John et al:
Yes I have a big comment. This characters coming with this type of
'teaching' are to be placed next to the adherents of the Coptic Church
which had its headquarters in SE Florida during the 70's. They used the
same passage to justify their marihuana smoking because it mentioned herbs.
So they'll used to seat and toke away while reciting Gen. 1:29. Of course
when they were found smuggling the herb and seeds from Jamaica that was the
end of that bunch.
Maybe you should ask the same group what they make of Gen. 18:1-8 where
angels
and God ate with Abraham flesh (yes meat). If it is good for angels, it
won't sent a man to hell.
Moreover, Acts 10:10-16. Peter was hungry and saw a vision. In this
vision he saw a spreadout sheet filled with all kinds of animals, insects
and birds. A voice told him to kill and eat. Peter complained that he
didn't eat common or unclean things, meaning that he was adhering to the
jewish law concerning kosher foods. What was
the reply of the voice ? What God has cleaned it isn't common anymore.
Let's go a little further to Paul.
In I Tim. 4:1-5 'Now The Spirit expressly says that in latter times some
will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines
of demons, speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared
with a hot iron, forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from foods
which God created to be received with thanksgiving, for it is sanctifyied
by the word of God and prayer."
The church at Corinth had a different problem with meat. Mainly a lot of
the meat consumed at that city had been offered to pagan idols. (I Cor.
8:1-13) Their question to Paul was if it was ok to eat this type of meat.
Among the things Paul said '....for neither if we eat are we the better,
nor if we do not eat are we the worse...'. His only warning was that maybe
a weaker brother may stumble seeing them eating foods offered to idols.
What I found curious about this theme is that at my present client's site,
there is this gentleman who comes from the newager perspective being
totally veggie eater. He believes somehow that eating raw carrots, celery
and drinking tons of 'purified water' somehow his spirit is connecting with
the etherial world allowing him to evolve into a higher level of
conscieness.
Apparently this thread of gnosticism is as old, if not older, than the
church. As one wise Elder once told me concerning pork (I asked him if
eating pork was breaking the God's law), "I won't tell you that eating pork
won't let you into heaven, but I can tell you is that perhaps will get you
there sooner."
Paul states a little further in I Tim. 4:7 'But reject profane and old
wives' tales, and excercise yourself toward godliness'.
I eat flesh because I like the taste of it. I won't eat it raw or with
blood (this item was specifically forbidden by the 12 in Jerusalem). And
because this message, yesterday I fired up my bbq and had a good time,
along with wife and children, eating beef, corn and potates while enjoying
the warm sunny day with the majestic Mt. Rainier in the background. By the
way, for the veggies, I just waited for the steer to eat the grass and
after I ate the steer. So in a way, I'm a vegetarian. I just like my
veggies 'pre-processed'.
Best Regards,
Dario Giraldo
'My opinions are just that. Mine'