EIGHTEEN-YEAR-OLD Sujata, from a vegetarian Hindu family, readily agreed with God’s dietary instruction to the first man, Adam. But she immediately asked: “Why, then, do people kill animals for food when there are so many other things to eat?”

For Sujata, her diet involves her religious beliefs. “I grew up as a Hindu, believing in the doctrine of reincarnation,” she explains. “Since a human soul can come back as an animal, I consider animals my equals. And so it seems wrong to kill them for food.” Other religions also advocate a vegetarian diet.

Some who, like Sujata, consider animals to be man’s equals feel strongly that taking the life of an animal for any purpose is wrong—killing them for food even more so. Nevertheless, the Scriptures indicate that God differentiates between animal life and human life and allows the killing of animals for various reasons. In Israel an animal could be killed, for example, when it posed a threat to human life or one’s livestock.—Exodus 21:28, 29; 1 Samuel 17:34-36.

Reading the Bible for the first time, a 70-year-old Hindu woman found the thought of animal sacrifices unpleasant. But as she progressed in her knowledge of the Scriptures, she could see that sacrifices commanded by God had a purpose. They pointed forward to the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, which was to fulfill the legal requirement for forgiveness of sins. (Hebrews 8:3-5; 10:1-10; 1 John 2:1, 2) In many cases the offerings also served as food for the priests and at times for the worshipers. (Leviticus 7:11-21; 19:5-8) God, to whom every living creature belongs, could rightfully institute such an arrangement for a purpose. Of course, once Jesus died, the animal sacrifices were no longer required in worship.—Colossians 2:13-17; Hebrews 10:1-12.

Actually, Sujata’s conviction about animals was based on her belief in the doctrine of reincarnation. In this regard the Bible explains that although humans and animals are souls, the soul is not immortal. (Genesis 2:7; Ezekiel 18:4, 20; Acts 3:23; Revelation 16:3) As souls, both humans and animals die and cease to exist. (Ecclesiastes 3:19, 20) Humans, though, have a marvelous hope of resurrection in God’s new world.b (Luke 23:43; Acts 24:15) This too indicates that animals are not man’s equals.

“Still, why the change in diet?” Sujata wanted to know. The earth’s climate evidently had undergone drastic changes because of the Flood. Whether Jehovah introduced the addition of meat to man’s diet because he anticipated the needs of future generations living in the areas where vegetation would be scarce, the Bible does not say. But Sujata could accept that the Owner of all living things had a right to introduce a change.

Showing Respect for Animal Life

Yet, Sujata wondered, ‘Shouldn’t we at least show some respect for animal life?’ Yes, we should. And the Creator of all things has told us how we may do this. “Only flesh with its soul—its blood—you must not eat,” states his decree at Genesis 9:4. Why the restriction on eating blood? “For the soul [life] of the flesh is in the blood,” says the Bible. (Leviticus 17:10, 11) Jehovah has stipulated: ‘You should pour the blood of the slain animal out upon the ground as water.’—Deuteronomy 12:16, 24.