What Can We Eat?

[Keith]

Remember the thread where people were debating what we should and shouldn't eat? It turned into quite the debate!

I don't know if anyone mentioned this scripture (I don't remember seeing it). To me, it resolves the matter with unquestionable clarity.

"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 by those who believe and know the truth. For every creature of God is good, and nothing is to be refused if it is received with thanksgiving; for it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer. If you instruct the brethren in these things, you will be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished in the words of faith and of the good doctrine which you have carefully followed." 1 Timothy 4:1-6

I'm not trying to beat a dead horse... I'm just not telling you that you can't eat it!

[IslandRose]

As a matter of fact I've eaten horse....

And goat, whale , squid, octopus, shark, barracuda, conch, whelks, lots of crab and lobster........

Boy, I'll try most anything once.....

[JimR-OCDS]

Abstaining from meat during Lent is a form of penance, not a prohibition from eating meat as a food.

If you find fault with this, you probably find fault with fasting. But then, show me where in the Bible, it says not to fast?

[JimR-OCDS]

Penance for what exactly? Sin is not forgiven by penance. Sin is forgiven by the finished work of Christ. No, I am not against Biblical fasting, I admit I haven't fasted enough lately, but "Lent" is not really a Biblical fast.

There are three types of fasts recorded in scripture:

1) Fast where the person drinks only water, and eats only UNleavened bread.

Daniel's fast was of this type.

2) Fast where the person drinks water, but eats no food for the entirety of the ordeal.

Moses and Jesus fasted in this way often.

3) Total fast without food or water.

The people of Ninevah fasted like this during the 40 days.

Moses, Jesus, and the disciples fasted in this way too. Jesus fasted in the desert without food or water for 40 days. Moses fasted 3 consecutive times for 40 days without food or water with, in one case, not even taking food in between. He went up the mountain, stayed there for 40 days, came down and got mad and broke the tablets when he saw the people sin, then he went back up the mountain and fasted another 40 days. How did he survive? The Spirit of God kept him alive, the same way as for Jesus in the desert.

Now if Lent called for giving up shellfish and other "unclean" foods, then it MIGHT have a modicum of Biblical grounds, but of all things it commonly involves giving up red meat, which has never been refused in scripture except in the case of having been offfered to idols. Beef, venison, mutton, etc, is all "Clean" foods. There is no Biblical basis for a "lenton" fast.

Gal. 4:9 But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage? 10 Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years. 11 I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labour in vain.

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The 40 days of Lent commemorate the 40 days Jesus fasted in the desert. Abstinence from meat is a fast and it was practiced by Jews and Christians from the beginning. Essenses were vegetarians. John the Baptist only ate locust and wild honey, abstaining from meat and other foods. Jews were to abstain from certain foods, etc.

St. Paul sets forth the necessity of abstinence when he says that "everyone striving for the mastery must abstain from all things (I Cor., ix, 25); and "let us exhibit ourselves as the ministers of Christ in labours, watchings, and fastings " (II Cor., vi, 5), which he had often practiced (II Cor., xi, 27).

Jesus did not do away with fasting and abstinence, but embraced it himself.

[Guest RevBillyBob]

Amen, Keith! That scripture is plain and easy to understand, is quoted in context and was spoken by God long after the giving of the law in the Old Testament. God's Word trumps all our opinions, no?

God Bless you,

Bob Carpenter

[Keifer]

As a matter of fact I've eaten horse....

I'd have to say'nay' to that one...

[traveller]

As a matter of fact I've eaten horse....

I'd have to say'nay' to that one...

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As would I.

[Orr v'emet]

As a matter of fact I've eaten horse....

And goat, whale , squid, octopus, shark, barracuda, conch, whelks, lots of crab and lobster........

Boy, I'll try most anything once.....

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Barracuda? Really? Ew!

I myself have tried squid as well...not to shabby once you get past the notion that it's like chewing on a rubber band! I would recommend marinara sauce or lemon juice!

[IslandRose]

As a matter of fact I've eaten horse....

I'd have to say'nay' to that one...

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As would I.

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In Cuba, if they put it in front of you, you eat it. There's just not that much food over there. (Though I did have the choice to refuse it and I didn't. Like I said, I'll try anything once. )

[IslandRose]

As a matter of fact I've eaten horse....

And goat, whale , squid, octopus, shark, barracuda, conch, whelks, lots of crab and lobster........

Boy, I'll try most anything once.....

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Barracuda? Really? Ew!

I myself have tried squid as well...not to shabby once you get past the notion that it's like chewing on a rubber band! I would recommend marinara sauce or lemon juice!

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Barracuda is good , but! first you have to throw a piece of it out in the backyard to see if the chickens or ants will eat it. If they won't touch it, neither should you. LOL The fishermen here know where to fish for "clean" Bara. and Like I said, when you go to someone's house and they put barracuda in front of you, you thank the Lord, ask him to protect you, and eat.

As a missionary, I've eaten a lot of things that I wouldn't necessarily prepare myself, but in order not to offend, I eat.

When we were in Indonesia, I would ask for hot tea, if asked by my hostess what I prefer. That way I could at least hope that the cholera in the water had been boiled enough to be killed. But sometimes they would bring me a lovely beverage with.....ice. Most of the people we worked with were very poor. they had no refrigerator, so if there was ice, I knew they had probably sent a child out to get ice from a vendor. Who knows where the water for that ice came from. They were honoring me by buying ice for my drink. So, I drank it , quickly, but leaving enough in the glass so they would not refill it and cause me to have to consume more. God protected me, and I only got dysentery once...once is plenty!