Do Christians follow any dietary Laws?

 

 

As for alcohol, well, as long as you can get kosher wine we know it was never forbidden for the Jews. It was very common place during the time of Jesus and Jesus warned about the abuses, but never said don't. The alcohol ban was a Muhammad thing although you'll find most pious Christians do not drink.

 

Hi Honeto,

I don't recall Jesus ever talking about dietary laws. That wasn't "the law" He was concerned with. He also cared less about the laws made by the scribes and pharisees which challenged Him in Matthew 15 about the disciples not washing before eating bread. They called it "tradition of the elders" Jesus called them on their wishy wash everything habits, then turned to the crowd and said Hear, and understand: Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man. In those days bread was used two ways. It was a staple food, and it was also used as a napkin that was thrown to the dogs.

 

It was Peter that came to Jesus and said, "can you explain that?" Jesus does in verses 15 thru 20.

Now I don't see anything in there about eating a pig, but in His explanation it would/could be understood as a possibility if the reasoning behind pork was a health issue.

 

I doubt Jesus ever ate pork just for the likely reason it was no doubt forbidden to sell in the Jewish markets. The same with the rest of the unclean list, and whatever offered to idols.

Gentiles from the surrounding areas never knew what the big deal was with pork and no history on it so why not eat it. Besides, the Jews got all the sheep.

My Uncle had a farm with an assortment of animals including pigs. They don't play in their poop. They roll in mud in the heat of the day, scratch it off later.

I have a meat plant inspector friend who can tell you lots more about how pork is the "right" meat. He also explained to me once how certain byproducts can become kosher, but that's getting away from the subject.

 

Another story Christians use.

Peter, the disciple who asked Jesus for expansion on the what defiles what story gets a vision from the heavens. A sheet descends full of all forms of common and unclean animals and creaping things, etc. starts in Acts 10:10.

He hears a voice say Peter, kill and eat. Peter says No way, I never eat the common nor unclean, the voice says,  What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common.

Anyway, Peters lesson was not about eating a pig, it was to prepare him for the calling of Cornelius. Jews weren't into Italians so Peter would have been reluctant if not for the vision.

 

As for Paul.

Pauls lists are scattered between letters. They are the basic, don't eat blood, strangled, offered to idols, etc. but this was for gentiles, which are not under any Jewish laws to start, so how do you tell them the food they grew up on, abundant in the field are to be left alone. Gentiles flooding the Jewish markets from now on? Not likely to work out well. He was making Christians out of them, not Jews.

  

Sorry, not sure if I answered your question.

 

 

The short answer would have to be yes.

 

I was brought up with pork being the other red meat. As a kid I prefered pork over beef any time. Over the years that has changed though and pork is not normally part of my diet. The only time I'd eat pork now is if it was offered by the host.

 

I wouldn't make a scene, insult the cook, nor go hungry.