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From: tas@pegasus.com (Len Howard)
Newsgroups: soc.religion.christian
Subject: Re: Paul and vegetarianism
Message-ID: <Jun.13.23.27.31.1991.15835@athos.rutgers.edu>
Date: 14 Jun 91 03:27:33 GMT
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Approved: christian@aramis.rutgers.edu

With regard to Paul's eating or not eating meat:
     It has always been my understanding that the passages referred to
by our moderator were examples of Paul's consideration for the state
of belief of his comrads at the moment.  The meat involved was, I
believe, meat that had been offered to pagan gods.  The question asked
of Paul was "Is it OK to eat this meat that has been offered to pagan
gods?"  Paul's answer was "Yes, if you are well educated in the faith,
you know that it is all right to eat such meat.  But in consideration
of my brothers who may not be so far along in their development of
their spirituality, I do not wish to cause them any spiritual harm or
cause any misunderstanding, so I will NOT eat the meat.  If it were to
cause harm to my brother it is better that I stay a vegetarian.
     So the message of that passage is to be considerate of the state
of Grace of your brother and do nothing that, thru lack of
understanding, would cause him any harm.
     Shalom......                                /Len