Black Spirituality Religion : JESUS WAS A VEGETARIAN...

[Aqil]

First of all it must be said that the Bible does not contain every word that Jesus spoke during the time he lived on this planet, simply because it is impossible to record every word a person speaks during a lifetime. There are some profound words spoken by Jesus that are NOT recorded in the New Testament of the Bible...

In an enlightening book that was translated from the Aramaic (the language Jesus spoke) by Dr. Edmond Bordeaux Szekely titled Gospel of The Essenes, the great Prophet – who was a member of the Essene sect that practiced vegetarianism – espouses on God’s laws of eating in the following profound statement:

“God commanded your forefathers: ‘Thou Shalt Not Kill!’ But their hearts were hardened and they killed. Then Moses decided that at least they should not kill men, and he suffered them to kill beasts. And then the hearts of your forefathers were hardened yet more, and they killed men and beasts likewise.

But I say unto you: Kill neither men nor beasts, nor the food that goes into your mouth. For if you eat living food, the same will quicken you; but if you kill your food, the dead food will kill you also. For life comes only from life, and from death always comes death. For everything that kills your foods kills your bodies also. And everything that kills your bodies kills your soul also. And your bodies become what your foods are; even as your spirits, likewise, become what your thoughts are. Therefore eat not anything which fire, frost or water has destroyed. For burned, frozen and rotted foods will burn, freeze, and rot your body also.”

Jesus also admonishes us to:

“Seek not the law in your scriptures, for the law is life, whereas the scriptures is dead. For I tell you truly, Moses received not his laws in writing, but through the living word. The law is the living word of the living God to living prophets for living men.

In everything that is life the law is written. You find it in the grass, in the trees, in the rivers, in the mountains, in the birds of heaven, in the fish of the sea; but seek it chiefly in yourselves. For I tell you truly, all living things are nearer to God than the scripture – which is without life. God so-made life and all living things that they might – by the ever-living word – teach the laws of the one true God to man. God wrote not the laws in the pages of books, but in your heart and in your spirit.”

 

[Aqil]

THE GREAT PROPHET DANIEL WAS ALSO A VEGETARIAN...

The 1st chapter of the Book of Daniel in the Bible tells us that after King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon conquered Jerusalem, he ordered Ashpenaz, master of his eunuchs, to “bring certain children of Israel, and of the King’s seed, and of the princes; children in whom was no blemish, but well-favored and skillful in all wisdom, and cunning in knowledge, and understanding science, and such as had ability in them to stand in the King’s palace, and whom they might teach the learning and the tongue of the Chaldeans."

And the King appointed them a daily provision of the King’s meat (i.e., “food”) and of the wine that he drank: so nourishing them three years, which at the end thereof they might stand before the King.” [Daniel 1:3-5]

“But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the King’s meat, nor with the wine which he drank.” [1:8]

In 1:12, Daniel tells the prince of the eunuchs who was in charge of them (himself, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego): 'Test your servants for ten days; let us be given pulse (i.e., “vegetables”) to eat and water to drink. then let our appearance and the appearance of the youths who eat the King’s food be observed by you, and according to what you see deal with your servants.' “So he hearkened to them in this manner, and tested them for ten days.

At the end of the ten days it was seen that they were better in appearance and fatter in flesh than all the youths who ate the King’s food. So the steward took away their rich food and the wine they were to drink, and gave them vegetables.

As for these four youths, God gave them learning and skill in all letters and wisdom; and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams.

At the end of the time, when the King had commanded that they be brought in, the chief of the eunuchs brought them in before Nebuchadnezzar. And the king spoke with them, and among them all none was found like Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego; therefore they stood before the King. And in every manner of wisdom and understanding concerning which the King required of them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters that were in his kingdom.”

(Daniel 1:12-20)

 

[A007]

I am still confused. Is the vegetation not dead when we eat it??

 

[Aqil]

"But I say unto you: Kill neither men nor beasts, nor the food that goes into your mouth. For if you eat living food, the same will quicken you; but if you kill your food, the dead food will kill you also. For life comes only from life, and from death always comes death. For everything that kills your foods kills your bodies also. And everything that kills your bodies kills your soul also. And your bodies become what your foods are; even as your spirits, likewise, become what your thoughts are. Therefore eat not anything which fire, frost or water has destroyed. For burned, frozen and rotted foods will burn, freeze, and rot your body also."

 

[Aqil]

"Jesus ate fish."

Christians today must ask themselves, considering the fact that they have absolutely no physical justification for consuming the flesh of any animals, "why do we choose to do so"? We know that, biologically and physiologically, fish feel pain in the same way others animals do. We know that eating them is not good for us. Why, for a simple palate preference, would we cause pain and suffering to God's creatures?

It's important to remember that Jesus was not a fisherman, but a carpenter like Joseph, and that the fish symbol has deep meaning for Christians, as it has for almost 2,000 years. The meaning given to the fish in Christianity is a result of the Greek word for fish, "IXOUS," being a Greek acronym for "Jesus Christ, Son of God, Savior." In many instances, seeing the fish as symbols makes far more sense than a literal interpretation, within the context of the stories. Let's look at each of the fish stories, both literally and symbolically:

The loaves and the fishes:

Clearly, this story has deep symbolic meaning beyond a literal interpretation, and that is the entire meaning of the story, according to most Biblical scholars. For most scholars, the story has two meanings: first, this story represents Jesus' espousal of an ethic of compassion. Jesus teaches us that we are to share what we have with the needy, and that if everyone shares, there will be plenty for all. Second, the story represents Jesus' promise to the disciples that he will make them "fishers of men." That is, in multiplying fish, he multiplies disciples, symbolized by the fish...

But even a literal interpretation does not justify eating animals. Multiplying fish who are already dead (thus causing no additional suffering), to feed them to hungry people who do not understand the ethical objection to eating fish, could be seen as an act of compassion. Three other observations regarding the events as written down seem warranted:

*When the disciples ask where they will get enough food to feed everyone, they speak only of bread. This is borne out later as well: Every time the disciples discuss food, they discuss vegetarian food, principally bread.

*This miracle takes place on the sea, and Jesus at no point suggests that anyone go fishing, the logical choice, if he has no objection to causing God's sea animals to suffer. Rather, he creates plenty where there is want...

*When Jesus refers back to this event (Matthew 17 and Mark 8), he refers only to the loaves, never mentioning the fish, and he interprets the event symbolically, saying explicitly that the disciples are totally missing the point when they interpret the event literally...

At the very least, we can say for certain regarding this miracle that Jesus does not cause fish to suffer or die, and does not consider the fish to have been an integral aspect of this miracle. Again, though, no matter how this miracle is viewed, it does not justify the horrific treatment of fish and other animals for food today.

The nets filled with fish:

In Luke and John, Jesus is seen helping the disciples catch a vast quantity of fish. In Luke, the event is depicted as his first call of the disciples. In John, the event occurs after the resurrection.

Most reputable Biblical scholars see the events symbolically, and from a symbolic standpoint, Jesus assisting the disciples in netting massive quantities of fish could not be much clearer, especially considering his promise that he will make them "fishers of men." They are bringing disciples (fish) into the fold.

Regardless, a literal reading of the text shows animals cooperating with Jesus to prove his divinity. In both Gospels, so many fish fill the nets that the boats begin to sink. In Luke, Jesus told the disciples, "Henceforth, you will be catching men," and then they returned to shore, "left everything, and followed him." The story is clear: They couldn't get the fish into the boat because the boat was sinking. And since they immediately leave everything and follow, it seems unlikely that they somehow got the fish to the shore and left them to suffocate and rot.

The post-resurrection fish consumption stories:

The post-resurrection stories are seen by most scholars as late additions to the Gospels, intended to settle a historical schism in the Church regarding whether Jesus rose bodily. The inclusion of fish consumption, which occurs only in the Gospels of Luke and John (the last two written), would bolster the idea of Jesus rising bodily, showing that he must and can fulfill his need for food.

Interestingly, the post-resurrection stories include the one aspect of Jesus' life that almost all scholars consider dubious. Jesus' statement that "these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover." Few Christians believe they can consume poison or should play with poisonous snakes.

Regardless, it is difficult to imagine that these stories as precise representations of events, considering that there is almost no similarity among the four Gospels regarding the events that take place. And again, even if literally true, Jesus' decision to eat fish upon his return to Earth should not make us feel good about supporting cruelty to God's creatures today. That Jesus may have had some ethereal reason to consume animal flesh, which seems very unlikely, does not justify the horrific practices of commercial fishing fleets, slaughterhouses, and so on, today...