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The Leviticus Diet
One of the most interesting aspects of the Bible is how timeless
it is. It truly is the living Bible and it's messages are just as applicable now as they were at the time of their
writing, even more so in most cases. One simple illustration in that of the food laws handed down to Moses by God. These are
found in the 11th Chapter of Leviticus and also in Deuteronomy 14.
I plan to go into more detail on this in the near future, but I
will leave you with this Email I sent to someone who was struggling with vegetarianism. Christians understand that speaking
out against eating meat is not only countered by the actual words of the Bible, as in Leviticus, but even spoken about
prophetically as a sign of the end of the age. I will not get into that now, but I will say that the proof is in the health
of many of those I know that have chosen this course. Their consumption of soy as a protein source is literally killing them
in many cases, although most of those that I know who fall into this category will not admit it. Multitudes of people
have become victims of the soy-is-a-health-food myth, which has even been endorsed by many in the medical establishment
(but they also tell you that you need to drink more of the number one human allergen..cow milk). But I can see
the truth in their eyes, complexion, and in their medical history- iron deficiency anemia, pain, insomnia, lack of energy,
gastrointestinal distress and more. It's all there. Soy is a killer, folks. Combining that with the consumption of
high levels of wheat, dairy, and legumes, the vegetarian is eating a diet that violates just about every aspect of The GARD.
Now, please do not get me wrong. I do respect many of the reasons for people
considering vegetarianism, primarily those that involve empathy for the animals. I became a vegetarian for a time out of protest
after visiting stock yards and factory chicken farms and observing the obvious abuses. There is merit in having such
sympathy. But, to make the blanket statement that eating meat is wrong does go against Scripture, with the outcome
of most of the alternative diets being used today telling the tale.
But, enough philosophy for now. The following Email is the "cool"
part. Check out the other reason for the food rules of Leviticus in this letter.
Dear Nancy,
I understand many of the ideas and philosophies
of being a vegetarian. I agree with many and disagree with a few too. When my wife and I got married, she was trying hard
to be a vegetarian. I joined in her in that quest for three years based on what I saw and knew of how we raised our factory-farmed
beef, pigs, and chickens. The conditions were deplorable and I hated it. Even though my belief system tells me it's proper
to eat certain animals, I abstained from that practice for a while as a protest to how we treat the animals.
Aside from the scriptural and prophetic implications
of vegetarianism, one of the problems with this philosophical choice is that it is much harder to maintain as a
healthy lifestyle because of the limited choices for protein. Once you toss out the soy- which you must-
and the dairy (cow milk)-which you must- the choices of quality and quantity of protein are very
limited. I won't get up on that soap box but, man, what a horrible payoff for an outwardly "noble" goal.
I now eat according to Leviticus, as well. Chapter 11,
whether you are into the Bible or not, is an amazing list of what to eat and what not to eat. These were actually health
food rules as well as "common sense", morally-driven rules. In the marine world, if it doesn't have fins and
scales, you don't eat it. That rules out all of the filters and scavengers, which are also filters by nature. No
oysters, no octopus, no squid (Man, I used to love fried calamari), no scum-sucking catfish (haha), no shrimp or crabs (oh
oh), and no large mercury-harvesting game fish. Health food rules. Of the mammals, they have to divide the hoof and
chew their cud. That means eating cows, sheep, goats, buffalo, etc ("cattle")....all of the grazing animals. It also means
no pork (don't chew their cud but do divide the hoof)- the scavenger with Trichinosis (they now think
Mozart died of this) and God knows what else in him. The Book of Leviticus (and Deuteronomy) also says "nothing that
goes on paws shall you eat"....no dogs, cats, big cats, bears, etc...which should be a no-brainer to people like
you and I. But look at the rest of the world. Makes me ill to think about it, actually.
This Book even lists some edible bugs ("Ooooh Yuck".
But hey, in the desert???) and the inedible ones, too. The description is precise.
It is actually a very cool read and even
those not religiously inclined will see the "logic" in it. Of course back then, they did it for religious reasons because
there was no such thing as a microbiologist or parasitologist. But those who obeyed "the law" were rewarded with good health,
while those who disobeyed got sick. Ever hear of Vibrio coli from oysters. Hmmm... Some things are timeless,
aren't they?
Food for thought, eh? Hmmm.... Keep in touch.
Dogtor J.
A Letter to a Pastor- Animal Rights and the Bible
Dear LVCC,
I am a veterinarian and a born again Christian. I have been recently
been given a mission (a ministry) that is described in great detail on my Website below. I am also a regular contributor to
newsletters and podcasts, many of which deal with the animal welfare issues that your Webpage addresses ( http://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/LVarticles/AnimalRightsandtheBible.htm ). You give some great Scriptural references and I have forwarded
your site to some interested parties.
My site focuses on the nutritional aspects of our declining health,
more specifically on what we are doing to ourselves with every bite (and breath) that is causing serious health consequences.
My research began following my personal diagnosis of celiac disease (gluten intolerance). This came after months of prayer
for wisdom. The last seven years have been phenomenal to say the least and have been documented on my site.
I touch on the Mosaic food laws and plan to write much more on them.
This is what prompted me to write to you (in addition to just touching base and telling you how much I appreciate your work.)
As you know, the food laws handed down to Moses in Leviticus and repeated in Deuteronomy were "health food"laws. He used the
word "clean" for a reason. Those food sources that violated these rather strict laws were and still are "risky" foods
to consume from a health standpoint. Oysters, which have neither fins nor scales are STILL the filters of the ocean and capable
of killing people with the Vibrio coli and other bacteria/microorganisms they can contain. Swine were unclean for a number
of reasons, including Trichinella. As simple stomached animals and scavengers and being genetically similar to man in some
ways, they may contain other viruses or organism that could jeopardize man's health. It is the pig that is the link
between the bird flu and possible repeat of the bird flu pandemic (Spanish Flu) of 1918. Swine flu is another example of a
virus transmitted from pigs to people. SARS arose from the raising and eating of Civet cats in Japan, a gross violation of
the Mosaic food laws (eating those things that go on paws).
So, I contend that the Mosaic food laws are still in place, just
as Christ said that " For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one joy or one tittle shall in no wise
pass from the law, till all be fulfilled." It is the eternal consequences of violating those (food) laws that has
changed as result of Christ's work on the cross, right? 1 Corinthians 6:12 says "All things are lawful unto
me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of
any." In other words, an individual is not condemned for eating an oyster BUT....they might still die from it. (We can say
the following with a couple of different inflections: "God knows what's in a oyster.") Plus, how many people
do you know who are under the power of food? It's more like "Who aren't?", right?
On the milk (and wheat) issue, the critical thing for people
of faith to understand is that there is a HUGE difference between what they consumed in Biblical days and what we eat
now as far as these two staples. In Biblical days, they did not drink cow's milk. Goat milk was the source of dairy products.
Cattle were relegated to doing work. The shepherds were tending their flocks by night, not their herds, right? Goat
milk has been known as the "universal foster milk" for millennia, owing to its low casein content. Casein
is gluten's evil twin and is the protein complex from which Borden makes Elmer's glue. My site goes into great detail here.
Goat milk has 0-2% casein content, whereas cow milk is a whopping 80-86% casein. You will quickly see that lactose (which
is also present in abundance in goat milk) is NOT the culprit in true dairy true dairy intolerance. Casein and other glycoproteins
are the true problems. If we were still drinking goat milk, we would not be seeing the magnitude of the health issues we are
now experiencing (asthma, arthritis, diabetes, lupus, breast cancer and more).
The same is true of the wheat we consume. Yes, wheat was a staple
in Biblical days. BUT, the wheat we consume no longer resembles the wheat of yesteryear. It was changed forever in the mid
400's AD by our northern Germanic ancestors when they blended two "weeds" with God's wheat and created "common wheat". This
effectively increased the gluten content from 1-2% (in God's wheat) to an undetermined level but one that was high enough
to induce "coeliac disease" in high numbers of those who consumed it, killing countless numbers of them. This is historical
fact and is the origin of today's celiac disease, which now affects over 1:120 Americans. Man spoiled God's wheat forever
and thereby spoiled the use of the other "sacred grain" of old...barley, another gluten grain and one of the Seven (sacred)
Species of foods...the special products of the Land of Israel (wheat, barley, grapes, figs, pomegranates,
olives, and dates). Because we have become sensitized to gluten, we have ruined ourselves for the consumption of barley, which
actually has medicinal uses. (Revelation 6:6 is an interesting verse, especially when we consider the recent news about trans
fats and the health benefits of wine: "And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts say, A measure of wheat for a penny,
and three measures of barley for a penny; and see thou hurt not the oil and the wine.")
As you undoubtedly know, this is the work of "the enemy" and their
influence on man over the ages. Like I tell people, the serpent tempted man in the Garden of Eden with food from the very
start and it has never stopped. It is very important that we recognize the thoroughness of their efforts, as illustrated above.
I personally still eat according to Leviticus. It is simply the
healthiest way to eat. Why would we want to eat the filters of the ocean (or the scavengers of the land) when we know how
polluted the water has become? In fact, through those eyes, the "law" becomes even more applicable than before. Certainly,
refrigeration and cooking practices have made things more safe to consume, BUT God still knows what's in an oyster.
:)
I hope this helps in some way,
John
John B. Symes, D.V.M. ("Dogtor J")
www.dogtorj.netRead- "Food Intolerance- Man and Animals versus Gluten, Casein, Soy,
and Corn OR How We Won the Battle of Helm's Deep"
I hope you enjoyed your time here and got something important from your stay. It is
my goal to help all of mankind navigate through the jungle of medical information now available on the Internet and find the
truth about the origins of what we call "disease" as well as discover the natural solutions for these conditions.
We do have our health's destiny in our own hands more than we've ever
imagined, certainly more than most have ever been told. Think naturally and the answer will come.
Dogtor J
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