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Life Talk!

Does Bible prohibit the eating of pork?

zanaz

zanaz

Algeria

I’ve been told that Bible prohibits the eating of pork. Their proof is: the book of Leviticus, ch 11, v. 7, it is recorded that God declares the pig to be unclean for believers. Then, in verse 8, God says: “You must not eat their meat or touch their carcasses; they are unclean for you.” This command is repeated in Deuteronomy 14:7-8. Then in Isaiah 65:2-4, and 66:17, God issues a stern warning against those who eat pork. Some people are aware of this prohibition from God, but they say they can eat pork because St. Paul said that all food is clean in his letter to the Romans 14:20. St. Paul sid this because he believed (as he wrote in his letter to the Ephesians 2:14-15) that Jesus had abolished the Law with all its commandments and regulations.He seems, however, to have misunderstood what he heard about Jesus. In the Gospel According to Matthew 5:17-20, Jesus is reported to have said quite the contrary, as follows: “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law…” Jesus then went on in that passage (in verse 19) to denounce anyone who would break the smallest commandment and teach others likewise. He also praised his true followers who will practice and teach even the smallest commandment. One of the commandments, as we have seen, is to stay away from pork. This is why the true followers of Jesus, holding on to his teachings, did not let unclean food such as pork enter their mouths, so that Peter, the chief disciple can say, “I have never eaten anythng impure or unclean” (Acts of the Apostles, ch 10, v. 14). Five chapters later in the Acts of the Apostles, 15:29, we find that the original disciples still differentiate between clean and unclean foods, and this time Paul is in agreement with them.Six chapters later, in ch. 21, v 25, their decision to impose food regulations on believers is mentioned without regret, and this time Paul is challenged to prove that he is in agreement with them; and he demonstrated his full agreement with them. What remains, then is that Jesus (on whom be peace) upheld the prohibition against pork. His disciples also upheld it. What i want to know is this right or not?

07:38 PM Jun 12 2008 |

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zanaz

zanaz

Algeria

Nu, thanks for the answer and am so sorry if am late to answer, i’ve been busy.
First, if we agree that God is the best knower, forknower & the all-knowing one, then he surly knows best what foods to eat and no to eat. Here we must ask the question: “Why God forbid the eating and touching of swine flesh in any form?” .So let us see what Bible says about the eating of swine flesh:
Leviticus 11:7-8
“And the swine, though he divided the hoof, and be cloven-footed, yet he cheweth not the cud; he is unclean to you.
“Of their flesh shall ye not eat, and their carcass shall ye not touch; they are unclean to you.”
Deuteronomy 14:8
“And the swine, because it divideth the hoof, yet cheweth not the cud, it is unclean unto you: ye shall not eat of their flesh, nor touch their dead carcass.
Here God clearly states that the flesh of swine is forbidden to eat and to touch and as I know most of Bible scholars agree that the king’s meat spoken of in Daniel ch.1:8 is referring to swine flesh. I know also that in this story that Daniel and three Hebrew boys followed the best knower (God) and at the end they were healthier by not eating the king’s meat and drinking his drink. You may think that the advent of Jesus (peace be upon him) suspends the law God gave to Moses, so what Jesus (peace be upon him) said about the law god gave to Moses?.
Matthew 5:17-19
“Think not that I (Jesus) am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, But to fulfill.
“For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law , till all is fulfilled.
“Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.”
Jesus (peace be upon him) says he came o FULFILL the law God. Therefore, he came in the world to put Moses law into effect and make it the reality by wich all of us live. This would include God’s prohibition against swine. Looking again to what Jesus (peace be upon him) said about the God law, we see that he hasn’t come to destroy the law and this law won’t change till heaven. Therefore law still present and it should be followed or God changed his mind is to say he is not the best knower?. This lead me to an important point, God is the best knower and as the creator of man and pigs he is the forknower of nature of both of them. Suggesting that pigs are fed grains and corn doesn’t negate the fact that they are filthy and poisonous by nature. As an example, to feed a poisonous snake a better diet wouldn’t change the nature of snake being poisonous or to grow a poisonous plant in a different type of soil wouldn’t prevent that plant to do by nature what is created o do. So the same principal stands true for swine. This is what the prophet says or are we going to say that Dr. So and So has better guidance than the messenger of the best knower?.
Isaiah 65:2-4
I have spread out my hands all the day unto a rebellious people, which walketh in a way that was not good, after their own thoughts;
A people that provoketh me to anger continually to my face; that sacrificeth in gardens, and burneth incense upon alters of brick;
Which remain among the graves, and lodge in the monuments, eating swine’s flesh, and the broth of abominable things is in their vessels.”
Isaiah 66:17
“They that sanctify themselves, and purify themselves in the gardens behind one tree in the midst, eating swine’s flesh, and the abomination, and the mouse, shall be consumed together, saith the Lord.”
I think you know what abomination means?, it means disgust, that wich is hated, a cause of abohorrance. I will say: the one tree the people hide behind were the people who used the word of God to justify the consumption of prohibited swine flesh. The Bible condemns those that engage in that type of activity as follows:
Ezekiel 22:26
Her priest have violated my law, and have profaned mine holy things: they have put no difference between the holy and the profane, neither have they shewed difference between the unclean and the clean and have hid their eyes form my sabbaths, and I am profaned among them.
This perfectly describes how those who are charged with the responsibility of using the word of God, to raise His standard, have used His word to justify their own evil and the evils of he people under their charge. No wonder Jesus says in Matthew 5:19, “Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven…”. Lastly, do you hink that God doesn’t care what you pout in your body or how you take care of it? For me I believe that God cares about the whole person: spirit, soul and body!

04:37 PM Jun 16 2008 |

gkisseberth

Germany

Yeah, but bacon tastes good. Pork chops taste good.

 V. Vega

07:45 PM Jun 16 2008 |

gkisseberth

Germany

Leviticus has a lot of silly (or barbarous) rules, like;

 

don´t wear a garment made of two different kinds of cloth.

don't plant two different kinds of crops in the same field

if a man commits adultery both he and the woman he slept with must be put to death

Others who should be put to death (stoning being the preferred method)

homsexuals

children who are disrepectful to their parents

a man who marries both a woman and her mother (all three are to be killed)

blasphemers

anyone who has sex with an animal (the animal is killed also)

 

prostitutes

 

a man who has sex with a woman who is menstruating (again, everyone involved dies)

 

BUT, here´s to cool part…. it's okay to buy slaves from neighboring countries.

 

07:58 PM Jun 16 2008 |

gkisseberth

Germany

And if you need money to buy slaves, you can always sell your daughter into slavery.  (The rules for that are in Exodus, though. Be sure to follow the rules)

05:05 PM Jun 18 2008 |

zanaz

zanaz

Algeria

Gkiss, from where you got this? would you please mention the source?

07:29 PM Jun 18 2008 |

wannalearnenglish

American Samoa

from his stupid head! LOL

10:06 PM Jun 18 2008 |

aljensen

aljensen

United States

Leviticus is famous for having a lot of crazy rules – for instance, you cannot shave or cut your beard (which is why the Old Believers in Russia had such long beards). I could look up the quotes, but then again I don't care. I personally don't like pork that much, although I guess I like pork sausage. I like pork chops sometimes, or weiner-schnitzel, that's pork, right?

 Oh man, I could really go for biscuits and gravy with sausage in the gravy.

Pork – the other white meat.

 

01:28 AM Jun 19 2008 |

gkisseberth

Germany

Gkiss, from where you got this? would you please mention the source?

 

As I mentioned.  From the Book of Leviticus and the Book of Exodus.  

 

biblegateway.com is a good site with multiple translations.

 

 

04:01 AM Jun 19 2008 |

gkisseberth

Germany

wow, biscuits and gravy…....  heart attack on a plate, but dammmmmmmm good. 

04:04 AM Jun 19 2008 |

zanaz

zanaz

Algeria

Thank you Gkiss, Alje…i will check the site later.

08:25 PM Jun 19 2008 |