Genesis 3:1-5 (NKJV)
Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said to the woman, "Has God indeed said, 'You shall not eat of every tree of the garden'?" And the woman said to the serpent, "We may eat the fruit of the trees of the garden; "but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God has said, 'You shall not eat it, nor shall you touch it, lest you die.' " Then the serpent said to the woman, "You will not surely die. "For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.
Many Christians who subscribe to raw veganism do so out of ignorance of God's Word and the basics of nutrition and health science. So they gullibly believe theories without questioning, especially since they are propounded by teachers with religious credentials.
The long-term results of following such a diet are declining fertility, poor health and ultimately death (as nutritional supplements are not available then). It also means that certain parts of the earth would not be habitable because plant foods are very scarce (e.g. the polar regions, or the dry and arid semi-desert regions).
If raw veganism were strictly followed, there was no way man could be fruitful, multiply and fill the earth, in obedience to God's commandment (Genesis 9:1), exactly the way the Devil wanted.
Beyond this direct demonic assault, there is a subtle, insidious attack from such teaching on God's prescribed means for salvation.
As Christians, we believe that all men have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). The penalty for our sin is death but God had paid the penalty for us by sending Christ to the cross (Romans 6:23). It is by the atoning sacrifice of Christ, the final sacrificial Lamb of God that we may be saved from our sins (Hebrews 10:12-14).
Prior to Jesus coming, God had already prepared mankind to receive this offer of salvation. It is through the ritual of animal sacrifice which was to serve as a reminder of sin and the propitiation for sin (see Hebrew 9:11-22, Hebrews 10:3).
Beginning with Genesis 3, fallen man was shown the way to peace with God. Adam and Eve knew what was involved because God performed the sacrifice before their very eyes. Abel learnt it well from his parents. Noah knew it. So too his 3 sons. Thus the practice of animal sacrifice spread all over the world, to every family, tribe, tongue and nation, even though over time, they did not all sacrifice to the one true God.
Now enter the demons, Satan's messengers. They hate the blood of atonement. Revelation 12:11 (NKJV) states: "And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death." It is by the blood of the Lamb of God, Jesus Christ, that Satan and his cohorts are defeated.
The memory of Christ's work on the cross infuriates them. So what do they do? With some, they tried to re-direct the animal sacrifices towards worthless idols and pagan gods. With others, they taught that animal sacrifices are loathsome, totally uncalled for.
As for the Christians, let us first teach PRAVEBN to despise the flesh of animals because it putrefies in the gut and introduces toxins to the bodies, which is responsible for causing so many diseases. In the process, some will be led to feel very strongly that killing an innocent animal for food is loathsome, inhumane, unethical and barbaric.
What is the next step in the process of poisoning their minds with worldly ideas? Teach them that animal sacrifices and the shedding of blood, are loathsome, inhumane, unethical and barbaric practices. They must have nothing to do with them. Good.
What is the next step? Teach them that the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob who prescribed such sacrifices is not worthy to be worshipped since He requires such awful bloody rituals. Finally, the death blow! Who needs the atoning blood of Christ anyway? And we certainly do not wish Christians to celebrate the Lord's Supper as it reminded of us of that sacrifice 2,000 years ago. After all, bread is cooked food. It is unhealthy for the body. In short, let us inculcate in man the spirit of Cain, not the spirit of Abel.
Now Scripture tells us that God looked favorably on Abel's animal sacrifice and not on Cain's who offered vegetables(Genesis 4:4). Abel was said to have offered the better sacrifice (Hebrews 11:4), not just because he had given of the best of his produce. There is more to it. Abel knew that the way to restoring fellowship between sinful man and a just and holy God is through the blood atonement. Cain, on the other hand, shows a disdain for the blood sacrifice. He serves as the inspiration for PRAVEBN today.
Christians, do you realize the dangers of PRAVEBN? It is the first step in the downward spiral towards apostasy.
Is it not a coincidence that the same religions that advocate or command vegetarianism/veganism are the ones that deny the existence of a personal, holy God to whom sinful man are morally responsible? These same religions deny the reality of human sin and reject blood atonement.
In these end times, Satan is using whatever means possible to undermine the faith of Christians in God and His infallible Word, which stands forever. PRAVEBN claim that they are preparing the end-time Church as an unblemished, spotless bride, ready for the coming of the Lord. Is that true? I believe it is doing the exact opposite. It is paving the way for the end-time ecumenical movement that will unite apostate Christendom with all the other religions of the world, bonded together by a common belief that man should not eat animal foods.
Let us review Hebrews 9:22 (NRSV) again: "Indeed, under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins."
The continual reminder of sins and God's provision for our salvation is so important to God that when the Temple in Jerusalem is rebuilt, animal sacrifices will be reinstated so that all mankind may remember and be grateful for what God has done for them
(Ezekiel 40-48)
Scriptural Principles for Health and Wellness
What does God's Word actually teach us about health and wellness? I will attempt to give a brief summary of the principles. I have also included an Appendix at the end of this article highlighting the most important Scriptural references on health and healing. Detailed treatment of all the biblical principles for health is beyond the scope of this article.
There are many excellent books written on this subject. I would recommend anyone interested in further study to read any or all of the following books: Dr Michael D. Jacobson, The Word on Health (Moody); Dr Reginald Cherry, Healing Prayer (Thomas Nelson) The Bible Cure (Harper) and The Doctor and the Word (Creation House); Dr Rex Russell, What the Bible Says About Healthy Living (Regal); Drs S I McMillen & David E. Stern, None of These Diseases (Fleming H Revell), and Dr Patrick Quillin, Healing Secrets from the Bible (Nutrition Times).
Briefly, Scripture teaches us the following general principles regarding health and healing are:
Hence, nutrition is most effective when the cause of poor health is dietary. One can eat the most nutritious food and still be unwell if the other contributory factors are not being addressed.
4. There is no evidence in Scripture that moderate consumption of clean animal foods (i.e. animals permitted to be eaten in Leviticus 11 and Deuteronomy 14, fed and raised in the natural way, as in Bible times and slaughtered the kosher way) contributed to sickness.
5. There is no evidence that a return to raw veganism would bring about a return of optimal health and wellness for someone who is sick.
Rather, if we carefully study the Scriptures regarding sickness and health, we will find that the Biblical prescription for optimal health and wellness are as follows:
1. Love the LORD our God with all our hearts, with all our minds and with all our might, and love others as ourselves.
2. Faithfully obey all the spiritual, moral and ethical commandments that He has given us in His Word (the ceremonial commandments have been fulfilled by Christ).
3. If we have sinned and the sickness was a result of our sin, we need to repent of our sin and seek forgiveness.
4. Observe God's dietary laws and eat the foods that He has given for our nourishment. That also means that we should eat them in their most natural state, with a minimum of processing. Where necessary, we should cook our food just enough to destroy any pathogenic organisms, neutralize phytates (and other anti-nutrients found in almost all grains, seeds and legumes) and break the cellular walls to unlock the nutrients in them. At the same time, we should avoid unnatural man-made foods and chemical additives as much as possible.
5. Be cheerful, meditate on God's promises and think positive thoughts about yourself, others and the world around us.
6. Enjoy the good things that God has blessed us with in nature. As Christians, it is therefore imperative that we show concern for the preservation of our environment and the earth's fragile ecology (2 Peter 1:3).
7. Practice moderation in all areas of life and do not be addicted to any habit (e.g. gluttony, sloth, workaholism) or substance (e.g. sugar, caffeine, alcohol).
And, if we do fall sick occasionally (for as the apostle Paul said, we are all made of corruptible/perishable flesh), we should humble ourselves and pray, repent of our sins if any, seek God's face and turn to Him for healing. We should seek medical help if necessary, taking care to use the least invasive therapy to treat the sickness. Sometimes, we may have to call for other Christians to pray for us, especially the elders and leaders in the church.
It is interesting to note that anointing with oil is prescribed in James 5:14-16 and Mark 6:13. There are two reasons for this. Firstly, oil is a symbol of the Holy Spirit. Hence, we are to understand that all healing is effected through the Spirit of God. Secondly, the anointing oil used in Bible times invariably included aromatic or essential oils (e.g. frankincense, myrrh, cinnamon, peppermint, etc.).
These are known to have powerful anti-bacterial, anti-viral, anti-fungal, anti-inflammatory and anti-neuralgic (i.e. pain-relieving) properties. Besides the pleasant aroma brings relief to the person suffering distress from the illness. Aromatic oils are therefore excellent symbols of the workings of the Holy Spirit.
Sickness is like poverty. We can never totally eradicate it in this age. We can thank God that in the age to come, there will be no more sickness (Revelation 21:4).
Biblical Jewish Diet and Lifestyle
Let us look at how a god-fearing Jew eats and lives, in contrast with the typical American:
| Typical American Diet & Lifestyle | Biblical Jewish Diet & Lifestyle |
| | |
| Excessive amounts of refined flour. | Organic wholemeal flour (often freshly milled); whole grains; legumes, & lentils. |
| Excessive amounts of refined sugar as sweeteners. | Raw honey, dried fruits & juices in moderation as sweeteners. |
| Refined polyunsaturated vegetable oils. | Cold-pressed extra virgin olive oil and other cold-pressed seed oils. |
| Refined table salt. | Unrefined sea salt. |
| Filtered & heated vinegar. | Raw, organic, unfiltered vinegar |
| High frequency of deep-fried foods. | Foods are usually boiled, steamed, baked, broiled or roasted.
|
| Margarine, vegetable shortening. | Butter, curds, yogurt, raw cream |
| Pasteurized, homogenized milk. | Mainly raw milk but occasionally boiled goat's milk. |
| Pork, shrimp, shellfish, etc. | Only clean animal flesh and fish with scales & fins, cover fat removed and blood drained out. |
| Over-consumption of meat from commercially raised cows, sheep & poultry. | Meat from grass-fed cows, sheep, goats, clean game animals and grain-fed poultry. All raised without hormones, antibiotics and chemical contaminants. |
| Commercially-grown fruits & vegetables laden with pesticides, fungicides & herbicides | Organically-grown fruits & vegetables free from chemical contaminants. |
| Refined salt &sugar, commercial salad dressings, chilli & tomato sauce for flavoring. | Raw honey, sea salt, raw vinegar, wine, fresh & dried herbs & spices for flavoring. |
| Excessive consumption of caffeinated sodas & beverages. | Mostly water, occasionally flavored with fruit juices, vinegar and wine. |
| No fasting regime | Fasts regularly |
| Keeps late nights watching TV, surfing Internet, etc. | Sleeps early and rises early. |
| Sedentary home-bound lifestyle. | Physically active, outdoor lifestyle. |
There are surely many differences each of which contributes to either poor or good health.
Is it possible to eat the biblical way today? Yes, there are many parts of the world where grass-fed, free-range animals are still being raised, e.g. in Australia and New Zealand. Just as organic fruits and vegetables can be grown at home, smaller animals can be reared for clean sources of food.
Recently, there was an article in the local newspapers about a famous architect who raises chickens in his home (even in land-scarce Singapore!) so that he can eat free-range eggs. With a little more land, we can raise not only poultry, but sheep, goats and freshwater fish in our homes. The organic vegetable farm where we buy our vegetables from rears chickens and ducks the natural way for a good source of healthy meat and eggs.
Many islanders have been relying on fish as the primary source of protein, EFAs and fat-soluble vitamins for centuries, without experiencing the degenerative diseases of modern man. Clean oceans and seas can still be found in many parts of the world. 70% of the earth's surface is covered with water. Should we forego such an abundant food source, which is freely given by God, in favor of raw veganism?
False Science
In 1 Timothy 6:20 (KJV), Paul wrote, "O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called."
False science is prevalent in the discipline of nutrition today. For example, PORAVEBN make no less than 10 significant dietary and lifestyle changes and then theorize that animal foods and cooked foods are major contributors to poor health. That is simply unscientific.
The scientific method requires that only one variable be changed at a time, with all other variables held constant in a control group, and the results of each change carefully observed over a period of time. Also, for nutritional research to be of value, many human subjects have to be studied, to weed out individual peculiarities.
Many nutritional findings are based on the principle of association. For example, if it can be proven that people who eat more meat have a higher rate of heart disease, then it may be deduced that meat is harmful. However, there is a fallacy with such reasoning. First of all, what meat are we talking about? Is it the clean free-range, organic meat sanctioned in the Bible, with the cover fat removed and blood drained off?
There is good meat and there is bad meat, just as there are organic fruits and vegetables and non-organic ones. Secondly, did the researcher consider other factors such as the tendency for people who consume more meat to also consume more refined, processed and devitalized foods as a result of growing affluence and the commercialization of the food industry brought about by modernization? In short, it is very difficult to keep all other variables constant.
The only other time the word "science" was used in the KJV Bible is in Daniel Ch. 1. Daniel was trained in science and was a very intelligent man. Even he was not persuaded to be a vegetarian all his life. He could not for to do so would violate God's commandments to keep the appointed feasts, an offence punishable by death. He also knew that eating some animal foods was essential for his health.
Conclusion
God gave His people many detailed instructions, through His servant Moses, dealing with washings, sanitation, quarantine, diet, circumcision and treatment of certain ailments. Yet He did not once say that raw veganism is the key to good health.
For Christians who may be thinking of converting to raw veganism in the hope of restoring health and healing to their sick bodies, my advice is that they start INSTEAD by first reading a number of books written by both secular and Christian authors on the topic (recommended list of Christian books given above). For secular authors, I recommend books by Robert Crayhon (Nutrition Made Simple) and Patrick Holford (The Optimum Nutrition Bible) as starters.
I have done a quick survey of some of the books written by the world's highly-regarded nutritionists, naturopaths and holistic doctors (Dr. Barry Sears, Dr. Elson Haas, Patrick Holford, Ann Louise Gittleman, Dr. James & Phyllis Balch, Dr. Andrew Weil, Dr. Michael Murray, Dr. Joseph Pizzorno, Robert Crayhon, Dr. Emmanuel Cheraskin, Dr. Weston Price, Dr. Linus Pauling (2-time Noble Prize winner), Dr. Bernard Jensen, Dr Shari Lieberman, Dr. Mary Enig, Dr Stephen Byrnes, including all of the Christian authors mentioned earlier).
Not one of them advocate raw veganism as the healthiest way to eat. I have found that these natural health gurus usually fall into either of two camps: one typically advocates a low-animal content, low-fat, low-protein and high-carbohydrate diet (the latter contributing as much 70% of total calories).
The other advocates a more balanced 40/30/30 ratio of carbohydrates, proteins and fats with a more liberal allowance of animal foods. But none of them condemn the eating of animal foods. Even the respected Vegetarian Society of UK includes dairy and eggs in its Food Pyramid and recommends cooked beans, lentils and grains!
So, make it a point to be better informed by reading widely. Study the Bible for yourself. Know the truth and it shall set you free. Do not be like people who are destroyed for lack of knowledge (Hosea 4:6). In my opinion, the healthiest way to eat, is Jesus' way, i.e. the Biblical Jewish kosher diet, modified by conditions of food availability, age, gender, level of physical activity and ancestral traditions.
May God bless you with good health!
James Ong
Singapore
ChetDay.com
Part 3
Appendix
Related Articles: Biblical Nutrition: The Bible Supports Foods from Both Plant & Animal Kingdoms
Faulty Reasoning in the Biblical Nutrition Movement
More Faulty Reasoning In the Debate Over the Bible Diet
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