July 3, 2007

Spectrum / Rev. Linus Mathis III

Thank you to Toni Truesdell for validating the points I make in my June 10 column. Truesdell's attempts at discrediting me by questioning my faith, love and motive give my piece genuine purpose. Had she read my column with acumen she would know that it was faith (not food) based. Thus, she would have felt no need for such a verbose promotion of her diet. The pith of my article was:

1. God's word says it's OK to eat meat.

2. Don't allow anyone to condemn your choices - carnivore, herbivore or omnivore. To eat or not was never in question!

It is easy to quote scripture out of context, proven by Truesdell's unlearned mishandling of Bible verses, but I've done no such thing and it's God's point I wanted to get across, not mine.

I love animals. My Alaskan malamutes receive the finest meat, fish, dry food and treats money can buy. They're given the absolute best medical care from the finest team of veterinarians in the Valley. They're loved and a big part of my heart. Attitude is a heart issue privy to God only and Truesdell isn't God.

What Truesdell labels “name calling” was tongue-in-cheek. Truesdell should lighten up as a person's character isn't ascertained by parody. Incidentally, a fanatic is one who is overly enthusiastic. It's a good word and I make no apology for my use of it. The old adage “if the shoe fits, wear it” seems self-defining.

For every “great” vegetarian there are innumerable “great” meat eaters. One is not made great by dietary choices. For the record, Jesus ate both fish and lamb.

God's original intent was that no blood be spilt and one day Jesus will return, during which we shall see the restoration of all things. But things are not yet restored, and God himself authorized the eating of meat as stated in Genesis 9:1-3 and elsewhere. The lion does not eat straw today, it's a carnivore. Truesdell fails to keep this in perspective. God, in slaying the first animal for man's benefit, defines the animal's purpose. Moreover, God never intended for man to worship and serve the creation (Romans 1:19-25).

The Bible doesn't say God made animals as companions. This is a gross mishandling of scripture. In quoting this passage Truesdell omitted the ending phrase “... but for Adam there was not found an help meet for him.” The animals were made male and female. All had companions (mates) except Adam. Eve was Adam's help meet (Hebrew = ‘ezer = one like himself to help).

Truesdell quotes Proverbs 12:10 attempting to equate animal husbandry with cruelty. Nothing could be further from the truth. I've worked with farmers and they were extremely kind to their animals. Truesdell would probably love to see our dairy farmers disappear. What about Alaska's hunting and fishing heritage? She'd probably celebrate the demise of that. The same must be true of her ideology applied to the native subsistence lifestyle. Not to mention dog mushing and horse back riding.

Truesdell likes quotes, here's an Alaskan favorite from Ted Nugent: “You must kill it before you grill it.”

I have no preference for the 1769 Authorized Version. Unlike Truesdell, I document from which version I quote. I've referenced 10 different versions in my articles, documenting each.

I Timothy 4:1-5 isn't about Jews concerned about eating meat, that record is in Corinthians and it's not about Jews, it's about converted Gentiles. Furthermore, neither passage prohibits meat-eating, they support it. Timothy addresses spiritualism.

Consider the words of a renowned Bible scholar E.W. Bullinger: “Spiritist teaching is that animal food is unfavorable to the development of mediumistic power”

Take the veneer of “healthy” from veganisim and you have religion. Many vegans are in it for philosophical and religious reasons, not health. Their ideology is based upon ahimsa an important part of Buddhism, Hinduism and especially Jainism. It's found in Hindu Upanishads and detailed in the Bhagavad Gita, the Puranas and both Jain and Buddhist texts. The principle of ahimsa was promoted by Gandhi. He valued a lamb's life as precious as a human's. Imagine what the God of Israel thinks of that! Passover lamb!

Why do vegans extol the health benefits of their lifestyle and not the dangers? They never list the serious health risks awaiting expectant mothers and their unborn children. Why are many vegans pro-choice but condemn the eating of eggs? These people want to change your lifestyle as they are not content with their own.

Truesdell confuses sacrifice for supper with the sacrifice for sin, Jesus Christ!

Beware lest your quest for better health lead you to adopting questionable ethics and following the polytheistic philosophies of Hindu mystics. I pray Truesdell will find true peace and stress-free living.

Feel the love and let the healing begin - goose fraba, breathe ...

The Rev. Linus A. Mathis III is the founder and director of Frontier Christian Ministries.