Can Christians eat Pork??

[DCJazz]

Eating pork is not sinful. It's just totally and completely disgusting.

*eats ham sandwich*

...My taste buds disagree. Though I will admit that you MUST cook pork correctly, or else suffer the consequences of food poisoning.

But then, that's how all meat is. Including chicken and beef.

 

[Mizuti]

Well, a couple of things before y'all get too excited...

First thing that came to mind when I read this question and the following posts (other than the "if you're allergic to pork, then it's a sin to eat it! 0_0" response) was the dream that Peter had before he went to visit Cornelius (Acts 10, if you'd like to look it up), where there was the sheet of animals and Peter was told to eat and that none of it was unclean.

So I don't think it's a sin to eat pork, unless you were specifically told not to, provided that you do so responsibly and cook it thoroughly. I mean, some people aren't supposed to consume any alcohol or get married, but for other people, drinking wine and getting married is perfectly fine and is even part of God's plan for their life.

Personally, I eat pork (and most meat, in moderation) and I'll keep doing so until He tells me to stop.

 

[PROPHECYKID]

Well, a couple of things before y'all get too excited...

First thing that came to mind when I read this question and the following posts (other than the "if you're allergic to pork, then it's a sin to eat it! 0_0" response) was the dream that Peter had before he went to visit Cornelius (Acts 10, if you'd like to look it up), where there was the sheet of animals and Peter was told to eat and that none of it was unclean.

So I don't think it's a sin to eat pork, unless you were specifically told not to, provided that you do so responsibly and cook it thoroughly. I mean, some people aren't supposed to consume any alcohol or get married, but for other people, drinking wine and getting married is perfectly fine and is even part of God's plan for their life.

Personally, I eat pork (and most meat, in moderation) and I'll keep doing so until He tells me to stop.

That vision that Peter had was not about clean vs unclean foods but it was to show Peter as he said in v28 that he should call no MAN (not food) common or unclean. Most of us totally miss that point and make out the vision to be an endorsement to eat anything. Peter did not conclude this from the vision and neither should we.

 

[parsley]

The promise for obeying -- that we will live long in the land.

De 4:40
De 12:1, 19
De 31:13
​

None of us want to push a list of dietary laws on new Christians, and take all believers' focus off our Living God. But over time, trusting God's Word is an important long-term journey that deserves respect.

Le 11:4
These you shall not eat ..

7 The pig, because he has a split hoof, and is cloven-footed, but doesn't chew the cud, he is unclean to you.

44 you shall not make yourselves unclean with any of the swarming things that swarm on the earth. `For I am the LORD who brought you up from the land of Egypt to be your God; thus you shall be holy, for I am holy.' "

This is the law regarding the animal and the bird, and every living thing that moves in the waters and everything that swarms on the earth, to make a distinction between the unclean and the clean, and between the edible creature and the creature which is not to be eaten.
​

Notice how most scavenging animals and predators are not on the list of clean animals. Parasites get transmitted when one animal eats another. Bacteria and other microbes are transmitted when an animal scavenges dead or decaying matter.

These days, we say "disgusting," if we know contamination has happened. We pull things off the shelves, put it on the news, keep global organizations informed. We know what's not clean.

Remember the swine flu scare. It was not the only influenza traced back to swine farming. Some scientists are even saying that pigs and humans have RNA similarities that making the transfer and mutation of virus/disease easier.

We can see here on the thread a risk in overspiritualizing it -- rules that don't make sense can lead people to toss them altogether, and doubt other aspects of God's care for us.

At times blind trust is important to our faith. But it is also good to study God's wisdom in the ordinances He provided to His community in the desert. There is such a protective nature to the Law - many lives are saved and injustices are prevented when we respect the guidelines.

We are freed when disease and parasites are prevented -- not confined.

 

[TheDag]

That vision that Peter had was not about clean vs unclean foods but it was to show Peter as he said in v28 that he should call no MAN (not food) common or unclean. Most of us totally miss that point and make out the vision to be an endorsement to eat anything. Peter did not conclude this from the vision and neither should we.

Yes it is amazing how many people want to put their own interpretation on the vision when the bible actually explains the vision!

 

[TheDag]

They keep quoting Paul...Paul....Paul. That is, certain parts of Paul only. They never quote the Father or the Son to show that the Sabbath or food laws have been changed. You can't get them to even discuss what they said since THEY upheld the Law every time. (So did Paul - but as it shows in Acts 21, and as Scriptures show elsewhere, he got misunderstood a lot.)

So if Paul upheld the law every single time then why did he say it was ok to eat food sacrificed to idols which was previously not allowed? he did add the disclaimer that if it offends your fellow brother then you should not eat food sacrificed to idols. This is not consistant with your claim that Paul alwys upheld the law.

 

[TheDag]

nevermind

 

[PaladinValer]

Christians can eat foods that were declared "unclean" in the OT because they were never unclean to begin with.

Cleanliness had to do with ritual purity, not sin. Jesus took care of that as He was to be THE Sacrifice for all eternity. God was going to do that before the formation of Creation...the idea that the ritual/holiness laws as binding is absolutely unorthodox and impossible for Christians to logically accept.

 

[Sketcher]

That vision that Peter had was not about clean vs unclean foods but it was to show Peter as he said in v28 that he should call no MAN (not food) common or unclean. Most of us totally miss that point and make out the vision to be an endorsement to eat anything. Peter did not conclude this from the vision and neither should we.

Agreed. I believe that most Christians (those who were not born Jewish) can eat pork for different reasons.

 

[drjean]

Paul said, correctly , that all things are lawful, but all things are not expedient.

I don't eat pork. Nor do I eat shellfish. The reasoning has not changed in the thousands of years: hogs and pigs do not have sweat glands, and thus all the toxins build up in their bodies. And, like the shell fish (shrimp, oysters, lobsters etc) they are the garbage cans of the earth...they eat the garbage no other animal will eat. The shell fish eat the left overs of whatever the other fish leave and eliminate. Yuk.

 

[PaladinValer]

Paul said, correctly , that all things are lawful, but all things are not expedient.

I don't eat pork. Nor do I eat shellfish. The reasoning has not changed in the thousands of years: hogs and pigs do not have sweat glands, and thus all the toxins build up in their bodies. And, like the shell fish (shrimp, oysters, lobsters etc) they are the garbage cans of the earth...they eat the garbage no other animal will eat. The shell fish eat the left overs of whatever the other fish leave and eliminate. Yuk.

A lot of false information.

Pigs are omnivorous and their diet consists of mostly of grass, flowers, leaves, roots, and fallen fruits. Farm-raised ones eat very healthy: corn or soy meal enriched with vitamins and minerals. It is the latter kind you find in your local grocery or meat store.

Furthermore, pigs expel waste just like humans, through their excretory system, just like we do. Pig biology includes lungs, kidneys, bladder, and a full digestive tract. The fact that they don't sweat doesn't mean they don't expel toxins. Sweat isn't an excretion but a secretion for temperature control and hormones. That is why pigs roll in mud; because they are unable to use sweat to cool off.

All meat is dangerous is not cooked properly. You can just as easily get a parasitic infection or food poisoning from undercooked beef or poultry as you can from undercooked pork. So long as you prepare pork properly, it is quite nutritious.

Shellfish biology is able to successfully digest and convert whatever they eat into energy for survival. Furthermore, other animals eat them, and they are considered "clean," so truly, it is a Slippery Slope to say the scavengers are unclean but those who don't are not. Furthermore, I might add that fungi is considered kosher, and fungi live off the decaying remains of once-living things.

I quite enjoy a delicious pork chop - I season mine with sea salt, black pepper, garlic salt, basil, marjoram, oregano, thyme, and rosemary. Medium-high heat in a skillet with extra virgin olive oil. I also love an excellent crab and lobster bisque and I absolutely adore calamari. Also, a pizza is never complete without mushrooms!

 

[Linkinboi]

Thanks for the responses guys, I can safetly conclude that Christians can eat pork, thanks, but one last question can Jewish Christians eat pork? since Jews are not Christians from the start and they do not believe in Jesus and they do not eat pork

 

[Avniel]

I don't know how I feel about God/pork but I do know that I would rather be hungry then put pork in my mouth. There are so many other options. When you say how you feel do you mean spiritually or physically, or both?

Ignorantly I only thought of the physical and mental but I guess you added to it the spiritual. I am going to pay attention to all three of those areas.

I dont think pork is meant for man to eat. Now is it a sin to eat pork? I would say no but is it pleasing to God? I think He answered that in the ot.

 

[PaladinValer]

Thanks for the responses guys, I can safetly conclude that Christians can eat pork, thanks, but one last question can Jewish Christians eat pork? since Jews are not Christians from the start and they do not believe in Jesus and they do not eat pork

Again, those foods were never truly "unclean" to start with. Jews follow the letter of the Torah, when they should have followed the spirit of it.

There is no such thing as a Jewish Christian. Judaism is a religion, not a nation. Hebrews are a people and a nation, and the Hebrew people have found their way into non-Jewish religions, from Islam and Druise to Baha'i and Hinduism, and from Buddhism to Christianity. They cease being Jews at that point; they may not make aliya to Israel which only Jews have the right to.

A Jew who converts to Christianity is a Christian. They are absolutely not required to follow the holiness/ritual laws and to suggest that has always been considered to be a heresy since the 1st century.

We are welcome to enjoy all the shellfish and pork we desire. We may wear polyester if we wish. There is no sin in any of this. There is no such thing as being "unclean" other than our sins that make us unworthy.

 

[Jase]

Thanks for the responses guys, I can safetly conclude that Christians can eat pork, thanks, but one last question can Jewish Christians eat pork? since Jews are not Christians from the start and they do not believe in Jesus and they do not eat pork

Jews not believing in Jesus has nothing to do with why they don't eat pork. I'm a Messianic Jew, and generally don't eat pork or shellfish, but not really for Biblical reasons. Occasionally I'll have bacon on a burger or something, but aside from bacon I don't find pork tasty, and I'm not even a big bacon fan. Shellfish I find gross. Have always hated seafood.

 

[Jase]

Again, those foods were never truly "unclean" to start with. Jews follow the letter of the Torah, when they should have followed the spirit of it.

There is no such thing as a Jewish Christian. Judaism is a religion, not a nation. Hebrews are a people and a nation, and the Hebrew people have found their way into non-Jewish religions, from Islam and Druise to Baha'i and Hinduism, and from Buddhism to Christianity. They cease being Jews at that point; they may not make aliya to Israel which only Jews have the right to.

A Jew who converts to Christianity is a Christian. They are absolutely not required to follow the holiness/ritual laws and to suggest that has always been considered to be a heresy since the 1st century.

We are welcome to enjoy all the shellfish and pork we desire. We may wear polyester if we wish. There is no sin in any of this. There is no such thing as being "unclean" other than our sins that make us unworthy.

I somewhat disagree with your assessment. While Judaism is a religion, so one who practices another religion is not practicing Judaism, being a Jew is also more than a religion - it's an ethnicity, nationality, and culture. At least half of Israeli Jews are atheist/secular. While the Law of Return in Judaism does exclude those who convert to another religion, they don't cease being Jews. A Jew, under Orthodox law, is anyone born of a Jewish mother or who converts to Judaism through an Orthodox ceremony.

Messianic Judaism is a big issue for Jews, because of the method of which it arose. Conservative Christian denominations have used it as an underhanded means to convert Jews (like Jews for Jesus), and most Messianics are not actually Jewish, but Gentiles.

Unfortunately, I don't see Jewish views on this changing anytime soon, and it's certainly frustrating as a Messianic myself, who is actually Jewish and raised Reform. And I actually prefer Reform theology over much of Christian theology. Ironically, Orthodox would still consider me Jewish, however, Reform wouldn't. Although, I can return to Reform at any time without any formal conversion if I were to renounce Christianity.

The "Who is a Jew?" debate has been going on for a long long time, so there is a lot of disagreement over it and it changes.