Most religions of the world have foods that are religious. Pork is the most well known I will not eat. Other prohibited foods include shellfish, non-scaly fish, tigers, elephants, cows and snakes, to name a few. For the Hindus, forbidden foods are not so much a religious law as a sign of respect for your ancestors. The Buddha is said to have taken many animal forms, so some or all animals are avoided out of reverence for the Buddha. It is Judaism and Islam that have the strictest laws regarding food.
There will always be some debate about the validity of religious laws after food. The main point of discussion is the Mosaic Law. In the ten commandments, the basis of the greatest law (commandments six through nine in particular) are literally set in stone. The forbidden food was not included in these orders.
In other places of the Bible, the laws of food are often considered doctrinal texts, for lack of a better word. A text that provided advice on living a healthy life or any other advice would be a teaching text. The food “laws” are designed to keep God’s elect healthy. I think focus is key. This is not an attempt to convince any religious group to change their beliefs, just to open their minds to what God intended.
Islam embraces many of these foods from the Jewish tradition and has added others. Wheat or maize was unknown in biblical times, but it was added to the list of acceptable foods in the Islamic tradition. There is added grain that is considered worthy of pigs only by Islamic scholars. There doesn’t seem to be a negative health effect on corn, just an association with pork. If Islam offends corn, they should avoid corn. Mind food laws are still maintained, but what about other foods are generally accepted that pose new risks health?
A perfect example of horses. Rounder animals are not prohibited, while some animals are prohibited with pig’s hooves. Trichinosis is assumed to be the cause of the forbidden swine. The parasitic disease was spread to man mainly through cooked pork. In some cases, the parasites cause inflammation of the brain and can make the infected insane. This would be sufficient justification for biblical times to declare pork unclean. For millennia, the horse was free from these parasites, but in this modern age of mass production it is no longer. it is true.
Italy and France have both had outbreaks of trichinosis associated with eating horse tartar (raw horse meat). While the exact cause of the parasite being present in the horses is unknown, the accidental ingestion of a rat during food production is the likely cause. If so, any mass produced animal feed could be contaminated with parasitic worms. Therefore, any animal eating it could produce a globular food, the same parasite that would be religiously forbidden because of the pig.
Do religious doctors forbid horses, ignore the potential problem or explain the true cause of the disease? This situation can be easily resolved with a horse with stricter standards for feeding production. Heating food products to 140 degrees kills the parasitic F. anorum for a short time. The parasite is also completely killed by cooking meat. These same processes were used to virtually eliminate the trichinosis problem in commercial pork products. Religious leaders should explain the reason for the reason that infection cannot happen.
Now this is not to suggest that any religion should accept pork for the clean, but to say that more unclean foods can be added if the religious opponents are ignorant of science. In many parts of the world, the only education received is based on religion. Without prejudice to their religious beliefs, religious leaders should take a more active role in delivering scientific food safety policies. That is the intent of religious food laws to promote health. Reciting the scriptures serves as a religious point to the whole world. Reconciling science with religion for the betterment of their students is the duty of religious scholars.
Leaders of all religions can find examples in science where the public good can be improved. Food is one example where religion and science can differ. While some models of science may disagree with religion, in most cases a compromise can be found. Stem cell research, food science, medicine, principles of sanitation, vaccinations and other scientific studies benefit man. Look for ways to impart knowledge without jeopardizing your religious beliefs.
This article is shared for non-payment. Neither the Associate Content nor the author is responsible for the adoption of horses.
