“And the pig, though it has a split hoof completely divided, does not chew the cud; it is unclean for you.” Leviticus 11:7
From the Ten Commandments, we go through the set up of the tabernacle and the sacrificial laws, then the very next laws we see are concerning food and cleanliness -Leviticus 11-15 +17.
From the previous posting, we know that God has reasons for all He he commands. Based on that then, why should we stay clean? Because it’s healthy for us. Uncleanliness is actually a good way to spawn diseases.
What about not eating the pig? The same is true.
The Bible tells us that the pig is unclean for us. Is it?
Well, ask yourself.. what is the pig? Along with all the fancy scientific names, we learn that the pig is an omnivore. This means that they eat anything, plant or animal, dead or decaying. This also includes urine, excrement, dirt, decaying animal flesh, maggots, or decaying vegetables. They will even eat the cancerous growths off other pigs or animals! And that’s just what they eat!
Something else to learn about pigs is that they carry parasites and diseases. A parasite known as Trichinella Spiralis, most commonly found in rats and pigs, is the cause of Trichinosis. If ingested, it can lead to serious issues and even death. And this is only one parasite! Pigs carry over a dozen parasites, and we haven’t even touched on the diseases -30 of which can be easily passed to humans.
“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life and have it to the full.” John 10:10. The pig is nothing even close to life.
Check out this site for more pig facts and details on things mentioned here and prepare to cringe (http://www.ensignmessage.com/archives/porkfacts.html).
So, can we say “unclean” is accurate then? You better believe it! You might as well eat your fill from a garbage can. That’s basically what you’re doing when you consume pork.
Now, there is an argument that comes hand in hand with this topic -refrigeration and cooking methods as means of killing the parasites in the meat.
Issue one with this is rather small and quite possibly might be insignificant to some. It’s the fact that man made those methods, and that man is fallible. Point is, you still take a chance when you eat pork even if it has been cooked and properly frozen.
Issue two has to do with toxicity. The site linked above says several things about toxicity and the pig. Here are a few:
-The meat and fat of a pig absorbs toxins like a sponge. Their meat can be 30 times more toxic than beef or venison.
-When eating beef or venison, it takes 8 to 9 hours to digest the meat so what little toxins are in the meat are slowly put into our system and can be filtered by the liver. But when pork is eaten, it takes only 4 hours to digest the meat. We thus get a much higher level of toxins within a shorter time.
-Pigs and swine are so poisonous that you can hardly kill them with strychnine or other poisons.
-The pig is so poisonous and filthy, that nature had to prepare him a sewer line or canal running down each leg with an outlet in the bottom of the foot. Out of this hole oozes pus and filth his body cannot pass into its system fast enough. Some of this pus gets into the meat of the pig.
Toxicity is not something you can get rid of by merely freezing the meat or cooking it to death. Toxic is what the pig is. It’s their physical make up. And it’s toxicity that our bodies still can’t handle like the pig can -making them the worlds most efficient garbage cans.
So, based on these facts alone, why would anyone want to put it within ten centimeters of their mouth?
Please.. I beg you. Do not ignore the truth about the pig. I pray with everything that is in me that next time you have the choice to eat it, you will decide not to take the risk. Your life is too precious to risk it. God knows this as well. That’s why He gave these rules to the Israelites to keep them from harm.
He wants to do the same for you. Please, let Him!
~L. Pierce
There are certainly far more animals than just the pig that the Bible says to stay away from. Choose one and research it and see if you can find out why God would command such a thing.
Next Posting--- Eating and the Bible: A Closer Look
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Rights, Wrongs, and Reasons
When it comes to right and wrong, God is very clear about the separation and distinction of both. His laws are full of do’s and dont’s. But, they’re laws. Is there a reason that we should obey them, or was God just playing, well, God?
First, I think it would be best to take a quick look and remind ourselves who God is and how he feels about us.
~Genesis 1:31. It wasn’t until after God made man that He saw everything as “very good.” We are the apple of His eye.
~Genesis 3:21; Genesis 4:15. Even after Adam and Eve had sinned, God still took care of them. He did the same to Cain after he killed Abel. That takes a lot of love and compassion. Not many of us would have done the same in His shoes.
~Exodus. Can’t forget about Moses and his mission to help God free His people. Theme? God takes care of his own.
~Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Probably the greatest example of God’s love was through His Son, Jesus. Even after all of the Old Testament, God’s love had never wavered. Let’s be honest, there was a lot of horrible stuff that happened in the Old Testament. All stuff that WE did. But, even so, we were still at the center of His attention and concern every time.
This is just a brief peek at all we can find to answer these questions. Based on this, can anyone deny the fact that God loves us and wants to take care of us? When you love someone so much, to take care and protect them comes like second nature. Think of a mother and her children.
So then, if He wishes to take care of us, it would make sense then that these rules would be for a reason. Right? Let’s take a look...
The Ten Commandments were the first laws God set in place.
Some might think that they are just the standard for being a good person and that there isn’t really anything more to them than that, but what if there is?
What happens when you kill someone? Eye for an eye. The punishment is death. But, God wants us to live, so He put the law in place to keep the Israelites and everyone from death.
What happens when you dishonor your father and mother? To do so, there are many ways. All of which are blatant, sinful acts on your part. And ALL of which have consequences.
What happens when you steal? You suffer the punishment of a thief.
What happens when you lie? Lies have a way of building and building then blowing up in your face in awful ways. They effect you and everyone around you and are a good way to ruin your life.
What happens when you commit adultery? You might not think it effects anyone but yourself, but it does. It puts your whole family in jeopardy. When you do so, there is a great chance you could lose it all and with it, your very life.
All of these are not just stupid to do for logical reasons mentioned, but they tell us of the heart of a person as well. If you can do these things without an ounce of guilt, the Bible says there is wickedness in you. Wickedness leads to death because God is good and cannot stand evil.
Psalms 5:4, “For you are not a God who takes pleasure in evil; with you the wicked cannot dwell.”
But, God wants us to live. Even more so, He wants us to live with Him since sin separates us from God just as it did in the Garden of Eden. That is why He gives us rules. That is why parents give their children rules.
So, can we then say that God has reasons in saying and commanding all He does? You better believe it.
Even with something like resting on the Sabbath day there is a reason... Don’t know about anyone else, but after a long work week, I CAN'T WAIT to rest on the seventh day. Plus, it’s good for us. It helps de-stress us and prepare us for the week ahead. It’s been scientifically proven that too much stress is not healthy for our bodies.
There are reasons for everything! God is not one to throw laws at us like we are His pawns and He can do and say whatever He wants in order to make us do what He wants for His own pleasure. No! He is not Satan. He is not like some of the human kings or rulers of the past either. Far from it! To say so would go against all the Bible says about Him.
Psalms 36:5-7, “Your love, O Lord, reaches to the heavens, your faithfulness to the skies. Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains, your justice like the great deep. O Lord, you preserve both man and beast. How priceless is your unfailing love! Both high and low among men find refuge in the shadow of your wings.”
What it comes down to then is whether or not the Bible is true, and more specifically, whether or not it tells us of who God truly is. Also, if we can so easily change one thing in the Bible, who’s to say we can’t change everything else? With the Bible, it’s all or nothing, and to change one thing you will always have to change another and another until there is nothing left to change anymore.
Who would agree with me that God’s Word is perfect as is?
To you fellow followers of Christ, saved by His Grace, can you deny God’s goodness and love in your life? If I’m right, the answer is no, with and without the Bible. Then let’s not deny His desire to protect us and preserve our lives by whatever means necessary.
Oh, and to answer the question... Yes, the Bible is very much true! To say otherwise, you’d have to ignore all the evidence in favor of it as well as the God it speaks of. But, that is another topic for another time. :)
~L. Pierce
Key points--
1) The Bible says that God loves us and wants to take care of us and keep us safe from harm and death. Laws are one way he tries to do so.
2) God always has a reason behind telling us to do or not to do something.
3) If we change one thing in God’s Word, we must change all of it.
4) God’s Word is true. History, science, as well as others all agree.
Next Posting--- Pigalicious
First, I think it would be best to take a quick look and remind ourselves who God is and how he feels about us.
~Genesis 1:31. It wasn’t until after God made man that He saw everything as “very good.” We are the apple of His eye.
~Genesis 3:21; Genesis 4:15. Even after Adam and Eve had sinned, God still took care of them. He did the same to Cain after he killed Abel. That takes a lot of love and compassion. Not many of us would have done the same in His shoes.
~Exodus. Can’t forget about Moses and his mission to help God free His people. Theme? God takes care of his own.
~Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Probably the greatest example of God’s love was through His Son, Jesus. Even after all of the Old Testament, God’s love had never wavered. Let’s be honest, there was a lot of horrible stuff that happened in the Old Testament. All stuff that WE did. But, even so, we were still at the center of His attention and concern every time.
This is just a brief peek at all we can find to answer these questions. Based on this, can anyone deny the fact that God loves us and wants to take care of us? When you love someone so much, to take care and protect them comes like second nature. Think of a mother and her children.
So then, if He wishes to take care of us, it would make sense then that these rules would be for a reason. Right? Let’s take a look...
The Ten Commandments were the first laws God set in place.
Some might think that they are just the standard for being a good person and that there isn’t really anything more to them than that, but what if there is?
What happens when you kill someone? Eye for an eye. The punishment is death. But, God wants us to live, so He put the law in place to keep the Israelites and everyone from death.
What happens when you dishonor your father and mother? To do so, there are many ways. All of which are blatant, sinful acts on your part. And ALL of which have consequences.
What happens when you steal? You suffer the punishment of a thief.
What happens when you lie? Lies have a way of building and building then blowing up in your face in awful ways. They effect you and everyone around you and are a good way to ruin your life.
What happens when you commit adultery? You might not think it effects anyone but yourself, but it does. It puts your whole family in jeopardy. When you do so, there is a great chance you could lose it all and with it, your very life.
All of these are not just stupid to do for logical reasons mentioned, but they tell us of the heart of a person as well. If you can do these things without an ounce of guilt, the Bible says there is wickedness in you. Wickedness leads to death because God is good and cannot stand evil.
Psalms 5:4, “For you are not a God who takes pleasure in evil; with you the wicked cannot dwell.”
But, God wants us to live. Even more so, He wants us to live with Him since sin separates us from God just as it did in the Garden of Eden. That is why He gives us rules. That is why parents give their children rules.
So, can we then say that God has reasons in saying and commanding all He does? You better believe it.
Even with something like resting on the Sabbath day there is a reason... Don’t know about anyone else, but after a long work week, I CAN'T WAIT to rest on the seventh day. Plus, it’s good for us. It helps de-stress us and prepare us for the week ahead. It’s been scientifically proven that too much stress is not healthy for our bodies.
There are reasons for everything! God is not one to throw laws at us like we are His pawns and He can do and say whatever He wants in order to make us do what He wants for His own pleasure. No! He is not Satan. He is not like some of the human kings or rulers of the past either. Far from it! To say so would go against all the Bible says about Him.
Psalms 36:5-7, “Your love, O Lord, reaches to the heavens, your faithfulness to the skies. Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains, your justice like the great deep. O Lord, you preserve both man and beast. How priceless is your unfailing love! Both high and low among men find refuge in the shadow of your wings.”
What it comes down to then is whether or not the Bible is true, and more specifically, whether or not it tells us of who God truly is. Also, if we can so easily change one thing in the Bible, who’s to say we can’t change everything else? With the Bible, it’s all or nothing, and to change one thing you will always have to change another and another until there is nothing left to change anymore.
Who would agree with me that God’s Word is perfect as is?
To you fellow followers of Christ, saved by His Grace, can you deny God’s goodness and love in your life? If I’m right, the answer is no, with and without the Bible. Then let’s not deny His desire to protect us and preserve our lives by whatever means necessary.
Oh, and to answer the question... Yes, the Bible is very much true! To say otherwise, you’d have to ignore all the evidence in favor of it as well as the God it speaks of. But, that is another topic for another time. :)
~L. Pierce
Key points--
1) The Bible says that God loves us and wants to take care of us and keep us safe from harm and death. Laws are one way he tries to do so.
2) God always has a reason behind telling us to do or not to do something.
3) If we change one thing in God’s Word, we must change all of it.
4) God’s Word is true. History, science, as well as others all agree.
Next Posting--- Pigalicious
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Fickleness and Second Chances
I’ve been reminded how fickle reading what someone says is as compared to how that person says and means it. Also, how easy it is to misunderstand someone or assume about their heart and intents based on the fickleness of that context.
In saying this, I feel I must apologize and explain concerning my last post.
It has been brought to my attention that my last post has come across as me judging others, particularly Christians. Please believe me when I say that that was not my intent! I am truly sorry if any of you read it as such.
The only reason I mentioned the person that I’d had the original discussion with was because that discussion was what got me back onto this issue. That is merely how I chose to explain my concern about not only what the pig really is but also what the Bible has to say about it.
Please, hear me out on this. My purpose was not to bash this fellow Christian because I care for them greatly and wish them the very best (the reasons I discussed it with them in the first place). The post was solely to share some of my findings concerning this topic. Talking to people, for me, is what gets me searching. I would never use it against them to point a finger and say they are wrong. All I want people to do is see both sides of the spectrum, to know and weigh both options -I find that’s the best way to make the wisest decision.
So, once again, I am sorry if this came across the wrong way. Now, if I may, I would like to try this topic again, just much differently...
I would like to take the next few postings to offer my findings -from stem to stern. All the ins and outs.
I’ll answer questions like... What is the pig? And what does the Bible say about it? Also, with the coming of Christ, has this law changed? Does the Bible condone it? And I’ll examine several passages of Scripture that have been used to say so.
All I wish to do is to aid you in making a decision concerning it. I want to provide you both sides to think and ponder. From there, it’s up to you (as always).
I hope you’ll be involved. I’d love to hear your questions and attempt to answer them as best I can. But, I will be the first to tell you that I’m not perfect. The fact that I have to post an apology here is proof of that. However, I recall a saying that has always stuck with me --- Christians are not perfect, but they serve a God who is.
All I want is to use God's perfection through His Word and what is true to help you weigh the options.
Pray God blesses you all this week in amazing ways!
~Lauri
P.S. SPRING IS HERE!!!!! :D
Next Posting--- Rights, Wrongs, and Reasons
In saying this, I feel I must apologize and explain concerning my last post.
It has been brought to my attention that my last post has come across as me judging others, particularly Christians. Please believe me when I say that that was not my intent! I am truly sorry if any of you read it as such.
The only reason I mentioned the person that I’d had the original discussion with was because that discussion was what got me back onto this issue. That is merely how I chose to explain my concern about not only what the pig really is but also what the Bible has to say about it.
Please, hear me out on this. My purpose was not to bash this fellow Christian because I care for them greatly and wish them the very best (the reasons I discussed it with them in the first place). The post was solely to share some of my findings concerning this topic. Talking to people, for me, is what gets me searching. I would never use it against them to point a finger and say they are wrong. All I want people to do is see both sides of the spectrum, to know and weigh both options -I find that’s the best way to make the wisest decision.
So, once again, I am sorry if this came across the wrong way. Now, if I may, I would like to try this topic again, just much differently...
I would like to take the next few postings to offer my findings -from stem to stern. All the ins and outs.
I’ll answer questions like... What is the pig? And what does the Bible say about it? Also, with the coming of Christ, has this law changed? Does the Bible condone it? And I’ll examine several passages of Scripture that have been used to say so.
All I wish to do is to aid you in making a decision concerning it. I want to provide you both sides to think and ponder. From there, it’s up to you (as always).
I hope you’ll be involved. I’d love to hear your questions and attempt to answer them as best I can. But, I will be the first to tell you that I’m not perfect. The fact that I have to post an apology here is proof of that. However, I recall a saying that has always stuck with me --- Christians are not perfect, but they serve a God who is.
All I want is to use God's perfection through His Word and what is true to help you weigh the options.
Pray God blesses you all this week in amazing ways!
~Lauri
P.S. SPRING IS HERE!!!!! :D
Next Posting--- Rights, Wrongs, and Reasons
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