Bible News Prophecy, July 12, 2026
Bible News Prophecy with Dr Bob Thiel
Alpha-Gal Syndrome, Red Meat, and a Prophetic Warning
Continuing Church of God 53
A Tick-Borne Allergy Enters the Prophecy Discussion
Steve Dupuie opens the Bible News Prophecy Program by asking Dr. Bob Thiel about Alpha-Gal syndrome, which Thiel describes as a serious and potentially life-threatening tick-borne allergy. He explains that the condition may trigger reactions to red meat and other mammal-derived products, including milk, gelatin, and certain ingredients used in lotions. Possible symptoms, according to the information he cites, range from indigestion and heartburn to anaphylactic shock. Thiel also reviews prevention guidance from the report discussed in the program, including protective clothing, insect repellent, checking for ticks after outdoor activity, and careful removal with tweezers.
How Alpha-Gal Syndrome Affects the Body
Thiel explains that Alpha-Gal is the molecule galactose-alpha-1,3-galactose, which occurs naturally in most mammals but not in humans. According to the information he cites, a tick may transfer Alpha-Gal from its saliva into a person’s bloodstream, prompting the immune system to identify the molecule as a threat. This can produce an allergic reaction after eating red meat or encountering other mammal-derived ingredients, which is why the condition is also called red-meat allergy or tick-bite allergy. Thiel says the syndrome is associated primarily with the lone star tick in the United States, while blacklegged and western blacklegged ticks have been linked less commonly. He also notes that not everyone bitten by these ticks develops the condition and that researchers do not yet fully understand why.
Reported Cases, Risk Areas, and Prevention
Thiel cites more than 110,000 suspected cases reported between 2010 and 2022 and says the broader estimate may approach 450,000 affected people. He explains that Alpha-Gal syndrome is not nationally notifiable, making the true total difficult to determine. Most reported American cases, he says, have occurred in the Southeast and mid-Atlantic regions, although people of different ages and in other areas may also be affected. The hosts use humor while discussing the unpleasant idea of ticks both biting and transferring saliva, but repeatedly return to prevention. Thiel advises listeners to avoid tick bites, protect pets, reduce ticks around the home, and cover exposed skin when walking through tall grass or similar environments.
A Bioethics Argument the Hosts Reject
The discussion changes direction when Thiel introduces a peer-reviewed paper published in Bioethics. As Thiel summarizes it, the paper argues that if eating meat is morally impermissible, then efforts to prevent the spread of tick-borne Alpha-Gal syndrome would also be morally impermissible. He says the authors describe the condition as a potential “moral bio-enhancer” because it may motivate people to stop eating meat. Thiel strongly rejects that argument and objects to what he sees as the paper’s minimization of the allergy’s dangers. He and Dupuie characterize the proposal as unethical because it treats illness and involuntary suffering as useful tools for changing behavior.
Biblical Teachings on Meat, Judgment, and Mercy
Thiel responds by citing passages from Second Timothy, Proverbs, Leviticus, Deuteronomy, Romans, and Isaiah. He argues that Scripture permits the eating of certain animals, particularly those described as having divided hooves and chewing the cud, while identifying other animals as unclean. He also cites Romans 14 to say that vegetarians should not judge meat eaters and that meat eaters should not despise those who abstain. In his interpretation, encouraging illness among people who eat biblically permitted meat conflicts with teachings about loving one’s neighbor, avoiding vengeance, and refusing to rejoice when another person suffers. He also invokes Romans chapter 1, arguing that approving what he regards as harmful reflects a debased moral judgment and a refusal to retain God in one’s understanding.
From Medical Condition to End-Time Pestilence
Dupuie asks whether Alpha-Gal syndrome could relate to end-time prophecy, and Thiel answers that it may fit within the larger category of pestilence described in the Gospels. He cites Matthew 24, Mark 13, and Luke 21, where Jesus speaks of wars, famines, earthquakes, pestilences, troubles, and fearful signs preceding His return. Although he acknowledges that the condition is noninfectious, Thiel says it resembles a form of pestilence and informally calls it the “Alpha-Gal pestilence.” He combines the medical condition with the ethical debate surrounding it, arguing that approving or discouraging prevention reflects the kind of moral confusion he associates with the last days.
Precaution, Redemption, and the Kingdom of God
The program closes by returning to practical prevention and theological hope. Thiel advises listeners to cover their legs, consider wearing socks over pant cuffs, and take other precautions in tick-prone areas. He reiterates his belief that people should not be involuntarily prevented from eating meats that, in his interpretation, Scripture permits. The ultimate solution, according to the hosts, will come with the return of Jesus and the establishment of the Kingdom of God, which they present as the answer to disease, suffering, moral confusion, and the broader problems facing humanity. Dupuie then directs listeners to Bible News Prophecy and Continuing Church of God resources.
Bible News Prophecy
Bible News Prophecy
The Bible News Prophecy program broadcasts news and information in the light of the Bible and its prophecies. This includes proclaiming the good news of Jesus Christ and the gospel of the coming Kingdom of God to the world as a witness (Matthew 24:14), teaching all things that Jesus commanded (Matthew 28:19-20), providing prophetic warnings of God’s impending judgments, contending for the faith once for all delivered to the saints (Jude 3), assisting in the calling of the full number of those to be reached before Jesus returns (Romans 11:25-26), explaining mysteries of God's merciful (James 2:13) and loving plan (e.g. Romans 16:25-27), helping people better understand the Bible (Acts 8:30-31, Romans 10:14-15), explaining God’s loving plan of salvation (Psalm 68:30, John 3:16-17, Luke 3:6, Romans 11), encouraging people to live the way of Philadelphian (Hebrews 13:1) and agape love (1 Corinthians 13), and calling for personal (Acts 2:38) and national repentance (2 Chronicles 7:13-15).
The Bible News Prophecy program teaches the fact of God's existence, the fact of Jesus being Savior, and the certainty of biblical truths. The program discusses what the future holds for humanity in the light of Bible prophecy. The Bible News Prophecy program analyzes news and world events by the light of the word of God and also explains matters that will happen in the future, based on Bible prophecy.
The Bible News Prophecy program is sponsored by the Continuing Church of God.
Jesus said His true Church would be a "little flock" and be around until He returns
The Continuing Church of God is a "little flock" that traces its history from the Book of Acts, throughout the ages, and into the 21st Century.
We trace our unbroken history to the start of the New Testament church in the Book of Acts. We are a pacifist church that teaches original Christianity as taught and practiced by Jesus Christ, the original Apostles, their early faithful followers, and others faithful to original Christianity throughout history. We have supporters and congregations around the world. We have free literature online available in over 1500 languages at ccog.org. We have churches in multiple countries (see Congregations of the Continuing Church of God ) and over 10,000 congregants around the world.
Our primary English speaking radio presenters for the Bible News Prophecy program on numerous AM/FM stations as well as shortwave stations are Steve Dupuie and Dr. Bob Thiel as well as James Martenet. The Bible News Prophecy program is also available online at biblenewsprophecy.net.
Dr. Thiel has a Th.D. in early Christianity (more on him can be found in the article available at: https://www.cogwriter.com/cogwriter.htm).
Dr. Thiel writes daily news and prophecy articles which are available at https://www.cogwriter.com/
The YouTube channel link is: Bible News Prophecy channel.
Speaker Identification
Speaker 1 - Program Announcer
Speaker 2 - Steve Dupuie, host of the Bible News Prophecy Program
Speaker 3 - Dr. Bob Thiel, Continuing Church of God
Speaker 1 - Program Announcer:
This is the Bible News Prophecy Program, bringing you news and analysis of world events in light of Bible prophecy.
The following program is brought to you by the Continuing Church of God.
Speaker 2 - Steve Dupuie:
Greetings, friends. This is Steve Dupuie for the Bible News Prophecy Program with Dr. Bob Thiel, bringing you news and analysis of world events in light of Bible prophecy.
Dr. Thiel, there is no insect I dislike more than a tick. I recently heard of another disease caused by ticks. What do you know about it?
Speaker 3 - Dr. Bob Thiel:
Ticks are well known for spreading something called Lyme disease, but now there is another consequence. Here is a headline from a couple of days ago: “Tick-Borne Alpha-Gal Syndrome Leaves New Yorkers Unable to Eat Red Meat.”
The report says this causes an allergy from tick bites. It says Alpha-Gal syndrome is spread through a sugar in tick saliva. It causes an allergy to red meats and mammal-related products, including milk, gelatin, and even some ingredients in common lotions.
The New York State Department of Health commissioner, James McDonald, said the condition has become more common. He said the disease can range from indigestion, heartburn, or reactions after eating meat, all the way to anaphylactic shock, which, by the way, can kill.
Anyway, he said Alpha-Gal syndrome is not an infection. It is an allergy.
The article from Channel 10 News says the best protection against Alpha-Gal syndrome and other tick-borne illnesses is wearing full-coverage, light-colored clothing and using insect repellent. People should check for ticks after going indoors and remove any ticks gently with tweezers.
Speaker 2 - Steve Dupuie:
I do not know if I would remove one gently, but do you have any more information on Alpha-Gal syndrome?
Speaker 3 - Dr. Bob Thiel:
First of all, just the name. You have heard of alpha males? Well, that is how they came up with Alpha-Gal. It has nothing to do with that.
I want to read some information from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control on Alpha-Gal syndrome. They say, “What is Alpha-Gal syndrome? It is a serious, potentially life-threatening allergy and tick-borne disease.”
Alpha-Gal is a molecule. The molecule is galactose-alpha-1,3-galactose. It is naturally produced in the bodies of most mammals, but not in people. It is also found in the saliva, or spit, of some ticks. When a tick bites, it can transfer Alpha-Gal from its saliva into a person’s blood.
The body’s natural defenses, or immune system, can identify Alpha-Gal as a threat and trigger an allergic reaction. Symptoms can occur after people eat red meat or are exposed to other products made from mammals. Because of this, Alpha-Gal syndrome is also known as red meat allergy or tick-bite allergy.
Speaker 2 - Steve Dupuie:
So, in addition to sucking my blood, the tick has to spit on me too. How many people has the tick spit on so far?
Speaker 3 - Dr. Bob Thiel:
According to the Centers for Disease Control, nearly 450,000 people may have been affected. They had more than 110,000 suspected cases of Alpha-Gal syndrome between 2010 and 2022. But it is not a syndrome that is nationally notifiable to the CDC, so it could be happening in many places. They suspect perhaps 450,000 people have been affected, but they need more information to figure this out.
Under risk factors, you have already said this one: it is caused by tick bites. The CDC says more research is needed to understand the role ticks play in causing Alpha-Gal syndrome.
In the United States, it is primarily associated with the bite of a lone star tick and less commonly with the bite of the blacklegged tick or the western blacklegged tick. In other countries, other tick species have been linked to Alpha-Gal syndrome.
In the United States, not every person bitten by a lone star, blacklegged, or western blacklegged tick develops Alpha-Gal syndrome, and the reason why is not yet known.
Most cases of Alpha-Gal syndrome have been reported in adults. People of all ages can get it. Most reported cases of Alpha-Gal syndrome in the United States occur in the Southeast and mid-Atlantic states. So it is not that big a deal out here. As a matter of fact, I had not heard about it until somebody called me up several months ago from the East Coast and asked me about it.
Regarding prevention, the CDC says the best way to protect yourself and your family from developing Alpha-Gal syndrome is to prevent tick bites. So, Steve, I want you to go and tell these ticks, “Do not bite.”
Speaker 2 - Steve Dupuie:
Yeah, right.
Speaker 3 - Dr. Bob Thiel:
There are more ways to reduce risk. You can also take steps to protect your pets and reduce the risk of ticks around your home.
Now, oddly, this has really gotten me. Last summer, there was a peer-reviewed scientific paper advocating having more people get Alpha-Gal syndrome. I am going to read from an abstract from a scientific paper published in Bioethics.
The paper states that the bite of the lone star tick spreads Alpha-Gal syndrome, a condition whose only effect, according to the authors, is the creation of a severe but nonfatal red meat allergy. Well, it can be fatal, by the way, but that is not really their point.
Public health departments warn against lone star ticks due to Alpha-Gal syndrome, and scientists are working to develop an inoculation against Alpha-Gal syndrome. The authors argue that if eating meat is morally impermissible, then efforts to prevent the spread of tick-borne Alpha-Gal syndrome are also morally impermissible.
After explaining the symptoms of Alpha-Gal syndrome and how it is transmitted by ticks, they argue that tick-borne Alpha-Gal syndrome is a moral bio-enhancer if and when it motivates people to stop eating meat.
That was published in Bioethics. Advocating allergies to reduce red meat consumption is not ethical.
Speaker 2 - Steve Dupuie:
How does God address this claim of morality?
Speaker 3 - Dr. Bob Thiel:
Second Timothy, starting in verse 1, says:
“Know this also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.”
It talks about people who will be lovers of themselves, covetous, boasters, proud, without natural affection, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. From such, turn away.
Claiming something is ethical when it is not is consistent with having a form of godliness while denying its power.
Furthermore, in the Book of Proverbs, we are warned not to rejoice when our enemy falls, and not to let our heart be glad when he stumbles. In Leviticus 19, we are told not to hate our brother in our heart, not to take vengeance or bear any grudge against the children of our people, but to love our neighbor as ourselves.
But the people connected with that scientific paper are essentially saying they do not want people protected from this condition. They want them to get allergies, or whatever else might result.
Now, while the Bible does allow for vegetarianism, and in the Book of Daniel, Joseph’s time, it was wise in certain circumstances, it condemns judging meat eaters.
In Romans chapter 14, starting in verse 2, we read:
“For one believes he may eat all things, but he who is weak eats only vegetables. Let not him who eats despise him who does not eat, and let not him who does not eat judge him who eats, for God has received him.”
By the way, the Bible says it is the one who is weak in the faith who does not accept that God allows the eating of meat.
In the Old Testament, specifically in Leviticus chapter 11, we are told what meats we can eat. Starting in verse 2, God says:
“These are the animals which you may eat among all the animals that are on the earth: among the animals, whatever divides the hoof, having cloven hooves and chewing the cud, that you may eat.”
That would include animals such as cows and sheep. The ones that do not meet those requirements, like camels and swine, are not to be eaten.
We also see the same thing in Deuteronomy chapter 14, starting in verse 4:
“These are the animals which you may eat: the ox, the sheep, the goat, the deer, the gazelle, the roe deer, the wild goat, the mountain goat, the antelope, and the mountain sheep.”
Again, you can eat animals that have cloven hooves and chew the cud. But things such as rabbits, camels, and swine are unclean.
Yet those writers published in Bioethics do not want you to believe the word of God when it says that you may eat these things.
Speaker 2 - Steve Dupuie:
Those writers are calling good evil.
Speaker 3 - Dr. Bob Thiel:
In a manner of speaking, yes. Isaiah talks about people like that. Isaiah chapter 5, starting in verse 20, says:
“Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter. Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight.”
They are wise in their own eyes. They do not believe what the word of God says. They think they are just fine and can promote these kinds of things.
This also brings to mind Romans chapter 1. This is something the Apostle Paul was inspired to write, so this is from the New Testament. Starting in verse 28:
“Even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting.”
The passage continues, speaking of people being filled with unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness, envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; and being whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, and unmerciful.
They think Alpha-Gal is a great thing. It is evil to say that is a good thing. What Paul wrote seems to apply to them.
No one should wish harm on people who are willing to follow what the word of God teaches. Although the writers published in Bioethics do not actually harm meat eaters directly, writing against what the Bible teaches can tend to lead to things such as persecution.
Speaker 2 - Steve Dupuie:
Might this latest tick-bite syndrome fit into end-time prophecy?
Speaker 3 - Dr. Bob Thiel:
In a sense, yes. We know that with the return of Jesus and the establishment of the Kingdom of God, that will be the solution to the problems the world faces.
Jesus warned that prior to His return, we would have wars and pestilences, and these would be part of the beginning of sorrows.
I want to read this from Matthew 24, verse 7. Jesus said:
“For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of sorrows.”
He said something similar, recorded in Mark 13, verse 8:
“For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be earthquakes in various places, and there will be famines and troubles. These are the beginnings of sorrows.”
Let us go to one more account. This is Luke’s account, Luke chapter 21, starting in verse 10:
“Then He said to them, ‘Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be great earthquakes in various places, and famines and pestilences; and there will be fearful sights and great signs from heaven.’”
While this is what I would call a noninfectious pestilence, most pestilences are diseases such as the Black Plague or COVID, for example. Becoming allergic to red meat from a tick bite definitely sounds to me like a type of pestilence. So I guess I would call it the Alpha-Gal pestilence.
Then there are those publishing in Bioethics who say this is a good thing and that we should promote it, or that we should not prevent it. That is absurd. They do not want to retain God in their knowledge, and that is why God gives people over to do things that are not right.
Anyway, there is a solution to Alpha-Gal syndrome, and it is probably not going to be fully realized until Jesus returns and establishes the Kingdom of God. That is something that all believers should pray for: that the Kingdom of God will come.
When it comes to Alpha-Gal syndrome, if you are going out walking in tall weeds or similar places, recommendations include covering yourself up, perhaps wearing socks over your pants, and taking precautions because you do not want to get this. It can obviously be avoided in many cases.
The Bible says you can eat red meat, and so we do not want people forced to avoid it because of a condition like this.
Speaker 2 - Steve Dupuie:
Thank you, Dr. Thiel.
For more interviews with Dr. Thiel, in addition to written and audio articles, visit our website at BibleNewsProphecy.net.
This is Steve Dupuie for the Bible News Prophecy Program.
Speaker 1 - Program Announcer:
This Bible News Prophecy Program was sponsored by the Continuing Church of God. For more information, including access to our free literature, visit BibleNewsProphecy.net or www.ccog.org.
You can also reach us by email. Our address is BibleNewsProphecy.com.
