Hello Tennessee Bob...
I eat what my wife puts on the table... before that, what my mother did. When I'm out I eat what is available. I guess that makes me stubborn, rebellious, or blind...
Well no...that was not my meaning...the key phrase in my words quoted above by you was "as my friends were!"
Both of my friends happened to be stubborn, rebellious, and blind (spiritually) by their own admission and factual observation. They were "know it all types" who knew better after being warned by the medical profession and others, not me.
I also eat what my wife puts on the table...before that, what my mother did. When I'm out I eat what is available.
However if your wife or mine put 3 day old road kill. or raw beef that was from a mad cow, (and we were advised what it was) I would hope that both of us would use common sense and not apply Paul's writings to make it safe to eat. However if you did eat it, I might consider you lacking in common sense, foolish, and not very bright.
The problem is that all of mankind are not civilized. Maybe God knows more than we do.
We are very sanitized and are not subjected to food that might harm us seriously.
Hope I made myself clearer...
Thank God that God is the God that God is!
Pilgrim