Jews don't eat it because it was forbidden to them in the Old Testament. Muslims don't eat it because it is forbidden in the Koran. Muslims are allowed to eat any animal that is slaughtered by the Jewish KOSHER method as well. Why do Christians eat pork when they acknowledge the Old Testament as being an authentic book of God? Does the New Testament give permission? If so, why and who gave the permission? I don't understand. Would someone please explain this to me as I don't have knowledge in this respect. This is not a "fight" thread. Just to help me understand.
Thanking you all in advance

Pork is some tasty stuff. That's enough for me! Mmmmmmmm -- bacon!

I believe Jesus said it was OK to eat pork somewhere in the Gospels. He pooh-poohed some of the other long-standing Jewish traditions, too, such as not doing anything on the Sabbath.

The Jewish ban on pork was probably for health reasons primarily (trichinosis). At least that's what my modern-day Jewish friends tell me as they mow down on ham.

Another theory I've heard is that when a new religion comes into being, it has to differentiate itself from older, similar religions somehow. Some people have theorized that this is the reason Jews, Christians, and Muslims all celebrate the Sabbath on a different day of the week.

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The new testament does allow the eating of pork. You can see this in many places. I don't remember where if you haven't allready I suggest you read the Bible.

Basically what it says is God created all things and it is all good. No man can say what is not good and anything can be eaten giving all thanks to God for providing.

Yes the old testament does forbid eating pork. There are a lot of other rules too. Hundreds of them. The old testament was a prophesy of things to come. Jesus did away with the old testament when he came and gave us the new testament.

Danny

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Pork, the other white meat. Yum.

I'n no Bible scholar but I remember something about 'cloven hooves' being verboten in some way or another. That doesn't make much sense to me because practically everything short of a horse, donkey or mule has split hooves.

The Bible is so subjective.

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Actually, no it's not. Besides even if it is so what? The message is the same and just as easy to understand today as it was over 2,000 years ago.

Danny

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The fundamental message, maybe so. But if it is so easy to understand, tell me why are there gazillions of Bible scholars and multitudes of religions (all of which seem have their own intrepretations of the Bible).

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With the sacfrifice of Jesus on the cross, a new covenant was written between God and the people (the line of demarcation between the old and new testament). While the mosaic laws were not "taken away nor added to..." (Jesus' words paraphrased), the Christian acknowledges the old testament as historical and prophetic of the coming messiah and ultimate redemption of mankind. The teachings of the new covenant, taken from the new testament are directions to living the commandments that Jesus taught his disciples, and all of mankind who believe in him and accrept him as savior; that is to "love God with all your mind, heart, soul and being, and to love your neighbor as yourself.."

Scholars accpet that the mosiac, cleanliness laws were for the protection of Gods people. Disease and illness that was linked to certain behaviors and diets were minimized by strict adherance to the levitical teachings. This was Gods way of protecting his people as much as possible, given the fallen and imperfect state the people (we) live in. A close study of the old testament will reveal a strong emphasis on family, and familial responsibilities. Laws on adultery and sexual behavior helped further protect the people from disease and family breakdown.

The orthodox Jews acknowledge Jesus as a prophet, but do not recognize him as the "Messiah" (They believed the messsiah would come in, guns blazing, and be a powerful "warlord" type deliverer. This did not happen, so they, as a people, do not believe in the Christ; they are still awaiting the coming of the MEssiah). As Gods chosen people, they are assured the rewards of heaven, without the acceptance of the savior (The "pathway" or belief in the Savior of mankind , if you will, was granted the gentile to become an heir of the kingdom eternal). This is why the Jewish teachings are still so closely linked and based on the Pentateuch, the first 5 books of the old testament. For them, the New Testament has no literal meaning as to the guidance of their faith.

There is a jewish sect, called the Messianic Jews, that are turning to the teachings of Jesus, and growing to accept him as savior.

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"Where is it again that we are going, and why are we in this handbasket"?

In Acts 8-10, Peter receives a vision of a big sheet, filled with unclean animals, lowered from God three times. God says to him- Arise, kill and eat. Peter responds- "nothing unclean has ever touched my lips", to which God says "whatever I have cleansed is now clean". In the immediate aftermath, Peter understands the vision to mean that in the Christian Church, the Jews are no longer to exclude themselves from befriending the Gentiles. But it likely also meant that all of the unclean meat is now OK too. Paul, who was the ultimate "super Jew" of his time, later said "nothing is unclean of itself, but consider the feelings and traditions of others when you eat and drink".

Another account, again in Acts, is the scene of the Church's first councel, where the Jewish Christians felt they had to deal with the issue of circumcision of the Gentile Christians. They concluded that these laws should not be applied to the Gentiles, and that the only rules should be to refrain form the meat of animals that had been strangled, from meat that was not properly drained of blood, and from fornication. So yes, the earliest Christians became far more liberal than what was commanded in the OT, and it has been that way for us ever since.

Do I understand it all? No. Like- why not strangled meat? Perhaps that's because it is the modern equivalent of road kill- we tend to not eat road kill because the shock to the animal's body causes hormonal release into the muscle tissue. Why not bloody meat? I don't know- I love my steak rare, but maybe it is slowly killing me. Why the difference between OT and NT? Again, I don't know. Wormy pork would have been just as much of a problem in 40 AD as it was in 200 BC. Yet, it was allowed solely on the basis that in the Church, the Gentiles were not required to adopt Jewish religious laws.

This probably wasn't very helpful. Are there any Seventh Day Adventists here that might be able to shed some light?

Dave

That part of the book was written before pulled pork barbeque on a bun w/coleslaw was discovered.

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It's a goofy rule, IMO, but if it gets you into heaven then just let the pork roast go to us demon-possesed pork-eating sinners.

One of my favorite few lines from The Simpsons (butchered badly, I'm sure):

Pastor: An eye for an eye!
Marge: But doesn't the Bible say to turn the other cheek?
Pastor (waving her off): Oh, somewhere in the back, I guess.

Plenty of pork on the (cloven) hoof at Berry Hill Farm. The wild hogs are running rampant, some of my pastures look like I've run a disk through them.

As soon as I have a chest freezer and someone to show me how to dress a pig for dinner(s), I'll be out there harvesting their porcine goodness.

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Oink.

Trapping is definitely the most time/cost effective method of dealing whith these hooved Hell's Angels. I had a hired man at the farm last weekend and he was interested in bringing a trap out and setting it up. As soon as I know a bit more about him and am confident that he's responsible, I'll have him out to trap.

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Rleo: google some of the S Eastern hog hunting plantations and I recall there are complete game cleaning guides on a couple of them. Maybe Bostick Plantation is one?

I usually take one or two a year. One for the freezer and one for a whole hog roast. I brine most everything on the freezer hog. And baste the whole ones with cider vinegar steeped with red pepper flakes.