I was raised a Christian by my parents, grew into and through the teachings of Rastafari in my teens, and have browsed through various scriptures of other faiths in my time, and in them...the eating of pork is always an abomination.
That's a strong word, but our scriptures do tend to love a strong word or two.
Still.. ever since, the eating of pork has always struck me as odd, surely if you're conscious you wouldn't eat pork right?.. well I've since met people who appear fairly conscious but still eat pork. I struggle to marry the two.
I know many cultures eat pork, for example many Chinese dishes incorporate pork, and in black African and Caribbean cultures pigs feet and god knows what else is considered a delicacy.. and in European culture bacon and eggs is considered a staple.
Food of slaves - pork was especially common.
'Chitlins' - pig intestines was used to maximise profits, despite the fact that pork harbours diseases, and most know that a pig is the dustbin of the farmyard and will eat anything.
Pork was real slave food.
What slaves ate
I know it's not the only thing they ate - but it lingered in a way long after slavery that I don't quite get. (perhaps like saltfish)
Argument against
I wish I could present a stronger argument as to why I think pork blocks your spiritual channels but at present I can't. Yet why did the early sages recommend avoidance?... perhaps it does something?...
Don't get me wrong.. I eat alot of 'crap'.. from time to time, and could be much healthier than I currently am , but.. pork?..
The day I eat that is the day you know 'chattle slavery' has returned... my life depended on it..and pigs can fly.
Let's hope neither of those occur.
Anytime I ask my mum or sister why they eat it they say.. it tastes nice.. hmmm juicy.. yeah well.. so's my right leg I suspect.. would you gnaw on that?
Raised my eye brow on the first link, Muslim influence huh? didn't think it was that pervasive a religion as to limit consumption of pork in Africa. They reaching
ReplyDeleteI've never felt pork and wouldn't go near pork chops or any sauce/stew cooked with pork. Can't say its religious, just see them for dirty fuckers they are. Them and human beings. I do eat deep fried bacon and maybe the odd ham slice. Seen, Your right leg huh .. I'm so gonna gnaw on that
Although I was born in Southern California, both sides of my family are actually from the American south. Here in the south, my relatives eat every bit of the pig but the oink.
ReplyDeleteAs a rule, I don't eat anything's organs, just doesn't sound appetitzing to me.
My wife doesn't like the taste of pork, so by relation I don't eat very much of it.
I remember talking to a Muslim gentleman that I used to work with once and he said something to me 20 years ago that I still remember. What he said was this......there is nothing really wrong with eating pork.......now. Even though he was a devout Muslim and didn't eat it, I guess he was just trying to break some knowledge off on my young ass. He figured since people in the Middle East died from eating pork that went bad so quickly, that not eating pork was written into their religion. Since there weren't refrigerators or smokehouses to keep the meat good.....you just weren't supposed to eat it. Whether that's true or not.....it does seem to make a lot of sense.