In Orthodoxy, there is the belief that our monks and nuns should all be vegetarians. We also have fast days where we very committedly practice vegetarianism for the duration of a long period of time.
There is something about how before the flood man was supposed to be overwhelmingly vegetarian, and that man was actually meant to be vegetarian.
Originally posted by @philokaliaIt was only when the distinction between animal and man became blurred, that God was cool with man/woman eating meat. In their perfect state humanity was vegetarian, the shepherd rather than the hunter.
In Orthodoxy, there is the belief that our monks and nuns should all be vegetarians. We also have fast days where we very committedly practice vegetarianism for the duration of a long period of time.
There is something about how before the flood man was supposed to be overwhelmingly vegetarian, and that man was actually meant to be vegetarian.
From this we can extrapolate that far from vegetarianism being a step away from the devil, it is actually a step closer to God. (Biblically speaking).
Edit - Meat eating teeth, therefore, would not have been present in Eden. (As would have been redundant).
-Removed-Always good to find a reason to watch that movie.
Just to be clear though, by saying vegetarianism 'is actually a step closer to God' I was saying it was a step closer to 'humanity as God had created it'. - I wasn't saying that giving up your Sunday roast was an alternative route to salvation.
-Removed-Okay, let's play with this a little.
Instead of man in his perfect state being a 'non meat eater' (which he was), imagine God had instead made him perfect by dressing him in a smart suit. - Now imagine, after the flood, God had conceded that man was no longer 'the perfect creation' and so permitted him to wear a tracksuit.
As a Christian today, wouldn't there be some spiritual value in abstaining from wearing a tracksuit and wearing instead the smart suit God had first put you in? Sure, God allows you to wear a tracksuit (just like he allows you to eat meat) and you won't be punished for doing so. But don't you think choosing to wear the smart suit would have a positive effect on you in regards to your spirituality and religious mindset?
-Removed-You could say that man was intended to be vegetarian for a period of time and thus they were given teeth adequate for meat eating.
I once heard an atheist vegetarian argue that there are some creatures that are mostly vegetable eating that also have sharp teeth.
Here is a post about that:
https://freefromharm.org/photo-galleries/9-reasons-your-canine-teeth-dont-make-you-a-meat-eater/
I'm intrigued by the way this is going, is there a suggestion that being expelled from Eden caused a physical change in Human form? Is that shown in the Bible? I accept that it's been a long while since I read it.
Of interest, to me, and possibly Divegeester (I hope I've got that right, apologise if not), I watched a program on the Kurdish area of Turkey, and theyve implied that Eden may have been located in that area, and as such the Tree may have been located in that area.
They also hypothesized that the fall of Eden may have been to do with extensive farming of the land drawing out a lot of the nutrients: they suggested that this may have been the cause of the downfall of man, the forbidden fruit.
Originally posted by @paul-a-robertsThere are Christians who have posted at the SF before who maintain that not only Adam and Eve fell, but that the whole of creation did, and that lions in Eden were vegetarian. How they explain away the fact that present-day lions cannot digest grass, I do not know. I think they either deny this, or assume that God somehow sorted this out (miraculously).
I'm intrigued by the way this is going, is there a suggestion that being expelled from Eden caused a physical change in Human form? Is that shown in the Bible? I accept that it's been a long while since I read it.
Of interest, to me, and possibly Divegeester (I hope I've got that right, apologise if not), I watched a program on the Kurdish area of ...[text shortened]... s: they suggested that this may have been the cause of the downfall of man, the forbidden fruit.
Originally posted by @paul-a-roberts...,Yes child you have free will, and if you don't obey me then I kill all babies.
So no, God created man, gave them a chance to choose their own path etc. So not predetermined, total free will, and sin in based on each person's own morality, so nowt to do with God, but all down to the individual.
Just my thoughts.[/b]
I'm not witty enough to flower that command as it deserves.
Originally posted by @ghost-of-a-dukeAn omnipotent and infinitely good God could have created us to live on water and sunlight, without having to feed on the death of any living thing, plant or animal.
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by saying vegetarianism 'is actually a step closer to God' I was saying it was a step closer to 'humanity as God had created it'. - I wasn't saying that giving up your Sunday roast was an alternative route to salvation.