There are many reasons today that people engage in the practice of vegetarianism. And most are based on myths! Below is a list of the top 10 reasons people are vegetarians according to Down to Earth. We will evaluate each reason through the lens of the Bible, science, and/or common sense.

1. Reduce risk of heart disease. This is a myth. Meat does not cause heart disease. In fact, meat that is properly raised can benefit heart health in many ways. While conventional beef is fed GMO corn, soy, and other grains, Psalms 104:14 declares that God has given grass for the cattle to eat as food. Grass-fed beef is high in heart healthy omega-3 fatty acids and conjugated linoleic acid. [1]
2. Cancer prevention. Another myth. Vegetables do indeed have many anti-cancer properties and should be used heavily in the diet. But there is nothing in properly raised meat that causes cancer. In fact, I know of vegetarians who started eating meat after developing cancer and other illnesses. Grass-fed beef is high in conjugated linoleic acid, which has cancer prevention properties according to the Mayo Clinic. [2]
3. Weight loss. This is truth, but not with full disclosure. If you eat only vegetables, you will probably lose weight. But you might also lose your health. There are many ex-vegetarians for this very reason. Read about my encounter here. A healthy diet will include fruits vegetables, grains, legumes, nuts, dairy, and meat.
4. Live longer. Another myth. There are people from many cultures who consume meat and live long healthy lives. Some vegetarians on the other hand get sick due to missing nutrients in their diet. If unchanged, this can lead to death. However, incorporating raw and cooked vegetables into every meal will increase longevity.
5. Avoid toxic food contaminants. This is yet again a myth. Vegetables and vegetable by-products can contain both GMOs and dangerous pesticides. A better choice is to switch to organic whole foods (include grass-fed meat).
6. Reduce global warming. This is a double myth. Animals do nothing to contribute to “global warming” despite reports by the U.N. Plants thrive on the carbon dioxide that supposedly contributes to “greenhouse gases.” These animal emissions are part of God’s design. In addition,  God has promised that seed time and harvest will continue as long as the earth endures  — Genesis 8:2. There is no need to fear manmade scenarios like “global warming” or  “climate change.”
7. Help the economy. A myth.  Supposedly the “meat” industry is responsible for the healthcare crisis in America. This is built on a fallacious argument that meat is unhealthy. Conventional meat may add to poor health, but the solution is not to avoid meat. The solution is to eat the meat that has been raised according to God’s design (grass-fed).
8. End world hunger. Ignorant myth with a noble motive. Taking the grain supply from the animals and feeding it to humans would do nothing to end world hunger. Instead, it would cause world devastation. Famine is often caused by poor government,  religious and cultural beliefs, and weather [3] — not by meat eating. But cutting out meat would cause sickness across the globe. There are nutrients in meat that are difficult if not impossible to get from a total vegetarian diet. [4] In addition, if this plan was implemented, there is nothing to guarantee that the grain would get into the hands of the poor.
9. Have compassion for animals. Half myth, half truth. Compassion for animals is a sign of a righteous man according to Proverbs 12:10. Yet God has given His blessing to man to eat meat. He alone has the authority to define what is compassionate and what is not. And in His care for animals, God has ordained proper slaughter techniques for animals to cause less pain at death. Read more: The Truth About What Makes Meat Kosher.  An additional way to honor God and show compassion for animals is to only eat the amount of meat that is necessary to thrive. Gluttony over meat — eating much more than is needed for good health — is treating lightly God’s provision for food. And it is also sinful according to Proverbs 23:20. We must recognize when we eat meat — an animal dies so we can live. This is the Christian’s duty.
10. Enjoy a variety of vegetables. This is a truth mingled with a myth. We should indeed enjoy a plethora of vegetables that God has created. God has ordained fruits and vegetables as the first and primary food for man. But this should be accomplished side by side with meat, not in exclusion. Read more: The Evolution of Food in the Bible.

If I were to be persuaded towards vegetarianism,  it would be due to number 9, compassion for animals. Yet, even here, I must defer to God who has given animals as food according to Genesis 9:3. In addition, throughout history, God has commanded the eating flesh, eaten the flesh of animals in the man Jesus Christ, and supernaturally provided meat for humans to eat. Read more about it here: Meat (not vegetarianism) Is a Gift from God to Be Enjoyed.

Despite this evidence, there is another breed of vegetarianism that leans on the Bible for its support. Some vegetarian promoters claim that since God gave fruits and vegetables as the first food for man — that this is His best design for us today. What this argument fails to recognize is that GOD GAVE MEAT as FOOD. And He did so for a reason. If we reject what God has given, we are claiming that we have more knowledge than God. That does not honor Him, nor is it safe for our health. But there are some limited examples of God-ordained vegetarianism in the Bible which we discuss soon.

Next:  6 Reasons for God Ordained Vegetarianism in the Bible

Return to: Biblical Health Study

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[1] http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/heart-disease/expert-answers/grass-fed-beef/faq-20058059

[2] Ibid.

[3] Franklin E. Payne, Jr., M.D. Biblical Healing for Modern Medicine. p. 134-135

[4] https://authoritynutrition.com/7-nutrients-you-cant-get-from-plants/

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Scripture quotations taken from the NASB.

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