In many religions animals symbolize certain things. For the christian religion:
The Lamb is an important symbol. John has phrases including "my sheep listen to my voice, I know them and they will follow me." (John 10:27) . During passover blood from the lamb was marked on the doors to prevent the "angel of death" from entering their homes. In Jerusalem lambs were made as daily sacrifices for the sins of others.
Jesus is called, "the Lamb of God" in John 1:29 and 1:36. The Lamb of God refers to Jesus as a sacrifice for sins. The bible seems to support the act of eating lambs if we were to spiritually interpret it. Because from a spiritual interpretation it would seem that eating a lamb would cleanse one's sins.
Around Christmas time, two doves are cadged in church. This is in the catholic religion, but I'm not sure if other Christians have this as well. These doves symbolizes the new and old testaments. The song "The twelve days of Christmas" has other animals that symbolize different things in the christian religion. These symbols were created because from the mid 16th to the early 19th century being Catholic was illegal in England. The twelve days of Christmas was a catechism song for those being confirmed, the code prevented them from being caught. A partrige in a pear tree symbolizes Jesus, three french hens symbolize the thological virtues- faith, hope, charity, four calling birds represents the four Gospels, six geese means the six days of creation, and seven swans symolize the seven sacrements. http://www.snopes.com/holidays/christmas/music/12days.asp
These are only some of the things that animals symbolize in the christian religion. My questions are: What are some things that animals symbolize in other religions/cultures? How may the use of these symbols justify or not support the consumtion of these animals?
