There is an interesting side to blogging, in that you truly open up your life for others to see. And while I attempt to keep this blog light-hearted and entertaining, it's inevitable that somewhere out there, among the hundreds (ahem, I mean thousands…er, millions!) of readers, someone is bound to disagree with me.
I received a comment a few days ago that caught me off guard. It wasn't light-hearted or entertaining – but rather… hmmm …. abrasive? It was about the fact that we eat meat. This anonymous commenter went so far as to call me a murderer for eating meat. And in response, I thought it best to direct my thoughts to my entire audience of readers. Because it's an interesting topic that I think is worth looking into. And that's how we roll.
Why We Eat Meat:
1) It tastes good.
The end.
I'm kidding.
I think in order to understand this issue, we have to take a step back. One of the great benefits of living in America is the wonderful freedoms we get to enjoy. If you want to eat meat, great. If you don't want to eat meat, that's great too. If you choose to wear only yellow socks, more power to ya. If you want to spend the rest of your life in a Tell-A-Tubby costume, that's your prerogative. My point being this – each of us have the individual liberty to make personal choices about how to live our lives (within reason of course). I know there are a million lifestyles, and/or hobbies, and/or food choices that are different then mine. But this blog is simply a reflection of life on our homestead. That being said, should someone wish to address the moral issue of eating meat (ie: labeling the eating of an animal murder) well, then that opens up another can of worms entirely.
Moral issues (and how you answer moral questions) is an outworking of your underlying worldview. As for our home, we serve the Lord. Each and every one of our “views” come from the Biblical worldview. We use scripture, and scripture alone, as the standard for what is right and what is wrong. All of our moral beliefs stem from Biblical principles. Period. So if someone wants to label me a “murderer” for eating a delicious steak, as this commenter did, then that begs the question – is eating a delicious steak wrong according to the word of God?
And according to the word of God, the answer is no.
So that's what I believe. (To be fair, saying I believe it because it is in the Bible in and of itself does not justify that belief, but going into Christian epistemology is beyond the scope of this post.)
Not only does the Bible not prohibit the eating of meat, but it is referenced and condoned throughout.
“Every moving thing that liveth shall be meat for you; even as the green herb have I given you all things” Genesis 9:3.
Yes, I believe that God called us to be good stewards of that which he has given us reign over (including the animal kingdom). We should not exploit, mistreat, or abuse that power. And I do feel it best for our family to find out where our meat comes from – and how it has been raised, treated, killed, and processed. But in mankind having reign over the animal kingdom, there is nothing wrong (Biblically speaking) with us being able to utilize them for nourishment.
Obviously, this commenter had a different eating philosophy than me (and I suspect an equally different worldview)! So ultimately, the real and much more interesting question is how do either of us justify our basic beliefs. This commenter, in order to be rational, has the same burden of proof that I do. In their worldview, it is morally wrong to eat meat. But based on what? On what principles? What morals? Who says? Them? Their standards?
Those are not my standards.
And if they'd like to draw the conclusion, as they did, that I am a murderer for eating a living thing, well, then according to their own standard, they would be a murderer as well. Are vegetables not living things, as they have flesh… produce offspring… live & die? And fruit? And water? Does the carrot not die when you eat it, so that you may live? According to this “living thing” standard, we should all quickly die of starvation.
They were right about one thing – in eating meat, I do condone the death of that animal. Of another “being”? Well, in our worldview the Supreme Being only made man in His image and not animals. And thus, I do not believe them to be another “being” like human beings, but rather just what they are – an animal.
To turn the choice that our family has made into a moral issue is not only inconsistent with our biblical beliefs (which is, again, the final standard of right and wrong that we utilize), but it is also self-refuting (as an argument can be made that much of this world is made of “living” things, even the vegetables that we all enjoy). There are obviously deeper issues than this comment can address but it should be made clear that simply stipulating your own definition of murder, being and moral obligation does not justify them.
And I am grateful to God for all of his blessings. Including meat.
(As usual, I will now step down from my soap box).
Phew! That was a mouthful.
And that's all.
Hey Shaye,
Ok so this is funny (well not funny, but whatever) because I posted on your article about killing the rooster for dinner and then about the vegans in my family. Aye, it’s a tough subject.
Mainly my issue is that my husband and I follow the “paleo diet” which is to cut out all processed foods and stick to the foods our paleolithic ancestors ate: meat, fish, fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds. I get a lot of shit from people with moral objections about eating meat because in my opinion, meat is a necessary part of our diet and our bodies need meat. They just do.
Of course I don’t condone abuse of animals and harsh treatment. I try to buy grass fed meat and support local farmers instead of big corporations that might treat the animals badly.
But it is what it is. We eat meat and that’s our decision. It’s your decision if you decide to eat meat or not, and we can chat about our choices all we want, but we have to respect each other. I don’t take kindly to someone telling me what I have to do and that I’m making the wrong choices. When that happens, I like to end the conversation with “let’s agree to disagree.”
Hey Shaye,
Ok so this is funny (well not funny, but whatever) because I posted on your article about killing the rooster for dinner and then about the vegans in my family. Aye, it’s a tough subject.
Mainly my issue is that my husband and I follow the “paleo diet” which is to cut out all processed foods and stick to the foods our paleolithic ancestors ate: meat, fish, fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds. I get a lot of shit from people with moral objections about eating meat because in my opinion, meat is a necessary part of our diet and our bodies need meat. They just do.
Of course I don’t condone abuse of animals and harsh treatment. I try to buy grass fed meat and support local farmers instead of big corporations that might treat the animals badly.
But it is what it is. We eat meat and that’s our decision. It’s your decision if you decide to eat meat or not, and we can chat about our choices all we want, but we have to respect each other. I don’t take kindly to someone telling me what I have to do and that I’m making the wrong choices. When that happens, I like to end the conversation with “let’s agree to disagree.”
Just the fact that this was an anonymous comment speaks volumes. Respecting the animals, respecting the process, respecting the product, respecting each other…some people just don’t get it.
Just the fact that this was an anonymous comment speaks volumes. Respecting the animals, respecting the process, respecting the product, respecting each other…some people just don’t get it.
Wow!!!!!! well put Shaye….I guess some people feel they have to justify why they make the choices they do by putting down on others. Your choice of buying local and eating grassfed beef in more humane way of serving up beef in my opinion. Our goals and feelings are the same. Would he say that the cows im raising here on my land, to sustain my family,as being some form of a concentration camp for animals, and that im a murderer??? We all have choices in what food choices we make and why. Im with you in that our morals and beliefs guides us, and there’s nothing sinful in that.
Wow!!!!!! well put Shaye….I guess some people feel they have to justify why they make the choices they do by putting down on others. Your choice of buying local and eating grassfed beef in more humane way of serving up beef in my opinion. Our goals and feelings are the same. Would he say that the cows im raising here on my land, to sustain my family,as being some form of a concentration camp for animals, and that im a murderer??? We all have choices in what food choices we make and why. Im with you in that our morals and beliefs guides us, and there’s nothing sinful in that.
<> So well said!
<> So well said!
Here is a good video on meat: http://carnism.com
Here is a good video on meat: http://carnism.com
I appreciate your thoughts.
In general, blog comments are so filled with kindness and respectfulness, even when someone has a differing view. And it makes for a nice place to visit. I hope you don’t often have to deal with disrespectful commenters. Thank goodness you own the “delete key”.
brenda, a new fan from arkansas
I appreciate your thoughts.
In general, blog comments are so filled with kindness and respectfulness, even when someone has a differing view. And it makes for a nice place to visit. I hope you don’t often have to deal with disrespectful commenters. Thank goodness you own the “delete key”.
brenda, a new fan from arkansas
You’re a rockstar!
Amen.
Amen.
Well said!
Great post. I had to go searching for another article I read a while ago – even vegetarianism causes the death of animals. It’s an interesting read: http://fieldquestions.com/2012/11/26/the-animal-lovers-dilemma/.
I read that fieldquestions article, too! It’s great! 🙂
Amazing article link! Thanks so much for sharing this! I have the same worldview a Shaye, but this article is a must-read! So many are so uninformed, and both this post and article are so great! Thanks!
Thank you for your kind words and support!
If I ever get hassled for eating meat, I will direct them here. What a great explanation!
I shared this post on my Facebook wall and I can’t believe the controversy it has caused. I’m not sure if I should delete the whole thing or what? Wow!
Stay strong, girl! We’re all entitled to our opinions…even though some people’s are WRONG. Ha, I’m joking. But seriously, meat is delicious. That is all. 🙂
Meat is healthy and essential? Humans are carnivores? Hmmm…. Maybe someone hasn’t done their research.
Humans are omnivores – plant and meat eaters. We have eaten meat and plants for generations far earlier than now, even the native peoples eat meat. If we are murderers for eating meat, then so are all other omnivores and carnivores. But the vegans are only yelling at other humans for eating meat, not other creatures in nature. What about raccoons and mice/ rats etc? What about obligate carnivores such as cats? Should they be labeled murderers too and forced to eat plants? Obligate carnivores cannot live on plants alone, they will die. The prey isn’t so thrilled when caught and killed, though… so why only yell at us?
I understand their anger towards the factory farming system and I abhor it myself, but I have great respect for humane hunters, homesteaders and organic farmers.
Animals ARE sentient by the way (self-aware). Look up the Cambridge Declaration on Consciousness. Which makes animals eating other animals more complicated – if us by vegan standards killing another animal and eating it is murder, then self-aware animals killing each other for food means….? I wonder if predators ever feel empathy towards their prey, only killing when hungry? Some animals cannot survive on plants at all, they are called obligate carnivores. Cats are obligate carnivores. What would they be expected to do, starve themselves into extinction? I think in the end it all comes down to the nutritional requirements of the body – we are designed to eat meat (and plants) and as long as we are respectful to the animal we are within the expectations of nature. Starvation drives one to eat, there is no cruelty meant by natural predation. Most kills in the wild seem inhumane because most animals have not and cannot develop tools to farm, hunt and kill humanely and must make do with what they have – claw, fang, beak/ etc… WE can develop many humane ways to farm, hunt and kill and therefore when we do so in a cruel manner we are truly guilty of being jackasses whereas most animals simply have no other choice. Look up how carnivorous snails eat, they use their rough tongue and many teeth which are like ridges of razors, they slowly strip their prey alive…. but what else do they have? Nothing, so they are stuck. I would feel terrible every time I ate if I only had that option… We have developed tools so we can humanely farm, hunt and kill. Some animals even swallow prey whole – stomach acid would be a horrible thing to experience. Not to mention the trauma of being grabbed and swallowed, squeezed by throat muscles and asphyxiated… But only humans are considered horrible murderers, even though some of us take great pains to kill as quick and painlessly as possible? I think not. Do vegans ever sit down and think about what prey animals go through when hunted by other animals? And what about carnivorous plants? A slow agonizing death for the caught insects/ animals… Some of it is quite traumatic if you think about it. We’re very lucky we are the tool-makers. It’s the factory farming industry is what’s screwing most humane attempts at eating farming healthy food and humanely raising/ killing animals for meat up… go yell at them, vegans, and stop lumping everyone together when we all aren’t acting like them! Not all meat eating humans are bad or cruel, one should deal with each individual situation not lump everyone together under such a damning label. And for goodness sakes, vegans… stop calling us carnivores! We’re OMNIVORES!
Technically peoples bodies are more similar to herbivores NOT omnivores… Bad “built-in” tools (flat nails not claws etc.), poor meat eating teeth (we have canines yes but they aren’t much of meat eating teeth, look at true carnivore/omnivore teeth much more sharp and no just 2), long intestines, we’re extremely slow, we need/usually cook meat before we can eat it…. Yes we got the brains to fix all this but what did we do when we weren’t smart enough? we only ate plants, that’s how our bodies are designed…. Just because you can eat something doesn’t mean your body is designed to handle it properly…… Just saying we’re not omnivore or carnivores, the animals thatreal actual omnivores and carnivores eat go through s*** and there death must suck big time but that is nature it’s how it goes….
I am not a big fan of killing animals or meat’s taste but I also eat it, because I have not seen a vegan population hat has survived. I suspect if there was any, that its people went sterile.
Iva, Jainism dates back to the 5th century and probably before so the idea that vegans populations can’t survive is not really true. However, I do eat meat and enjoy it but also enjoy vegetarian food at least 3/4 days a week. I don’t believe killing animals to eat them is wrong, but I do believe eating most of the mass produced meat we find in Supermarkets is. I don’t think I could ever butcher an animal but admire anyone who can.
Good Lord! Lately more and more posts across the web are addressing these self-righteous folks spewing their hate for everyone and anyone who doesn’t live the same lifestyle as them. I for one am a vegetarian. My doctor advised it and I’m healthier as a result. But, that is between me and my doctor and I don’t go around forcing that down people’s throats. I disagree with buying meat from places that put animals in deplorable conditions, but that doesn’t apply to you. And even if it did, that’s your choice, which thankfully you are free to make. You show us how you raise your animals and actually I’d much much rather see that than the alternative. How you choose to feed your family is up to you. No one else. People are crazy!
😉
Thank you for standing on your beliefs and the freedom God has given us! Kudos to you!!!
Thank you and AMEN! I know a few people who are believers and have turned veg because they don’t like the idea of killing to sustain life. But you’ve addressed Scripture where God tells us to consume meat from living things to eat. I feel anything otherwise is frankly ungrateful. You’re telling God that what he has filled his Creation with for us to consume isn’t good enough, they object to it – even if it’s grassfed and humanely raised/butchered! I don’t get it. Thinking like the world, dogmatic trappings. Death is part of life. Jesus died so we can have eternal life, God provided us with animals that must die to sustain our earthly lives. There is absolutely nothing wrong with this.
EXCELLENT answer! Like others have said, just because MY viewpoint is different than yours doesn’t give you the right to spew hatred at me in an effort to change my mind! And I almost spit out my coffee at the Teletubby remark – I can SO see somebody, somewhere, doing that, lol. And they are free to do that! lol
Meat is yummy……I must have a well balance diet. I love your opinion. Good job…well said… you rock…..Amen and Amen!
I would have stopped after it tastes good.. But I do appreciate your willingness to point out the reasons for meat, as I agree. I know where my food comes from, my field.
Hello Shaye,
Just curious what your opinion on eating pork and shellfish is? In the bible it says they are not healthy doesn’t it? I know it’s not a sin to eat them but isn’t the suggestion not to for our own health? I hope this makes sense as I am typing this at 1am with tired eyes, lol. Off to bed I go before #4 wakes to nurse again 😉 Sweet dreams everyone.
Jamie, that was in the Old Testament (about “unclean animals”) when the Jews were under the law. In the New Testament things change with Jesus dieing on the cross for the sins of both Jew and Gentile. We are now under grace…it is well said here. http://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/2004642?q=christians+eat+pork&p=par
Shaye,
Thank you for the Elliott Homestead website and sharing your most important point in this post and throughout your site, “As for our home, we serve the Lord. Each and every one of our “views” come from the Biblical worldview. We use scripture, and scripture alone, as the standard for what is right and what is wrong. All of our moral beliefs stem from Biblical principles. Period.”
We live in a culture dominated by self-absorbed ignorance and a hatred of God. Many hate the truth of a Creator and have turned to worshipping the created. As the world continues it’s moral decay, we stand firm for we know who is our Lord. Greater persecution will come – so be it. The Christian will not wholly abandon his faith in God. He will not abandon himself to sin. He will not deny Christ. He will not shun holiness. He will not stop loving the Lord. He will not cease desiring to glorify Him (God) through righteous living. His faith will survive.
John MacArthur writes, “the rationale behind the modern animal-rights movement, a movement whose raison d’être is the utter degradation of the human race. Naturally, all radical animal-rights advocates are evolutionists. Their belief system is an inevitable byproduct of evolutionary theory.” Here is the full post: http://www.gty.org/blog/B100420/putting-humans-in-their-place
Deuteronomy 31:6 – Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.
Here you go, girl. We get heat about eating pork all the time… from other Christians! This pretty much says it all:
1 Timothy 4:
1But the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons, 2by means of the hypocrisy of liars seared in their own conscience as with a branding iron, 3men who forbid marriage and advocate abstaining from foods which God has created to be gratefully shared in by those who believe and know the truth. 4For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with gratitude; 5for it is sanctified by means of the word of God and prayer.
Well said! So sad that you have to defend yourself to someone that should just not follow you if their views are different.
This was well said. My kids raise market goats and market lambs in our 4H group. I love how it has taught us to humanely raise animals and process them. And makes us appreciate the hard work that goes into good market animals.
And I was brave and shared this on my FB page too….
I have chickens and am looking at other manageable small farm sources of meat. I find that rabbits are a great choice although my daughter, who dispatches chickens.easily, finds the idea of doing the same to a rabbit a bit more difficult. We think it is due to the similarities between rabbits and her fur baby cats.
I found your quote from Genesis interesting, but have no need of it to fully enjoy my dietary choices. As a senior with lots of chronic pain issues, it was more interesting to me with respect to its specific mention of “herb” which I believe would include marijuana. Following the medical establishment’s selling of their integrity to Big Pharma, we are being made sicker and sicker to generate profits. Your quote is one I intend to.use to support efforts to expand legal acceptance of medical marijuana at minimum and totally legal marijuana at best!
Thank you!
I have raised and slaughtered my own chickens for meat. It was difficult emotionally, but I did it.
However, I’m not sure I could do bunnies. I would use the kill method you did- immediate & painless- but they are just SO CUTE.
They would really fill a need in my homestead system, though.