Bill Maher: In Praise of NOTHING Dr. Don Bailey Recent photos of the PETA hussies so scantily clad in lettuce leaves reminds me of the leaves by which Adam and Eve tried to cover their nakedness. Leaves are not enough for these insensitive immoral wenches; they are still naked and vulgar. They pride themselves in the fact that they are vegetarian and that everyone else should also be vegetarian. The truth of the matter is that they probably have their little secret barbecues from time-to-time along with whatever unrestrained indulgences they engage themselves. Some time ago I found myself embroiled in conversation with Bruce Friedrick, the former president of PETA. I had heard him make the outlandish statement that even Jesus was a vegetarian and all Christians should consider changing their diet to that of vegetables. I called his office and shortly he was on the phone; after a brief and heated debate, he told me that he would send a letter. Approximately two weeks later a 41/8 x 91/2- inch envelope arrived, stuffed with nonsensical argumentation as to why Jesus was a vegetarian. The following extra-biblical and biblical evidences he put forth were just a sample of his rational. The extra-biblical evidence he set forth involved the Essenes and the Dead Sea Scrolls. The Essenes were a religious sect with whom Jesus supposedly lived until His appearing at the Jordan for baptism by John the Baptist. This (that Jesus lived with them), of course, is nothing but speculation on the part of some scholars. Bruce reminded me, though, that the Essenes were purely vegetarian and since Jesus lived with them, He too was vegetarian. He also said: “Most of Jesus parables and statements are found attributed to other Essene teachers before Jesus time, and the Dead Sea Scrolls attribute these and other statements about vegetarianism to both Jesus and other Essene teachers.” In a nutshell, he is saying that much of Jesus teaching came from the Essenes, especially, the teaching on vegetarianism. Horse feathers! Mr. Friedrich has more to say on the Dead Sea Scrolls and Jesus family: “In the Dead Sea Scrolls, it is said about Jesus: Now Joseph and Mary, his parents, went up to Jerusalem every year at the feast of the Passover and observed the feast after the manner of their brethren, who abstained from bloodshed and the eating of meat.” Now, since this statement is in the Dead Sea Scrolls, it cannot be relied upon to prove that Jesus was a vegetarian. The best that one can do is to “take it with a grain of salt,” along with other extra-biblical sources that ascribe such highly questionable practices to Jesus. One would do well to remember that Mary and Joseph were Jewish and that they would have kept the Passover according to Gods directions in Exodus 12:1-28. From the time of Moses to the present, the Jews have been very careful to observe the Passover in every way—including the eating of lamb. Jesus did likewise. Bruce must look elsewhere for evidence to support his view. Elsewhere is, of course, the Bible; there is no other source. A look at the biblical record will most certainly prove him wrong. One biblical evidence the President of PETA sets forth to prove his point is in the Old Testament. He writes: “Many Christians believe that God gives humans the right to eat animals after the flood. Genesis 9 is worthy of study. God tells humans that they can eat reptiles (not animals) because all vegetation has been destroyed. At the same time, God makes a covenant with all animals—not just human beings—as God says over and over in Genesis 9. God clearly cares how they are treated.” The above statement is simply, not true! Reptiles are not, specifically, even mentioned in the passage. How anyone can read the following statement made by God and, at the same time deny it, is a mystery to me: “Everything that lives and moves will be food for you. Just as I gave you the green plants, I now give you everything.” The only prohibition God gave man regarding the eating of meat was: “But you must not eat meat that has its lifeblood still in it” (v4). Bruce gets even more ridiculous in the New Testament. He would have us believe: that Jesus called the disciples to be fishers of men and meant that they should no longer kill animals, such as, fish; that the people never carried rotting fish in baskets and what Jesus fed them was called fish weed, not fish; and that the stories where Jesus ate fish with the disciples, caused great catches, and prepared fish on the beach were all parables concocted by His disciples for their own purpose. I wont even bother to refute such nonsense, but leave you with the following New Testament references to read at your leisure so that you can decide if Jesus was or was not a vegetarian. Matthew 4:18; 12:40; 17:27; Mark1: 16; Luke 5:4; John 6:1-14; 21:1-13. Bruce closes his letter with these words: “What next? Rights for vegetables? If you find it equally easy to chop off the head of a live vegetable and a live kitten, you know nothing about the love of God or the compassion of Christ.” What? Now, I am not a vegetarian, nor am I adverse to anyone who practices vegetarianism. However, I do refrain from eating certain meats and the various ways they are prepared, but that is my own preference. Each of us should be considerate of one anothers dietary needs and practices. A good rule-of-thumb is to follow these words of the Apostle Paul: “The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron. They forbid people to marry and order them to abstain from certain foods, which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and who know the truth. For everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, because it is consecrated by the word of God and prayer” (I Timothy 4:1-5― NIV). PETA condemns those who eat meat but will not shed one tear for the murder of unborn babies in the womb. Their consciences are indeed seared as with a hot iron. Now as to the horse and its use in service to mankind no animal can compare. The Bible praises it during time of war; consider its character in Job 39:19-25. Horses have carried kings to victory since earliest times. The horse helped to build this great nation and was instrumental in the Mid-night Ride of Paul Revere and warned of the coming enemy. The last war pictures Messiah Jesus, the KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS riding to victory on a great white stallion. America could not have done without the horse. It still serves man through and by its great strengths and beauty for which it was designed by the Creator. Liam Neeson knows whereof he speaks; it never hurt a horse to pull a carriage. PETA and Bill Maher are full of horse manure.
Posted on: Sat, 21 Jun 2014 21:33:27 +0000
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