When to Stop Eating Dairy and Animal Products

The time will soon come when there will be no safety in using eggs, milk, cream, or butter because disease in animals is increasing in proportion to the increase of wickedness among men21MR 285.6+2. It has been revealed that it will not be very long before we shall have to give up using any animal food entirely, as the curse of God is upon the earth and disease is accumulating rapidlyHFM 44.3+2.

The Progressive Nature of Diet Reform

• A Gradual Change: Diet reform should be progressive, and the people should be taught how to prepare food without the use of milk or butterCD 349.1+2.

• Avoid Premature Restrictions: It is not necessary to bring upon ourselves perplexity by premature and extreme restrictions; we should wait until circumstances demand it and the Lord prepares the wayCD 208.1+1.

• Divine Revelation: When the time comes that it is no longer safe to use milk, cream, butter, and eggs, God will reveal this to His people12MR 178.1+2.

Current Safety and Health Considerations

• Animal Disease: The animal creation is currently groaning under disease, and people are continually eating flesh filled with tuberculous and cancerous germsCG 382.3+2.

• Dairy and Eggs: While milk, eggs, and butter should not be classed with flesh meat, they are becoming more and more objectionable due to the diseases of cattleCD 351.2+2.

• The Benefit of Olives: Properly prepared olives can provide the advantages supposed to be gained from butter and are superior to drugs in helping those with inflamed stomachs or consumption21MR 285.6.

Meeting the People Where They Are

• The Gospel to the Poor: We are not at liberty to present the most advanced propositions of health reform to those whose circumstances—such as poverty or a lack of fruit and nut foods—forbid its adoptionCD 351.2+2.

• A Warning Against Extremes: Some have become weak and unable to work because they abstained from milk, eggs, and butter without supplying the system with proper nourishment, thus bringing health reform into disrepute9T 162.1+2.

• Moderation and Principle: Let your moderation be known unto all men, and do not allow differences of opinion regarding diet to create disunion among brethren Philippians 4:5MM 269.1+1.

The Goal of Restoration

The ultimate design is for God's commandment-keeping people to eventually exclude all animal products, including milk, from their diet as they return as far as possible to God's original planSUFF 10.2+1. We must remember that we are not our own, but are bought with a price, and are therefore called to glorify God in our bodies 1 Corinthians 6:19-205MR 307.1+1.