The Biblical Case Against Pork

Q. Can you do a post about eating pork? Ethiopian Orthodox Christians avoid pork due to biblical texts, specifically passages in the Old Testament. Leviticus 11:7-8 and Deuteronomy 14:8. Muslims avoid pork because the Quran specifically forbids eating "flesh of swine". What are your thoughts?

Leviticus 11:7-8 And the swine, though he divide the hoof, and be clovenfooted, yet he cheweth not the cud; he is unclean to you. Of their flesh shall ye not eat, and their carcase shall ye not touch; they are unclean to you.

Deuteronomy 14:8 And the swine, because it divideth the hoof, yet cheweth not the cud, it is unclean unto you: ye shall not eat of their flesh, nor touch their dead carcase.

A. The avoidance of pork in some religious groups is rooted in the scriptural teachings you cited above. These texts specifically state that the consumption of pork is impure and unclean. It is to be avoided.  

In Islam, the avoidance of pork is explicitly spelled out in the Quran. There is scripture that clearly prohibits the consumption of pork by stating that one should not eat "the flesh of swine." This is part of a broader set of Islamic laws concerning cleanliness and purity. 

The most powerful event ties pork (pigs) to demonic possession.  It is referred to as the "Exorcism of the Gerasenes Demoniac."  Jesus excised a demon and case the spirit into a herd of pigs.  Text is citied in the following passage: 

Mark 5:1-13 "They went across the lake to the region of the Gerasenes. When Jesus got out of the boat, a man with an impure spirit came from the tombs to meet him. This man lived in the tombs, and no one could bind him anymore, not even with a chain. For he had often been chained hand and foot, but he tore the chains apart and broke the irons on his feet. No one was strong enough to subdue him. Night and day among the tombs and in the hills he would cry out and cut himself with stones.

When he saw Jesus from a distance, he ran and fell on his knees in front of him. He shouted at the top of his voice, 'What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? In God’s name don’t torture me!' For Jesus had said to him, 'Come out of this man, you impure spirit!'

Then Jesus asked him, 'What is your name?'

'My name is Legion,' he replied, 'for we are many.' And he begged Jesus again and again not to send them out of the area.

A large herd of pigs was feeding on the nearby hillside. The demons begged Jesus, 'Send us among the pigs; allow us to go into them.' He gave them permission, and the impure spirits came out and went into the pigs. The herd, about two thousand in number, rushed down the steep bank into the lake and were drowned."

Numerous scriptural warnings highlight the impurity of pigs.  These animals are known for their cloven hooves. Consider other creatures with hooves often depicted in religious contexts, like Satan himself, symbolizing evil. These warnings in scripture have led many to abstain from consuming pork, choosing to do so for both health and spiritual purity.

Much Love, 

Lynn 

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