“Eat meat sparingly” is the phrase people remember most, but do you know what very next verse says?
Doctrine and Covenants vs 89 may be familiar to you as the Word of Wisdom. He starts by saying “In consequence of evils and designs which do and will exist in the hearts of conspiring men in the last days, I have warned you and forewarn you, by giving unto you this word of wisdom by revelation —”
And people thought the conspiring men was referring to just the tobacco industry. But it is the entire food industry, because next thing he talks about is food.
And concerning meat?
“Yea, flesh also of beasts and of the fowls of the air I the Lord have ordained for the use of man with thanksgiving; nevertheless they are to be used sparingly.”
People stop reading there and say, “OK, so meat’s fine.” Is 3 meals a day, 365 days a year considered sparingly?
But that’s not all He said. That’s just where people stopped reading. I think this next part has been widely ignored…
“And it is pleasing unto me that they should NOT be used, only in times of winter or of cold or famine.” So basically in the winter when the crops are dead and nothing else can grow, or in a famine when you have absolutely NO other choice and no other options but to eat meat, then it’s ok.
Back in the day they didn’t have access to a whole feast of fruits, vegetables, and grains in the winter because they weren’t shipping it from Mexico or wherever else they wanted. So in THAT instance where they had NOTHING else to eat, the Lord said go ahead and eat meat as a backup.
To get us to understand, He repeated Himself in vs 15 “And these hath God made for the use of man ONLY in times of famine and excess of hunger.” Is America in famine and excess of hunger?
In our day, we have access to a huge cornucopia of different foods during all the seasons of the year, we are not famished or stuck in a cold season without any crops, and yet we still eat meat every single day of our lives as one of the “staples!” It’s part of the “food pyramid”, which by the way, was created by a board of directors who has HUGE ties to the livestock industry. I really don’t think God is happy with our serious misunderstanding of what he said.
In section 49 vs. 21 He continues talking about meat from the previous verses by saying, “And wo be unto man that sheddeth blood or that wasteth flesh and hath no need.” The Footnote for flesh specifies: Meat.
Are we using meat as a backup when we don’t have access to other food, or are we using it as our main meal 365 days a year?
Do we desperately need to eat meat to survive in times of plenty? No. All the nutrients that can be found in meat (if they aren’t cooked out anyway) are thriving in the plant world. See this chart of meat nutrients found elsewhere.
Then why did Nephi and his family eat wild beasts in the wilderness?
Again, meat is to be used as a backup plan. Nephi’s family was travelling and unable to plant and harvest crops, so they had no other option. This is the very purpose God so kindly blessed us with meat as an option – for using when there IS nothing else.
At the end of this famous Word of Wisdom, the Lord promises us that if we follow the advice, “the destroying angel shall pass by them, as the children of Israel, and not slay them.”
Can you see the destroying angel in the form of Heart Disease, Cancer, Stroke, and Diabetes killing millions of people every year?
Dr. Esselstyn and his scientists have proven that animal products are causing every one of those diseases, and that eliminating them from the diet actually CURES those same diseases. Do you think the nation’s highest causes of death would even exist if we had listened to this revelation nearly 200 years ago? See Forks over Knives, the documentary.
The Doctrine and Covenants is modern revelation, which makes me quite baffled that the Mormon religion is not known for abstaining from meat at all, and some are in fact are quite adamant about the fact that the “scriptures say to eat meat.” Just wanted to open your mind a little and shed some light on the subject that hasn’t really been looked at. Yes, He gave us meat as a backup plan for those who don’t have access to crops and grains because He loves us.
But does this permit the massive breeding, slaughtering of billions of animals per year for our so called “need” for the “food pyramid’s” guidelines for meat? If you think the meat industry is all fine and dandy, and God’s creatures are being treated with respect and love, please checkout this post: The Truth About the Meat Industry.
Another scripture in 2 Nephi 21:7 makes it clear that the Lord intends for the planet to have a vegetarian diet when He returns. “The cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together; and the lion shall eat straw like the ox.”
The Lion is the perfect example of a meat-eating carnivore, and it says even he will be “eating straw like the ox.”
It’s clear to me that the Lord intended for us to eat the plants of the earth, and for us to use his creatures for sustenance only as a backup plan when we didn’t have access to anything else.
But where will we get our protein?
That’s the very phrase the meat industry has trained you to say through their years of advertising and financial influence. Remember the part about “conspiring men?” This describes perfectly the whip masters who reign over the farming industry today. See the documentary, Food, Inc.
The world is full of protein rich foods. How do you think your meat source got his protein? See this awesome article about protein that will surprise you and a great chart of protein rich foods here.
I always thought vegetarians and vegans were strange too. It’s a stereotype that you get about any group of people until you understand why they do what they do. Do you think they’re doing it for their health?
Yes, actually. 🙂 Please watch these videos about what’s going on in the meat industry and ask yourself if God’s creatures deserve a life of happiness too.
Plants Only 