Should Christians eat Halal food?

[Exegete12]

You know sometimes I eat kebabs and on the packaging it says it is halal.

Then I thought about what the Apostle Paul said about not eating food dedicated to idols. And I thought that could apply to halal food.

However, I always say my grace over my food, so I eat it with a clear conscience, but does anyone else (I mean Christian) have any reservations about this?

In the country I live in, the farmers wanted access to Muslim countries for exporting of their meat, so they started to slaughter the animals the Islamic way. But after that those areas of the country became barren, now those areas are very dry and have little water. Was this God's judgement?

 

[Futuwwa]

Did not Jesus declare all food as permissible for you?

 

[BruceDLimber]

AlHannah, you might try asking your question in English--or at least providing translations for foreign words--so that the rest of us know what you're asking!

I--for one--have never heard of "halal" and have absolutely NO IDEA what you're taling about.

Peace,

Bruce

 

[Futuwwa]

"Halal" is Arabic, meaning permissible. It's the class of deeds that are permissible to do, and with a neutral piety value. It is neither a virtue nor a vice to do what is halal.

When talking about meat, halal meat is, well, permissible meat. That is, meat from permissible animals, slaughtered in the proper way.

 

[Lotuspetal_uk]

You know sometimes I eat kebabs and on the packaging it says it is halal.

Then I thought about what the Apostle Paul said about not eating food dedicated to idols. And I thought that could apply to halal food.

However, I always say my grace over my food, so I eat it with a clear conscience, but does anyone else (I mean Christian) have any reservations about this?

In the country I live in, the farmers wanted access to Muslim countries for exporting of their meat, so they started to slaughter the animals the Islamic way. But after that those areas of the country became barren, now those areas are very dry and have little water. Was this God's judgement?

I pondered over this a few years back and the following came out for me:

1) it depends on how one considers Islam. Originally I puzzled over the prayer said over the animal before its throat is slit. But then on the other hand it is ok for Muslims to eat Kosher meat due to the way that the animal is slaughtered. I mainly considered the fact that the person slaughtering the animal is fully convinced in his mind that they are praying to the same G-d of Abraham, Issac and Jacob, (unlike those who pray to a multitude of idols or objects), they believe that they are praying to one G-d. This and also in light of Romans 14:6 and verse 8, meant that I was comfortable with eating Halal meat.

2) by saying Grace before eating you are giving thanks for what food you have received.

Ultimately now for me, I have no problem with eating Halal meat (Kebab meat and chips are absolutely yummy!!) but that is just my personal choice.

PS

Not sure how to comment about what happened to the farmers in your country but would like to hear/read more about it

 

[Snowbunny]

i think if you are saying grace before you eat you are rededicating it to the Lord...

i dont think its that big an issue ... unless you are specifically buying food because it is halil or whatever... because if you are doing that then you are placing your faith outside Christianity...

 

[Mrs.Sidhe]

I can't see a problem with it. I tend to buy kosher food, mainly because I believe it is better quality and it tastes better, but that is my humble opinion. I think I saw a web site for halal food before and have been interested in buying some items.

 

[Job_s_First_Son]

Hannah. To what idol is halal food dedicated?

Learned a couple of things in this thread:

1. Meaning of Halal (there's a bunch of street vendors here in NYC)
2. That Paul may have put a food restriction (good catch Jan).

Thanks.

 

[Snowbunny]

I can't see a problem with it. I tend to buy kosher food, mainly because I believe it is better quality and it tastes better, but that is my humble opinion. I think I saw a web site for halal food before and have been interested in buying some items.

lol me 2!!

 

[ChavaK]

I can't see a problem with it. I tend to buy kosher food, mainly because I believe it is better quality and it tastes better, but that is my humble opinion. .

I have read other comments such as this...a large part of the kosher market is bought by non-Jews. Either
muslims, or people who think it is of better quality.
I don't see it as such...it is just rabbinicaly supervised
to make sure it does not contain treif (non-kosher)
ingredients, doesn't mix meat/milk, plus follows
others rabbinic laws.. to me the quality and taste
is the same
Is halal basicaly the Muslim version of Jewish schechting
(ritual slaughtering of permissible animals)? And does it
concern only meat, and no other food items?

 

[mnbvcxz87]

No because it's evil

 

[Colder]

Did not Jesus declare all food as permissible for you?

I don't think so.People like believing it sadly.

You know sometimes I eat kebabs and on the packaging it says it is halal.

Then I thought about what the Apostle Paul said about not eating food dedicated to idols. And I thought that could apply to halal food.

However, I always say my grace over my food, so I eat it with a clear conscience, but does anyone else (I mean Christian) have any reservations about this?

In the country I live in, the farmers wanted access to Muslim countries for exporting of their meat, so they started to slaughter the animals the Islamic way. But after that those areas of the country became barren, now those areas are very dry and have little water. Was this God's judgement?

I am certain your farmers were not punished,it is more likely human greed,arrogance and ignorance caused just another environmental disaster,possibly there is a natural cause,but I am certain God does not harm Earth in any way.

You can easily awoid any confusion by becoming vegetarian,you will help your health,
envirnonmet,and will not have to worry about stuff like this.

i think if you are saying grace before you eat you are rededicating it to the Lord...

i dont think its that big an issue ... unless you are specifically buying food because it is halil or whatever... because if you are doing that then you are placing your faith outside Christianity...

That is just ridiculous,eating halal food on purpose does not mean one is placing their faith outside Christianity!

Faith is meant to be placed in God anyway,rather than Christianity,or food.

No because it's evil

Hmm,strong wording,but I agree eating meat is wrong.

 

[mnbvcxz87]

Hmm,strong wording,but I agree eating meat is wrong.

Strong wording but the more I think about it the worse it is. Cows are beautiful innocent creatures. Why is it that only dogs and domestic cats are seen to enjoy affection and the right to life, but huge gentle creatures, cattle, can be ravaged. I can't think about anything but this because its tens of billions every year...what else is worth thinking about

 

[Colder]

[/COLOR][/FONT]

Strong wording but the more I think about it the worse it is. Cows are beautiful innocent creatures. Why is it that only dogs and domestic cats are seen to enjoy affection and the right to life, but huge gentle creatures, cattle, can be ravaged. I can't think about anything but this because its tens of billions every year...what else is worth thinking about

It will take a while to educate people to behave better to each other,Earth and animals.
It is always good to do our personal best.
I personaly support organic style farming,and lifestock keeping,because it at least gives animal good life.

 

[Mrs.Sidhe]

No because it's evil

And you honestly wonder why no one listens to your arguments/convictions/"moral code"???

Sheesh....

How exactly is it evil? Is kosher food evil? What about kosher juice or latkes? Its simiply food supervised under a different authority. Its rather inanimate, it can't be evil.

 

[Mrs.Sidhe]

I have read other comments such as this...a large part of the kosher market is bought by non-Jews. Either
muslims, or people who think it is of better quality.
I don't see it as such...it is just rabbinicaly supervised
to make sure it does not contain treif (non-kosher)
ingredients, doesn't mix meat/milk, plus follows
others rabbinic laws.. to me the quality and taste
is the same
Is halal basicaly the Muslim version of Jewish schechting
(ritual slaughtering of permissible animals)? And does it
concern only meat, and no other food items?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_Dhabiĥa_Halal_and_Kashrut

I hope this helps..its rather interesting.

 

[Futuwwa]

I have read other comments such as this...a large part of the kosher market is bought by non-Jews. Either
muslims, or people who think it is of better quality.
I don't see it as such...it is just rabbinicaly supervised
to make sure it does not contain treif (non-kosher)
ingredients, doesn't mix meat/milk, plus follows
others rabbinic laws.. to me the quality and taste
is the same
Is halal basicaly the Muslim version of Jewish schechting
(ritual slaughtering of permissible animals)? And does it
concern only meat, and no other food items?

Yes, the ritual is practically identical. To us, halal and kosher meat can be considered equivalent for all purposes. However, we don't have all of the other food restrictions you have, such as the ban on combining dairy stuff and meat.

I've never seen any Islamic scholar who would not consider kosher meat to be halal, but how about the other way around? Would halal meat be permissible to you?

 

[mnbvcxz87]

Mrs Sidhe kosher in terms of animals slaughtered under kashrut laws which is designed to drain the animal of it's blood (which is the jewish law). It's slitting the animal's throat with a knife, which is evil. You wouldn't want your throat slit, if cow's could talk...but they can't. Humans have to talk for them, I assume on their behalf that they don't want their throats slit.

 

[Futuwwa]

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Strong wording but the more I think about it the worse it is. Cows are beautiful innocent creatures. Why is it that only dogs and domestic cats are seen to enjoy affection and the right to life, but huge gentle creatures, cattle, can be ravaged. I can't think about anything but this because its tens of billions every year...what else is worth thinking about

Well, I won't make that inconsistency. I wouldn't have any problems eating animals of the species that are usually kept as pets.

 

[mnbvcxz87]

It will take a while to educate people to behave better to each other,Earth and animals.
It is always good to do our personal best.
I personaly support organic style farming,and lifestock keeping,because it at least gives animal good life.

Many are aware of what goes on but put themselves first. 10 billion doesn't even mean anything it's so ingrained in society it's not even considered an evil. How pathetic is that? We've used our position as the dominant species on earth to prove to god, ourselves or whatever else that humans as a species are complete crap, we've treated the oanimals so badly that we don't deserve life and we don't deserve anything. People I know hate to be reminded of what it means that they buy mince meat, it's such a boring subject. On this message board the excuses are just pathetic. Its just sick all of it.

What does 40 or 50 billion mean can anyone even imagine those numbers? Slaughtering animals in gods name, sacrifice?

Is that how pathetic and rubbish our species is that we would deduce that a god would require us to kill to appease it? Haven't we got brains, dont we call ourselves intelligent? As a species we are scum and the excuses aren't even worth people coming out with anymore, I rather they keep that nonsense in their heads rather than dare to even think that it would be worthy of rationalizing what happens to animals on a scale that we can't even comprehend.

If anyone wants to know why a 'higher power' watches over and doesn't intervene on earth, with the system of violence, disease, disaster, birth and death, just look at animal farming, cold hearted systematic worldwide animal death, overlooked by the monster called 'human'.