Whether we are going to discuss the clean and unclean meals for Adventists or the principles of what do Adventists actually eat in modernity, it’s important to provide some context about the topic of religion, rules and food standards for these people.
Food & Adventists
Food is one of the greatest centers of life. Nutrition is not only indispensable for us in a biological level; it also represents a form of expression in human society that may vary according to preference, health conditions, and cultural aspects such as religion.
Every religion or system of beliefs has its own rules and duties. It’s normal, there’s no human activity that can function without its basics and standards, and Adventism is no exception.
Seventh Day Adventism, as a branch of Protestan Christiany and subdivision of Adventism, has its own views and concepts about life, spirituality and purpose. There are many concepts and things to learn about them. Nevertheless, one of the things that make them special from other religions is their view on diet.
Eating meat: Allowed?
Opposed to other religions such as Jainism Hinduism and some lines of Buddhism, Adventists can eat meat. Nevertheless, its consumption follows a doctrine, which classifies meat in clean and unclean. These principles are stated in several chapters of the Bible such as Genesis, Leviticus, Romans and Deuteronomy and they should be followed by disciples as a big part of their “Christian Behavior”. Some followers embrace veganism or vegetarianism though, as they believe it’s the ideal food comparing it to the ordained diet in the Garden of Eden with only vegetables to eat.
What are Clean and Unclean Meats?
The Seventh Day Adventist doctrine explains that in terms of diet, God created and classified animals as clean and unclean. Those that represent a benefit to our health are labeled as clean in the Bible and those that do not, are considered unclean.
Several Adventists assure that these restrictions are related to physical health, based on the fact that numerous clean meats are good for metabolism and essential to ensure a proper nutrition.
However, the real reason goes deeper than that, as body image serves only for social standards and psychical health is not complete when it compromises spiritual wellness and identity.
Eating unclean meat is considered a spiritual defilement and while The Bible has not explicitly mentioned which specific species are allowed or forbidden to eat, many quotes of it have given enough information to list clean and unclean meats.
The Basics: Clean and Unclean Meats
The following list contains some animals
- Clean:
- Antelope
- Bison
- Elk
- Ox
- Goat
- Dove
- Goose
- Sheep
- Sparrow
- Chicken
- Turkey
- Almost all fishes.
- Cricket
- Unclean:
- Almost all insects
- Felines
- Equines
- Canines
- Armadillo
- Bear
- Beaver
- Camel
- Elephant
- Ferret
- Gorilla
- Hippopotamus
- Kangaroo
- Llama
- Monkey
- Mouse
- Porcupine
- Rabbit
- Raccoon
- Rat
- Skunk
- Squirrel
- Octopus
- Alligator
- Blindworm
- Caiman
- Chameleon
- Crocodile
- Lizard
- Snake
- Turtle
