What would Jesus pasteurize

What would Jesus pasteurize?
[This site is from 2007. Many links may be outdated.]

WOULD Yashua (who most people know as "Jesus of Nazareth") have concerns about pasteurized (cooked) foods?

There is a serious issue at hand that threatens our food and restricts consumer rights and religious freedom. Some may even consider it sacrilege!

Many accept that Yashua was a member of the Essenes, a strict sect of Judaism. Even Pope Benedict XVI, in his 2007 Easter address, referred to Jesus' connection to the Essenes.

Translations of the ancient scriptures of the Essenes include comments by Yashua regarding food we should and shouldn't eat. He actually tells his followers, among other things, that we should NOT cook our food. There is a growing number of people today that are following a raw food diet, including followers of the Essene teachings. There are countless testimonials of people who have experienced dramatic benefits after having moved to a raw diet. One staple of those on the raw diet is the raw almond. Most choose to eat organic raw almonds. Earlier this year it was decided that it would be mandatory for all almonds from California, destined for the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, to be Pasteurized starting in September 2007. All new almonds harvested on or after September 1, 2007, destined for wholesalers and retailers, were legally required to undergo pasteurization. It was primarily the "middle-men" who were pushing for this requirement.

There is a loophole... U.S. farmers are still allowed to sell truly raw (unpasteurized) almonds directly to the consumer. They do this by way of roadside markets, phone orders, mail orders, and the internet. Be sure to ask the farmer if the almonds have been pasteurized.

Be vocal: Ask your store/cooperative if their raw almonds have been pasteurized. Insist they be labelled as pasteurized if they have undergone pasteurization, whether that be by heat or otherwise. If they have been pasteurized with chemicals insist that also be labelled, so customers may make an informed choice. To not label these details may be considered fraudulent!



As it stands now, there will be no requirement to label almonds as "pasteurized". The pasteurized raw almonds might still be labeled as "raw". This not only misleads consumers, but because the almonds will have been subjected to a form of cooking, could cause raw foodists, who's bodies have let down their defense against cooked foods, to become ill. In addition, as almonds are a staple for many followers of the Essene teachings, this decision to require pasteurization (a form of cooking) prevents them from consuming truly raw (uncooked) almonds and honoring the teachings of Yashua. If they are to eat U.S. almonds, they will only be able to consume pasteurized almonds (possibly without even knowing it until becoming ill), which means they may be prevented from practicing their religion's teachings! In the United States we are guaranteed to have the freedom of religion. This ruling to require pasteurization restricts our religious freedom!

 

Here are some details regarding the decision to make almond pasteurization mandatory:

 

The ruling that started this pasteurization conflict:

Almond Board of California almond pasteurization plan

Quotes from Jesus (Yashua) regarding the cooking of food:

Jesus was a vegetarian and raw-foodist

From the USDA:

"The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis
of race, color, national origin, age, disability, and where applicable, sex, marital status, familial status, parental
status, religion, sexual orientation, genetic information, political beliefs, reprisal, or because all or part of an
individual’s income is derived from any public assistance program".

From the Almond Board of California:

"The Almond Board of California welcomes the participation of all industry members and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sexual orientation, gender, marital status, religion, age, disability or political beliefs."

Loophole:

Farmers with roadside markets are still able to sell their truly raw almonds directly to consumers, up to 100 pounds per person per day. This should also apply to internet and phone sales. Traveling to California is not convenient for most people in the US and especially from other parts of the world. Our first concern should be to have the ruling overturned, or at least delayed, so we may help the Almond Board of California come up with a better plan!


Comments from raw food leaders:

"As a raw foodist, raw almonds are one of my chief sources of protein, calcium, B vitamins and healthy fats, besides being the only nut to have an overall alkalizing effect on the body, helping people to heal. I am passionate about ensuring the continued availability of raw almonds (and other truly raw produce) for ourselves and those generations to come."

Angela Stokes, raw food author and lifestyle consultant, RawReform.com


“Thanks to raw foods from God’s garden, I am a survivor of advanced stage melanoma cancer. Through the healing process and still today, I use raw almonds in many recipes and consume raw almonds on a daily basis. The thought of not being able to get raw almonds or purchasing almonds that are marked raw but are actually pasteurized already has my stomach churning….”

Jerrod Sessler, Health Minister, Speaker, Cancer Survivor! www.hope4health.org


Article on the dangers of pasteurization:

From:
National Health Information Center
U.S. Department of Health & Human Services

Food Prep May Be as Important as Ingredients Themselves
Frying, grilling can boost hazardous inflammatory toxins, scientists say

Grilled, fried or broiled animal products such as meats and cheeses
contain a class of toxins called "advanced glycation end
products" (AGEs), which have been linked to inflammation, insulin
resistance, diabetes, vascular and kidney disease, and Alzheimer's
disease, say a team from the Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New
York City.

AGEs are also produced when food products are sterilized and
pasteurized.


Recent articles on the subject:

Pasteurized almond rule has raw food fans going nuts
By Garance Burke, 06/26/07


What You Can Do:

Write letters:

Please consider writing Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger requesting his intervention in this issue. We should maintain the right to choose raw almonds. As there is no history of a risk with organic raw almonds, they should continue to be made available to consumers, preserving religious freedoms for followers of the Essene teachings and allowing other followers of the raw food diet to have access to almonds in a truly raw state. Consumers, in general, have the right to pure and properly labeled foods.

When writing the Governor or others, please consider sending copies to the ACLU, the U.S. Senators from California, your own Senators and Congressmen, and the media, as well as others from the resources below.

Sample letter from Dr. William Harris, MD

Send Press Releases:

Send press releases to the media (sample press release). Consider including a WWJP button (below) with your press release. A button may offer higher impact with your press release! The design is available free for anyone wishing to print their own buttons.

Email:

Similar to the above section, please email friends, family, consumer groups, civil rights groups, government officials, and the media. Please be sure to include appropriate links to information on this issue to help educate people. Feel free to link directly to this site.

Place Posters:

Hang posters and signs so others may learn about our foods being altered, as well as not being labeled properly.

Protest!:

Consider organizing peaceful protests, such as outside the meetings of the Almond Board (info here.)

Wear a button:

We have arranged to have a discounted price on "What Would Jesus Pasteurize" buttons (email us). Wearing these buttons will help raise awareness of the almond issue.

NOTE: Disregard the copyright on the designs. Feel free to make your own buttons, signs, and bumper stickers, etc. This is an important issue. Please spread this far and wide. Feel free to refer to this site. If you would like a copy of these designs, email us (bottom of this page). Be sure to let us know what type of file (.jpg, .ai, .gif, etc.) and if you just want a single image. For buttons (2 1/4" pin-back buttons), there are 9 images per page (which may be too large a file to email.)

Call:

Consider directly calling individuals and/or agencies to raise awareness and to encourage changes to be made to ensure the availability of raw almonds.

Visit grocery stores:

Visit local health food stores and other grocery stores. Help them become aware of the pasteurization and labeling issues (if not already). Encourage them to request/demand truly raw almonds (at least the organic almonds) so that their customers can have the choice and can continue to honor their religious beliefs. It is possible, even likely, that many stores are unaware of this issue and may be surprised that the pasteurized almonds may not be labeled as such.

Protest:

Get out and hold signs, hand out flyers, educate people. Target opportune times and locations. (Some suggestions.)

Think outside the box:

Think of new ways to gain attention for this subject; to raise awareness and to help educate people, so we may continue to consume truly raw almonds, as well as honor the Essene teachings.

 

Almond pasteurization resources:

Jesus was a raw foodist [with Essene quotes & links]

Cornucopia Institute Reveals Agribusiness Conspiracy to Mislead Consumers over Almonds

Also from The Cornucopia Institute: Fact Sheet - Mandatory Sterilization of Raw Almonds

The Authentic Almond Project

Pasteurization For Raw California Almonds Stirs Controversy

Mandatory Almond Pasteurization

Raw Almonds & Mandatory Pasteurization [including letter example]

Online Petition: Mandatory Almond Pasteurization is WRONG!!!

Raw almonds are an endangered breed... [has sample emails to US Secretary of Agriculture, Mike Johanns]

From Living Tree Community: Extensive page of sample letters written regarding the almond issue

Other resources:

The Raw Network of Washington

Raw food information & links

Articles:

Almonds must be pasteurized, say new USDA rules
By Lorraine Heller

Food Scam: Almond Board of California to falsely label pasteurized almonds as "raw"
by Mike Adams

Contact Information:

Secretary Mike Johanns
United States Department of Agriculture
1400 Independence Ave SW
Whitten Building – Suite 200A
Washington, D.C. 20250

John D. Negroponte
Deputy Secretary of State,

California Governor:

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger
State Capitol Building
Sacramento, CA 95814
Phone: 916-445-2841
Fax: 916-445-4633
http://gov.ca.gov/
http://gov.ca.gov/site/contact-governor
http://www.govmail.ca.gov/

California Senators:

Sen. Barbara Boxer
112 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington DC 20510
(202) 224-3553

Sen. Dianne Feinstein
331 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington DC 20510
(202) 224-3841

Write your Federal Senators and Representatives (locate here)

American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU)
125 Broad Street, 18th Floor
New York, NY 10004
Nat'l
http://www.aclu.org/contact/general/index.html

John Mackey, CEO
Whole Foods Market, Inc.
550 Bowie Street
Austin, TX 78703-467

The Almond Board of California
1150 Ninth Street, Suite 1500
Modesto, CA 95354
Telephone: (209) 549-8262
Fax: (209) 549-8267
Online contact form:
http://www.almondboard.com/utilities/FORMContactUs.cfm
http://www.almondboard.com

Board of Directors of the California Almond Board:

Chairman David Phippen
13909 Leroy Ave.
Ripon, CA  95366
Ph: (209) 599-6111        
Fx: (209) 599-4008

Vice Chair Doug Youngdahl
Blue Diamond Growers
P.O. Box 1768
Sacramento, CA 95812
Ph: (916) 446-8595
Fx: (916) 329-3320

Member Susan Brauner
Blue Diamond Growers
P.O. Box 1768
Sacramento, CA 95812
Ph: (916) 446-8354
Fx: (916) 325-2880

Member Wil Hunter
Hunter Farms        
1621 N. Lincoln
Livingston, CA 95334
Ph: (209) 277-5840
Fx: (209) 394-8007

Member Christine Long
Hilltop Ranch, Inc.
13890 Looney Rd.
Ballico, CA 95303
Ph: (209) 874-1875
Fx: (209) 874-1877

Member Mike Mason
Panoche Creek Packing
15810 Arabella Ave.
Bakersfield, CA  93312
Ph: (661) 746-7877
Fx: (661) 746-7875

Member Dean Nelson
Sierra Valley Almonds, LLC        
12800 W. Shields Ave.
Kerman, CA  93630
Ph: (559) 280-2148
Fx: (559) 843-9010

Member Dan Cummings
Cummings-Violich, Inc.
1750 Dayton Road
Chico, CA 95928
Ph: (530) 894-5494
Fx: (530) 891-4946

Member Rick Kindle
Gold Hills Nut Co., Inc.
11805 Newport Rd.
Ballico, CA 95303
Ph: (209) 634-2022
Fx: (209) 634-0407

Member Doug Wells        
16508 W. River Rd.
Livingston, CA 95334
Ph: (209) 394-7246

 

Agricultural Marketing Service

http://www.ams.usda.gov/
http://www.ams.usda.gov/civilrights/

"As your Administrator, I am firmly committed to ensuring the
Agricultural Marketing Service's (AMS) compliance with civil rights"

Lloyd C. Day Administrator

For additional information, please call the AMS Civil Rights Program Office:
Toll Free: 1-888-454-7914 TDD: (202) 690-4168 Voice: (202) 720-0583
Fax: 202-690-0476

Civil Rights Program
Ruihong Guo
202/ 720-0583

Fruit and Vegetable Programs
Robert C. Keeney
202/ 720-4722

Public Affairs Staff
Billy Cox
202/ 720-8998

Administrator
Lloyd C. Day
202/ 720-5115

Associate Administrator
Kenneth C. Clayton
202/ 720-4276

Compliance and Analysis Programs
Ellen King
202/ 720-6766




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