# Eating flesh with its life-blood in it. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\ **Created:** [February 22, 2004, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eating-flesh-with-its-life-blood-in-it/230438 "2004-02-22T00:45:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Blake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a9a28c/32.png) [@Blake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blake)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2004, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eating-flesh-with-its-life-blood-in-it/230438/1 "2004-02-22T00:45:05Z")
Referring to “Were Adam and Eve vegetarians?” [http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/madamvegan.html](http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/madamvegan.html) > [@](#): > > Later, of course, Paul and the early Christians (at the Council of Jerusalem, reported in the book of Acts) decided that belief in their Messiah obviated the need for any such dietary laws, and so “eating flesh with its life-blood in it” was no longer prohibited. I would have to question the idea that eating flesh with the lifeblood is no longer prohibited. “You are to abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals and from sexual immorality. You will do well to avoid these things. Farewell.” Acts 15:29 That’s directly from the council. ---
**Author:** ![bibliophage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bibliophage/32/7615_2.png) [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2004, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eating-flesh-with-its-life-blood-in-it/230438/2 "2004-02-22T01:37:54Z")
The same point was made by Chronos in [this thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=239651). Dex has indicated that the report will be corrected. ---
**Author:** ![John\_W.Kennedy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_w.kennedy/32/1031_2.png) [@John\_W.Kennedy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_W.Kennedy)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2004, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eating-flesh-with-its-life-blood-in-it/230438/3 "2004-02-22T03:25:26Z")
It should be noted, however, that, apart from some very marginal sects (in fact, the only one I can name is self-identified as non-Christian), all of Christianity has, in fact, regarded it as a dead letter for as long as history can be continuously traced back, presumably based on Mark 7:14-20 and related passages. > [@](#): > > 14 And when he had called all the people unto him, he said unto them, Hearken unto me every one of you, and understand: 15 There is nothing from without a man, that entering into him can defile him: but the things which come out of him, those are they that defile the man. 16 If any man have ears to hear, let him hear. 17 And when he was entered into the house from the people, his disciples asked him concerning the parable. 18 And he saith unto them, Are ye so without understanding also? Do ye not perceive, that whatsoever thing from without entereth into the man, it cannot defile him; 19 Because it entereth not into his heart, but into the belly, and goeth out into the draught, purging all meats? 20 And he said, That which cometh out of the man, that defileth the man. ---
**Author:** ![SiXSwordS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/49beb7/32.png) [@SiXSwordS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SiXSwordS)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2004, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eating-flesh-with-its-life-blood-in-it/230438/4 "2004-02-22T13:37:33Z")
> [@](#): > > 19 Because it entereth not into his heart, but into the belly, and goeth out into the draught, purging all meats? What does that mean? Why is it even a question? > [@](#): > > 20 And he said, That which cometh out of the man, that defileth the man. Poop? Does this mean eat whatever you want, but don’t eat poop? ---
**Author:** ![John\_W.Kennedy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_w.kennedy/32/1031_2.png) [@John\_W.Kennedy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_W.Kennedy)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2004, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eating-flesh-with-its-life-blood-in-it/230438/5 "2004-02-22T14:47:44Z")
> [@SiXSwordS](#): > > What does that mean? Why is it even a question? Old-fashioned punctuation; the question goes all the way back to the "Do ye not perceive? > [@SiXSwordS](#): > > Poop? Does this mean eat whatever you want, but don’t eat poop? (Sigh!) No. The passage continues: > [@](#): > > 21 For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, 22 Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: 23 All these evil things come from within, and defile the man.