Early in 2018, I got an email from Kip Andersen asking whether I might be interested in being interviewed for a new documentary. That’s Kip Andersen, of Cowspiracy, Seaspiracy, and What the Health fame.
Is grass green? Does the navy have ships? Of course I was. I thought that the new movie would be about the environment, sort of a continuation of Cowspiracy. Well, silly me, it wasn’t. It was about ethics, religion, and animals. They asked to see my books The Lost Religion of Jesus and Disciples. So I sent them copies and waited to see what would happen.
A few months later, in May 2018, we finally met up in Denver. Being interviewed by AUM Films was quite an experience. The interview took place in our living room. I thought maybe I would just sit on the sofa while they asked me some questions. But no. They had a crew of five or six (I’ve forgotten exactly) and they completely rearranged our living room decor. They moved both sofas out of the way, moved the dining table and most of the other furniture into the kitchen, artfully repositioned some of the house plants, and placed some chairs in front of a window. It was both quick and impressive, almost as if they were going to install a new carpet. (At the conclusion of the interview, they moved all the furniture back!)
The interview was pretty straightforward. If you’re familiar with my blogs and my books on the historical Jesus, you will have a good idea of what I think and say on the subject. The message of Jesus condemned meat-eating and animal sacrifice, and Jesus was killed because he disrupted the animal sacrifice business in the temple. By the way, I don’t know precisely which, if any, of my responses will be in the movie. I’m hoping for at least a snippet or two of my comments.
After the interview, it sounded like they might release the movie in 2019. Well, that didn’t happen. And in 2020—we all know what happened then. After that, I inquired several times and saw several possible dates mentioned, only to pass by.
Now it’s 2023 and there’s a website and a Facebook page featuring the movie. It’s called Christspiracy—the title linking the film to Seaspiracy and Cowspiracy. You can watch the trailer at Christspiracy.com. From the title and the trailer, you can tell that it has an emphasis on Christianity, focused on these straightforward questions, posed by Kameron Waters: “Is there a spiritual way to kill an animal?” and “How would Jesus kill an animal?”
It looks like Christspiracy is getting closer to being released. Let’s hope this happens soon!
This is good news Keith! I just hope it’s not too Jesus Seminarish – if it is, it won’t gain traction in Christian circles. And of course most non-Christians don’t care who and what Jesus was and what he did or did not eat.
Of course many non-Chrisitans care about who and what Jesus was! Jesus is a profound symbolic figure in our culture. Many people who have left the church (myself, just for example) can’t handle what Christianity is today, but still like Jesus.
Well I hope the film does well. Jesus was a special child of God; but he was human, so I don’t need a vegan Jesus to be a vegan.
Some people already saying that veganism is a religion or that vegans are religious fanatics. Do therefore they will not stop eating meet.
You might be interested in a much older post from 2011 on this subject.
I’m psyched. It’s easy to be down on Christianity because the animals have been left out of it.
Thanks for your part in this, Keith, and thanks for alerting others to this new film. May it have a big impact!
There are all kinds of fictitious “gospels” floating around: The Aquarian Gospel, The Gospel of the Holy Twelve, the Essene Gospel of Peace, etc. Some of these “gospels” depict Jesus as a vegetarian, others say he traveled to India, or that he taught reincarnation, etc. (I believe reincarnation IS compatible with Christianity, on an abstract, theological level).
Mainline churches aren’t about to take these “gospels” seriously. And with good reason! The Gospel of the Holy Twelve, for example, was received by seances and mediums in 19th century England.
Reverend Andrew Linzey, the foremost theologian in the field of animal-human relations refers to these gospels as “works of fiction.” Reverend Linzey insists there’s no need for Christian vegetarians and Christian vegans to resort to these fictitious “gospels” to make the case for Christian vegetarianism: there’s a long history of animal advocacy, concern for animals, and vegetarianism in mainline Christianity.
The International Network for Religion and Animals was founded in 1985. Since then, numerous books have been written on animals and theology, including:
The Vegetarianism of Jesus Christ: the Pacifism, Communalism and Vegetarianism of Primitive Christianity; Food for the Spirit: Vegetarianism and the World Religions; The Souls of Animals; Replenish the Earth; Of God and Pelicans; Is God A Vegetarian?; God’s Covenant with Animals; They Shall not Hurt or Destroy; The Lost Religion of Jesus; Good News for All Creation; Vegetarian Christian Saints; The Dominion of Love; Good Eating; Of God and Dogs; Every Creature a Word of God; School of Compassion; For Love of Animals, etc.
While humans are starving, half the world’s grain is fed to livestock! Aren’t feeding the hungry; treating the body as a temple of God which should not be defiled nor dishonored through antibiotics, hormones, pesticides, poisons and other unhealthy toxins and unhealthy food in general; the institutionalized killing of billions of animals being directly responsible for global hunger, global warming, the energy, environmental, population and water crises; treating animals humanely, and compassionate stewardship over the environment, over all of God’s creation, all biblical issues? The editors of the Green Bible, which highlights environmentally-friendly biblical passages might think so.
Christians are wary of anyone preaching what they think is a false gospel. I’m hoping the producers of “Christspiracy” will not resort to fictitious “gospels” in making the case for vegetarianism in Christianity.
I certainly hope so as well. See my blogs on Notovich and Szekeley and on G. J. R. Ouseley’s Gospel of the Holy Twelve.
But while none of these has historical significance (well, earlier than the 19th century!), at least Ouseley was being honest about it. He openly said that his was a channeled work. Szekeley and Notovich were just frauds from the beginning.
Hi Keith, thanks for the update. I am so looking forward to seeing this and have been for a long time. So glad you are in it. Fun hearing how they rearranged your house. LOL. I did donate money to them so hoping they will let me know as soon as we can see it, but so far haven’t heard much. Hopefully soon.
OH I CANT WAIT FOR THIS MOVIE, AS I DONT JUST THINK OR BELIEVE JESUS WAS A VEGETARIAN, I KNOW JESUS WAS A VEGETARIAN. THERE ARE ENOUGH SCRIPTURES IN THE BIBLE TO PROVE THAT GOD WANTED MERCY AND NOT SACRIFICE
Genesis 1:29-30
Hosea 6:6&7
Matthew 12: 7
Isaiah 1: 11-17
Jeremiah 7:22-23
Isaiah 11: 6-9
Isaiah 65:25
Ezekiel 34
Revelation 2: 7
Revelation 22: 14
Those that DO (take action) His Commandments, shall have the right to THE TREE OF LIFE, which is in the city (or Garden) of God.
The 10 Commandments says: THOU SHALT NOT KILL
https://www.hkbnews.net/post/the-forbidden-fruit-of-eden-is-meat-go-vegan-by-chapman-chen-hkbnews
Thanks for the scripture list. Jesus preached a gospel of social justice and personal ethics; being an ethical vegetarian would comport with known facts about his character and teachings.
It’s such a pleasure to read these comments from people who understand that Jesus was too compassionate a man to ever advocate the murder of God’s creatures for pleasure or profit. Thanks, Keith, for sharing the update on the film.