Roland Shirk, from Jihad Watch, has a very good point here:
Why should Christians care if they're eating halal meat? Predictably, cultural masochists and stealth jihadists will insist that such a concern is the fruit of "Islamophobia" and bigotry. I'm hardly the most ecumenical Christian in the world, but the only reaction I've ever had to eating a kosher hot dog has been to think "Oh good. This probably doesn't have so much junk in it." But the more I've learned of Islam, the harder it has been for me to buy those tasty-looking shish-kebabs that are offered from carts by hard-working (and no doubt peaceful) Muslims in New York City. Why is that?Go read the whole thing.
For one thing, halal meat is slaughtered to the accompaniment of ritual prayers to Allah—and the more I learn about how Islam depicts him, the less I can conceive of him as in any way the same God worshiped by Christians and Jews. Instead, he seems to me a wicked idol, which would make the meat that was slaughtered in his name the one thing St. Paul forbade Christians to eat: Meat offered to an idol (1 Corinthians, 8:7).
Epaminondas raised a in important point, which can be summed up like this,
"Who gives a crap? It's only food."
And verily, it is true that God is not a fool. He does not concern himself with random and petty rules. He is concerned with the heart, and He would like that we prepare our hearts to help one another, so that when help is needed, we do, indeed, help one another out of a true sense of Gratitude to Him for the strength, Light, and Love we have in our own lives.
So, let's look at the larger context of the verse:
Eat anything sold in the meat market without raising questions of conscience, 26 for, “The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it.”[f]
27 If an unbeliever invites you to a meal and you want to go, eat whatever is put before you without raising questions of conscience.
28 But if someone says to you, “This has been offered in sacrifice,” then do not eat it, both for the sake of the one who told you and for the sake of conscience. 29
I am referring to the other person’s conscience, not yours. For why is my freedom being judged by another’s conscience?
30 If I take part in the meal with thankfulness, why am I denounced because of something I thank God for?
10 comments:
Ugh, I wouldn't knowingly eat halal meat. Pork, now that's a different story! :)
Yeah.
I loves me some bacon.
Pastorius,
Pork is one of the few things out there that you can guarantee won't be Halal since Muslims are not allowed to eat it under sharia law, unfortunately a diet consisting entirely of pork would be rather unhealthy, not to mention boring.
Should Christians Eat Halal Meat?
NO.
Halal OR Kosher for that fact are manifestations of 'what you have to do to safely eat meat/fish in a low/no tech desert or warm environment'
It can be dressed up any way you want it with prayers and what not, but that's all it is. Ad far as pork .. I've already had one near fatal heart attack so FORGET IT.
I don't worry much about kosher EXCEPT as a means t pass on the culture of my grandparents, BUT, if William Fortschen's world of One Second After would ever come to pass... I am going to the a prime mover of keeping kosher. And for the EXACT same reason my distant forbears did (who probably took the easy way out of explaining why it was so necessary to their descendants and told them GOD SAID IT). In such circumstances I would choose halal food over non halal/non kosher food, and religion has nothing to do with it
Epa,
You are correct.
But, you gotta see the larger verse for the context.
Perhaps you will agree with this:
Eat anything sold in the meat market without raising questions of conscience, 26 for, “The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it.”[f]
27 If an unbeliever invites you to a meal and you want to go, eat whatever is put before you without raising questions of conscience. 28 But if someone says to you, “This has been offered in sacrifice,” then do not eat it, both for the sake of the one who told you and for the sake of conscience. 29 I am referring to the other person’s conscience, not yours. For why is my freedom being judged by another’s conscience? 30 If I take part in the meal with thankfulness, why am I denounced because of something I thank God for?
We have an interesting discussion brewing ... IS THE EARTH THE LORD'S?
Isn't really all up to us by following some broad ideas implemented by what he/she/it gave us?
Besides, if an EMP, or econoomic collapse wipes it all out, my money says NO ONE IS SACRIFICING ANY PROTEIN on an altar.
Prayers exist for jews specifically as a replacement for sacrifice. If I have a cow and a koshering book, and the fam needs meat and we're back to 1635 AD, I pull out the siddur every time and spend five minutes in thanks for the cow.
And if my next door neighbor happens to be a muslim in such a circumstance, he's invited.
Like Mr King, I may have some questions, but he's invited.
Writing an article on this. Seems that this is one of the very few times that I disagree with Epa in the following:
Halal OR Kosher for that fact are manifestations of 'what you have to do to safely eat meat/fish in a low/no tech desert or warm environment'
I will post the article on ibloga and refer to this discussion. See where it goes from there.
I have offered my two cents here: http://ibloga.blogspot.com/2011/03/food-sacrificed-to-idols-aka-halal-food.html
Great answer to my question, the reason I am here.
I'm not going to eat it if I know it. Give thanks always, always always and be truly grateful, not with lip service but recognizing all things are provided by the Lord for us to enjoy and for our lives BUT for conscience' sake I won't eat it and hopefully won't accidentally partake in it. This makes me want to go ahead and buy some chickens and rabbits. I don't care if muslims eat it or if they sell it in the markets but I would hope for labels.
Post a Comment