In Christianity, all life is sacred and therefore
all killing of life undesirable. Humans have by nature, not right to take away
something they don’t own; and that includes life, even animal life (Genesis 1:24-26;
2:7; Job 33:4; 1Timothy 6:13).
Only God, who has given life to every living
creature, be angel, human or animal, has the right to take it away (Deuteronomy
32:39). And indeed, God never intended for any creature to eat living flesh, when
He created the world, but to eat plants (Genesis
1:29-30).
However, when humanity fell into sinfulness, this
caused the offering of animal sacrifice for the forgiveness of sins, which was ultimately
culminated in the sacrifice of Lord Jesus on the Cross (Genesis 3:21; 4:4). It also,
caused animal flesh to be given to humans as food, in order to survive in
bigger numbers, in a cursed planet (Genesis 3:17-19; 9:1-6).
But one thing God did not allow, was the consumption
of blood as food.
Since God was the author of life, and this life was
sustained in all earthly organisms through the blood stream; God allowed humans
to eat animal flesh, but not to touch the blood which sustained that body, but
to spill it on the ground, in reverend recognition that life belonged to God alone.
This blood was also offered to God in animal sacrifice for the same reason,
since it is blood that sustained all life on earth, animal blood was given to
God on behalf of the blood (life) of the penitent(Leviticus 17:11; Hebrews
9:22).
Under this idea, we Christians take animal life as
food, as we demand a certain amount of protein in our bodies for a healthy
existence. Even though there are vegetable products like soy and beans with a
high protein contain, they demand vast plantations and high care to produce an equal
amount of protein obtained from animal source, present in eggs, milk and mainly
meat, for far lesser cost, effort and space, and which constitutes all solid
areas of our bodies and brain functioning.
As reverend servants of the Most High God of the
Universe, even though Scripture does not order a specific way to kill animals
for food, Christians should apply common biblical principles like acknowledgment
of God’s sovereignty over all life, prohibition of blood consumption, and mercy
overall living creatures; and take animal life in a proper manner, and not in
the savage way pagans do, with total disregard for life, as it this life belonged
to them.
THE METHOD
When we take animal life, there are certain rules we
should follow:
1 - Conscious that the animal belongs to God, we
should pray to God asking for permission to kill, and this killing can be done
only for feeding purposes, never for sport or fun (Genesis 9:3; Leviticus
24:21; Proverbs 12:10).
2 - After having dedicated the killing to God, if
the animal is of hot-blood, it should be tied up and the throat cut, enough to
let the blood flow freely, and let the animal die of blood loss. It should never
be trespassed with a pointing object or beheaded, or burned alive, or killed in
any other way that causes unnecessary pain.
If it is a sea animal, they should be entirely taken
out of the water and not be cut opened until they are dead.
3 – After the animal has lose all or most of his
blood, the blood should be thrown onto the earth (Deuteronomy 12:16), and then
the body is free to be cut to desire.
UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCE BLOOD SHOULD BE CONSUMED
CONSCIOUSLY, OR THE ANIMAL BE EXPOSSED TO FIRE, HOT WATER, OR CUT WHILE IT IS
ALIVE, WHICH CONSTITUES A SIN AGAINST GOD (Genesis 9:4; Acts 15:20; Psalm 50:10;
145:9; Deuteronomy 22:6-7; Jonah 4:11; Job 38:41; 1Timothy 4:4).
Scripture says plainly:
“For every beast of the forest is mine,
the cattle on a thousand hills.”
Psalm 50:10
Let us act accordingly, acknowledging that the
animal life we are taking belongs to God and not us. And let us slaughter the
animal with the respect and mercy it deserves, knowing that it is a concession
made to us, to survive and not the original intention of God when He created
the world.
Omar Flores.
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