

I kinda think everyone is missing the point.

It's not right or wrong to do anything. It is what it is. If you eat meat for the purpose of survival, you're eating meat for the purpose of survival. If you're slamming down burgers while desensitizing yourself to the fact an animal had to suffer tremendously so you can be a slob, that's another story.

We seem to take very precise modern day issues and try to match them with the ethics stated in the bible. I'm sure if you had to kill a deer and use it's body for meat and clothing in order to survive, Jesus would understand and simply ask you to give thanks for that animal's sacrifice. I'm also sure he would frown upon the meat industry, the dairy industry, the fur industry for their deliberate abuse and inconsideration for the creatures of which God put here for the satisfaction motivated by people's greed, gluttony, and vanity. He would encourage people to show compassion for the sentient beings that walk this earth, because we are all one. And to harm another is to harm oneself.

Sooner or later human beings will realize this. Unfortunitely it's more likely they'll learn the hard way.

Answer 4

Your friend might have been Seventh Day Adventist. This is the religion I was raised in and many of us (but not all) believe that we should only eat meat when it is necessary. We believe that we must care for God's creation, including the animals, and not kill them when we don't need to. And in today's modern society it isn't necessary because we can get all the nutrition we need from fruits, vegetables, grains, milk and eggs (if you choose to eat the latter two). We also believe that you should treat your body well, as it is God's creation too, and eating a lot of meat is not good for your body. There are also certain animals that none of us eat, even those who choose not to be vegetarian, because we follow Kosher law.

Answer 5

I have yet to come to an answer on that one.

We started in the GARDEN of Eden eating fruits and vegetables.

It also states that humans were ordered by God to make sacrifices and eat them.

When they were in the desert Jesus made loaves of bread and fish appear.

In the beginning animals were here before humans.
I think he loves animals just the same. He just picked humans to be in his likeness. As we are all animals. Does that mean he likes us more I don't know.

I don't know if we were all supposed to be veggie and because we got kicked out of the garden we were forced to become omnis or meat was okay all along. Don't know.



I have yet to come to a conclusion on this. I do know I won't eat meat regardless of whether the bible says it's okay or not.

Answer 6

According to the Jews, it is wrong to eat meat from animals with cloven hooves, like pigs. The Judaic Torah consists of the first 5 books of the Bible, so the answer is both yes and no.

Answer 7

I am no longer a Christian, but I don't believe there is anything in the Bible about it being wrong to eat meat.

However, I would suspect God would want us to treat his creation with respect (i.e. animals, among other things). The meat industry does quite the opposite of this.

Answer 8

Funny, I have had this discussion with people before,only the exact opposite. People have told me that it is Bibically wrong NOT to eat meat, since God gave it to us.
I am a vegetarian, however, I don't think it is against God to eat meat. You have to live with what you do, not me. I just think with so many things growing from the earth, why should we kill a living creature for food?

Answer 9

No, the Bible is not against eating meat.

Genesis also says that God accepted Abel's animal sacrifice and refused Cain's offering of grain.

The Book of Leviticus describes what animals are "clean" and "unclean" for food.

Answer 10

Jesus ate fish and lamb and they ate calves etc:
everything God made is good in moderation;
I think meat three times a week and fish twice a week, beans and rice etc: is a very healthy way to eat;
we eat too much meat and dairy etc:;
fresh fruit and dried, nuts and seeds and also vegetables are very necessary
so I think all things in moderation make more sense to me,
but I say to each his own