Swine -- The Other White Meat

The God of the universe, who created the human body by Christ Jesus, gave explicit instructions about the food we should put in our bodies. Remember, God's Word is our owner's manual. The supernatural instructions were given in the very beginning of time, thousands of years ago, long before their phenomenal wisdom was discovered by modern science. Only the wise Designer-Creator could ever have known the benefits of his dietary commandments. Just one more proof that God is and that he is a rewarder of those who diligently seek him. (Hebrews, Chapter 11, Verse 6)

This GodSaidManSaid subject will deal with one specific commandment of God's Word concerning the human diet. It should be noted that the new testament believer can pray the prayer of faith over his food and access God's purifying power. (see 1 Timothy, Chapter 4, Verses 3-5:)

 

Unfortunately, the vast majority of the world's population is not born of God through Christ Jesus and cannot access God's blessings. Therefore, it would be wise for them to follow God's dietary laws. Purely from a biological (not legal) position, a believer would be wise to follow God's dietary laws as well.

GOD SAID in Leviticus Chapter 11, Verses 7-8:

7. And the swine, though he divide the hoof, and be clovenfooted, yet he cheweth not the cud; he is unclean to you.

8. Of their flesh shall ye not eat, and their carcase shall ye not touch; they are unclean to you.

God calls the swine unclean. In the Old Testament an unclean person was one who had touched the dead, had a running issue, or oozing sore or was a menstrous woman, etc. The term "uncleanness" means one is in a contagious situation. Those contaminated were quarantined. The swine is called unclean, which means it is contagious and will bring harm to those who eat its flesh or touch its carcass.

MAN SAID, as usual, just the opposite and it was one of the grandaddies of his rebellion. He countermands the Word of God and actively promotes the eating of unclean land and water creatures such as swine's flesh (pork), in the form of pork roasts, ham, sausage, bacon, etc.

Now THE RECORD:

Dr. David Macht of Johns Hopkins University reported on the toxicity levels of the flesh of animals and seagoing creatures. In Dr. Macht's research, all unclean creatures measured toxic with the pig ranking extremely toxic at about the same level as the rat and groundhog. In regard to the human body's metabolism, it is ill-equipped to handle unclean meats. Unclean meats digest in only three hours while clean meats that God commanded us to eat digest in up to 18 hours.

In a 1988 report, E. A. Widmer, Ph. D., professor and program director of environmental health, School of Public Health, Loma Linda University, had this to say in the following excerpt:

Pork consumption in now associated with coronary heart disease, cancer and certain communicable diseases. Pigs are noteworthy as hosts for the intestinal trichina roundworm, trichinella spiralis, which causes the disease trichinosis, a disease with symptoms that doctors often attribute to intestinal flu, pneumonia, or rheumatism.

A more complete list of symptoms of the trichinosis infection were listed by the Division of Parasitic Diseases, National Center of Infectious Diseases. Nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, fatigue, fever and abdominal discomfort are the first symptoms of trichinosis. Headaches, fevers, chills, cough, eye swelling, aching joints, muscle pains, itchy skin and diarrhea or constipation follow the first symptoms. If the infection is heavy, patients may experience difficulty coordinating movements, and have heart and breathing problems. In severe cases, death can occur.

Additionally, Doctor Widmer had this to say about pork tapeworms: "Tapeworms are yet another problem that eating pork poses. The adult pork tapeworm can reach a length of 10 feet, and can live for several decades in the small intestine. If infection is widespread, it can simulate a brain tumor, epilepsy, or other neurological or psychiatric disorder. People become infected with the adult tapeworm by eating undercooked pork infected with bladder worms. Pork is also implicated in breast cancer, prostate cancer, and cancer of the colon."

H. Fred Troult, VMD, Ph. D. and Julie Funk, DVM, conducted research in order to estimate the prevalence of swine herds infected with pathogenic Yersinia Enterocolitica. In The remainder of this feature we will refer to it as "YE." They reported:

YE is a foodborne pathogen estimated to cause annually 3,000 to 20,000 cases of human disease in the United States. The most prevalent clinical signs in human beings (children are the most frequently affected) are abdominal pain and fever; diarrhea and nausea; vomiting may also occur. The disease can range in severity from self-limiting gastroenteritis to potentially fatal septicemia.

Troult and Funk examined 103 lots and 3,375 individual pigs for carriage of YE. Of these, 92.2% were found to contain pigs carrying YE. Finally they reported, "The results support the hypothesis that pigs are a significant potential reservoir for human infections by YE."

Another curse man has reaped because of his disregard for God's Word is an infection of the intestinal tract and less commonly, the bloodstream, called Campylobacteriosis, herein after referred to as "C." If The number of cases of C reported by the New York City Department of Health in 1998 is consistent by percent of population across America, nearly a quarter of a million are infected by it. C is generally spread by eating or drinking contaminated water or food (especially undercooked poultry or pork), or by contact with infected animals. Common symptoms of C are mild or severe diarrhea (traces of blood may be found in the stool). Other symptoms include fever, abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting.

The pig likes to scavenge and eats just about anything, such as rotting carcasses, dead insects and worms, garbage and dung including its own and that of other pigs. It's an unclean animal and input produces output. Input rotting carcasses and dung; output a pork chop made of rotting carcasses and dung.

GOD SAID not to eat certain unclean animals and put special emphasis on not eating swine's flesh long before its huge problems were known by science. And I'm sure the problems are much more far-reaching than we currently know.

MAN SAID the Bible was written by men and can be disregarded as archaic platitudes. He actively promotes pork as "The Other White Meat."

But now you know THE RECORD

 

References:

King James Bible

1953 Report, Dr. David Macht, Johns Hopkins Univ.

1998, E. A. Widmer, pH D., professor and program director of environmental health, School of Public Health, Loma Linda Univ., "Flesh of Swine: Scientific Evidence Supports The Biblical Prohibition."

Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine, 11th ed. (New York: McGraw-Hill Book Co.) pp. 825-826.

Committee of Diet, Nutrition and Cancer, Assembly of Life Sciences, National Research Council, Diet, Nutrition and Cancer (National Academy Press, 1982)

H. Fred Troutt, VMD, pH D./Julie Funk, DVM, Department of Veterinary Clinical Medicine, Univ. of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.

New York City Dept. of Health Bureau of Communicable Disease, "Campylobacteriosis."

Dept. of Parasitic Diseases, www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dpd/trichino.htm

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