I sometimes don't get these prohibitions. The Quran doesn't just call stuff unclean, it actually explains most of it's bans and allowances. So sure don't bring in strays or let junkyard dogs inside but a house dog? When is the last time you've seen a house dog with so much as yellow teeth?! If they aged at the same rate as humans, a well cared for house dog would outlive us all! The reasons for the ban don't even apply to them. Same for a modern pig and farmed, cooked shellfish. If the reason for the ban is invalid, logic dictates the ban itself is also invalid.
I suspect the scholars that issued this fatwa have come to a similar conclusion.
I suspect the scholars that issued this fatwa have come to a similar conclusion.
Most religious texts are based on hundreds, if not thousands, of year old knowledge garnered in very primitive times. The Christian Bible still contains prohibitions against eating pork and shellfish plus says adulterers should be put to death. How many Christians abide by those rules plus all the others listed?
Leviticus 20:10
And the man that committeth adultery with another man's wife, even he that committeth adultery with his neighbour's wife, the adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be put to death.
Deuteronomy 14:8
And the swine, because it divideth the hoof, yet cheweth not the cud, it is unclean unto you: ye shall not eat of their flesh, nor touch their dead carcase.
Leviticus 20:10
And the man that committeth adultery with another man's wife, even he that committeth adultery with his neighbour's wife, the adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be put to death.
Deuteronomy 14:8
And the swine, because it divideth the hoof, yet cheweth not the cud, it is unclean unto you: ye shall not eat of their flesh, nor touch their dead carcase.
Interesting question whether Christians are bound by Jewish Law. I think the majority opinion is heavily against. The point about that Law, though, is that it is constantly being re-interpreted by scholars, as is the Islamic rule in this fatwa (it's more important that blind boy attends Mosque than that dog be excluded). Some of the interesting slither is what delights me about Judaism, like the way the absolute rule against cursing anyone is got round ('That he should fall into a cess-pool and die, God forbid!). How could anyone HATE such a people?
Yes, they are. Otherwise so many wouldn't want the Ten Commandments carved in stone on courthouse steps or recite Leviticus when opposing gays.
Lest we forget, Jesus was Jewish. Christians are simply those who believe Jesus was the foretold Jewish Messiah.
Yes, they are. Otherwise so many wouldn't want the Ten Commandments carved in stone on courthouse steps or recite Leviticus when opposing gays.
Lest we forget, Jesus was Jewish. Christians are simply those who believe Jesus was the foretold Jewish Messiah.
There is a great deal more to the Jewish Law than the Ten Commandments, though, and we don't even keep them . When did you last keep Saturday holy, for instance?
Keeping a Holy Day, a Sabbath, is still the tradition. Which day it is is irrelevant, but there is some history to show how it changed. Nonetheless, Christians are still Messianic Jews. OTOH, since there are over 30,000 denominations of Christianity, some nuttier than the others, I have little doubt some of them would agree with me.
Why do some Christians observe the Sabbath on Sunday? | Bibleinfo.com
I know perfectly well why Christians keep Sunday - I just note that they don't keep the Sabbath Day, the seventh. We also do not follow the various dietary restrictions and so on. If Christianity were just an extension of Judaism not many people would have joined it, I think.
The ignored a lot of stuff to placate the Romans. I do see Christians slowly moving away from organized religion back to decentralized, more Jewish Christianity.
I see it the other way - as moving away from religion and into open, loving behaviour. And, yes, I think it was a sort of mix of the best of Judaism and Roman universalism. It is still there potentially, and if we can get the best of Buddhism in there with it we'll be on the way.
Some Christian sects are stricter than others. Some, like Mormons, don't consume alcohol, caffeine and observe other dietary restrictions.
Baptists were often among the strictest in the US, but like the Dylan song, the times they are a-changin'.
There's an old joke; Why do Baptists make love laying down? Because, if seen, they don't want anyone to think they are dancing.
Look at the history of Puritans in the US for how strict Christians used to be.
I don't say it wasn't strict - you should have met my Cardiganshire aunts - merely that it wasn't the same as Judaism. Like the Baptist story; here the story is that there is one bit of Heaven where you have to be totally silent - it is reserved for Baptists and they will be so terribly unhappy if they know anyone else is there!
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