The trilogy of compassion in action for humans, animals and Earth.
In Christianity, God created humans in his image and according to his likeness and told humans to steward the rest of his creation. And what is God's likeness? Throughout the Scripture, God shows us mercy that we do not deserve, grace that we have not earned, and love that we cannot imagine. We are made in that likeness and we are charged with reflecting those qualities to the whole of creation. Being made in the image of God is a call of caretaking, compassion and mercy. Here are 16 Bible verses that make clear that God's perfect creation was one of all encompassing love -- it was vegan.
"And God said, 'Behold, I give you every plant that produces seeds upon the earth and every tree that has fruit withers seed inside of it; these shall be your food. And I give all green plants to every wild animal and to all the birds of the air and to all the creatures that move upon the surface of the earth and that have the breath of life in them.' And it was so." -- Genesis 1:29-30
" But Daniel resolved that he would not defile himself with the royal rations of food and wine ... Then Daniel asked ... 'Let us be given vegetables to eat and water to drink.' ... At the end of ten days it was observed that they appeared better and fatter than all the young men who had been eating royal rations." -- Daniel 1;8, 11-12,15
"The wolf and the lamb shall feed together; the lion shall eat straw like an ox; but the serpent -- its food shall be dust! They shall not hurt or destroy on all my holy mountain." --Isaiah 65:25
"But ask the animals, and they will teach you; the birds of the air and they will tell you." -- Job 12:7
" The righteous know the needs of their animals, but the mercy of the wicked is cruel." -- Proverbs 12:10
"He gives to the animals their food, and to the young ravens when they cry." -- Psalms 147:9
"I will make for you a covenant on that day with the wild animals, the birds of the air, and the creeping things of the ground; and I will abolish the bow, the sword, and the war from the land; and I will amen you lie down in safety." -- Hosea 2:18
"How long will the land mourn, and the grass of every field wither? For wickedness of those who live in it the animals and the birds are swept away, and because people said, 'He is blind to our ways." -- Jeremiah 12:14
" Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten in God's sight." -- Luke 12:6
"Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains, your judgements are like the great deep; you save humans and animals alike, O Lord." -- Psalms 36:6
"Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy." -- Matthew 5:7
"Hence, if food can lead my brother to sin, I will never again eat meat lest I cause the downfall of one of my brethren." -- 1 Corinthians 8:13