# How come Christians eat pork ? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 13, 2008, 12:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-come-christians-eat-pork/477007 "2008-12-13T12:00:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Kobal2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kobal2/32/20_2.png) [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2008, 12:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-come-christians-eat-pork/477007/1 "2008-12-13T12:00:21Z")
Or rather, why do they not \*not \*eat pork (or meat+milk etc…) ? May seem like an odd question, but it just hit me. Unless I’m mistaken, the various dietary laws observed by Jews are laid down in the Old Testament. I recall my dear Grandma looked them up in…hmmm… Leviticus ? whenever a Jewish GF of mine came to eat with us, for fear of her cuisine being a social faux pas. And while I admit I haven’t read much of the Bible, I doubt Jesus ever said his disciples to forget the old laws, did he ? Yet both testaments are equally valid Words of God, unless the New one definitely contradicts the Old, in which case Testament 2.0 supercedes the unpatched version, correct ? So how come modern Christians don’t follow these rules, when did they stop, and why ? ---
**Author:** ![Westrogothia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/3ab097/32.png) [@Westrogothia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Westrogothia)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2008, 12:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-come-christians-eat-pork/477007/2 "2008-12-13T12:11:14Z")
WAG: because the first christian missionary to the germanic part of europe probably said “thou shalt not eat pig”. The next one didn’t. ---
**Author:** ![Lanzy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/74df32/32.png) [@Lanzy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lanzy)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2008, 12:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-come-christians-eat-pork/477007/3 "2008-12-13T12:17:27Z")
Christians have traditionally chosen which parts of the bible to follow. Not eating pork in the Southern USA just could be heresy. ---
**Author:** ![MissMossie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f6c823/32.png) [@MissMossie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MissMossie)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2008, 12:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-come-christians-eat-pork/477007/4 "2008-12-13T12:57:11Z")
WAG: I believe that the fact that many of the OT rules aren’t followed by most Christians\* is derived from the debate about baptizing Gentiles. There was a fair amount of confusing in the early Christian world when it came to Gentiles who were converting and whether they would need to first become Jewish (and be circumcised) or if they could just become Christian. Paul (or a writer whose letter is attributed to Paul) writes in his letters to Galatians: [QUOTE=Galatians 5:6] For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but faith working through love. [/QUOTE] I believe that this line of thought is used for interpreting other bits of the old laws, such as dietary restrictions. So, to answer your questions, Christians eat pork because grown men didn’t want to have their penises sliced at. \*Except for the fictional Flanders of Simpson’s fame, who kept kosher “just in case”. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2008, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-come-christians-eat-pork/477007/5 "2008-12-13T13:12:48Z")
This was a major issue in the early church. There were two camps: those who argued that the Mosaic laws continued to govern, in addition to the new revelation of Jesus and his teaching, and those who argued that Jesus’s teachings and resurrection had superceded the ritual aspects of the law. The issue was of considerable importance, because it was linked to another key issue: was Jesus’ revelation to be limited to Jews, or was it open to Jew and Gentile alike? This issue was first shown in the account of [Peter’s vision](http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=51&chapter=10&version=31): > [@](#): > > 9About noon the following day as they were on their journey and approaching the city, Peter went up on the roof to pray. 10He became hungry and wanted something to eat, and while the meal was being prepared, he fell into a trance. 11He saw heaven opened and something like a large sheet being let down to earth by its four corners. 12It contained all kinds of four-footed animals, as well as reptiles of the earth and birds of the air. 13Then a voice told him, “Get up, Peter. Kill and eat.” > 14"Surely not, Lord!" Peter replied. “I have never eaten anything impure or unclean.” > > 15The voice spoke to him a second time, “Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.” > > 16This happened three times, and immediately the sheet was taken back to heaven. Right after this, a messenger came and asked Peter to come to a Gentile named Cornelius, a centurion. Peter went, and the following occurred: > [@](#): > > 27Talking with him, Peter went inside and found a large gathering of people. 28He said to them: “You are well aware that it is against our law for a Jew to associate with a Gentile or visit him. But God has shown me that I should not call any man impure or unclean. 29So when I was sent for, I came without raising any objection. May I ask why you sent for me?” > … > 44While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message. 45The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles. 46For they heard them speaking in tongues\*\* and praising God. > > Then Peter said, 47"Can anyone keep these people from being baptized with water? They have received the Holy Spirit just as we have." 48So he ordered that they be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked Peter to stay with them for a few days. Note that as a centurion, Cornelius was a ranking officer of the the Roman army, which had occupied Israel and Judea. Peter was saying that even the hated Romans could become Christians. However, that apparently did not settle the issue. Paul in the [Letter to the Galatians](http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=55&chapter=2&version=31) records a further episode, also involving Peter: > [@](#): > > **Paul Opposes Peter** > > 11When Peter came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he was clearly in the wrong. 12Before certain men came from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles. But when they arrived, he began to draw back and separate himself from the Gentiles because he was afraid of those who belonged to the circumcision group. 13The other Jews joined him in his hypocrisy, so that by their hypocrisy even Barnabas was led astray. > 14When I saw that they were not acting in line with the truth of the gospel, I said to Peter in front of them all, "You are a Jew, yet you live like a Gentile and not like a Jew. How is it, then, that you force Gentiles to follow Jewish customs? > > 15"We who are Jews by birth and not ‘Gentile sinners’ 16 know that a man is not justified by observing the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by observing the law, because by observing the law no one will be justified. Based on there two passages, the early church concluded that they were no longer bound to obey the ritual aspects of the Mosaic law, even those believers who had been born Jewish. The new revelation was to all the world, Jew and gentile alike. ---
**Author:** ![D18](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c57346/32.png) [@D18](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D18)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2008, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-come-christians-eat-pork/477007/6 "2008-12-13T14:38:51Z")
FWIW my preacher told us in Sunday School this was the relevant passage from the NT - but with a bit of extrapolation from clean/unclean hands to pork, shellfish, and other goodies: Jesus called the crowd to him and said, “Listen and understand. What goes into a man’s mouth does not make him ‘unclean,’ but what comes out of his mouth, that is what makes him ‘unclean.’” Then the disciples came to him and asked, “Do you know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this?” He replied, “Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be pulled up by the roots. Leave them; they are blind guides. If a blind man leads a blind man, both will fall into a pit.” Peter said, “Explain the parable to us.” “Are you still so dull?” Jesus asked them. “Don’t you see that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and then out of the body? But the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and these make a man ‘unclean.’ For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander. These are what make a man ‘unclean’; but eating with unwashed hands does not make him ‘unclean.’” —Matthew 15:10-20, NIV D18 ---
**Author:** ![greatshakes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/58956e/32.png) [@greatshakes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/greatshakes)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2008, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-come-christians-eat-pork/477007/7 "2008-12-13T14:55:03Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > This was a major issue in the early church. There were two camps: those who argued that the Mosaic laws continued to govern, in addition to the new revelation of Jesus and his teaching, and those who argued that Jesus’s teachings and resurrection had superceded the ritual aspects of the law. The issue was of considerable importance, because it was linked to another key issue: was Jesus’ revelation to be limited to Jews, or was it open to Jew and Gentile alike? > > This issue was first shown in the account of [Peter’s vision](http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=51&chapter=10&version=31): > Right after this, a messenger came and asked Peter to come to a Gentile named Cornelius, a centurion. Peter went, and the following occurred: > Note that as a centurion, Cornelius was a ranking officer of the the Roman army, which had occupied Israel and Judea. Peter was saying that even the hated Romans could become Christians. > > However, that apparently did not settle the issue. Paul in the [Letter to the Galatians](http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=55&chapter=2&version=31) records a further episode, also involving Peter: > > Based on there two passages, the early church concluded that they were no longer bound to obey the ritual aspects of the Mosaic law, even those believers who had been born Jewish. The new revelation was to all the world, Jew and gentile alike. Also, in re: the Law, ch 15? of Acts says that the only real ‘legal’ aspects to be followed were 1. abstain from sex sin 2. abstain from meat offered to idols, 2 other things that I can’t remember. ---
**Author:** ![FriarTed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/friarted/32/1052_2.png) [@FriarTed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FriarTed)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2008, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-come-christians-eat-pork/477007/8 "2008-12-13T15:06:58Z")
> [@greatshakes](#): > > Also, in re: the Law, ch 15? of Acts says that the only real ‘legal’ aspects to be followed were 1. abstain from sex sin 2. abstain from meat offered to idols, 2 other things that I can’t remember. Blood and meat from strangled animals. There is some thought that this was a application of the “Noachic Law”, which Jewish thought regards as binding on all humanity- against idolatry, blasphemy, murder, adultery, theft, for establishing courts of justice, and against eating the living flesh of an animal (by extension, against eating blood and cruel prolonged methods of getting meat, rather than a quick clean kill.) ---
**Author:** ![Kobal2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kobal2/32/20_2.png) [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2008, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-come-christians-eat-pork/477007/9 "2008-12-13T18:28:03Z")
So in essence, it was a “PR” decision, supported by extrapolations/interpretations of the New Testament ? Good enough for me, although I’m kicking myself for not figuring out the marketing angle by myself. Can you actually get \*less \*cynical overtime ? Anyway, thanks everyone for the taking the time to answer this impertinent lout. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2008, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-come-christians-eat-pork/477007/10 "2008-12-13T18:51:01Z")
Sausage tastes gooood. Bacon tastes goooood. Um, I mean, and all that stuff Jesus said, too. ---
**Author:** ![DaveRaver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/daveraver/32/1078_2.png) [@DaveRaver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DaveRaver)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2008, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-come-christians-eat-pork/477007/11 "2008-12-13T18:53:00Z")
The early Christians did what they could to make conversion easier, thus eliminating the Kosher laws, circumcision, and most of the other 613 laws of the Jewish religion. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2008, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-come-christians-eat-pork/477007/12 "2008-12-13T18:57:23Z")
> [@Kobal2](#): > > So in essence, it was a “PR” decision, supported by extrapolations/interpretations of the New Testament ? > > Good enough for me, although I’m kicking myself for not figuring out the marketing angle by myself. Can you actually get \*less \*cynical overtime ? > > Anyway, thanks everyone for the taking the time to answer this impertinent lout. If you want the\* religous \*answer, it’s because Jesus Christ became the New Covenant when He died for our sins. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2008, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-come-christians-eat-pork/477007/13 "2008-12-13T20:00:07Z")
> [@DaveRaver](#): > > The early Christians did what they could to make conversion easier, thus eliminating the Kosher laws, circumcision, and most of the other 613 laws of the Jewish religion. In a sense, they decided that a person didn’t have to convert to Judaism in order to convert to Christianity. ---
**Author:** ![Vox\_Imperatoris](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Vox\_Imperatoris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Vox_Imperatoris)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2008, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-come-christians-eat-pork/477007/14 "2008-12-13T20:22:18Z")
Yeah, this stuff was not made up after the fact. It is right in the New Testament (not that that necessarily means anything special, but YMMV). Valete, Vox Imperatoris ---
**Author:** ![Kobal2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kobal2/32/20_2.png) [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2008, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-come-christians-eat-pork/477007/15 "2008-12-13T21:16:06Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > If you want the\* religous \*answer, it’s because Jesus Christ became the New Covenant when He died for our sins. No, I was really asking for the historical answer. I didn’t understand the religion when I did believe in it, I sure won’t now that I don’t anymore, I’m afraid. ---
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2008, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-come-christians-eat-pork/477007/16 "2008-12-13T21:26:28Z")
Peter, in Acts, had a dream where God asked him, “why would I make animals for you that were unclean?” He woke up and decided Christians could therefore eat anything: [Acts 10 NIV - Cornelius Calls for Peter - At Caesarea - Bible Gateway](http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=51&chapter=10&version=31&context=chapter) ---
**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2008, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-come-christians-eat-pork/477007/17 "2008-12-14T02:10:23Z")
I’m not sure if it is in the book of Mark, Luke or Emril, but I believe it says “Pork fat doth rule. BAMN!” ---
**Author:** ![Beware\_of\_Doug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2008, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-come-christians-eat-pork/477007/18 "2008-12-14T02:40:42Z")
David Feldman, in _Imponderables_, claims that: > [@](#): > > what started as Christian liberality in diet turned into some deliberate Jew-baiting. In particular, the English took to eating bacon at Easter in order to enrage Jews and repudiate everything Jewish. In the eleventh century, William (the Conqueror) I, who preferred ham to bacon, encouraged his subjects to make the switch. Thus, pork, and particularly ham, has been the popular Easter meal in Western Europe ever since. Anything to this? ---
**Author:** ![mamboman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecb155/32.png) [@mamboman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mamboman)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2008, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-come-christians-eat-pork/477007/19 "2008-12-14T02:59:47Z")
> [@D18](#): > > "But the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and these make a man ‘unclean.’ For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander. These are what make a man ‘unclean’; but eating with unwashed hands does not make him ‘unclean.’” > > —Matthew 15:10-20, NIV > > D18 Given that, do you think Jesus would have eaten pork himself? ---
**Author:** ![Kobal2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kobal2/32/20_2.png) [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2008, 5:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-come-christians-eat-pork/477007/20 "2008-12-14T05:02:05Z")
> [@bup](#): > > Peter, in Acts, had a dream where God asked him, “why would I make animals for you that were unclean?” He woke up and decided Christians could therefore eat anything: [Acts 10 NIV - Cornelius Calls for Peter - At Caesarea - Bible Gateway](http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=51&chapter=10&version=31&context=chapter) I find that excerpt amusing (it was quoted earlier). It’s like God is going : - “Why wouldn’t you eat pork, you idiot ? :dubious:” - “Errr, you told us not to, see ?” - “Uh? Lemme see that… DUDE ! I was totally fucking with Moses that day ! Why would I make up some random rule like that ?! Get your pork on, man.” 😃 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-come-christians-eat-pork/477007.md?page=2)