Bible Sharing: Is pork really clean? not loathed by God?

The most religious people I've met pick and choose strictly what suits them best when it comes to worship, not what they're guided to do. Every religious person I've ever known or met in my life is the same way -- they take from holy text what they want to, and they insist--to the point of berating anyone to disagree--that their way of worship is the way of worship and that they're living righteous and everyone else would do well to follow their lead. Tricky stuff, this religion. But to the point: Why wouldn't salvation depend on something like that? Sounds about right to me.

Pork was declared unclean in an age before modern sanitation or proper refrigeration was invented. The Bible was a book written largely by authors of this age. Pork is one of the faster spoiling meats. It can have parasites. It must be handled and cooked with care. Yet every other meat can spoil, have parasites, or otherwise make people very sick. Heck, so can many vegetables and fruits.

It's clean but for health reasons I eat chicken more

Read Acts 10:9-16. This law in Leviticus was given to the Jews. Christians are not under the Mosaic Law. Read Acts 15. Salvation is affected by believing Christ as our Lord and Savior and accepting Him as such. It has nothing to do with the food we eat.

If you read the bible God, said to peter that he cleaned all those things that is dirty in the eyes of the men. So I think there is nothing wrong with pork to eat. Christian not being save because of what they eat but because of what religion to belong which is the commandment of God.

I quit eating pork because in the old testament it was forbidden and seen as "not clean". I continued to eat other forms of meat, mostly chicken, turkey and tuna and little steak. Fast forward one year and I quit eating all other forms of meat, not because of the bible, but because of the research I have done myself on the affect meat has on the body and how protein can affect the growth of cancer cells. In the new testament eating of pork is allowed. My view on the new testament and foods is this is God allowing us to have free choice. This is where we have to decide what is right and what is wrong, but if one is to believe in the bible, I think for myself anyways, that the old testament is how we are suppose to live our life because those were the first instructions handed down to us. I have read several books, the most notable one being "The China Study" by Colin T. Campbell. I have seen documentaries on the affects that cows are having on global warming. Did you know one cow emits more carbon dioxide than 10 cars? Astonishing isn't it? Did you know they are clearing the rainforest (something our environment truly needs) for raising beef cattle? I may not be able to save the environment myself but I sure can help by not eating meat. I get my protein from healthy fats like seeds, nuts, eggs, grains and peanut butter. Also, the meat we are eating today is different than the meat of years ago. Today, when a steer gets sick they are pumped with antibiotics and those antibiotics are not even clear before they might be sent to the slaughter house, so we could be ingesting some of those antibiotics. There are growth hormones given to these beef to encourage faster growth. What are in those growth hormones? Is it the same as human growth hormone? To much is a bad thing. Not only that, but the way beef is fed today is terrible. The majority of them are being fed modified soy and corn products (are you familiar with GMO?) Okay, so these are all the reasons why I don't eat pork or meat of any kind. I am concerned for the environment and I am concerned for my health and the health of my children, and the old testament.

Christians, by definition, follow the teachings of Christ and Jesus is recorded as saying: "What goes into a man's mouth does not make him 'unclean,' but what comes out of his mouth, that is what makes him 'unclean.'" (Matthew 15:11). In other words, Jesus effectively removed the restrictions laid down in Leviticus. The Old Testament was written specifically for Jews. The books which are included with the New Testament writings to form the Christian Bible were selected for historical, informational reasons, because they are referred to by the later writers and not because they necessarily form part of Christian doctrine or are directly relevant to Christians or Gentiles.

I'm Catholic and never heard anything in the Bible against pork although we know you have to be very careful with it. Catholics once said that we had to eat fish on Friday. Like most things in the bible very few of the very older people still go by that. Those of us who now question the Bible don't feel that we need to do that.

Hi Danzylop, Pork may not be a food that is good for the physical body, but there is no harm in eating it in moderation. It is certainly not a sin to eat any food,and Christians especially should know that. Jesus Christ said, "it's not what goes into the body that defiles a man, but that which comes out". Of course, he was speaking of the evil that we say about others, the gossip that we spread around, not caring whether it is true or not. Blessings.

Pork was not forbidden because it can make one ill from trichinosis. Animals, birds and fish were divided into Kosher or non-kosher groups. Fish had to have fins and scales...fish without scales are bottom feeders eating the effluent and rotted parts of other fish. Birds with nostrils that go through the beak instead of the face are carrion eaters and so are considered Tref themselves. Tref means "obscene or torn asunder". Animals must have cloven hoofs and chew their cud to be Kasher. The chewing of the cud makes them vegetarians not meat or carrion eaters, thus they do not eat Tref themselves. Pigs have cloven hooves, but they do not chew their cud...This makes them deceivers. It has nothing to do with trichinosis or fat content. It has to do with the Laws of the Creator. Call it a test if that helps you understand it better. We must obey the Lord even if we do not understand. The christ figure was a Jew and as such he followed the laws of Kashrut. He never said that he was here to change or obliterate the laws of the Creator...Instead he said the opposite. The laws were later changed out of hatred of the Jews. The new christians did not want to be compared to Jews or lumped in with them so the threw out the Creator's Laws.

Correct, Leviticus written pig is an unclean animal, but christians are not forbiden to eat pork, it is not an absolute commendment from God not to eat them. But some may want to interprete in another way and refuse to eat them, that is also alright for God. God leave it to his followers the free wills to decide for themselves. I disagree salvation would be affected by what we eat, except by what we do.

Some Bible verses that show eating pork is not sin for a Gentile Christian: 1Corinthians 10:23-AV All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not. 1Corinthians 10:24-AV Let no man seek his own, but every man another's [wealth]. Think of what is good for others rather than yourself. It is offensive for you to refuse the offer of food or drink as a guest? Then do not worry about what is offered, but rather offending by refusing. 1Corinthians 10:25-AV Whatsoever is sold in the shambles, [that] eat, asking no question for conscience sake: Same as above. the shambles was the public market place and food that had been offered to idols first was then sold in the market place later. A Jew would NEVER buy from a market that sold meat that had been offered first to an idol. Here, Paul is saying that for the Jew who has chosen to follow Jesus, this was no longer necessary. 1Corinthians 10:26-AV For the earth [is] the Lord's, and the fulness thereof. God declared ALL creation to be good. The dietary laws given later where a part of His unfolding revelations, a way to set apart the Chosen PEople of Israel. As example, first only one tree forbidden, then all herbs only (no fungus like mushrooms. Only seed bearing plants, no meat. Then meat was added after flood. Then only certain meats. 1Corinthians 10:27-AV If any of them that believe not bid you [to a feast], and ye be disposed to go; whatsoever is set before you, eat, asking no question for conscience sake. 1Corinthians 10:28-AV But if any man say unto you, This is offered in sacrifice unto idols, eat not for his sake that shewed it, and for conscience sake: for the earth [is] the Lord's, and the fulness thereof: 1Corinthians 10:29-AV Conscience, I say, not thine own, but of the other: for why is my liberty judged of another [man's] conscience? If it offends some one your are dinging with, do not eat it. 1Corinthians 10:30-AV For if I by grace be a partaker, why am I evil spoken of for that for which I give thanks? 1Corinthians 10:31-AV Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God. 1Corinthians 10:32-AV Give none offence, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the church of God: 1Corinthians 10:33-AV Even as I please all [men] in all [things], not seeking mine own profit, but the [profit] of many, that they may be saved. Paul is consistent here with the trend that has been emerging. All things are lawful to him but he would not give offence to another by eating something the other thought unclean, in the other's presence. He would consider the other's feelings above his own. If invited out to a meal, he would show good manners by asking a blessing and cheerfully eating what was put in front of him rather than offend the host by rejecting what would probably be a carefully and lovingly prepared meal. Meat sacrificed to idols is not a problem in western cultures but may be in some pagan cultures. Romans 14:2-AV For one believeth that he may eat all things: another, who is weak, eateth herbs. Romans 14:3-AV Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not; and let not him which eateth not judge him that eateth: for God hath received him. The main point here is whether God has received a person, not what he eats. Some religions make a big issue of food and actively support vegetarianism. There is no biblical support for this position and such should be a matter of personal choice. Colossians 2:16-AV Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath [days]: Jewish converts were critical of Gentile converts and had been admonishing them for not complying with all the laws kept by the Jews. Here Paul tells them they can safely ignore any ‘rules’ concerning food and drink, and ceremonial days. There is a need however, to consider that our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit and that we are to keep them in good order. We should endeavor then to avoid foods that we know may be harmful. I would suggest that the eating of pork, while not forbidden to the Christian, should be avoided as the general rule. The main thing to consider is contained in the verses that follow. Mark 7:18-AV 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; Mark 7:19-AV Because it entereth not into his heart, but into the belly, and goeth out into the draught, purging all meats? Mark 7:20-AV And he said, That which cometh out of the man, that defileth the man. Mark 7:21-AV For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, Mark 7:22-AV Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: Mark 7:23-AV All these evil things come from within, and defile the man. Here we have Jesus telling us that nothing that goes into a man can defile him (in a spiritual sense that is), but what comes out of him defiles. Dear reader, are you being defiled by what comes out of your mouth? By your thoughts and deeds? If you confess your sins to Jesus, believe that He is the Son of God, and proclaim this with your mouth, you will be saved.

There are words in the Bible that should not be understood literally. There are many Bible verses that refers to your topic. There is a verse that said not to eat meat if it's offered to idols. Another one verse said man is allowed to eat meat but the blood is to be burried in soil.

Most of the laws that were given to the Isrealites are no longer relevant. Jesus Christ Instituted a new form of worship that does not require us to work according to the Mosaic Law. Christians are no longer required to perform animal sacrifices, fasting and others. The new commandments are written down in the new testaments. The new commandments does not require us to forbid anything, rather it says that we must not eat blood nor take it in any form. There is a verse that says that as long as we pray before eating we are free to eat what we want.

In the bible, it was said that it is not about what we eat that makes us dirty or clean. It is what is in our minds, thoughts and hearts that makes us pure or unpure. I always believe that the choice of food was given to us. The Lord God has allowed people to eat meat during the time of Noah when God flooded the world and there were no vegetables grown.