Pork is prohibited in Christianity then why do Christians ignore this reality?

Question

The Christian is likely to be convinced by his religious scriptures. The Bible prohibits the consumption of pork, in the book of Leviticus

"And the swine, though he divide 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."
[Leviticus 11:7-8]

Pork is also prohibited in the Bible in the book of Deuteronomy

"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."
[Deuteronomy 14:8]

A similar prohibition is repeated in the Bible in the book of Isaiah chapter 65 verse 2-5.

Proven Facts: -
1. Consumption of pork causes several diseases
2. Pork has fat building material
3. Pig is one of the filthiest animals on earth
4. Pig is the most shameless animal

Answer 1

Pork IS NOT prohibited to be eaten by Christians. The New Testament says it's okay... but the Old Testament says no. An another example of how the Bible contradicts itself. I personally know the basis of why Christians believe it isn't prohibited is hinged on Jesus fulfilling the Law and post resurrection believers aren't "bound" by the Law anymore because he did fulfill it (Romans 8:4 I think)... but its really more or less a condradiction and nonsense. But hey... pork is good. I personally like pork chops... and a good ham every now and then.

Answer 2

Most will tell you that it is in the Old Testamant and you don't have to go by that any more like a law of good health is going to change just because it is New TEstament times? Others will use the myth that God told Peter to kill and eat the vision he had but can you eat a vision? Read what Peter said and you know he had never eaten any unclean thing. If you read on a bit further, the part those that want to use this never want you to see, is that it tells what the vision really meant, that he was not to call any MAN common or unclean. It was a law that you could not even talk to a gentile or touch a man of another nation as they were considered unclean but God gave Peter the vision to show him not to call Cornelius unclean but to tell him about Christ. Funny how they leave that part out to try to prove that God was saying it was ok to eat the pig when it had nothing to do with the animals that were to be eaten or not as they knew it was not good. Others will say that it is like the laws that were done away with, the Mosaic laws but that is not true either as the Mosiac laws were concerning the sacrificial system. And for anyone that thinks that only in the Old Testament did they ever cut your hand off for stealing, go to Iraq, Iran, Arabia, or any of those nations today and see what happens if you steal something. First you lose a finger and then you lose your hand if it is done again. Nowhere does it ever say that a pig should be eaten or that any of the health laws ever were changed even though most would love it to say that so they can gorge themselves on it. Show me any place it ever does and I would give a reward of $10,000 cash.

Answer 3

Pork is more taboo among Jews and Muslims. While it is true that it is written in the Bible both the OT and NT as not a favorable choice of food, there are Christians denominations that follow the prohibitions.
Well, some countries who can't help but succumb to the tasteful pork recipes, I think some major Churches in Europe, North America and Asia tried to circumvent it by ignoring the Law as purely Jewish or Muslim traditions. However, there are few major Christian denominations I know who follow the prohibition.
And for reasons of augmenting to the food shortages as some business minded religious group would claim, the raising of pigs or swine has gone up to the level of technical sophistication minimizing your claim as the filthiest and shameless animals. They are now scientifically fed and daily being bathe in a clean piggery farms.
Actually the latest survey says there are more dangerous fats in cows meat than the pigs (according to the rumors going around...not my own findings) today.

Answer 4

I'm certainly not ignoring the reality... but you may be ignoring the reality that God gave Paul a dream showing him that pigs/swine were no longer to be considered an "unclean" anmilal, therefore making it OK for Christians to eat. (See ACTS 10)

About noon the following day as they were on their journey and approaching the city, Peter went up on the roof to pray.
He became hungry and wanted something to eat, and while the meal was being prepared, he fell into a trance.
He saw heaven opened and something like a large sheet being let down to earth by its four corners.
It contained all kinds of four-footed animals, as well as reptiles of the earth and birds of the air.
Then a voice told him, "Get up, Peter. Kill and eat."
"Surely not, Lord!" Peter replied. "I have never eaten anything impure or unclean."
The voice spoke to him a second time, "Do not call anything impure that God has made clean."
This happened three times, and immediately the sheet was taken back to heaven.

Answer 5

1.) I do not deny any of your facts (although a pig being shameless is questionable, any more than a dog, cat, elephant, or bumblebee is shameless).

2.) I avoid eating pork for reason #1 (#2 doesn't apply 'cuz everything else I eat does as well).

3.) However, I am free to eat pork if I so choose to (and on occasion, I do), because "And he saith unto them, Are ye so without understanding also? Do ye not perceive, that whatsoever thing from without entereth into the man, it cannot defile him; Because it entereth not into his heart, but into the belly, and goeth out into the draught, purging all meats? And he said, That which cometh out of the man, that defileth the man." - Mark 7:18-20. The food I eat does not defile me... the words which I speak, the attitude that I bear, the deeds that I do, could.

4.) That was part of the Levitical laws. Every single law was fulfilled by Jesus, through His life, and while on the cross. They remain as a mere guide, pointing to Christ and His two laws, "Love God with all your heart, mind, and strength, and love your neighbor as you love yourself; through these two, all the laws and all the prophets are satisfied" - paraphrase of Matthew 22:39.

5.) I was born of Gentile descent, I am not bound to the Levitical laws, even if I had been born during Jesus' time.

6.) God Himself used a vision of unclean foods to Peter, and told him to eat them. Peter responded that he had never eaten any unclean or common food in his whole life. God told him, "what I have made clean, do not call 'common'". Peter later realized this to mean the Gentiles. Those who were around him, both Jew and Gentile, were then filled with the Holy Spirit - Paraphrase of Acts 10. Now, if in a vision, God calls all foods clean, meaning, those who eat all foods are worthy of the Holy Spirit, why should we limit ourselves, thinking that God does not accept those who eat all kinds of food?

7.) A combination of 5. and 6... if I am a omnivorous Gentile, and God allowed both omnivorous Gentiles and restricted-diet Jews to receive the Holy Spirit at the same time, what benefit have I by restricting myself? None.

Answer 6

The book of Leviticus also says that we can't wear two different types of fabric at the same time - can't actually find the reference though.

Christians - if I get this right - believe in general that the resurrection of Jesus redeems people from having to follow the law as laid out in the Old Testament, or what Jews call the Tanakh. That's what makes Christians different from Jews. Jews observe their faith by observing the law, Christians by believing that Jesus was the Messiah.

Pork only causes diseases if it's cooked rare, which is why you don't cook it rare. Fish eat some pretty disgusting stuff too, in case that's your point. Cows regurgitate their food and chew it all over again. And wild pigs are extremely clean animals.

I think Jews believe that the law is worth following because it's God's law, not because mere humans can make sense of it.

Answer 7

I didn't know the Bible prohibited the eating of pork, that's interesting. But your 'proven facts' about pigs..... pigs are the 'most shameless' animals. Hang on a minute, how on earth can you claim that? Are you accusing pigs of being promiscuous? If that's so, how come every time you see a pig in a field it's just lying down and only ever stirs to eat?

Answer 8

The proper emphasis needs to be placed on the commands, I think. I personally avoid pork, because I figure God knew what he was telling his chozen people, but I don't consider it a moral command. Something being unclean basically means it's not healthy, but not that it will come between you and God. To turn away meat (any meat) that is offered in kindness is a greater sin than to eat an unclean meal. It is not what enters the mouth that defiles a man, but that which comes out. (Mt. 15:11)

Answer 9

The food Laws have been abolished in the NT. Read

Romans 14:20
For the sake of food, do not destroy the work of God. Everything is indeed clean, but it is wrong for anyone to become a stumbling block by eating;

Acts 10:13-15
13 A voice said to him, "Get up, Peter. Slaughter and eat."
14 But Peter said, "Certainly not, sir. For never have I eaten anything profane and unclean."
15 The voice spoke to him again, a second time, "What God has made clean, you are not to call profane."

Answer 10

There seem to be a lot of contradictions in the Bible and probable in the Koran, and that is how people try to pervert the overriding message of "Good" that they purvey.
In the case of pork especially crispy smokey bacon sandwiches, i prefer to listen to Jesus, where he says " it is not what goes into a man's mouth that defiles him, but what comes out."

As for what you have said about pigs.....shame on you! Just because pig can only go oooooonk! that doesn't mean they don't have a voice.... they are know to be one of the cleanest animals around, sure they do porky things but they clean themselves up beautifully, they are quite intelligent creatures and are trained in many countries to find truffles under the ground.