To serve these foods to muslim friends

[MissMildred]

Hi - posting here for traffic but also because I don't want to BU. I invited some new school friends and their parents for a bbq in a couple of weeks and two of the families are muslim and mentioned they only eat halal.
I want to make an effort to make them feel comfortable, and it has also been very interesting learning all about what is halal or haram. Obviously no pork will be served. However, some of the guidance on the internet is not clear, so I wondered if anyone with this diet could help me with these items and whether it would BU to serve them up:

Vinegar - if I served this in eg. a coleslaw, are all types of vinegar fine? (Eg is the vinegar not seen as alcohol anymore?)
Butter - Am I overthinking this? Would you eat butter?
Alcohol - I know you wouldn't drink this, but is it acceptable for others in the group to be drinking a glass of wine?
Halloumi - I can't figure out if this is okay or not.

Also - any tips you might have would be great, especially if there are brands of crisps, bread, butter etc....you might use.

Thank you!

Still calling the Sikhs racist then?

Sorry if pointing out the bleedin' obvious, but SIKHS ARE RELIGIOUS TOO.
If their meat has to be done a certain way and not halal, they are entitled to their religious way of doing it. Not racist.

because all slaughter causes suffering and halal is no worse than other methods But that isn't true.

I just want the same respect to be granted to all

Then buy non halal meat. It is available you know.

Still calling the Sikhs racist then?

For an apparent atheist you’ve got quite the obsession with Sikhs eh?

For the hundredth time, the right to practice religion is protected in law. The right to try to prevent that because you don’t believe in said religion is not.

Exactly! How is it so hard to understand?!

because one's religious, so they have a reason. I might think it's a load of rubbish, but it's their religion.

what IS the other reason?! Nobody seems to be able to answer.

Not wanting to participate in a religious practice IS the reason. Are you seriously incapable of understanding or accepting that basic concept? You've asked, it's been answered, you just can't seem to process it.

But that isn't true

Have a good look about the methods of slaughter in the U.K., about how many animals get through with ineffective stunning in non halal slaughter, about the methods and then tell me that.

It’s convenient to be able to say it is, because it means getting to avoid the real reason people have an issue with halal meat. The rules for humane halal slaughter are strictly controlled, as are non halal slaughterhouses.

There is no evidence to suggest one is more humane than the other.

What, your link that says the vast majority of all banal meat is subject to the same welfare standards as any other meat? Or a different article?

And no, I am not calling Sikhs racist. I am calling non religious people who won’t eat halal (welfare issues aside) racist.

Not wanting to participate in a religious practice IS the reason

Given that many mainstream restaurants, takeaways, chain fast food and supermarkets sell halal meat does that mean you avoid them all?

There are options for wanting non halal meat, so I can’t really understand why you’re so bothered? If you want non halal meat, source it.

Definitely let your guests know that you are serving halal meat. Many Christians refuse to eat it due to the prayers said over the animal before it is killed as the Bible says you should not eat food that has been offered up to other God's. You may think that this is a load of rubbish, but their viewpoint is as valid as anyone elses.

So long as the same welfare standards apply to halal and non halal meat, which for mass produced meat they do, there is no reason to object to eating hahal. Oh, apart from that thing...you know...what’s it called? Begins with r.......? Racism, that’s it!

I am embarrassed for you.

The discussion was never sincere or open-minded. It was about exposing racism from the beginning.

Not wanting to participate in a religious practice IS the reason. Are you seriously incapable of understanding or accepting that basic concept? You've asked, it's been answered, you just can't seem to process it.

Fair enough. In that case say each to their own and bring your own meat or go vegetarian if so bothered by it all. Nobody's forcing you to eat it. Whereas you'd be forcing your "don't want to so Muslim's can't eat meat either" attitude on others if saying that meat shouldn't be halal.
That way everybody happy. At least you'd think.

And no, I am not calling Sikhs racist. I am calling non religious people who won’t eat halal (welfare issues aside) racist.

So why do the Sikhs have a right to reject ritual slaughter without being smeared by you, but secularists and atheists do not? What a bizarre double standard.

Many Christians refuse to eat it due to the prayers said over the animal before it is killed as the Bible says you should not eat food that has been offered up to other God's. You may think that this is a load of rubbish, but their viewpoint is as valid as anyone elses.

How do you know what is or isn't halal though? A lot of restaurants and takeaways serve it. Do the people who won't eat it for religious reasons never eat out? Or I suppose if they were out the could eat the vegetarian option to make sure. I know I would if I couldn't on religious grounds.

An interesting read on animal welfare standards

@sunnymeg Muslims believe in the same god as christians. maybe get some knowledge before saying things?

Treat them as vegetarians, and do veggie for them. Provide non alcoholic drinks for them. And alcohol for those that drink.

What, your link that says the vast majority of all banal meat is subject to the same welfare standards as any other meat? Or a different article?
Yes the vast majority but not 100%. It's the 12% I'm concerned about.
Playing a tape of prayers during slaughter is neither here not there.

starcrossedseahorse please tell me what the difference is in welfare between the majority of mass slaughtered halal meat and mass slaughtered non-halal meat. I can GUARANTEE it is the same.

Yes, there is a tiny (in volume) proportion of meat which is not stunned before slaughter, but this tends to be sold in specialist kosher and Islamic butchers, mainly because it is too expensive for supermarket and regular butchers.

Derxa have a read of this, it is not only halal slaughter where stunning doesn’t work

I dispute the many Christmas things. I'm a Christian. I do not know a single person who does not eat halal meat due to their Christian faith. In fact, we very much enjoyed a recent church meal out at a local curry house.

I'm vegan, but it's worth noting that the rspca consider non stunned halal to be unacceptable on welfare grounds.

@rainbowsandsmiles Sikhs don't have a specific way of killing meat. They are prohibited from eating any meat that has been killed in a ritualistic manner (includes kosher). I'm not a Sikh but have a best friend who is.

Why is it racist to not agree with halal meat, but not racist to not agree with non halal meat? Doesn't racism work both ways?