Christians eating halal food.

[IneedAwittierNickname]

Or actually any non Muslims.

Is it allowed? If not why not? I tried looking it up in the bible and found opposing views that I didn't understand.

I'm a Christian and I will eat whatever, I can't see the issue. However I've been told I shouldn't because it's 'Islamic extremists' trying to trick me
trying to trick me into what?
I either need a good comeback or an explanation so am turning to the wisdom of mumsnet.

I know, Panda. It's all very much a matter of opinion, isn't it, though. Some branches of Chrisitianity take the idols and blood thing very seriously, whereas some take the position that nothing is off limits. I even knew some Chrisitnas who became vegetarian in preparation for the Millennial Rule, assuming that, because "death will be no more", a veggie diet will be needed. I think that Peter's vision makes things quite clear, but on a deep level, I am pretty disturbed by the idea of eating blood products - but then I've been veggie for 35 years (not a religious thing), so it might just be that.

Personally, I am in favour of the not making my brother stumble approach in most things, as that would seem the loving thing to do.

Perhaps anti-muslim prejudiced extremists are stirring up mischief and preying on the general level of ignorance around these issues.

There was a similar 'outrage' about the halal status of Baked Beans.

Halal means, roughly, spiritually clean, or allowed, haram means forbidden / spiritually taboo. Meat is made halal by the prayer the animal hears in it's last moment. Vegemite is halal by nature of being a vegan product with no haram qualities, Ditto Baked Beans, oven chips (made with sunflower or any other veg oil), Marmite, Cadbury's hot chocolate, frozen raspberries, spaghetti hoops, Walkers Ready Salted, Robertson's jam, etc etc are all halal foods that any Christian may find in their shopping baskets!

Beware the idiots and trouble makers.

And ask yourself how Christian is this ignorant scaremongering?

Turns out after all her 'true Christian' blah blah she is a wiccan. So that makes it all even more nonsensical! Anyway I deleted her on the dreaded Facebook after she claimed all Muslims should be sent to and island and blown up

blu that's the point I was trying to make to her and she claimed I didn't 'get it'

Think I shall return to my happy land where I (a Christian) live happily and peacefully side by side with my many Muslim/sikh/Buddhist friends. I shall continue to eat with them when that meal is halal. :)

On a completely different note, sorry OP, I find the Council of Jerusalem, that Panda mentioned, really, really interesting. All that jockeying for position and the ability to influence the direction of the early church. All that internal politics at play.

Paul's position must have been really quite difficult. He came along, claiming to be a chosen apostle with a mission to the gentiles with no direct relationship with the earthly Jesus and having been a prominent persecutor of the first Christians. it must have been difficult for the others to accept, especially as he obviously wanted to exert a very great influence on where the church was headed. Fascinating stuff.

by the way there actually are Christians who eat halal did you know that?
They are called Coptics and come from Egypt and the Sudan.

No I didn't know that Sunny it's interesting thank you.
Although presumably it hasn't been prayed over in Allah's name? Or has it because of where they live?

I dont know about that - they do live more like Muslims do from what I saw living in a town with lots of Coptic people. They were big on icons and Jesus with a crown of thorns and accompanying blood drips.

when I was working in a halal butchers there were plenty more down the street and my boss explained to me that they were not all Muslim but some Christian too

Thanks for the info. I find it fascinating tbh and wish I was more educated in such matters.
Might have a Google when I have time.

When i lived in South East Asia, all meat that wasn't pork was halal. The Christians had no problems eating it. However i d remember people seeking guidance regarding eating meet that had been sacrificed to the ancestors (by non-Christian family). The clergy answered i line with 1 Cor 8 where Paul says that food is food but warns that one shouldn't eat it if one feels uncomfortable about it or if it would cause a brother or sister to fall.
Many Christians retain or adopt the customs regarding food in their local culture. For example, from what i gather, it isn't uncommon for Christians in Pakistan to consider pork unclean.

The elders in jerusalem in acts said that one of the few things they held gentiles to was not eating meat offered to idols. However in some greek markets it was hard to get anything but food offered to idols. St paul said it was ok if you eat with faith. Halal meat is killed with the animal facing mecca ( ie the kaaba which is/ was a temple to idols. The animal was then allowed to bleed out. So i think eating isnt a sin, but it also isnt something i feel is neutral. Many secular places are adopting halal and i dont want to be part of normalising that. If you have a choice you should go elsewhere.

I'm going to disagree that Allah and the Christian God are one and the same. They are not. Christians have a different understanding of God's nature than Muslims do. Christians see God as a Trinity, which is rejected in Islam. We see Jesus as one person of the Trinity, the son of God the Father. He is not simply a prophet, we see him as prophet, priest and king and part of the divine being, who one day will rule the Earth under His Kingdom. We also do not see God the father as a capricious god who changes his mind. The Christian God is 100% reliable. If He promises something, He will fulfill it no matter what and not change His mind. We do not hold God 'at a distance' but instead see him as a loving Father and very much wanting to walk with us humans in all things, and be involved in our lives. The Christian God reveals his character to us so we can know him personally. God spoke directly to the prophets in the Old Testament, and sometimes appeared to them, although his full Glory was shielded from them usually by smoke or darkness.

There's a lot more but you get the gist.

Not sure why my 12 year old thread has been resurrected! I didn't even remember starting it until I read the OP.

Anyway. @GentleSheep God and Allah are (according to almost every Christian and Muslim I know) the same person/deity. Not the whole trinity, but God the Father. And I'm fairly certain that all the things you say Christians believe about God, eg being reliable, not being at a distance, Muslims also believe about Allah.

Actually from what I've read of the Quran, Allah is more consistent than God!

According to the Christians I know who were formerly Muslims, Allah and God are definitely not the same. I think I value their experience more, although Christian theology also shows the same thing.

Agreed @GentleSheep They are not the same God at all.

A 'newer' religion which started several hundred years after the birth, death and resurrection of Christ Jesus and when the Bible warns us not to add to, nor take away from Scripture, can never worship the same I AM when they deny the deity of Christ and much of their religious text is specifically against Jewish people. (Let us not forget too that there is a significant cohort of Muslims whose avowed intent is to eradicate the Jewish peoples from the earth).

Islam may have its own prophet and its own God, but is not the God of the Bible even if the text they use mentions a 'prophet' they call Jesus and also Moses. The best and most convincing of lies contain an element of truth.

Re the subject of the thread, as a Christian, I would not seek out Halal food, but if I ate it when eating with Muslim friends or colleagues for example, well, the Lord knows the intention of my heart and it would not concern me. I cannot object to the method of destruction of an animal as 'all meat is murder' and as an omnivore that would be hypocritical.

The “Islamic extremists trying to trick you” is just a racist line. Muslims don’t gain anything at all from a Christian eating halal food.

But Muslims come from all racial groups, so it can't be 'racist'? I agree with your second statement though.