Why Do Christians Eat Pork?

[AdamRaja]

I can't help but wonder if you chose pork specifically because it's prohibited in Islam.
In Judaism - from which this prohibition comes - pork is just as prohibited as camel, shrimp, crab, and uromastyx. But rather than ask why Christians don't follow all Jewish dietary Laws, you chose only the one prohibited also by Islam. Do you expect that since it's also prohibited by Islam, Christians would be more likely to abstain from it?

Haha NO! Where I live there are huge BBQ cookoffs that Churches and other places have (one just was Saturday I passed on the road.) I mention pork only because of its overwhelming appearance within my own experience. There are other things that is Haram in Islam that Christians eat so I was just picking one. Hope I didn't offend.

 

[AdamRaja]

Surely this was to do with the times and conditions the 'holy' books were written in.
Today we have modern farming, understand hygiene and have far superior cooking methods. So pork is safe...and lovely, especially bacon butties.

That is a very interesting way to look at it. Makes sense, I like it! Thanks.

 

[Estro Felino]

That is a very interesting way to look at it. Makes sense, I like it! Thanks.

Sometimes I think: "what kind of cruel God can forbid you to eat salami, smoked ham, bacon or porchetta?"

 

[AdamRaja]

Sometimes I think: "what kind of cruel God can forbid you to eat salami, smoked ham, bacon or porchetta?"

Antifreeze tastes sweet (dogs say lol) but I don't recommend drinking it.

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

Surely this was to do with the times and conditions the 'holy' books were written in.
Today we have modern farming, understand hygiene and have far superior cooking methods. So pork is safe...and lovely, especially bacon butties.

I don't think it has anything to do with food safety. Pork wasn't more dangerous than other meats - or often even the local water - in the era when the Torah was written.

The big thing about pork is that keeping pigs is incompatible with a nomadic shepherding lifestyle. Pigs don't graze; pigs need pens on farms.

For a society of nomadic shepherds surrounded by settled people of a different culture and religion, pigs serve as a handy symbol of the divide between "us" and "them" as they saw it.

 

[AdamRaja]

I don't think it has anything to do with food safety. Pork wasn't more dangerous than other meats - or often even the local water - in the era when the Torah was written.

The big thing about pork is that keeping pigs is incompatible with a nomadic shepherding lifestyle. Pigs don't graze; pigs need pens on farms.

For a society of nomadic shepherds surrounded by settled people of a different culture and religion, pigs serve as a handy symbol of the divide between "us" and "them" as they saw it.

Is Pork Bad for You? 4 Hidden Dangers

 

[Jumi]

Is Pork Bad for You? 4 Hidden Dangers

Based on that article, it's not any more dangerous than beef and other read meats. Red meats are all bad for you in large quantities, increasing risk of colorectal cancer and heart disease.

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

Is Pork Bad for You? 4 Hidden Dangers

Risks of Undercooked Chicken

Keeping backyard chickens comes with a human health risk, CDC warns

 

[AdamRaja]

Risks of Undercooked Chicken

Keeping backyard chickens comes with a human health risk, CDC warns

 

[Audie]

I don't eat an animal that is smarter than half of earth's human population.

Without making it a joke, it is true that pigs are
very intelligent, and the way they are raised /
slaughtered is really horrible. Profoundly
immoral, from my pov.

If people want to kill the invasive wild hogs and
eat those, go for it. Just not me.

 

[AdamRaja]

Based on that article, it's not any more dangerous than beef and other read meats. Red meats are all bad for you in large quantities, increasing risk of colorectal cancer and heart disease.

Well, ok. Getting a bit off track but ok. Thanks

 

[Audie]

Reindeer and cold smoked salmon would like to have a word with you.

Oh my, cold smoked salmon. Who needs church? A
taste. a mere taste, is to hear the angels sing.

This type of berry, only found I think in the tundra,
another of life's finest treats.
could berry alaska - Google Search:

 

[AdamRaja]

Without making it a joke, it is true that pigs are
very intelligent, and the way they are raised /
slaughtered is really horrible. Profoundly
immoral, from my pov.

If people want to kill the invasive wild hogs and
eat those, go for it. Just not me.

A friend of mine from school had one as a pet. It really was super smart. Very neat to see one oinking across a living room floor.

 

[Jumi]

Oh my, cold smoked salmon. Who needs church? A
taste. a mere taste, is to hear the angels sing.

This type of berry, only found I think in the tundra,
another of life's finest treats.
could berry alaska - Google Search:

You have good taste. Those berries also grow here also, I've picked a liter or two in central Finland. There's even a municipality in Finland that has that as their symbol and name.

 

[Brickjectivity]

One common Christian take on this is that Christians "died with Christ" and therefore are released from the laws for the living, including the laws of the Torah, which are still in effect (for the "living").

I can imagine someone saying that.

So, Jesus said that people that followed him didn't have to follow those laws?

We have Jesus in the gospels saying to always follow the laws, but he is speaking to Jews and expressly tells his apostles not to preach to non Jews. Supposedly its after Jesus has died and after all Jews are informed (Mark 16) that others are invited to communion, others who are not living by the Torah. A good portion of the NT letters pertain to people living without the Torah while living at peace with all other people. Its clear in the letters that there are common moral expectations, and study of the Torah is expected. Keeping the kosher laws is not expected, except for the circumcised. What is not clear in these letters sometimes is the status of Jewish people. Christians are instructed not to claim to have replaced them or surpassed them. Literally "Do not boast against the original branches," however Christians are instructed to compete with them in righteousness.

 

[Cooky]

Ok. To interact with Christians that eat pork to respectfully get their opinion. If you don't like it you can easily over look my thread and proceed with your own day. Thanks

Respectfully?

...What was post #6 all about? It doesn't seem to make sense. It's just that when things don't add up, it baffles me.

 

[AdamRaja]

Respectfully?

...What was post #6 all about? It doesn't seem to make sense. It's just that when things don't add up, it baffles me.

Have a great day man. No need to linger on my thread to be a bully. Thanks

 

[Rival]

Within mainstream Christianity, but more specifically here I talk of Anglicanism, which is large here in the UK, Australia, Canada, the US and other anglophone countries, this is the doctrine:

The Jewish Scriptures ('OT') contain three types of laws:

• Ceremonial
• Festival and other (i.e. laws of kashrus)
• Moral laws

According to the XXXIX Articles of Faith created upon the founding of this Church, Article VII states:

Although the Law given from God by Moses, as touching Ceremonies and Rites, do not bind Christian men, nor the Civil precepts thereof ought of necessity to be received in any commonwealth; yet notwithstanding, no Christian man whatsoever is free from the obedience of the Commandments which are called Moral.
​

As the laws of kashrus do not come under 'Commandments which are called Moral' Christians are permitted to eat whatever they wish, apart from those things condemned by their own scriptures (food offered to idols &c.) Christians are, however, to uphold such laws as not to murder, steal, sleep with married people &c.

This is not a new take and I am sure is the basis of what the Orthodox and Catholic Churches also believe.

 

[robocop (actually)]

I am curious as to why Christians eat pork? It has been named unclean in numerous verses.
There are a lot of things Christians don't do because the bible says not to so why is this an exception?
If you are a Christian and dont eat pork I dont mean to offend or speak for an entire religion but where I live I pass BBQ pork places that have a cross in their logo so its not even thought about it. Off topic but didnt the Buddha die from some pork?
Regardless, wouldn't it just be better if we didn't eat it? I know how delicious bacon is but is it worth it?
View attachment 25116

In the New Testament there was a revelation that all animals are clean.

 

[columbus]

Is Pork Bad for You? 4 Hidden Dangers

This is the crucial passage from your link:
"These issues make it hard to isolate the health effects of pig-derived products and determine the safety of their consumption."

The New Testament scripture eliminated a batch of irrational rules, including dietary proscriptions. Depending on your attitude towards Abrahamic religion, you might see these in at least two ways.
A) A blatant marketing ploy, greatly expanding the pool of sheep to be shepherded.
B) Focusing Christianity on God, rather than empty rules and rituals that aren't very rational.
One of Jesus's big things was distinguishing between being truly moral and following rules.

To me, that makes Him stand out among the ancient prophets.
Tom