“Beef, It's What's For Dinner”

Monday, September 10, 2012

If it is wrong to kill, why do so many people eat meat?  Hamburger isn't from cows who died of old age.  How do people justify this?

Sincerely,
PETA Pal

Dear PETA Pal,

This is a great example of how context comes into play.  When we are told not to kill (Rom 13:9, Jas 2:11), we have to understand what the word ‘kill’ is referring to.  Context is the only way to do that.  Both of those verses refer to other sins as well – adultery, stealing and coveting.  Rom 13:9 also refers to a positive command to “love your neighbor as yourself”.  The context tells us that we are talking about interacting with people, not animals.  Adultery, coveting, stealing and loving your neighbor all reference human-to-human relationships, not human-to-animal relationships.  The one time killing is referred to in the context of animals is Acts 10:13 when, God comes to Peter in a vision and tells him to, “Kill and eat”.  Context is key.  The type of killing that is wrong is the murdering of a fellow human created in the image of God (Gen 1:27).

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