First Letter from Small Man to the Sacred Family in Village of Pleasure 8
8
OFFERINGS TO SPIRIT-IMAGES
1Now I will give my answer to you about offering food to spirit-images. We may think we know all the answers about these things. Knowledge puffs up the individual, but love strengthens and builds up the sacred family. Knowledge makes big heads, but love makes big hearts. 2Those who think they have all the answers still have much to learn, 3but the Great Spirit knows the ones who love him.
4So as to eating food offered to spirit-images: we know that none of this world’s spirit-images can take the place of the one Great Spirit, for he stands alone and is above all created things.
5There are spirits in this world and in the spirit-world above that are called powerful spirit-beings or spirit-rulers. Even if there are many of these, 6for us there is only one Great Spirit. He is the Father from whom all things exist, and we were made for him. Creator Sets Free (Jesus) the Chosen One is the only Honored Chief. Through him all things were made, and we were created for him.
7But not all human beings have this knowledge. There are some who are familiar with spirit-images. So when they eat food they know has been offered to a spirit-image, they feel bad about it deep inside. Their understanding is weak, and so they feel they have done something wrong. 8Now, the truth is our good standing with the Great Spirit has nothing to do with what we eat. Eating food will not make us any worse or better in the eyes of our Creator.
9But you must take care not to use this freedom you have in a way that could make a weaker family member stumble along the path. 10If these weak family members were to see you eating in a lodge dedicated to a spirit-image, they might find strength in the moment to go along with you and eat this food, even though they feel deep inside that it is wrong to do so. 11Your knowledge would cause them to lose their way, and you would end up bringing harm to a sacred family member that the Chosen One died for.
12When you wrong family members in this way, you have wounded them in their weakness, and you have done the same to the Chosen One. 13So then, if what I eat causes any of my family members to stumble along the path, then I will never again eat meat in a way that will make them stumble.
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