do jehovah witnesses eat pork

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Do Jehovah’s Witnesses Eat Pork?

Jehovah’s Witnesses are a Christian denomination known for their door-to-door preaching and refusal of blood transfusions. But when it comes to food, many people wonder – do Jehovah’s Witnesses eat pork?

The short answer is yes, Jehovah’s Witnesses are allowed to eat pork. This may come as a surprise, since pork consumption is prohibited in the Old Testament. However, Jehovah’s Witnesses believe that biblical command was annulled when Jesus established the new covenant.

History of the Pork Prohibition

In the Old Testament, God explicitly forbade the ancient Israelites from consuming pork. Verses like Leviticus 11:7-8 and Deuteronomy 14:8 clearly state that pigs are unclean and must not be eaten. This pork prohibition was an important part of the Mosaic Law that set the Israelites apart from other cultures at the time.

For centuries, avoiding pork was seen as a defining characteristic of God’s chosen people. But that all changed when Jesus came and fulfilled the old Mosaic Law. According to Jehovah’s Witness teachings, Christians are no longer required to follow those extensive regulations on food, including the ban on pork.

Basis for Eating Pork

Jehovah’s Witnesses point to Acts 10 in the New Testament to justify eating pork and other foods previously considered unclean. Here, the apostle Peter has a vision where God declares all meat to be clean and acceptable to eat. Peter initially argues against this, saying “I have never eaten anything impure or unclean.” But God responds, “Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.” (Acts 10:14-15)

Jehovah’s Witnesses take this to mean that the old pork prohibition no longer applies. As long as pigs are properly slaughtered and the blood is drained from their meat, Witnesses believe pork can be enjoyed today without sin. They do not feel bound to restrictions found only in the obsolete Mosaic Law.

Other Food Restrictions

While pork is allowed, Jehovah’s Witnesses still avoid certain other foods for religious reasons. In particular, they refrain from consuming any blood. Based on commands in Genesis, Leviticus, and Acts, Witnesses believe blood should not be eaten but poured out on the ground.

Therefore, they do not eat whole blood or foods like blood sausage that contain blood. Witnesses also avoid meat that has not been thoroughly bled, as the blood remaining would render it unacceptable for consumption.

Beyond blood, Jehovah’s Witnesses generally avoid overindulgence and drunkenness when it comes to alcohol. Illegal drugs like cocaine and heroin are forbidden. But when it comes to pork, Jehovah’s Witnesses can enjoy ham, bacon, and pork chops as freely as any Christian denomination today. The pig’s once unclean status has been made clean in the new covenant of grace.

do jehovah witnesses eat pork

Can Jehovah’s Witness eat pork?

FAQ

What foods do Jehovah Witnesses not eat?

Diet. Jehovah’s Witnesses reject foods containing blood but have no other special dietary requirements. Some Jehovah’s Witnesses may be vegetarian and others may abstain from alcohol, but this is a personal choice. Jehovah’s Witnesses do not smoke or use other tobacco products.

What religions do not eat pork?

Both Judaism and Islam have prohibited eating pork and its products for thousands of years. Scholars have proposed several reasons for the ban to which both religions almost totally adhere. Pork, and the refusal to eat it, possesses powerful cultural baggage for Jews.

What is forbidden in Jehovah’s Witnesses?

It is a millennialist religion, with followers believing that we are living in the last days and that Armageddon is approaching fast. Jehovah’s Witnesses are also known for their refusal of blood transfusions; for not participating in politics or bearing arms; and for not celebrating Christmas, Easter or birthdays.

Does God say not to eat pork?

It is only in Leviticus 11:7 that eating pork is forbidden to God’s people for the very first time—“… and the swine, though it divides the hoof, having cloven hooves, yet does not chew the cud, is unclean to you.” This is where and when pork in all its forms (including ham, bacon, sausage, etc.)

Does Jehovah’s Witness eat pork?

Jehovah’s Witnesses do eat pork. They do not follow the Old Testament, which prohibits consuming pig’s flesh. Instead, they believe that God declared pigs and other animals clean to eat, as stated in Acts 10:15.

Do Jehovah’s Witnesses eat pork?

Some Jehovah’s Witness members avoid eating pork for religious and personal reasons. According to a Watchtower Society article, pigs’ eating habits are a concern for many since they are known to feed on fodder that may be parasite and virus-ridden.

Do Jehovah’s Witnesses eat blood?

Jehovah’s Witnesses typically refrain from eating meat from animals whose blood has not been properly drained, including blood sausage (black pudding) and blood soup. All forms of blood in food, whether whole, processed, human, or animal, are not consumed by Jehovah’s Witnesses. The reasoning behind these aversions stems from Mosaic Law.

Why did Jehovah ban pigs?

According to the Mosaic Law, pigs were forbidden for food or sacrifice because they do not chew their cud (Le 11:7, De 14:8). While Jehovah’s ban on eating pork was not necessarily based on health considerations, there are hazards connected with its use for food.

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