NulliuSINverba
Active Member
Does Christianity view cannibalism as objectively immoral?
Christians will sometimes claim that they have the benefit of "Objective Morality." By "objective morality" they typically mean that morality is as unambiguous as "1+1=2" and that they know this to be objectively true by virtue of divine revelation from their deity.
However, the Christian Bible appears to be suspiciously silent when it comes to unequivocally condemning the horrific act of cannibalism. Even Christian sources will recognize this:
“Although there is no direct statement such as, 'Thou shalt not eat human flesh,' the obvious indication from Scripture is that cannibalism is a terrible evil.” ~ from gotquestions.org
Is that true? "Evil" as in "no human enjoys being devoured by other humans" (read: subjective morality) or "Evil" as in "God has revealed it to be against His Will (read: objective morality)?"
...
Shall we examine the scriptures cited by gotquestions.org to support its claim that the Bible views cannibalism as a terrible (and presumably "objective") evil?
“Everything that lives and moves about will be food for you. Just as I gave you the green plants, I now give you everything.” ~ Genesis 9:3
Everything? Really?
Before any Christians can start sharpening their knives, the site goes on to qualify on behalf of the Bible:
“However, God specifies that the “food for you” does not include fellow human beings." ~ from gotquestions.org
As evidence, they apparently felt that the following verse was conclusive:
"Whoever sheds human blood, by humans shall their blood be shed; for in the image of God has God made mankind.” ~ Genesis 9:6
If we assume that “shed blood” is a euphemism for cannibalism, then rather than establishing that cannibalism is wrong, this verse merely asserts that those who shed blood will have their blood shed.
Doesn't this sound rather more like “dog eat dog” than “don't eat each other?”
...
The site goes on to say:
“But what about cannibalizing someone who is already dead (necro-cannibalism) in order to prevent starvation? This is not an entirely hypothetical question, as “survival cannibalism” has indeed occurred. Those who have resorted to cannibalism to stave off starvation include the Donner party in 1846 and the survivors of a 1972 plane crash in the Andes. However, given the Bible’s wholly negative portrayal of cannibalism, it would seem that self-preservation cannot justify such barbarism. Even in the direst and most desperate circumstances, cannibalism should not be a consideration.” ~ from gotquestions.org
However, the Bible clearly (and repeatedly) indicates that even in the direst and most desperate circumstance, cannibalism is a consideration and it acknowledges that it will happen:
"You will eat the flesh of your sons and the flesh of your daughters." ~ Leviticus 26:29
Doesn't that sound suspiciously like an order? Although this verse indicates that God can punish people by reducing them to cannibalism, it fails to condemn the practice outright. In fact, rather than condemn the act of cannibalism, the Bible appears to indicate that God utilizes it as a method of instruction.
"Because of the suffering your enemy will inflict on you during the siege, you will eat the fruit of the womb, the flesh of the sons and daughters the LORD your God has given you." ~ Deuteronomy 28:53
Again, the lack of a prohibition against cannibalism is conspicuously absent.
"I will make them eat the flesh of their sons and daughters, and they will eat one another's flesh because their enemies will press the siege so hard against them to destroy them." ~ Jeremiah 19:9
Cannibalism is apparently recognized as a by-product of war. However, as the gotquestions website concedes, it isn't condemned. The scriptures are silent even when the question is asked directly:
"Look, LORD, and consider: Whom have you ever treated like this? Should women eat their offspring, the children they have cared for? Should priest and prophet be killed in the sanctuary of the Lord? ~ Lamentations 2:20
Again, this question is essentially posed directly to God himself: Should women eat their offspring? Yet the question remains unanswered. Why is that?
"With their own hands compassionate women have cooked their own children, who became their food when my people were destroyed." ~ Lamentations 4:10
Compassionate women can cook and eat their own children? Seriously? Would any sane person characterize such behavior as "compassionate?"
...
"Therefore in your midst parents will eat their children, and children will eat their parents. I will inflict punishment on you and will scatter all your survivors to the winds." ~ Ezekiel 5:10
It appears that the best that the Bible can do is describe cannibalism as a punishment sent by God.
...
Q - Is the Bible silent on the morality of cannibalism because God knew that one day he'd be urging his followers to eat human flesh (in the literal sense or not) in remembrance of him?
Who knows?
...
“Scripture gives no explicit command against cannibalism.” ~ from gotquestions.org
...
Suggestion: The next time a Christian gets up on their high horse and proclaims that they have received a clear and objective morality via their religion, ask them to explain why their holy scriptures are so nebulous on the issue of cannibalism. If they agree that cannibalism is objectively wrong, but they cannot cite a biblical source to account for their morality, ask them if it might be that they're in fact obtaining their morality from a non-biblical source.
It might even be the case that they'll actually be able to cite a bit of scripture that does unequivocally condemn the practice. However, if they're obliged to concede that their scriptures are indeed silent on the issue, allow me to suggest that you extend a sincere invitation to have them over for dinner some time.
Christians will sometimes claim that they have the benefit of "Objective Morality." By "objective morality" they typically mean that morality is as unambiguous as "1+1=2" and that they know this to be objectively true by virtue of divine revelation from their deity.
However, the Christian Bible appears to be suspiciously silent when it comes to unequivocally condemning the horrific act of cannibalism. Even Christian sources will recognize this:
“Although there is no direct statement such as, 'Thou shalt not eat human flesh,' the obvious indication from Scripture is that cannibalism is a terrible evil.” ~ from gotquestions.org
Is that true? "Evil" as in "no human enjoys being devoured by other humans" (read: subjective morality) or "Evil" as in "God has revealed it to be against His Will (read: objective morality)?"
...
Shall we examine the scriptures cited by gotquestions.org to support its claim that the Bible views cannibalism as a terrible (and presumably "objective") evil?
“Everything that lives and moves about will be food for you. Just as I gave you the green plants, I now give you everything.” ~ Genesis 9:3
Everything? Really?
Before any Christians can start sharpening their knives, the site goes on to qualify on behalf of the Bible:
“However, God specifies that the “food for you” does not include fellow human beings." ~ from gotquestions.org
As evidence, they apparently felt that the following verse was conclusive:
"Whoever sheds human blood, by humans shall their blood be shed; for in the image of God has God made mankind.” ~ Genesis 9:6
If we assume that “shed blood” is a euphemism for cannibalism, then rather than establishing that cannibalism is wrong, this verse merely asserts that those who shed blood will have their blood shed.
Doesn't this sound rather more like “dog eat dog” than “don't eat each other?”
...
The site goes on to say:
“But what about cannibalizing someone who is already dead (necro-cannibalism) in order to prevent starvation? This is not an entirely hypothetical question, as “survival cannibalism” has indeed occurred. Those who have resorted to cannibalism to stave off starvation include the Donner party in 1846 and the survivors of a 1972 plane crash in the Andes. However, given the Bible’s wholly negative portrayal of cannibalism, it would seem that self-preservation cannot justify such barbarism. Even in the direst and most desperate circumstances, cannibalism should not be a consideration.” ~ from gotquestions.org
However, the Bible clearly (and repeatedly) indicates that even in the direst and most desperate circumstance, cannibalism is a consideration and it acknowledges that it will happen:
"You will eat the flesh of your sons and the flesh of your daughters." ~ Leviticus 26:29
Doesn't that sound suspiciously like an order? Although this verse indicates that God can punish people by reducing them to cannibalism, it fails to condemn the practice outright. In fact, rather than condemn the act of cannibalism, the Bible appears to indicate that God utilizes it as a method of instruction.
"Because of the suffering your enemy will inflict on you during the siege, you will eat the fruit of the womb, the flesh of the sons and daughters the LORD your God has given you." ~ Deuteronomy 28:53
Again, the lack of a prohibition against cannibalism is conspicuously absent.
"I will make them eat the flesh of their sons and daughters, and they will eat one another's flesh because their enemies will press the siege so hard against them to destroy them." ~ Jeremiah 19:9
Cannibalism is apparently recognized as a by-product of war. However, as the gotquestions website concedes, it isn't condemned. The scriptures are silent even when the question is asked directly:
"Look, LORD, and consider: Whom have you ever treated like this? Should women eat their offspring, the children they have cared for? Should priest and prophet be killed in the sanctuary of the Lord? ~ Lamentations 2:20
Again, this question is essentially posed directly to God himself: Should women eat their offspring? Yet the question remains unanswered. Why is that?
"With their own hands compassionate women have cooked their own children, who became their food when my people were destroyed." ~ Lamentations 4:10
Compassionate women can cook and eat their own children? Seriously? Would any sane person characterize such behavior as "compassionate?"
...
"Therefore in your midst parents will eat their children, and children will eat their parents. I will inflict punishment on you and will scatter all your survivors to the winds." ~ Ezekiel 5:10
It appears that the best that the Bible can do is describe cannibalism as a punishment sent by God.
...
Q - Is the Bible silent on the morality of cannibalism because God knew that one day he'd be urging his followers to eat human flesh (in the literal sense or not) in remembrance of him?
Who knows?
...
“Scripture gives no explicit command against cannibalism.” ~ from gotquestions.org
...
Suggestion: The next time a Christian gets up on their high horse and proclaims that they have received a clear and objective morality via their religion, ask them to explain why their holy scriptures are so nebulous on the issue of cannibalism. If they agree that cannibalism is objectively wrong, but they cannot cite a biblical source to account for their morality, ask them if it might be that they're in fact obtaining their morality from a non-biblical source.
It might even be the case that they'll actually be able to cite a bit of scripture that does unequivocally condemn the practice. However, if they're obliged to concede that their scriptures are indeed silent on the issue, allow me to suggest that you extend a sincere invitation to have them over for dinner some time.
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