Chronic Diseases
Nearly 1.5 million Americans are crippled and killed each year by heart failure, stroke, cancer, and other chronic diseases associated with excessive consumption of meat and animal fat. The elements held principally accountable include saturated fat, cholesterol, hormones, pesticides, nitrites.
The routine use of antibiotics in animal feed has jeopardized consumer resistance to infectious diseases, while implantation of hormones in farm animals has led to abnormal sexual development in children.
The nutritional value of meat has been greatly exaggerated by the meat industry. Its highly touted protein level ranks along side that of soybeans, lentils, nuts, and seeds, but it comes heavily laced with saturated fat. Moreover, meat is totally lacking in carbohydrates-the most readily usable source of energy, contains very little calcium needed to build healthy bones, and its vitamin content is spotty at best.
World Hunger
While 800 million people around the world face agonizing starvation, we continue feeding to animals the grains and legumes that could save these lives. Production of these foodstuffs uses up to 90 percent of our agricultural resources, drastically depletes our vital topsoil and groundwater, and jeopardizes our own ability to grow sufficient food for our future needs.
Environmental Devastation
Millions of acres of forestland are devastated through conversion to grazing land and cropland to feed farm animals, both in the U.S. and abroad. Runoff from these lands carries suspended and dissolved solids, organic matter, nutrients, and pesticides into our lakes and streams, accounting for more water pollution than all other human activities combined. Overgrazing and intensive cultivation eventually turn these lands into desert, posing a severe long-term threat to our survival.
Animal Suffering
Animals raised for food account for 95 percent of the six billion warm-blooded, feeling animals that are abused and killed in the U.S. each year. That works out to 75 animals annually for the average family.
For most farm animals, slaughter brings welcome relief from the unceasing agony of crowding, deprivation, manhandling, and mutilation that governs life on today's factory farms. Veal calves are torn from their mothers immediately upon birth, chained by the neck, without bedding, in wood crates that encase their bodies, and fed a 1 liquid diet deficient in iron and fiber for 14-16 weeks. Breeding sows are forced to give birth and to nurse their piglets under similar conditions.
Force-feeding, genetic manipulation, artificial insemination, and loss of offspring are standard operating procedures. Earnotching, tail-docking, debeaking, dehorning, branding, castration, and other painful mutilations are performed routinely without anaesthetic or surgical training.
Again and again I have been shown that God is trying to lead us back, step by step, to His original design—that man should subsist upon the natural products of the earth. Among those who are waiting for the coming of the Lord, meat eating will eventually be done away; flesh will cease to form a part of their diet. We should ever keep this end in view, and endeavor to work steadily toward it....CH 450
Vegetables, fruits, and grains should compose our diet. Not an ounce of flesh-meat should enter our stomachs. The eating of flesh is unnatural. We are to return to God’s original purpose in the creation of man. Manuscript 115, 1903
Is it not time that all should aim to dispense with flesh foods? How can those who are seeking to become pure, refined, and holy, that they may have the companionship of heavenly angels, continue to use as food anything that has so harmful an effect on soul and body? How can they take the life of God’s creatures that they may consume the flesh as a luxury? Let them, rather, return to the wholesome and delicious food given to man in the beginning, and themselves practice, and teach their children to practice, mercy toward the dumb creatures that God has made and has placed under our dominion. The Ministry of Healing, Page 317
Again and again I have been shown that God is trying to lead us back, step by step, to his original design,—that man should subsist upon the natural products of the earth. Among those who are waiting for the coming of the Lord, meat-eating will eventually be done away; flesh will cease to form a part of their diet. We should ever keep this end in view, and endeavor to work steadily toward it. I cannot think that in the practice of flesh-eating we are in harmony with the light which God has been pleased to give us. All who are connected with our health institutions especially should be educating themselves to subsist on fruits, grains, and vegetables. If we move from principle in these things, if we as Christian reformers educate our own taste, and bring our diet to God’s plan, then we may exert an influence upon others in this matter, which will be pleasing to God. Christian Temperance and Bible Hygiene, Page 119
The liability to take disease is increased tenfold by meat eating. The intellectual, the moral, and the physical powers are depreciated by the habitual use of flesh meats. Meat eating deranges the system, beclouds the intellect, and blunts the moral sensibilities. We say to you, dear brother and sister, your safest course is to let meat alone. Testimonies for the Church Volume 2, Page 64
The animals are diseased, and by partaking of their flesh, we plant the seeds of disease in our own tissue and blood. Then when exposed to the changes in a malarious atmosphere, these are more sensibly felt; also when we are exposed to prevailing epidemics and contagious diseases, the system is not in a condition to resist the disease.—Extracts from Unpublished Testimonies in Regard to Flesh Foods, 8, 1896.
In a country such as this, where there are fruits, grains, and nuts in abundance, how can one think that he must eat the flesh of dead animals?—Manuscript 50, 1904
A meat diet changes the disposition and strengthens animalism. We are composed of what we eat, and eating much flesh will diminish intellectual activity. Students would accomplish much more in their studies if they never tasted meat. When the animal part of the human agent is strengthened by meat-eating, the intellectual powers diminish proportionately. A religious life can be more successfully gained and maintained if meat is discarded, for this diet stimulates into intense activities lustful propensities, and enfeebles the moral and spiritual nature. “The flesh warreth against the spirit, and the spirit against the flesh.”Extracts from Unpublished Testimonies in Regard to Flesh Foods, Page 7
If things were as they should be in the households that make up our churches, we might do double service for the Lord. The light given me is that a most decided message must be borne in regard to health reform. Those who use flesh meat strengthen the lower propensities and prepare the way for disease to fasten upon them.—Letter 200, 1903
The effects of a flesh diet may not be immediately realized; but this is no evidence that it is not harmful. Few can be made to believe that it is the meat they have eaten which has poisoned their blood and caused their suffering. Many die of diseases wholly due to meat eating, while the real cause is not suspected by themselves or by others. The Ministry of Healing, Page 315
It is for their own good that the Lord counsels the remnant church to discard the use of flesh meats, tea, and coffee, and other harmful foods. There are plenty of other things on which we can subsist that are wholesome and good. Manuscript 71, 1908
God's plan is always the best. Let us choose His plan for our lives. Only it can give us the happiest future!
