Did Jesus eat meat...if so, why are some catholics vegetarian???

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Dear all.

Did Jesus eat meat...if so, why are some catholics vegetarian??? It makes no sense to me why my aunt who is catholic doesn't eat meat...apart from that, she ats fish..and so do many vegetarians...fish are living too aren't they...they can feel pain???

-- Dominic (domngel@hotmail.com), April 23, 2002

Answers

Dominic,

Vegitables are living plants. Even though mushrooms are neither plant nor animal and cannot feel pain, they are still living things. I'd recommend we avoid them, too. My advice: stick to a 100% mineral diet: you'd be surpised how much nutrition you will get from a big bowl of sand in a broth of muddy water. Mmmmm, Mmmm, Good!

:-)

Mateo

-- (MattElFeo@netscape.net), April 23, 2002.


Matt, does an egg feel pain? I dropped a couple into boiling water this AM; and I could almost hear the wee little screams. That could be tantamount to aborting little chicks, Hmm?

What a morbid thread this Dominic is starting!

-- eugene c. chavez (chavezec@pacbell.net), April 23, 2002.


Oh Eugene,

You've got a sick sense of humor! :-)

Mateo

-- (MattElFeo@netscape.net), April 23, 2002.


hi Dominic: Our primary source for information about the life of Jesus comes from the 4 synoptic gospels, which were written not with historical accuracy or biography in mind so much as conveying what Jesus taught about "eternal salvation." We don't really know much about Jesus' diet - and that is probably not a bad thing. Men and women become vegetarian for many reasons, including their health, ecological balance, ethical and moral perceptions about animals. These are personal choices - not unique to Catholics - and as such, aren't really right or wrong. Further, there are different kinds of vegetarians - those who eat some forms of meat (i.e., fish), those who eat no dairy, and even those who will not eat a vegetable unless and until it has fallen naturally from its mother vine. With the exception of rules and suggestions about fasting, there are no dietary requirements for Catholics. As for me, I don't care what Jesus ate. I care what he taught, I care about the example of his life, and I care about an ongoing prayerful dialogue with him. Peace.

-- Sam (Srven@galleon.com), April 23, 2002.

Donminic, people are vegetarians for various reasons. Some are against the eating of animal flesh, while others do it for health reasons. Perhaps others abstain from animal flesh as a sacrifice. Having a large family myself, I find it a lot cheaper to have meat only 3 or 4 times a week, and have other protein based meatless meals the rest of the week. During Lent, we try, as a sacrifice, to have meat only on weekends. Strictly my opinion, but I believe in this country (the U.S) we eat too much meat - thus the high rates of heart disease, etc. Also, if you try to limit your meat intake, you'll find you really appreciate that occasional steak a lot more. Bon appetit!

-- Christina (introibo2000@yahoo.com), April 23, 2002.


If we had to eat as Jesus did, I wouldn't care for it. I don't like lamb or mutton, nor do I drink wine. Any kind of alcohol makes me very ill. We do not, for health reasons, eat very much beef. We prefer our home-grown chickens, ducks & eggs. It's a good thing God doesn't have the Church micro-manage our lives!

-- Bonnie (stichart@plix.com), April 23, 2002.

I agree with Sam. I don't care what Jesus ate; I do care about what he taught. I doubt that people were very concerned with healthy diets at that time. There must be someone with knowledge on that subject. I'm sure you can find your answer on the World Wide Web, you can find out just about anything on the net.

But, I am interested in being "fed" God's word. That is filling enough for me, can't get enough of it. It is more nutritious than meat and satisfies all my cravings.

Hope you get your answer. It is an interesting question. I would be curious about His diet. Karl

-- Karl (Karl (nursek24312@aol.com),), April 23, 2002.


Do roses scream when pruned? Do african violets shiver if we give them cold water? Do tomatoes mourn the loss of their vine after they are plucked? Do I see any correlation between faith and dietary practice?

Of course Christ ate meat. Any good Jew participating in the Passover would eat lamb. Christ fed multitudes with fish and loaves. If he were a vegetarian, he surely would not have condoned such consumption.

-- Melissa (holy_rhodes@earthlink.net), April 23, 2002.


I'm glad this thread was started. I have some thoughts here that some of you will think totally off the wall but that others may relate to. At a very young age I stopped eating fish and meat. Why? Because I couldn't stand to see one of God's creatures suffer because of something I didn't need. Now this was when I was 12. Even now (many, many years later) I haven't strayed much from that thinking. I think some people are missing the point here. Eating meat to sustain life is one thing. We don't need it to sustain life anymore so why make animals suffer? I don't understand how some can pray for peace and non-violence in the world but think nothing of letting a baby cow suffer in deplorable conditions just because they like the taste of veal. Can someone explain this to me? I’ve wondered about it for some time.

tj

-- TJ (gjciii@hotmail.com), April 24, 2002.


Good Afternoon Karl,

Ditto, for me. I loved your answer!!

God Bless,

-- Kathy (Curious@aol.com), April 24, 2002.



Well...you HAVE all given very intersesing thoughts.

Firstly

We don't need it to sustain life anymore so why make animals suffer? I don't understand how some can pray for peace and non-violence in the world but think nothing of letting a baby cow suffer in deplorable conditions just because they like the taste of veal. Can someone explain this to me? I’ve wondered about it for some time.

was by -- TJ (gjciii@hotmail.com)

Are you saying that people are hypocrits paying for world peace when they eat meat..cos I pray for world peace...but I eat meat..i havn't killed anything..I can PRAY to stop the UNECCERSARY slaughter of animals...but I SHOULDNT STOP EATING MEAT BECAUSE OF IT.

SECONDLY

THANK you soooo much -- Sam (Srven@galleon.com),

I don't care what Jesus ate. I care what he taught, I care about the example of his life, and I care about an ongoing prayerful dialogue with him. Peace.

That is true beyond any doubt...we shouldnt care what Jesus ate..it is just his word that is important...ABSALOUTLY RIGHT.

c ya all

Dom

-- DR.DJ [15] (domngel@hotmail.com), April 24, 2002.


Thank you all for your comments so far.

All I can say is we have to have common sense with food.

Mateo..I have to say...I dont agree with you...we shouldnt avoid meat because it has just as much benefit for us..but in different ways...we should have a diet of everything..IN MODERATION...and with our EYES OPEN to such diesieses which YES do mainly occour in meat I agree...but we need meat just as much as we need vegetables.

Dom

-- Dominic (domngel@hotmail.com), April 24, 2002.


Dom,

All I'm saying is that life should be respected in all forms. I think most people turn a blind eye to needless suffering in the world.... both human and non-human. I don't agree that we need meat to sustain life. If we did, I would have perished long ago.

TJ

-- TJ (gjciii@hotmail.com), April 24, 2002.


Hi Dominic:

You wrote:

"Mateo..I have to say...I dont agree with you..."

Just for the record, I was being sarcastic in my previous post. I don't live on a "mud and sand" diet. I am a proud, card-carrying omnivore. Enjoy,

Mateo

-- (MattElFeo@netscape.net), April 24, 2002.


Eugene,

Hopefully, the eggs you eat are unfertilized, so you won't be aborting little chicks.

My own thoughts are "to each his own" on diet, but OTOH an omnivore has a much lower chance of having a dietary deficiency than a vegetarian. The one exception to this would likely be vitamin A, as U.S. types these days don't eat the best of diets.

Frank

-- Someone (ChimingIn@twocents.cam), April 24, 2002.



St John said, "If my teeth can chew it, I'm gonna' eat it."

-- Bob Hennessy (bobhen@hotmail.com), April 24, 2002.

8: Food will not commend us to God. We are no worse off if we do not eat, and no better off if we do. 9: Only take care lest this liberty of yours somehow become a stumbling block to the weak. 10: For if any one sees you, a man of knowledge, at table in an idol's temple, might he not be encouraged, if his conscience is weak, to eat food offered to idols? 11: And so by your knowledge this weak man is destroyed, the brother for whom Christ died. 12: Thus, sinning against your brethren and wounding their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ. 13: Therefore, if food is a cause of my brother's falling, I will never eat meat, lest I cause my brother to fall. (1 Cor, 8)

25: Eat whatever is sold in the meat market without raising any question on the ground of conscience. 26: For "the earth is the Lord's, and everything in it." 27: If one of the unbelievers invites you to dinner and you are disposed to go, eat whatever is set before you without raising any question on the ground of conscience. 28: (But if some one says to you, "This has been offered in sacrifice," then out of consideration for the man who informed you, and for conscience' sake -- 29: I mean his conscience, not yours -- do not eat it.) For why should my liberty be determined by another man's scruples? 30: If I partake with thankfulness, why am I denounced because of that for which I give thanks? 31: So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. (1 Cor 9)

-- Enrique Ortiz (eaortiz@yahoo.com), April 25, 2002.


Matthew 15:11 Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man.

Matthew 15:20 These are the things which defile a man: but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not a man.

Mark 7:15 There is nothing from without a man, that entering into him can defile him: but the things which come out of him, those are they that defile the man.

As you can see, meat is not a problem.... Enjoy meat from animals... and yes there is no difference between Fish or any other animal.

-- Anthony Mathis (bromathis@truebm.org), March 26, 2004.


I happen to be a Vagitarian, btu Know Jesus was not. He cpu;dnt be. He was Jewish and subject tot he Law, Therefore on Passover he ate Lamb. ( Required, ceremonial.)

He also broiled and ate fish.

-- ZAROVE (ZAROFF3@JUNO.COM), March 26, 2004.


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