“What I want from you is plain and clear: I want your constant love, not your animal sacrifices.”
Hosea 6:5-6.
Jesus, referred to Hosea and said, “It is kindness that I want, not animal sacrifices.”
Matthew 9:13 and 12:7.
At The Last Supper, Jesus abolished the sacrificial lamb of the Passover.
Jesus gave his disciples bread and wine and said, “Do this in memory of me.”
Luke 22:19.
And, Jesus said that this wine was his blood which sealed God's New Covenant.
Luke 22:20, Mark 22:24.
And, for the forgiveness of sins.
Mathew 26:28.
“Every Jewish priest performs his services every day and offers the same sacrifices many times; but these sacrifices can never take away sins. Christ, however, offered one sacrifice for sins, an offering that is effective forever, and then he sat down at the right-hand side of God.”
Hebrews 10:11-12.
Two thousand years, after Jesus abolished animal sacrifices, and replaced them with the New Covenant of kindness and bread and wine, many Christians still engage in animal sacrifice.
Even to celebrate the birth of Jesus.
And, so 'traditional' has this become, that even some vegetarians and vegans wonder what to do.
A traditional Christmas Dinner is not as traditional as it might seem.
And, varies from country to country, culture to culture and time to time.
A traditional Christmas Dinner is a middle of winter feast which Australians and other southern hemisphere people have in the middle of summer.
Bread and wine and kindness, not animal sacrifices, would be more in keeping with the Christmas tradition, that Jesus wanted, as well as a hot Australian summer.
And, as for the Christmas Turkey, would Jesus ever have seen a turkey.
Turkeys come from America – not the Middle East.
A Christmas Dinner based on bread, wine and kindness combined with nuts, fruits and herbs from biblical times.
There are many Australian wines to choose from as well as grape juices including sparkling grape juices.
And, you can buy unleavened bread, a gourmet bread or make your own sourdough bread or pancakes.
These can be combined with nuts, fruits and herbs of a biblical flavour.
Such as almonds, carob, chestnuts, pistachio and pine nuts.
Apricots, cherries, dates, figs, grapes, juniper berries, mulberries and olives.
And herbs – caraway, chives, mint, oregano, parsley, rosemary and thyme.
Macadamia nuts would add an Australian flavour.
If eating dried fruit remember to eat sun dried and not sulphur dried fruit.
And, since the sugar in dried fruit has become concentrated and sticky, to clean your teeth afterwards.
Eating celery stems can do this.
An outdoor picnic, in the shade, in your garden or in a botanical gardens, next to a lake or on a beach, could also fit in well with the Australian climate.
And, there is no need for a hot stove and not much to clean up afterwards.
Steaming a Christmas pudding, for eight hours in a hot kitchen, might have been a warm and cosy experience when it was snowing outside.
But, in the middle of an Australian summer the warmth of a hot stove, and cleaning up afterwards, might not be so appealing.
And, no-one, on their death bed, ever said that they wished that they had done more housework.
Especially not on Christmas day.
But, if that is what you want, then much of the traditional Christmas Dinner is already vegetarian or vegan.
The Christmas pudding; the Christmas cake; the vegetables that go with the main course.
Slices of firm tofu can easily pass for chicken or turkey.
So, one could simply replace the animal flesh, in the main course, with slices of firm tofu.
And, vegetable oil can be used in cooking instead of animal fat.
One could replace the dead animal with bread and wine, or grape juice, as Jesus wanted.
Or, more simply, one could leave the dead animal out of it.
Just head straight for the dessert.
Similarly, with Easter, Thanksgiving and any other feast.
If ever there was a time to celebrate the abolition of animal sacrifice Easter is it.
Christians commemorate the Last Supper, Crucifixion and Resurrection of Jesus at Easter – the time when Jesus abolished animal sacrifice and replaced it with bread and wine.
One can eat the same foods for Easter, as for Christmas, with the addition of chocolate Easter eggs, chocolate rabbits and hot cross buns.
The current traditional United States Thanksgiving is pumpkin pie, cranberry sauce and turkey.
Slices of firm tofu can replace the turkey.
Vegetarians and vegans do not have to eat only pumpkin, corn and potatoes.
Vegetarians and vegans can eat chocolate, made from cacao, and many other native American foods like pecans, cashews, Brazil nuts, chestnuts, peanuts and blackberries, raspberries, huckleberries, rose hips, cranberries and maple syrup.
And, drink bergamot, [monarda didyma], tea as the patriots did after the Boston Tea Party.
Hosea 6:5-6.
JESUS
Jesus, referred to Hosea and said, “It is kindness that I want, not animal sacrifices.”
Matthew 9:13 and 12:7.
JESUS ABOLISHED ANIMAL SACRIFICE
AT THE LAST SUPPER
At The Last Supper, Jesus abolished the sacrificial lamb of the Passover.
Jesus gave his disciples bread and wine and said, “Do this in memory of me.”
Luke 22:19.
And, Jesus said that this wine was his blood which sealed God's New Covenant.
Luke 22:20, Mark 22:24.
And, for the forgiveness of sins.
Mathew 26:28.
ANIMAL SACRIFICE HAS NEVER BEEN A PART OF CHRISTIANITY
“Every Jewish priest performs his services every day and offers the same sacrifices many times; but these sacrifices can never take away sins. Christ, however, offered one sacrifice for sins, an offering that is effective forever, and then he sat down at the right-hand side of God.”
Hebrews 10:11-12.
Two thousand years, after Jesus abolished animal sacrifices, and replaced them with the New Covenant of kindness and bread and wine, many Christians still engage in animal sacrifice.
Even to celebrate the birth of Jesus.
And, so 'traditional' has this become, that even some vegetarians and vegans wonder what to do.
A TRADITIONAL CHRISTMAS DINNER
A traditional Christmas Dinner is not as traditional as it might seem.
And, varies from country to country, culture to culture and time to time.
A traditional Christmas Dinner is a middle of winter feast which Australians and other southern hemisphere people have in the middle of summer.
Bread and wine and kindness, not animal sacrifices, would be more in keeping with the Christmas tradition, that Jesus wanted, as well as a hot Australian summer.
THE CHRISTMAS TURKEY
And, as for the Christmas Turkey, would Jesus ever have seen a turkey.
Turkeys come from America – not the Middle East.
WHAT IS A VEGETARIAN OR VEGAN TO DO FOR CHRISTMAS, EASTER AND THANKSGIVING?
AN AUSTRALIAN VEGAN CHRISTMAS DINNER
A Christmas Dinner based on bread, wine and kindness combined with nuts, fruits and herbs from biblical times.
There are many Australian wines to choose from as well as grape juices including sparkling grape juices.
And, you can buy unleavened bread, a gourmet bread or make your own sourdough bread or pancakes.
These can be combined with nuts, fruits and herbs of a biblical flavour.
Such as almonds, carob, chestnuts, pistachio and pine nuts.
Apricots, cherries, dates, figs, grapes, juniper berries, mulberries and olives.
And herbs – caraway, chives, mint, oregano, parsley, rosemary and thyme.
Macadamia nuts would add an Australian flavour.
If eating dried fruit remember to eat sun dried and not sulphur dried fruit.
And, since the sugar in dried fruit has become concentrated and sticky, to clean your teeth afterwards.
Eating celery stems can do this.
An outdoor picnic, in the shade, in your garden or in a botanical gardens, next to a lake or on a beach, could also fit in well with the Australian climate.
And, there is no need for a hot stove and not much to clean up afterwards.
A TRADITIONAL CHRISTMAS DINNER
Steaming a Christmas pudding, for eight hours in a hot kitchen, might have been a warm and cosy experience when it was snowing outside.
But, in the middle of an Australian summer the warmth of a hot stove, and cleaning up afterwards, might not be so appealing.
And, no-one, on their death bed, ever said that they wished that they had done more housework.
Especially not on Christmas day.
But, if that is what you want, then much of the traditional Christmas Dinner is already vegetarian or vegan.
The Christmas pudding; the Christmas cake; the vegetables that go with the main course.
Slices of firm tofu can easily pass for chicken or turkey.
So, one could simply replace the animal flesh, in the main course, with slices of firm tofu.
And, vegetable oil can be used in cooking instead of animal fat.
One could replace the dead animal with bread and wine, or grape juice, as Jesus wanted.
Or, more simply, one could leave the dead animal out of it.
Just head straight for the dessert.
Similarly, with Easter, Thanksgiving and any other feast.
EASTER
If ever there was a time to celebrate the abolition of animal sacrifice Easter is it.
Christians commemorate the Last Supper, Crucifixion and Resurrection of Jesus at Easter – the time when Jesus abolished animal sacrifice and replaced it with bread and wine.
One can eat the same foods for Easter, as for Christmas, with the addition of chocolate Easter eggs, chocolate rabbits and hot cross buns.
THE THANKSGIVING TURKEY
The current traditional United States Thanksgiving is pumpkin pie, cranberry sauce and turkey.
Slices of firm tofu can replace the turkey.
A VEGAN THANKSGIVING
Vegetarians and vegans do not have to eat only pumpkin, corn and potatoes.
Vegetarians and vegans can eat chocolate, made from cacao, and many other native American foods like pecans, cashews, Brazil nuts, chestnuts, peanuts and blackberries, raspberries, huckleberries, rose hips, cranberries and maple syrup.
And, drink bergamot, [monarda didyma], tea as the patriots did after the Boston Tea Party.
