sundayword:BY PROSPER TINGINI
The scourge of the coronavirus pandemic has gripped mankind on planet earth. Initial medical investigations seemed to point in the direction that the source was the human consumption of some specified species of creatures and some of these were mentioned. Coincidentally, there is also a disease called Ebola that also swept across some parts of Africa. Again suggestions were advanced by some scientific medical evidence, which also pointed to the origin as the human consumption of other species of animals. Chimpanzees and other related animals were named as the probable sources. A lot of other diseases of the same magnitude have afflicted the people of this planet, whose origins are related to virus-carrying creatures eaten by humans.
This being the case, I would have expected the relevant authorities to have prioritised the elimination of sources of these dreadful diseases through a vigorous campaign to discourage the indiscriminate eating of a variety of creatures by humans. Some of the creatures are not meant for human consumption. They carry diseases and some viruses that can afflict the human body. That is indeed an undisputed fact, yet humanity has placed very little attention to this issue. It seems far much greater effort is being put on finding the cures for these plagues, rather than eradicating all the possible origins of pandemics emanating from creatures we eat. There is a hidden element of profiteering. Humans seem not to want to desist from the indiscriminate eating habits of many creatures that are of God’s creation. My argument is that let us dwell more on the selection of what we should consume, and what not to eat. This would in essence kill the sources of some of the pandemics caused by our eating cultures. Prevention is better than cure, as said by all experts of all disciplines. Why can’t we all learn and practice this common lesson and expression?
God created all things on this planet, humans and the creatures alike. He created us in His likeness, as an intelligent being. He knew that we needed to eat in order to survive, hence He provided us with a variety of foods for our survival. There are some plants which we eat, but there are others, which are poisonous to our bodies. There are likewise some fruits which we consume, yet there are other types that can harm us. The same can be said of the creatures we eat as delicatessen. There are health consequences to eating everything. However, the Lord our God openly guided us on which creatures to eat and which not to eat. He was very specific in directing us on this issue. His words are explicitly recited in our scriptures. He dwells on this subject in detail with unequivocal instructions. Yet the majority of mankind has failed to take heed of the Creator’s clear directives. I should put the blame on the shoulders of religious leaders for failing in their duty to educate the world on the Lord’s guidance on the edible creatures etc.
The book of Leviticus has a full chapter dedicated to the spoken words of the Creator on what creatures to eat or not eat. Leviticus 11 reads: “And the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying to them, ‘Speak to the people of Israel, saying, These are the living things that you may eat among all the animals that are on the earth. Whatever parts of the hoof and is cloven-footed and chews the cud, among the animals, you may eat. Nevertheless, among those that chew the cud or part the hoof, you shall not eat these: The camel, because it chews the cud but does not part the hoof, is unclean to you. And the rock badger, because it chews the cud, but does not part the hoof, is unclean to you. And the hare, because it chews the cud, but does not part the hoof, is unclean to you. And the pig, because it parts the hoof and is cloven-footed but does not chew the cud, is unclean to you. You shall not eat any of their flesh, and you shall not touch their carcasses, they are unclean to you.
‘These you may eat, of all that are in the waters. Everything in the waters that has fins and scales, whether in the seas or in the rivers, you may eat. But anything in the seas or the rivers that does not have fins and scales, of the swarming creatures in the waters of the living creatures that are in the waters, is detestable to you. You shall regard them as detestable, you shall not eat any of their flesh, and you shall detest their carcasses. Everything in the waters that does not have fins and scales is detestable to you.
‘And these you shall detest among the birds, they shall not be eaten; They are detestable: the eagle, the bearded vulture, the black vulture, the kite, the falcon of any kind, every raven of any kind, the ostrich, the nighthawk, the sea gull, the hawk of any kind, the little owl, the cormorant, the short-eared owl, the barn owl, the tawny owl, the carrion vulture, the stork, the heron of any kind, the hoopoe, and the bat.
‘All winged insects that go on all fours are detestable to you. Yet among the winged insects that go on all fours you may eat those that have jointed legs above their feet, with which to hop on the ground. Of them you may eat: the locust of any kind, the bald locust of any kind, the cricket of any kind, the grasshopper of any kind. But all other winged insects that have four feet are detestable to you. . . .
- Chamisa under fire over US$120K donation
- Mavhunga puts DeMbare into Chibuku quarterfinals
- Pension funds bet on Cabora Bassa oilfields
- Councils defy govt fire tender directive
Keep Reading
‘And these are unclean to you among the swarming things that swarm on the ground: the mole rat, the mouse, the great lizard of any kind, the gecko, the monitor lizard, the lizard, the sand lizard, and the chameleon. These are unclean to you among all that swarm.
‘This is the law about beast and bird and every living creature that moves through the waters and every creature that swarms on the ground, to make a distinction between unclean and the clean and between the living creature that may be eaten and the living creature that may not be eaten’.”
The Lord uses the word “clean” to refer to creatures that cause no harm to the human body when eaten, and “unclean” to all those creatures that can cause unspecified repercussions to humans when consumed. Let us abide by the Creator’s instructions so as to eradicate some pandemics caused by our failure to abide.
This is the solid prevention method that could be adopted by humanity worldwide to completely kill or eliminate viruses that can be transmitted from animals to mankind, in fulfilment of our God’s directives.
l Prosper Tingini is the Scribe of the Children of God Missionary Assembly — God’s Messengers. Contact details: 0771 260 195. Email address: [email protected]
