It is staggering to me that this would even need to be discussed, but with so much evil in this world, including evil treatment of animals, it seems that a proper Divine Perspective on this matter should be considered.

There are two primary scriptures that God has given us to clearly identify the Divine Perspective:

• Genesis 9:3 "They shall be food for you"
• Proverbs 12:10 "The righteous care for the needs of their animals"

While there are many more scriptures, with these we can clearly understand the Divine Perspective. Yes, meat from animals is intended by God to be for our consumption and health, yet there is also a "humane" aspect to this.

They Shall Be Food For You
The stocking of domesticated food animals (cattle, sheep, chickens, goats, etc.) is certainly appropriate as is the harvesting of game animals (deer, elk, water fowl, fish, etc.). In caring for the needs of our stocked animals, we should provide appropriate health care, feeding, grazing, and protection for these creatures. In caring for wild game, we should apply appropriate wildlife management techniques to ensure a healthy and sufficient population for the natural systems which control resources.

For those whose love of animals has been dis-oriented to the point of radicalism, remember that the enemy of our souls wishes to pervert the design of God in our minds, to distance us from God's blessing.

So while the animal-rights-radicals ignore the Genesis 9 declaration and over emphasize the Proverbs 12 declaration (assuming they are even aware of these), this should be recognized and corrected in our lives.

God said to Noah, "They shall be food for you" Genesis 9:3. This is a direct statement from the Creator of the universe. Therefore, anyone decrying the consumption of animal flesh by human beings is directly contradicting the Creator.

In Judaic Law, God gave even more specific instructions, and particularly spoke about eating blood. This is important because "the life is in the blood" (See also Leviticus 17:14).

There are many hunters that believe it is okay to drink the blood of their first kill, and they even teach their children to do this. This is an error, and it is sin for God clearly stated that we are not to eat or drink blood.

This prohibition is replete throughout scripture, and violating it IS sin. Thankfully, it is a forgivable sin, but it is sin, nonetheless. Repentance and changing one's way, including re-teaching our children regarding the proper view, is necessary.

As for the Law of God for the theocracy of Israel, the Law still tells us what is God's Perspective, and being Christians we do everything we can to abide by God's Law and teach others to do the same, even though we are not in a theocracy.

Paul, in a democratic republic, clearly indicated that food is not something that will cause us to be denied grace (not a matter of food or drink and meat in a meal is not sin) and he was a Jew among Jews, knowing and living according to God's Law.

Yet even he taught that the animals are food for us and theocratic Laws did not apply to the Roman democratic republic, so that conscience was not violated by eating meats presented as meals by hosts of small parties or large banquets.

What about pork? Well, first off, in Genesis 9, all animals were acceptable as food by God, but then God created a specific restriction for the nation of Israel and the animals considered "unclean" by God's Law to the theocracy of Israel are those which carry various risks of parasitic and bacteriological infections that can be dangerous to human beings.

Although we know much more about this than did our ancestors, God's Perspective does not change: Genesis 9 applies to all but Israel, with a subset applying to Israel.

The healthier foods (such as those designated by devout Jews as "Kosher") are in fact healthier -- this is a plain and simple truth. Yet even God Himself restored the expanded view of acceptable meats when speaking to Peter in a vision, and the message to Peter was two-fold:

Firstly, God accepts all animals as "food" for us (which is exactly what God said in Genesis 9)

Secondly, God accepts all people into the kingdom of His Son Jesus Christ.

So can you eat pork? Yes, though it is not what is best for you.

If you adopt Israel's theocratic dietary laws, you will be healthier, but God's original decree in Genesis 9 has been confirmed in the New Testament by both Peter and Paul.

In fact, going even further, Paul clearly states that anyone disagreeing with this has a "weaker faith", yet we are to do our best to accommodate those with weak faith in order to help them mature in the Faith of Jesus Christ.

The Righteous Care for the Needs of Their Animals
What does this righteousness look like? There should not be much debate here. Domesticated pets and service animals (dogs, cats, horses, etc.) are generally loving creatures, though some may also be "work animals" in terms of herding, rodent-ridding, policing, and service (such as for the blind). These creatures should be taught to respect humans, should be given nutritious food and proper exercise, and be loved. Domesticated stock (cattle, sheep, chickens, etc.) should be properly fed, properly cared for their health, and corralled and defended from predators. Slaughtering methods for food stock animals should be as gentle and painless as possible.

Anyone teaching animals to be dangerous to other animals or humans are guilty not only of crimes against the laws of our country, but are also guilty of violating the Divine Perspective (i.e. have sinned). Barbaric rituals (dog fighting, cock fighting, etc.) and crimes against animals (torture, dismemberment, killing for pleasure) should be punished to the full extent of the law (and I believe those laws should be rather harsh!), and those guilty of these things really need to examine themselves for there will be a day where God will examine them, and find them deficient!

Another way in which this righteousness may be seen is in reasonable support for animals in need. This can take the form of helping fund shelters that take in strays and nurse injured animals back to health. But be reasonable, for not every organization is honest. Most "humane societies" are legitimate and spend their money on the animals they are helping, but that is not true of all of them, so research. (As an example, the Humane Society of the United States is one that I would never support, for the following reasons: Click Here.)

What About Hunting?
The Genesis 9 declaration from God Himself is clear: They shall be food for you. Period. Many hunters will never kill anything they don't intend to eat. Some hunters will additionally kill predatory, dangerous wildlife that encroaches upon neighborhoods or in defense of stocked food animals.

Other hunters will hunt any legally hunted animal for the sole purpose of wildlife management, as codified by a governmental wildlife management agency. Then there are hunters who simply like to kill anything, and this latter group, in my opinion, has gone beyond the Divine Perspective.

Without any doubt, hunting for food and defense of stocked food animals are completely within the Divine Decree. Hunting anything according to rules of wildlife management by a governmental agency is also completely acceptable because of Paul's clear instructions about the role of government in our lives (Romans 13). Beyond that, not only is someone breaking a law of our government, they also sin.

What About People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals and
Other Organizations such as the Animal Liberation Front?
These people do not subscribe to the Divine Perspective. They are non-Christian in their tenets and are in fact advocating a demonically perverted view of the world which elevates animals to a higher class of being than God intended and subordinates humanity to a lower class of being than God intended. Are there Christians who support these organizations? Sure, but their faith is weak, not truly understanding the Lord's Design.

Conclusion
The beginning of this essay is as clear as can be: Animals are food for us and we are to humanely care for them and their needs.

God told Adam and Eve that mankind was to rule over the world, including the animals (Genesis 1:28). Anyone teaching or advocating a different perspective is advocating a perversion of Divine Intent.

It really is that simple.