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Christians who are confused about meat

leov

Well-Known Member
The reasons are not stated except vaguely. Besides, eating pork and shell fish are not going to kill anyone especially in that culture where meat is harder to come by. None of the Jewish restrictions add health benefits. For example meat with milk is not unhealthy. Wearing one kind of fiber isn't particularly comfortable.

Its more likely that pigs are forbidden for other reasons:
  • too similar to human meat
  • pigs eat things from the soil, noses down in the dirt
  • pigs eat food that could go to the poor, cleaning up all the leavings
  • the fat can't be separated from the meat, breaking the symbolism of sacrifices
E.g. bad parasites, pig would eat another pig danger of mad cow disease, Domoic acid - Wikipedia
(5/27/97) "Mad Cow Disease" From Pork May Cause Some Alzheimer's
 

stvdv

Veteran Member: I Share (not Debate) my POV
Why are they concerned by what God has not commanded and unconcerned by what He has commanded?
I am not concerned whether they are concerned or unconcerned by what He has commanded
 

Brickjectivity

Turned to Stone. Now I stretch daily.
Staff member
Premium Member
I think it was because the Canaanite ate pork and shellfish since they lived closer to the coast and the Israelites wanted to separate themselves from the Canaanite culture.
Probably so, but you may find the symbolism interesting as I do. John 3 provides a hint to me about this whole kosher/unkosher thing, and I take my opinion very seriously. :p John 3 talks about the division of light from dark and those who come into the light are good while those who stay in the dark won't. He's borrowing from Genesis and the (I think obvious) division of the kosher animals from the unkosher ones. There is a light/dark division if you go through the list of what's kosher/unkosher.

Which animals are kosher and which unkosher? The ones that are unkosher seems to have to do with darkness, and the kosher ones have to do with light. (That is a guess not a ruling from somewhere.) You read Genesis and look at how the world pre-exists in darkness, but then things are created. Light and darkness are separated. The kosher animals don't snuff dirt, don't live in holes, don't move about at night. Fish I'm not clear about, but there is a division on which fish may not be eaten, too. Bottom dwellers are unkosher. Fish that jump out of the water are probably kosher. Whales I don't know about what the rules are. Things that live in mud are not Ok. The pigs fit this scheme. They shouldn't be kosher.

Jesus picks up on this in his dialogue in John 3 where he talks about those that are good step into the light. John and other NT authors reveal that there are not merely unkosher animals in darkness but deeds of darkness. They use this as their lemon test of evil. If you ask "Is this evil?" They might answer "Would you do it in the light in public?" or use some similar division.

Of course this may all be because of the Canaanites as you seem to be suggesting (good suggestion!), but I think the kosher/unkosher is at least a symbolism about the deeds of darkness versus deeds of light. It could indeed be set up with Canaanites in mind particularly if they are considered to be part of the pre-creation world, which is probably the case in some sense. I don't know the historical details about the kingdoms and the archeology and all the details. I should probably do a course on it some day.
 

Rival

Si m'ait Dieus
Staff member
Premium Member
Isaiah 65:4
Yeah believe it or not the whole point of prophets was to call people back to following the Torah. The Israelites did all sorts of things they shouldn't; one need only read the Books of the Kings to see it all.
 

Wasp

Active Member
Yeah believe it or not the whole point of prophets was to call people back to following the Torah.
Of course it wasn't. The Torah was never perfect to begin with, but it would have helped to follow it and to preserve it. As it would have been with the gospel.
 

Rival

Si m'ait Dieus
Staff member
Premium Member
Of course it wasn't. The Torah was never perfect to begin with, but it would have helped to follow it and to preserve it. As it would have been with the gospel.
We disagree again. G-d gave the Israelites the Torah so they may follow it and be a holy nation. In my view they have preserved it. You are forced to believe they did not as it contradicts your scripture, as do the Christian Scriptures. Prophets were sent to call the sinful Israelites back to HaShem, away from the ways of the nations. However, having this argument with you is pointless because we have an impasse, so I respectfully leave you to your beliefs.
 

Brickjectivity

Turned to Stone. Now I stretch daily.
Staff member
Premium Member
E.g. bad parasites, pig would eat another pig danger of mad cow disease, Domoic acid - Wikipedia
(5/27/97) "Mad Cow Disease" From Pork May Cause Some Alzheimer's
I'm pretty sure if it has health benefits that its the only Jewish restriction that does. They wear one kind of fiber. They have to wear hats all the time. They have to separate their dairy and meat. They mayn't walk around on the sabbath. They must not trim the corners of their beards. They have to be careful not to touch dead bugs or to have creeping bugs touch them. For example if a daddy longlegs spider touches you its no big deal, but if it touches a Jewish man it can cause him a lot of inconvenience. That is not a health benefit.
 

David1967

Well-Known Member
Premium Member
Majority of Christians eat pork, though it's prohibited by the bible, yet there's a pro-vegetarian trend going on, even one called Christian vegetarianism. But eating meat is not prohibited in the bible.

Why are they concerned by what God has not commanded and unconcerned by what He has commanded?

Of course most Christians would say the old testament is not binding on them, but that doesn't have anything to back it up.

The pork prohibition was not commanded of gentiles as far as I can tell. But if you have a problem with bacon, I would recommend you abstain from it. Leaves more for me and @Revoltingest .
 
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