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Discussion » Questions » Religion and Spirituality » If they actually existed, were Adam and Eve vegetarians?

If they actually existed, were Adam and Eve vegetarians?

Some say that God gave permission to eat meat after the Flood. But there were a lot of shepherds in the bible, and to me, shepherds = meat eaters. Was everyone in the bible vegetarian before Noah? And if so, were they strict vegans?

Posted - November 12, 2019

Responses


  • 13251
    Seriously long-winded answer. You obviously are not familiar with the saying, "Tell it in a nutshell." And God probably said no such thing, most likely not being invented until long after these events supposedly occurred.
      November 13, 2019 12:23 PM MST
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  • 1305
    In comparison to the bible it was a "nutshell" Stu.  Sorry to burst your bubble, but you don't get to ask questions and dictate how we answer. I gather you wanted an answer and that was mine. If you are not a Jewish theist, and so doubt the authenticity of the Torah, why bother asking the question anyway, especially if you are so concerned about the valuable "time," in which it takes to read an answer.  I'd appreciate it in future to take the time to think about what you ask, so you don't waste my time in my answering, and then we can both be happy :)
      November 13, 2019 12:44 PM MST
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  • 4631
    Reading the OT or Torah is a useful exercise for atheists. It contains much that explains many of the attitudes and practices in Western and Muslim cultures - hence helping to understand customs and conflicts around the world.
    It can also be seen as a rough approximation of the shifts from earliest nomadic, tribal, agricultural and urban societies to far more complex feudal and imperial cultures. It carries the traces of many other religions competing for supremacy. It also reveals something of the social psychology of its peoples.

    I'd be very surprised if the shepherds did not eat their animals.

    Irrespective of what the OT/Torah says, paleontology and anthropology show that the urge to control herds for easy access to meat was one of the earliest social evolutions from hunter-gatherer cultures. The Bushmen of the Kalahari hunted; the nearest tribe to them learned to herd cattle for milk and blood which shows in the enzymes and genes of their digestive systems. Others added the meat to their diets
      September 17, 2022 6:00 PM MDT
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  • 14795
    You say probably,but there is not one shred of the evidence that
    this imaginary object actually exist .......I can only ask ,why or what makes you belive in what you were told as a young child most likely...
      November 14, 2019 2:48 PM MST
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  • 10449
    Good answer!!

    Might we say that when they ate the fruit they lost their innocence?  (which is what Jesus gives back to us). This post was edited by Shuhak at November 14, 2019 7:43 AM MST
      November 13, 2019 12:32 PM MST
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  • 46117
    There are planes of energy.  Adam and Eve probably didn't even eat.  
      November 13, 2019 2:49 PM MST
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  • 10026
    I keep coming back to this question because it intrigues me and because my notations keep bringing me back.  I like that. 
    What drew me back this time, however, is to comment on your post. 
    For a topic that I would have thought you to be powerful, your gentleness drew my attention.
    Normally, I LOVE YOUR POWER. It makes me want to read you which proves to be rewarding.  I've learned many valid points from you.  
    What impresses me is your style of control in writing when you changed your approach.
    It was equally as demanding to read because it was different.
    VERY COOL.
    I am on your side with your answer, totally.
    AND... great writing shazzam!!!  :) :)

    This post was edited by Merlin at November 14, 2019 3:23 PM MST
      November 14, 2019 8:40 AM MST
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  • 44175
    Stu, I appear to be the only one here who detects a bit of silly sarcasm in your question. At least I don't take it seriously, but I can't think of a silly answer.
      November 13, 2019 3:24 PM MST
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  • 4631
    Well you know me, Element, I'll find the serious angle most of the time.
    Would it be too silly to suggest that God initially insisted that Adam and Eve live not as vegetarians but as fruitarians?

    Would it be too silly to suggest that he set them an impossible task?
    And being all-knowing, he knew it was impossible, and what Satan would do, and how they would react?

    Would it be too silly to suggest that as the Creator of all, he also created Satan and gave him the motivation to choose evil?

    There are so many logical holes in the story that it strikes me as incredible that people could ever actually believe it.


      November 13, 2019 6:01 PM MST
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  • 13251
    To borrow from my recent Canada question, that's OK, eh?
      November 13, 2019 6:41 PM MST
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  • 17364
    I've thought about this for a whole day and I didn't read a single response.  I really think that if I had no memory of how I might have satisfied the feeling of hunger in the past and I existed in a forest of green plants and berries with other creatures, big and small and hairy, it would not occur to me to try to eat one of the animals.  It would hardly occur to me now..............seriously.  I think they ate plants.  

    I only got about half way through Cave of the Clan Bear before I moved and lost the book.  But I believe I remember the cooking of stew and hunting of animals, but that would have been way after the Garden of Eden.  

    So my answer is Adam and Eve were vegetarians and I cannot even imagine an event that caused people to start killing and eating other animals.  But they did and here we are......carnivores.  
      November 13, 2019 9:59 PM MST
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  • 10026
    This is just an observation in all of us and has nothing to do with Adam and Eve... other than I've been told they look like us... or is that we look like them??
    But have any of us noticed our teeth?
    We don't have rip and tear teeth like carnivores.  We were built, in his image. (I've been told.)
    If "he", taken from the word in the Bible, created us in his image and all other creatures, wouldn't we have teeth to eat meat if we were meant too?
    Just an observation... This post was edited by Merlin at November 14, 2019 12:22 PM MST
      November 14, 2019 6:39 AM MST
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  • 44175
    We have incisors. Third from the front. I admit they are short.

      November 14, 2019 12:24 PM MST
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  • 4631
    We have carnivore eyes and brains. Actually we evolved as omnivores. We need a wide variety of foods for optimum nutrition.
    Carnivores have eyes positioned for accurate 3D focus and seeing much better ahead than peripherally.
    They also have much greater problem-solving ability, because it takes brains to catch and kill a herbivore doesn't want to die.
    In a way, our brains could be said to take the place of canine teeth for tearing meat. Brains let us make tools for stabbing and cutting.
    Paleontologists have evidence that human beings learned to work with fire so early that we co-evolved with fire as a necessary tool.
    Fire enabled us to cook our food, making meat and vegetables less tough and more digestible. The extra nutrition also gave us more time for other things, such as inventing clothes, shelter and culture.
      November 14, 2019 12:39 PM MST
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  • 17364
    The first human would have looked quite different from how we look today.  Perhaps they were bigger and had bigger stronger teeth.  The Cro-Magrons lived 30,000 years ago and were about the same size as we are today, perhaps a little larger.  Interesting article here:  https://gainweightjournal.com/prehistoric-men-and-the-ancients-were-better-faster-stronger/ This post was edited by Thriftymaid at September 18, 2022 7:25 AM MDT
      November 14, 2019 7:42 PM MST
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  • 10026
    Thank you Thriftymaid.  It is an interesting article. I enjoyed reading it.  It brings to mind brain size.  In the Cro-Magnon, they say their brains were bigger.
    I am thinking that doesn't mean they were more intelligent.  I DO think they were smarter in the sense that they were able to create things.  Now-a-days, we don't use our brains nearly as much.  
    I also find the size of the brain is conducive to the size of the animal.  Well, giraffes and camels might be different but not really.  (A little argument in my own brain :).)
    Look at the spider.  They are the best archetichs ever known!  Their brains are teeny, tiny!
    I did enjoy the article.  Thanks again for sharing. :) :) This post was edited by Merlin at September 18, 2022 7:25 AM MDT
      November 15, 2019 8:43 AM MST
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  • 10026
    I just had a moment had re-read my response Thriftymaid.  Thanks or knowing, or course, I didn't write the article but read it and if I were intelligent, I would have spellleed it correctly. ;)  Thanks for reading through those proofreading mistakes.  Big winks and smiles!
      November 15, 2019 2:54 PM MST
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  • 359
    From reading the account it seems they where Vegetarians.. They where allowed to eat of any of the fruit of the garden.. There is no mention of them killing animals and eating meat.. That came after the fall..
      February 26, 2020 10:14 PM MST
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  • 22853

    I admit I did not read the three pages of answers and comments - - and I don't have a real answer.

    Saw your question and came in to just post a bumper sticker I like.  :)




    God's Original Plan Bumper Sticker
      September 15, 2022 8:30 PM MDT
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