Many people seem to keep pigs-mostly pot-bellies-as pets. I was wondering if Jews or Muslims could keep them as pets. Or is that prohibited too?
I can’t speak for Muslims, but there’s no prohibition on pet pigs for Jews. Only eating them is forbidden. Keeping a pig for non-consumption purposes is no different than having a dog or a horse.
Muslims generally don’t have dogs as house pets but the can have them as working animals so a guard dog would be ok. Pet pigs probably wouldn’t fly.
My understanding (I don’t currently have any close Muslim friends) is that the pig is seen as an unclean animal in many ways, not merelt from a “bad to eat” point of view. I seem to recall that some Muslims 9and Jews?) do not even want to “touch” the shadow of a pig. Certainly some of the literature explaining the avoidance of pig that I’ve read exudes a sense of loathing of the animal. Id that is the mindset, it’s difficult to imagine such a person even considering the possibility of a pig as a pet.
Pigs. Fly. Good 'un.
Very limited exposure so this is anecdotal as all hell, but a Druze of my acquaintance brings a change of clothes when he visits someone with a dog (not because of the hair, but because they’re unclean) even though the dogs are locked out when we know he’s coming.
So from this I deduce that pet pigs are right out.
(That was unworthy of GQ, but it’s all I got)
I’m going to repeat the point stated earlier - Jews can’t eat pigs, but they are allowed to keep them as pets. There is no problem (so far as I know) using pig parts in medicine. Pig-derived insulin used to keep Jewish diabetics alive is A-OK. No problem with pig shadows, associating with pig farmers, etc.
My understanding of Muslim beliefs is that the pig is unclean in all ways and not just for eating. Therefore no touching pigs, touching pig shadows, buying pigs, selling pigs, keeping pet pigs, etc.
A muslim girl in Indonesia (where they are much more relaxed on the halal/haram thing than middle-easterners, to the point where they eat shellfish and reptiles) told me that after petting or even brushing up against a dog they have to shower before going to the mosque. From the conversations we have had I think that pigs are considered even dirtier than dogs.
There’s no problem using pig parts in medicine if the medicine is used to treat a life-threatening condition. In fact, Jewish law says that, if you have a life-threatening condition and the most effective treatment for it uses pig parts, you are not only allowed to use that treatment, you are required to do so. I think it’s a bit more controversial if a medicine made from pig parts is used to treat a non-life-threatening condition.
I’m not sure the Muslim dietary laws forbid shellfish. Wikipedia says there’s disagreement among Muslims on whether shellfish are halal or not.
Would that include eating pork if one is starving to death, and nothing else is available?
(Thanks-I read an article about Hayden Christensen the other day, and it mentioned his two pot-bellies, and it got me to thinking. FWIW, I happen to think pigs are adorable)
Yes. If one is starving to death, he can eat whatever is necessary in order to stay alive.
Yes, there is some disparity on the issue. It appears to be as much a cultural issue as strictly religious.
[anecdote]
I used to work with several Shia moslems from Iraq who wouldn’t eat any sort of shellfish because they lack fins and scales. They also wouldn’t eat camel; although camels chew their cud, they don’t have a cloven hoof. In some parts of Africa moslems eat camels and in Southeast Asia the moslems will eat shellfish, but not crabs which live both on the land and in the ocean.[/anecdote]
But having a pet pig is right out, and dogs have to live outdoors.
Just don’t call them Muhammed, or the representatives of the Religion of Peace will murder you.
In Jewish law, there are only three things you are not allowed to do to save a life: commit murder, commit adultery or incest, or worship idols. All other rules go by the wayside in that situation.
Moderator Caution
Ludovic. I’m not sure why you needed to add this bit of wiseassery in General Questions. Don’t do it again.
samclem General Questions Moderator
Well, in the Veterinary school I am attending, there are at least 3 muslim girls and they have no problem dealing with pigs or dogs. So Isuppose some muslim sects have no problem with handling them. they just don’t eat them.
Murder-I’m assuming that doesn’t include self-defense?
(Oh, and check out the ad at the bottom of the thread-how the hell did THAT pop up?)
Sort of a hijack:
Why to some Orthodox Rabbis object to children having pets that are not Kosher?
Guinastasia:
Correct. If someone is trying to kill you you are absolutely allowed to kill them first. But if someone says, “Kill X or I’ll kill you” you’re not allowed to commit that murder in order to save your own life.
carnivorousplant:
When did this happen? I can’t think of any common pet, except maybe a goldfish, that would be kosher.
Who? I’ve never heard such a thing.