Walter Semerenko <[log in to unmask]>:
>I wondering if you the zealots that you are referring to are groups like the
>Hallelujah Acres.  I haven't explored the web site fully, but they give a
>lot of good information and also a lot of reliogious rhetoric.  They base
>their diets from a "Biblical Perspective" which sounds rather pompous.  (I
>didn't know all that information could be found in the bible :-)

Tom:
My reference to zealots making a religion out of their diet is NOT a reference
to Hallelujah Acres, the Essenes, or any other valid, genuine religion.
I think incorporating diet into an existing religion is fine. What I
am objecting to in my post are those who take the writings of Herbert Shelton,
or T.C. Fry, as "holy scriptures", the "revealed truth". That is not a
proper basis for a religion - a genuine religion has love as its basis,
not dietary dogma.

The Hallelujah Acres and Essenes are valid forms of an established religion -
Christianity - and their versions happen to include dietary teachings.
That is good, while trying to turn dietary dogma into a religion, is not
good. (Why? Because dietary dogma is not based on love.)

I greatly respect both Hallelujah Acres and the Essenes, and other religious
groups that have dietary teachings.

Walter Semerenko <[log in to unmask]>:
>As a believer in the principles of Unitarian Universalism, I take as much
>information from many sources, sift out the crap and take what is good.

Tom:
An excellent approach - choose what works for you.

P.S. you can look in the list archives, for the period Nov 96 - Jan 97:
http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archive/raw-food.html
You might find some examples of zealotry there.

Regards,
Tom Billings
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