Why Christians should avoid Halal food.
Its a common refrain to hear from Muslims (and in the media) that Halal food is no different from any other food, excepting that it’s a way for Muslims to determine if they are allowed to eat it or not. It is usually served at multicultural events where friendly pious Muslims gently admonish those who seem reluctant to eat the food on offer. I have been to several of these multicultural (brainwashing) events, there were a number of them in the Sutherland Shire in the wake of the so called Cronulla “riots”.
What is Halal?
Halal simply means “permited” and doesn’t necessarily relate to food, but covers a much wider scope that governs a Muslim’s actions. For example, if a Muslim purchased a stereo from a store with their own money, that would be considered Halal. However, if a Muslim purchased a stolen stereo, then that would be considered Haram, or forbidden. Muslims must navigate between Halal and Haram in order to avoid offending Allah, but as always, Allah allows Muslims to ignore the rules when it suits.
What is Halal food?
In relation to food, Halal/Haram plays an important role in determining what is permissible or not for Muslims to consume. They are forbidden to eat pork or products derived from pork (such as gelatine) and alcohol to name a few. So while in general Halal is simply an indication of something that is permitted, the meaning of the word is slighty different when applied to the production and consumption of meat.
In the production of meat, starting with the slaughter of an animal, it is important that the animal is “sacrificed” to Allah by way of uttering the word “bismillah” (in the name of God) just prior to the slaughter, at this point the animal has been sacrificed to a false idol. The actual slaughter involves cutting the jugular vein, leaving the animal to thrash around and bleed to death.
Christians consuming Halal meat may find themselves in contravention of Holy Scriptures specifically relating to food sacrificed to idols. The Bible reminds Christians to avoid such food :-
Instead we should write to them, telling them to abstain from food polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from the meat of strangled animals and from blood.
Acts 15:19-21You are to abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals and from sexual immorality. You will do well to avoid these things. Farewell.
Acts 15:28-30As for the Gentile believers, we have written to them our decision that they should abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals and from sexual immorality.”
Acts 21:24-26
Christians should make no mistake, Allah is a false idol that should be shunned. Christians should avoid all Halal food, not just halal meat for reasons which Paul outlines in 1 Corinthians 8 :-
Food Sacrificed to Idols
1Now about food sacrificed to idols: We know that we all possess knowledge. Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up. 2The man who thinks he knows something does not yet know as he ought to know. 3But the man who loves God is known by God.4So then, about eating food sacrificed to idols: We know that an idol is nothing at all in the world and that there is no God but one. 5For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth (as indeed there are many “gods” and many “lords”), 6yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we live; and there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we live.
7But not everyone knows this. Some people are still so accustomed to idols that when they eat such food they think of it as having been sacrificed to an idol, and since their conscience is weak, it is defiled. 8But food does not bring us near to God; we are no worse if we do not eat, and no better if we do.
9Be careful, however, that the exercise of your freedom does not become a stumbling block to the weak. 10For if anyone with a weak conscience sees you who have this knowledge eating in an idol’s temple, won’t he be emboldened to eat what has been sacrificed to idols? 11So this weak brother, for whom Christ died, is destroyed by your knowledge. 12When you sin against your brothers in this way and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ. 13Therefore, if what I eat causes my brother to fall into sin, I will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause him to fall.
In other words, the fact you know that Allah to be a false idol allows you to eat halal meat without concern (since idols are without life), your actions may cause the destruction of a brother or sister in Christ whom may think it ok to eat halal. Further more, Christians should abstain from any food denoted as “halal”,since although a chocolate bar (such as “KitKat”) is considered halal by Muslims and has not been “sacrificed” to an idol (in the way meat is), it may cause confusion for your brother and sisters in Christ and may cause them to consume halal meat, which is a food sacrificed to an idol.