Shouldn't Christians aspire to be vegans?

[Floater]

Reading the first chapter of Genesis, it is made clear that mankind is to eat a vegan diet:

Gen 1.29
Then God said, “I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food.

Later, (after "the fall") animals are on the menu and God seems to welcome, even to favour, this change:

Gen 4.3-5
In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the Lord. And Abel also brought an offering—fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The Lord looked with favour on Abel and his offering, but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favour. So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast

Gen 8.20
Then Noah built an altar to the Lord and, taking some of all the clean animals and clean birds, he sacrificed burnt offerings on it.

I understand that mankind has "fallen" and now behaves in a way that is contrary to what God intended, but:

Why does God welcome this?
Why do Christians not try to live as originally intended (i.e. vegan)?

Can anybody explain?

[sky]

Originally Posted by Floater

Reading the first chapter of Genesis, it is made clear that mankind is to eat a vegan diet:



Later, (after "the fall") animals are on the menu and God seems to welcome, even to favour, this change:




I understand that mankind has "fallen" and now behaves in a way that is contrary to what God intended, but:

Why does God welcome this?
Why do Christians not try to live as originally intended (i.e. vegan)?

Can anybody explain?

Thankfully we don't follow all the violence/sacrifices/rape/pillage/slavery etc: found in the Bible, all done supposedly in the name of God .

[Floater]

Originally Posted by sky123

Thankfully we don't follow all the violence/sacrifices/rape/pillage/slavery etc: found in the Bible, all done supposedly in the name of God .

Thankfully not!

[sky]

Originally Posted by Floater

Thankfully not!

Becoming Vegan is a personal choice inspired by your conscience I think. If you take the Bible literally you wouldn't be able to follow your own conscience as you are following the thoughts of others.

[Floater]

Originally Posted by sky123

Becoming Vegan is a personal choice inspired by your conscience I think. If you take the Bible literally you wouldn't be able to follow your own conscience as you are following the thoughts of others.

I agree. I don't take the Bible literally (in fact, I personally view it as ancient myth, similar to the Greek/Norse etc).

I'm just wondering, for those Christians who want to be "ideal" (i.e. as mankind before "the fall"), shouldn't we refrain from eating animal products?

Disclaimer - I am neither Christian nor vegan (though I am vegetarian). Just interested in finding out more on all religions.

[sky]

Originally Posted by Floater

I agree. I don't take the Bible literally (in fact, I personally view it as ancient myth, similar to the Greek/Norse etc).

I'm just wondering, for those Christians who want to be "ideal" (i.e. as mankind before "the fall"), shouldn't we refrain from eating animal products?

Disclaimer - I am neither Christian nor vegan (though I am vegetarian). Just interested in finding out more on all religions.

I don't believe in a ' Fall ' so I can't comment, some others might help you with that :smile

[Floater]

Originally Posted by sky123

I don't believe in a ' Fall ' so I can't comment, some others might help you with that :smile

I don't believe in it literally either, although it does seem like a good allegory for mankind becoming "civilised" - an easy life thrown away in favour of hard work after we gained "wisdom".

[sky]

Originally Posted by Floater

I don't believe in it literally either, although it does seem like a good allegory for mankind becoming "civilised" - an easy life thrown away in favour of hard work after we gained "wisdom".

Where would we be without Wisdom

BTW, welcome to the Forum.

[Floater]

Originally Posted by sky123

Where would we be without Wisdom

Ha! Living happily in tune with nature I expect.

BTW, welcome to the Forum.

Thank you kindly.

[theophilus]

Originally Posted by Floater

I understand that mankind has "fallen" and now behaves in a way that is contrary to what God intended, but:

Why does God welcome this?
Why do Christians not try to live as originally intended (i.e. vegan)?

Can anybody explain?

God doesn't welcome the fall but he does acknowledge its existence. Perhaps one result of the fall is that our nutritional needs are now different and we need meat to maintain our health. He did give a new command regarding food after the Flood. Genesis 9:4,5 says, "But you shall not eat flesh with its life, that is, its blood. And for your lifeblood I will require a reckoning: from every beast I will require it and from man. From his fellow man I will require a reckoning for the life of man."