Unclean animals

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This article presents religious views on unclean animals. For discussion in relation to specific animals and food, see Taboo food and drink.

Followers of many religions lay a taboo on the consumption or handling of certain animals; such animals are called unclean animals. Persons who handle such animals may need to purify themselves to get rid of their uncleanness.

History

The origins of practices in relation to "clean animals" and "unclean animals" are lost to prehistory but are maintained by several large religions. Some theologians hypothesize that such practices have been in place since the beginnings of recorded history. The first lists of such animals appear in the books of Leviticus and Deuteronomy, although some animals are mentioned earlier in the bible.

Historians date the book of Leviticus to sometime between 770 BC and 600 BC,Template:Ref and the book of Deuteronomy to sometime between 640 BC and 609 BC.Template:Ref However the first time the concept of clean and unclean animals actually falls in the book of Genesis is with the story of Noah and the Ark written sometime between 1280 BC and 1250 BC.Template:Ref Modern scholars suggest however that the text of Genesis as we see it today was redacted together around 440 BC from earlier sourcesTemplate:Ref:

"Of clean beasts, and of beasts that are not clean, and of fowls, and of every thing that creepeth upon the earth" – Genesis 7:8

Judaism

In Judaism, Kashrut (kosher) is the set of dietary laws governing what can or cannot be consumed. These laws are based upon the Torah and the Talmud, according to Jewish law, many animals considered unclean do not have cloven hooves and do not ruminate. Jews are forbidden to eat pork as swine are considered to be unclean. In the context of Judaism, the books of Leviticus and Deuteronomy from the Hebrew Bible specify what must not be consumed.

The Book of Leviticus states:

"Nevertheless these shall ye not eat of them that chew the cud, or of them that divide the hoof: as the camel, because he cheweth the cud, but divideth not the hoof; he is unclean unto you." – Leviticus 11:4

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These are the animals considered to be unclean according to Leviticus 11 and Deuteronomy 14 (it should be noted that the translations of some of the aforementioned animals from the Hebrew are a matter of dispute in classical Jewish commentaries. With respect to birds the Torah only specifies ones which may NOT be eaten and the translations of these are also a matter of contention in traditional Jewish texts so it is common practice to eat only birds with a clear tradition of being kosher, eg. domestic fowl):

Image:Manchot 01.jpg Image:Blue crab on market in Piraeus - Callinectes sapidus Rathbun 20020819-317.jpg These additional animals are not mentioned specifically by name, but from the characteristics mentioned in the books of Leviticus and Deuteronomy, may also be considered to be unclean:

Leviticus 11:20-23 permits certain kinds of "winged swarming things" (i.e. insects) while prohibiting others; however, today rabbis are uncertain as to which insects were specifically permitted, so now all insects are prohibited to be on the safe side.Template:Ref An exception to this is a number of Yemenite communities that have retained their own traditions with respect to kosher locusts, as a result these particular locusts are considered kosher for the specific community which has the tradition. Bees' honey is however deemed kosherTemplate:Ref, which is apparently the sole exception to the rule that any product of a non-kosher animal is also non-kosher, for example gelatin. Within the past twenty years "kosher gelatin" has begun appearing; some of this is derived from cows or from fish and made in a manner keeping with kosher traditions, others are derived from a plant or seaweed base using agar or pectin.Template:Ref

In order to eat an animal or bird it must be slaughtered according to Jewish law (Shechita). This involves cutting the animal's trachea and esophagus, the carotid artery and jugular vein are also severed in this operation – as are most arteries and veins leading to and from the brain – with a sharp knife that has been thoroughly checked for imperfections beforehand. The cut must be swift and without pause, to avoid tearing, and must be performed by an expert. Fish must also be killed before being eaten, but no particular method is specified in Jewish law.

The animal must then be determined to be free of treifot – which are 70 different categories of injuries, diseases and abnormalities – whose presence renders the animal non-kosher.

Not all parts of the animal may be eaten; certain fats, known as Chelev, may not be eaten. As much blood as possible must be removed from the meat, either by soaking, salting and rinsing or by broiling over a fire. In addition the sciatic nerve in each leg and the fat surrounding the nerve must be removed.

It is forbidden to cook, eat, or derive any benefit from mixtures of milk and meat (and their by-products). It is also forbidden to cook or eat dairy products together with poultry as a rabinnic injunction against mixing milk and meat.

Islam

In Islamic dietary laws several animals are considered unclean and not to be eaten (Haraam), while others are permitted (Halaal), as long as they have been killed or slaughtered in the correct manner. Halaal and Haraam are dissimilar to the Jewish Kashrut in that they also encompass behavior, speech, dress, conduct and manner. In non-Arabic-speaking countries however, the terms are most commonly used in the narrower context of Muslim dietary laws, especially where meat and poultry are concerned, though they can be used for the more general meaning as well.

The Qu'ran states:

"Forbidden to you are: dead meat, blood, the flesh of swine, and that on which hath been invoked the name of other than Allah. that which hath been killed by strangling, or by a violent blow, or by a headlong fall, or by being gored to death; that which hath been eaten by a wild animal; unless ye are able to slaughter it; that which is sacrificed on stone [Altar?]; [forbidden] also is the division by raffling with arrows: that is impiety..." – Al-Maidah 5:3

The Qu'ran also states:

" And for the Jews We have forbidden all that have claws; and from the cattle and the sheep We forbade their fat except what is attached to the back, or entrails, or mixed with bone. That is a punishment for their rebellion, and We are truthful." – Al-An'am 6:146

According to muslims the most important condition is that basmala (pronouncing the name of Allah) be performed at the time of slaughter. Several verses of the Qu'ran clearly explain that meat of those animals whose slaughter was not preceded by tasmiyah is forbidden. Also important is that the meat of those animals were ended by Zabiha (Shar'ee slaughter) of which tasmiyah is a condition. If not those animals are considered Maytah (carrion) and are expressly forbidden. The meat of animals slaughtered by a Kafir (non-believer) or Mushrik (polytheist) is also forbidden.

Dogs

Image:Saluki 600.jpg Many Islamic teachers state dogs should also be considered unclean and that Muslims licked by them must perform purification. According to Hadith, anything a dog touches must be washed seven times, the final time in dustTemplate:Ref. Some religious traditions hold that if a dog passes in front of someone preparing to pray, that it pollutes their purity and negates the prayer.

Some teachers even go so far as to say that photographsTemplate:Ref, television, movies, and even dog shaped toys, are unclean and require purification after contact. This view is contested by many modern scholars of the Qu'ran. Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl, professor of Islamic Law at UCLA, says this zealous adherence to doctrine led one religious authority to advise a Muslim that his pet dog was evil and should be driven away by cutting off its food and water.Template:Ref

Another exception appears to be made by the Bedouin in the case of the Saluki. Salukis are considered the Gift of Allah to his children. They are allowed in the tents and considered special companions. It has been said that the Bedouin will never sell a Saluki, but will give one as a special and precious gift.Template:Ref

Christianity

In the very early days of Christianity it was debated if converts ought to follow Jewish customs (including circumcision and the dietary laws) or not. The matter was settled at the Council of Jerusalem, where it was decided that new converts are subject only to the Noahide Laws. In the Acts of the Apostles the "apostles and elders" promulgated the decision in a letter "to the Gentile believers":

"For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things; that ye abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled ..." – Acts 15:28-29

The commonly held theological position is that with the death and resurrection of Jesus, the "Old Covenant" and its restrictions no longer apply.

In the First Epistle to Timothy it states:

"...commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth. For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving: For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer." – 1 Timothy 4:3-5

In the Epistle to the Colossians it states:

"He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the written code, with its regulations... Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day." – Colossians 2:13-14,16

Accordingly, Christians permitted themselves to eat pork, despite the fact that the Torah prohibits it. The main modern day exception to this are the Seventh-day Adventists whose co-founder Ellen G. White was a proponent of vegetarianism. Many Seventh-day Adventists avoid meat for health reasons, though vegetarianism is not a requirement.

There have also been several past groups who made similar exceptions such as the Marcionists, who strictly followed the Jewish tradition of unclean foods.

Scientific studies

In 1953 Dr. David I. Macht, one of the primary proponents of biblical scientific foresight, conducted toxicity tests on more than a hundred species of mammals, birds and fish. He reported that in every case, extracts from meat of unclean mammals, birds, and fish inhibited the growth of lupin seedlings more than those the Old Testament called clean. Macht's methodology, known as phytopharmacology, has not been widely used by other researchers. Template:Ref See "Clean animals" for more discussion of Dr. Macht's findings.

In 1966, British anthropologist Mary Douglas published the influential study Purity and Danger: An Analysis of Concepts of Pollution and Taboo. In Purity and Danger, Douglas first proposed that the kosher laws were not, as many believed, either primitive health regulations or randomly chosen as tests of Jews' commitment to God. Instead, Douglas argued that the laws were about symbolic boundary-maintenance. Prohibited foods were those which did not seem to fall neatly into any category. Her theory was that pigs were declared unclean in Leviticus because pigs' place in the natural order was ambiguous since they shared the cloven hoof of the ungulates, but did not chew cud.

A 1985 study by Nanji and FrenchTemplate:Ref found that there was a significant correlation between cirrhosis and pork consumption. Modern day swine raising is very different from earlier times with greater exposure to toxins but reduced exposure to pests and disease.

Notes

External links

• http://www.ucg.org/booklets/CU/bibledesignate.htm – A list of clean and unclean animals according to Leviticus and Deuteronomy.

Judaism

• http://www.kashrut.com/ – one of the better sources for information on Kosher eating.
• "Soul Food" by Rabbi Mordechai Becher - an analysis of the rules of Kashrut.

Islam

• http://www.submission.org/halal-meat.html Halal Meat (Permitted to eat Meat), The Quranic Truth
• http://www.beautifulislam.net/halalharam/zabiha_slaughter.htm An In-Depth Look at Zabiha

Christianity

• Kline, Monte Ph.D., The Dietary Law
• http://www.abcog.org/food.htm Clean and Unclean meats: a Christian perspective:

Scientific studies

• Ministry Magazine, March 1953, p37-38 "This Question of Unclean Meats" Responses to Macht's study from heads of biology depts.es:Animales impuros en el judaísmo

fr:Animaux impurs he:בעל חיים לא נקי id:Tak bersih hewani ja:不浄な生き物 ko:불결한 동물 mi:Unclean animal ru:Нечистое животное zh:不潔淨的動物