Camp Gagnon - WHY Every Religion Banned Pork

Episode Date: March 23, 2025

🚨Don't Forget To Rate Us 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟Why do religions hate pork? Sit down, join us, as we go in depth on the reasons why every mainstream religion dislike, banned and even forbid the forbidden meat. Welcome to Religion CAMP⛺! Shoutout to our sponsor: Ground NewsGround News: https://ground.news/gagnon 👕🧢 GET YOUR CAMP DRIP HERE: https://campgoods.co/🏕️ Get The Daily Today In History Email Here (Free): https://camp.beehiiv.com/TIMESTAMP:0:00 Intro4:16 Judaism Views on Pork + Jew Magic?12:02 Why Muslims Don’t Eat Pork15:36 Christians Who Don’t Eat Pork + Ethiopian Orthodox19:09 Seventh Day Adventist23:18 Jainism’s Connection To All Living Things31:07 Do Buddhists Think Meat Is Gay?35:20 Chinese Folk Religion View Of Pork38:45 Rasta No Eat Di Meat Bredda43:58 Hinduism Views on Pork46:38 Native Americans View on Pork

Why do most religions hate pork? I grew up eating pork. Pretty uncontroversial. But it seems like almost every religion around the world doesn't eat pork. Muslims. Jews. Seventh-A Adventists. Jainism. Rastafari.

Ethiopian Orthodox. Branches of Buddhism. Some Chinese folk religions. And apparently it goes deep. It's from like Buddhist compassion to Native American traditions to biblical explanations. And is reinforced in Deuteronomy 148, which adds, the pig is also unclean. Pigs are scavengers.

They're gross. They eat everything. Eating non-coacher foods like pork is believed to create a spiritual barrier between the person and their ability to connect with the divine. The religious texts of Islam go beyond simple prohibition, right? Describing pigs as inherently impure creatures both spiritually and physically. It was not a proper article of food for man. Principles of compassion. For Buddhists, this is known as Karuna.

Like some Jains, and I think we'll probably get to it, are so strict that they won't eat anything except for what has fallen from the tree. So they're like, if an apple falls, you can eat it. That's like the most hardcore. Like, I don't know if you can even do that. Many elders teach that during slavery, pigs were fed the same pork quality food as enslaved peoples. The pig was the garbage disposal of the plantation linking food choices to the liberation from colonial influence. So let's jump in to the story of pork.

What's up people and welcome back to Religion Camp. That's right, this show where I sit in this beautiful tent and explore the most fascinating, interesting, controversial stories and myths from all religions from around the world from all times. Of course, I'm joined today by my friend Christos, the Greek Freak, also the producer of this wonderful program. And also the researcher of a lot of this stuff. So if anything's wrong, you go ahead and just harass him.

I'll put his personal information, his phone number, and his address, and his family's address, if you're willing and interested in, I don't know, putting some type of religious, I guess you could say, restitution. Hex. A hex, maybe. And also my friend, Jesus, did a lot of the research on this. So I'm going to be learning along with y'all, okay? And this is a great question. The question that is posed in the title of this video is probably the reason why you clicked it. why do most religions it seems like

hate pork it's a good question right Christos have you ever thought about this like in what Greece Eastern Orthodox like Greek Orthodox you guys eat pork we do I grew up eating pork yeah pretty uncontroversial

you know but it seems like almost every religion around the world doesn't eat pork I mean just name one off the top of your head Muslims Muslims Jews Seventh-A Adventist Jainism. You ever heard of Jainism? I've not heard of Jainism.

This is a religion that's found in India in South Asia. Rastafari, Ethiopian Orthodox, branches of Buddhism, some Chinese folk religions. You're telling me the Rastafarians have munchies and they don't eat pork? Nope. It's crazy. No pork allowed. Crazy. So what is the reason for this? Seems like an interesting, again, on this show we like to explore and appreciate all religions.

If you're looking for some type of atheistic takedown, it's not the show for you, all right? I think that many religions around the world have something to contribute, whether big or small. And if all of them are saying something, then there might be something to it. So the pig, why does everyone hate the pig? Or maybe not hate the pig. Why do they love the pig? Why do we hate the pig? That's a better question.

And apparently it goes deep. There's a lot of stuff. Like, so some, I guess my, you know, off the top explanation was like, oh, it probably was dirty and like you would get sick or something. That's partially true, but there are fundamental religious approaches from like Buddhist compassion to Native American traditions to biblical explanations and everything else you can imagine. So let's jump in to the story of pork. Let's start with the Jews, shall we? One of the earliest ones to outlaw the use of pork, one of the oldest religions in the world. And this comes from Jewish cash root law within the Torah, which if you are a Christian, you always.

also read the Torah, first five books of the Bible. Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, numbers, and Deuteronomy. Crush that. Sunday school. Holler at me. Or Torah school? Do Jews have like a Shabbat school or something? Jews, let me know. Comment below.

Let's just jump in. Leviticus 11-7 declares, and the pig, although it has a divided hoof and is cloven footed, yet it does not chew the cud. It is unclean for you. This command is reinforced in Deuteronomy 148, which adds, the pig is also unclean. Although it has a divided hoof, it does not chew the cud. You are not to eat their meat or touch their carcasses. So, why pig specifically? According to Jewish law, for an animal to be considered kosher, which Jews, kosher is fit for consumption. It must possess two distinct characteristics. It must chew its cud. What is that? This is a process where an animal will regurgitate and re-chew partially digested food and have split

hooves. Those are the two things. Chew the cud, split hooves. Now, pigs have split hooves. Can we get a picture of a pig hoof real quick? But they don't chew their cud, making them problematic. It's interesting that that's what kosher would want. That's the, that's the, that's the, the Jewish law, that they have to chew their cud. The distinction isn't just a technicality. It represents a fundamental principle in Jewish law, where partial compliance isn't enough. You need adherence to the divine specifications.

Historical context deepens our understanding of this prohibition. Ancient times, pigs were known as scavengers. They would eat anything. There's like old mob stories where, like, they would throw a body to the pigs, and the pigs would just eat it up because they go crazy. Pigs are scavengers. They're gross.

They eat everything. feces, dead animals. And unlike the cud-chewing animals like cows and sheep that primarily eat grass, pigs indiscriminately eat basically everything and therefore are seen as spiritually and physically unclean. Jewish scholars have long interpreted this as divine wisdom that protects both the body and the soul, seeing the pig as a symbol of impurity that could contaminate their mind, body, and spirit. The concept of maintaining spiritual purity through dietary observance goes just beyond. certain foods, right? Like Judaism has this thing known as kosher. Also, it comes from the Hebrew word casher, which I think is probably pronounced kosher. I don't know. It's spelled differently. And basically, it literally just means fit or proper, suggesting that following these dietary

laws helps make a person spiritually sound. As the saying goes, you are what you eat. And in Jewish tradition, eating non-cocher foods like pork is believed to create a spiritual barrier between the person and their ability to connect with the divine. Perhaps the most significant of these dietary laws. They have played a crucial role in preserving Jewish identity through the millennia. That's right.

Beyond the Jewish diaspora and persecution, Jewish communities were scattered across the globe, so their adherence to kosher laws, particularly the visible abstention from pork became a powerful way to maintain their identity and connect with their heritage.

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delivered fresh to your inbox. From epic wars to religious rebellions, ancient mysteries to modern marbles, don't miss another piece of history. Scan the QR code now or click the link in the description to sign up for today in history. Even today, many secular Jews, when I say secular Jews, these are people that are ethnically Jewish, but do not observe, you know, many of the religious practices still avoid pork as a way of honoring their cultural identity and also because they probably just think it's gross. A lot of my Jewish friends are like, yeah, I just don't eat pork.

I never grew up eating it and I don't want it. But to them, I say, try bacon. It's awesome, especially if you get it crispy. You go to, like, get diner bacon. It's like real thin and just like glass. That's what you really want. So those are the Jews. It's written in the Bible.

Can't argue with God. Well, technically you can. Abraham does it. And basically the whole Talmud is just like, you know, loopholes. Jew magic, as you could say. Which a lot of people think Jews are magical, which I disagree with. Okay, I don't think Jews have magic,

but let the record show that all the greatest magicians ever are Jewish. Name one. Name a magician. David Copperfield. Jewish. Really? Yes. I mean, Google it, I think. Chris Angel is not.

He's Greek. Ah. Yeah. That's why I mentioned them. Technically, he's Greek Orthodox. He's one of the few. But Angel, angels are Jewish. So I think he's technically would fall under the subset.

David Copperfield is Jewish, right? David Copferil, this very Jewish. David Blaine, Jewish. So, Jews obviously don't have Jew magic, but a lot of magicians are Jewish. Just something to think about. Anyway, let's move on to another one, shall we? Islam.

The halal dietary laws. So why don't my Muslim friends eat pork? And again, I'm not Muslim, so I don't know specifically. This is just what Christos and Jesus have kind of found on the internet. So any Muslims listening, happy Ramadan, Ramadan Mubarak. And let me know if I get any of this wrong, all right? Let's dive in. The answer lies in Islam's clear and unequivocal position on pork consumption.

The Quran, the Islam's holy book, explicitly prohibits pork in multiple verses. One of the most direct statements appears in the Surah al-Bakara, which declares, He has only forbidden you dead meat, blood, the flesh of swine, and that on which any other name has been invoked besides that of Allah. This prohibition is so important that it's repeated three other places in the Quran, emphasizing its significance in Islamic law. The religious text of Islam go beyond simple prohibition, right? Describing pigs as inherently impure creatures, both spiritually and physically. In Muslim tradition, pigs are considered nashis, which is ritually unclean, a status that extends beyond just their flesh to include their entire being

This is elaborated in various hadith, which again, if you don't know what the hadith is, this is the record sayings and actions of the Prophet Muhammad, Peace be upon him. Where pigs are described as creatures that shouldn't even be kept or raised, except under specific circumstances. The Quran states in Surah al-Anam, al-Anam. I think I said that, right? Say, I do not find within that witch was revealed to me anything forbidden to one who would eat it unless it be dead animal, or blood spilled out, or the flesh of swine for indeed it's impure. A unique aspect of Islamic dietary law is the belief that Allah's wisdom in prohibiting pork

extends beyond human comprehension. While modern science might discover, you know, certain health-related reasons for avoiding pork, specifically back in the old days, Islamic scholars emphasize that the divine prohibition isn't solely based on health concerns, as stated in the Hadith collection of Sahar al-Bakari, Allah and his messengers know best, suggesting that there are deeper spiritual reasons for the prohibition that humans might not fully understand. The historical connection to Prophet Muhammad's teachings about pure food forms another crucial layer of understanding. The Prophet emphasized the importance of consuming not just physically clean food, but spiritually pure food as well. In one famous Hadith, he stated, O people, Allah is pure and accepts only which is pure.

This teaching establishes a fundamental principle in Islamic dietary law, that what Muslims consume should be both physically and spiritually clean, a standard that pork, according to Islamic teaching, fails to meet. In Islamic tradition, there's a strong association between pork consumption and moral corruption and spiritual contamination. Many Islamic scholars point to Surah al-Mahadiahida, I think I'm pronounced that correct, where those who occur Allah's anger were transferred,

formed into apes and pigs as punishment, suggesting a symbolic connection between pigs and spiritual degradation. This belief has created a deep-rooted culture and spiritual aversion to pork in Muslim communities worldwide. So there you go. That's Islam. It's written in the Quran. It's reiterated into the hadiths. That's all you need. Don't argue with Allah. But what about Christianity? We got a couple Christian sects of the great faith of Jesus Christ. That prohibits pork consumption, maybe the most infamous perhaps, is the Ethiopian Orthodox Church. And this is significant because it is one of the oldest branches of Christianity. So let's dive in, shall we?

The Ethiopian Orthodox Church, one of the oldest, if not the oldest Christian churches in the world, maintains many Old Testament dietary laws, including the Prohibition of Pork. The practice finds its biblical foundation in the same passages observed by Judaism, Leviticus 11, verses 7 and 8. The continuation of Jewish dietary customs in Ethiopian Christianity has historical roots tracing back to the ancient kingdom of axum. Unlike other Christian denominations that interpret Peter's visions in Acts 10 as abolishing dietary restrictions, Ethiopian churches maintain these practices as a part of their unique spiritual heritage. The Ethiopian Orthodox Orthodox Tawaedo Church views these dietary laws not as mere regulations, but as spiritual disciplines.

that connect modern believers to the ancient faith of Israel. The perspective is reinforced by their interpretation of Acts 15, which advises early Christians to, quote, abstain from food sacrifices to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals. That's actually, I feel like a good justification for, like, vegetarianism. You know what I mean? Because we all know that the animals that we're eating are not loved.

You know what I mean? A lot of them probably are not having a great time towards the end. So if you are a biblically adherent Christian, check out Acts 15. Maybe that'll challenge you a little bit. One of the most fascinating aspects of Ethiopian Christianity's dietary laws is their connection to the historical narrative of Queen Sheba. Shiba? Shiba. According to Ethiopian tradition, recorded in the Kebra Nagast, this is the glory of kings, when the queen of Shiba visited King Solomon, as described in First Kings. 10, she not only embraced his wisdom, but also adopted Jewish religious practices, including the dietary laws. The text states that upon her return to Ethiopia, she established these

practices as a part of the kingdom's religious observance, again, creating a direct line between the ancient Israeli practices and Ethiopian Christianity. The Ethiopian Church maintains these food restrictions as a way of preserving biblical purity, again, viewing dietary observance as a physical expression of spiritual devotion. Similar to Judaism and Islam, this is reflected in the interpretation of Daniel chapter 1, verses 8 through 16, where Daniel and his companions refuse to eat the king's food to maintain their religious purity. Ethiopian Orthodox Christians see their dietary practices as a similar act of spiritual dedication, believing that what enters the body affects the soul. The church teaches that

these restrictions help believers maintain a state of spiritual readiness for prayer and communion with God. These dietary laws have become deeply ingrained within the Ethiopian identity. The practice of avoiding pork and other biblically unclean foods has become more than just a religious obligation. It is a fundamental part of Ethiopian Christian heritage. This integration is so complete that even during periods of modernization and outside influence, these dietary practices have remained steadfast. As one Ethiopian Orthodox scholar noted, quote, our dietary laws remind us daily of our unique calling as keepers of an ancient Christian tradition that bridges the old and the New Testaments.

Well, there you go. So some Christians don't do pork either. And furthermore, there are actually Christians that I know here in America, known as Seventh-day Adventists. Do you know any Seventh-day Adventists? I do. Apparently, they don't do pork either. They also don't do, what, like birthdays? Maybe I'm thinking of Jehovah's Witnesses.

No, they, Seventh-day Adventists do a lot of church time, though. They do a lot of what? Church time. Oh, like, they go to church a lot. Yeah, they're hardcore. My Seventh-day Adventist friends are like, are about it. Same. And they don't do pork.

Seven-day Adventist church offers a unique perspective by, again, interpreting these biblical dietary restrictions through a lens of holistic health and wellness. They adhere to the Old Testament dietary laws that we've seen in the Torah, also the Ethiopian Church. But it's not just about this religious observance. It's viewed as divine guidance for us. optimal health. Again, it goes back to Leviticus. The church's interpretation of pork prohibition as divine wisdom for physical well-being was significantly influenced by one of its

founding leaders, Ellen G. White. In her seminal work, counsels on diet and foods, written in 1938, White wrote, pork, although one of the most common articles of diet, is one of the most injurious. Injurious. God did not prohibit the Hebrews from eating swine's flesh merely to show his authority, but because it was not a proper article of food for man. This perspective aligns with 1 Corinthians, chapter 6 versus 19 and 20, which states, Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit? Therefore, honor God with your bodies. LNG White's teachings on clean and unclean meats went beyond simple prohibition.

She extensively wrote about the connection between diet and health, often citing scientific discoveries that were ahead of her time. Her writings emphasize Daniel. chapter one, which we've read before. And she says that Daniel and his companions, when they denied the king's meal, proved healthier. That's right. At the end of the 10 days, they looked healthier and better nourished than any of the young men who ate the royal foods. The biblical account serves as a cornerstone for Adventist dietary principles, demonstrating the practical benefits of following divine dietary guidance.

Well, there you go. I mean, that's Seven-day Adventist. They're pretty hardcore. The Seven-Day Adventist Church also teaches that physical and spiritual health are inseparable just like many of the other traditions that we looked at. They point to the third book of John, chapter 1, verse 2, which states, Dear Friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well. The church interprets this verse is evidence that God cares about both the physical and the spiritual. They view dietary choices, not. just as matters of health, but as spiritual decisions that affect one's ability to serve God. I like that the Bible has letters. There's lots of nice letters in the Bible. It's like, dear group of people, let's talk, writing to churches and stuff. It's kind of nice. It's also worth noting that Adventists, seven-day Adventists, have a huge health-focused interpretation

that goes on, you know, even in their secular lives. It's kind of wild, right? Like, you can look at Adventist health studies. Like, in my hometown, there was, like, a big, like, Adventist health hospital. Like, do they have those where you grew up? Mm-mm. Like, in Florida, there was, like, Adventist Health. It was, like, a massive, like, hospital, like, medical establishment.

So they fund it? I think so, yeah. Wow. And, like, all people go there. Like, it's just like, oh, yeah, Adventist Health, like, down the block. Like, it's just a hospital. But I guess it makes sense if they're super concerned with, like, spiritual and physical well-being. Yeah, actually, that checks out.

So the Loma Linda University shows. that Adventists who follow these dietary principles tend to live longer, healthier lives. They point to Isaiah 55, which says, why spend money on what is not bread and your labor on what does not satisfy? This is a biblical foundation for making wise dietary choices.

So there you go. If you ever go to like an Adventist hospital, you can trust that these people are, you know, about that life. So that gets us through a lot of like the Abrahamic religions. So as I can see, Judaism, Islam, Christianity. all adhere to the Quran, to the Torah, to the Bible, as their fundamental reason for abstaining from sweet delicious bacon. But Jains are a little different. At the core of Jainism, which again is one of the world's oldest religions, they have this principle of Ahimsa, Ahimsa, which is this principle of

nonviolence. This extends far beyond just avoiding pork, but encompasses respect for all living beings. As stated in the Achiranga Sutra, one of the Jane's oldest text, it says, all beings are fond of life. They like pleasure, hate pain, shun destruction. Like life, long

to live, to all life is dear. That's beautiful. This fundamental teaching establishes the foundation for Jane's strict vegetarian dietary laws. Like, Janes are like the most like hardcore,

like dietary religious people I've ever met my life. Like my friend that I went to college with, we'd all go eat in the cafeteria and be like, I can't. Like some Jains, and I think we'll probably get to it, are so strict that they won't eat anything except for what has fallen from the tree. I was just about to mention that.

You pluck plants that are living. Exactly. So they're like, if an apple falls, you can eat it. That's like the most hardcore. I don't know if you can even do that. I mean, I'm sure there's some Jains that are listening, probably starving. and they're super hardcore.

So they have like different, different ideas around like root vegetables, which I'll explain in a second. This is a built on this belief, like we said, nonviolence, minimizing harm to all living things. It's actually exemplified in the Tatvartvathasutra, which declares, quote,

the function of property is to benefit living beings. To use it otherwise is wrong. So this goes on to dietary choices, where even the cult of, of root vegetables is avoided because harvesting them kills the entire plant. It's elaborated, a person who wishes to practice Dharma should not cause harm, even to the smallest living being. Therefore, consuming pork or any meat is seen as a direct violation of this core principle, as it inevitably causes harm to the sentient beings.

The Jane philosophy goes even deeper. In another text, the Achiranga Sutra, it says, quote, all souls are equal, all souls are alike. All souls are pure and perfect. They're sure. Therefore, they should not be injured. This perspective sees all living things as being worth respect and protection. And that makes all consumption of meat fundamentally incompatible with the spiritual practices. As stated in another text, he who harms animals has not understood or renounced deeds of sin.

in this world and in the next, there is much suffering for one who kills living beings. Sorry, bodybuilders. If you're crushing a weigh protein, just know that there might be Jane Held to pay. So yeah, Jane teaching is pretty hardcore. The carmic consequences of meat consumption are very severe and far-reaching. As it says in some of the texts, what you sow, so you shall reap. Emphasizing that causing harm to animals creates negative karma that impede spiritual progress. The text further explains that consuming meat not only creates new negative karma, but also

binds one to the cycle of birth and death. This view is reinforced in the Acharanga Sutra, which claims those who kill animals for food will be killed in their next lives by their victims. Dang. So you go to, you go to Chick-fil-A, you eat some chicken. Next life, you're going to get killed by that chicken. Whoa, that is a lot, and I've eaten a lot of meat. Can you remember? imagine a pig killing someone? Yeah, easily. Yeah. Have you seen pigs eat?

Look at their tail. No, no, no. Pigs will absolutely destroy you. I'm telling, like, if you just went into like a pig sty or like a pig pen, just even just you now, if you think you're undesirable, go in there and you will be chewed alive. I'm telling you, like two pigs would probably take you out in like an afternoon. So this belief in karmic retribution has helped maintain, maintain Jainism's strict vegetarian

traditions for thousands of years, making the consumption of pork or any meat unthinkable for the devout janes. If you're like me, you probably read a news story and you're like, this is crazy. What is the truth about this? Is this a partisan spin? Is this funded by some media company or some country by their state-sponsored media to try to warp my brain? I genuinely read news articles now with so much skepticism because I have no idea if this is from the right or the left and what the agenda is and why it's being presented in front of me. And that is why I follow and support ground news. That's right. So even before I started working with this company on the podcast, I've been following them on Instagram because I just thought they gave a very, very great, unbiased, nonpartisan

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advantage plan with my link ground.news slash gagnon j-a-g-g-no-n or scan my QR code right here or go to the description and click on the link this unlocks access to all of their news analysis features something that i think is i don't know super important to have yeah make decisions based on facts not spin this november check them out in a secret CIA facility doctors administered mysterious substances to unwitting americans their goal mind control the year was 1973 and as agents frantically burned thousands of documents, Project M.K. Ultra's darkest secrets, nearly vanished into smoke. Now step back to Friday the 13th, 1314. The grandmaster of history's most powerful military order kneels before the flames. As the fire rises, Jacques de Molé, last leader of the

Knights Templar, utters a curse so chilling that when both the French king and Pope die within the year, whispers of dark prophecy spread across Europe. Now, these aren't crazy conspiracy theories or something you read and, you know, some fan fiction. These are real historical events you'll discover in Today and History, the newsletter that uncoveres the strange, shocking, and sublime moments that shape our world. Get your daily dose of mind-bending history, scan the QR code or click the link below to join Today's History. Now, while we're on some Eastern philosophy, let's go to some branches of Buddhism. Yeah, that's right. Some Buddhists don't do pork or any other meats because like I said,

it is deeply intertwined with these fundamental principles of compassion. For Buddhists, this is known as Karuna, the Mahayana ma'apurv. I'm not, just put it up on a screen. I don't know how to say that. The eating of meat extinguishes the seed of great compassion, reflecting a core belief that consuming animal flesh conflicts with cultivation of universal compassion for all sentient things. So yeah, for many Buddhist practitioners, consuming pork directly violates the first precept of Buddhism, basically saying the commitment to abstain from killing or any living being, that you don't kill stuff. So the Lancavatara Sutra elaborates on this by saying, for the sake of love and purity, the bodhisattva should refrain from eating flesh, which is born of semen, blood, and the like. Whoa. So they're making it gay.

A little bit. Like if you eat meat, you're basically eating grown-up semen. Bro, that's a good point. Whoa. Because you wouldn't eat cow semen, but you would eat a cow. Right. Which is basically cow semen. But is the semen in the meat?

Yeah. Because how do you make meat? You need semen. Whoa. I don't think I follow it. How do you make a cow? Oh, okay. You first get cow semen.

Right. cow egg, mix it together, bit, bit, bit, but, but, but, cow, now you're eating cow semen. That is why, they did a whole, a bit of a reach. The whole, I mean, some of these Buddhists are like, yo, no diddy, don't eat a cow,

or else that is gay. So in the Polycanon, particularly in the Jivica Suta, the Buddha permitted monks to eat meat if it was not specifically killed for them, and if they had not seen, heard, or suspected that the animal was killed for their benefit. So what would that mean? Like, you find a dead cow somewhere.

Roadkill or something? Yeah. Or like, if a cow was killed because it was like suffering. Oh, so maybe like a cow breaks its leg. And you're like, oh, this cow suffering, it's going to die. Let's kill it. You didn't see it get killed. You didn't hear it get killed.

La la la la la la. And then you get to technically eat it only under that condition. Or basically anyone that gifts you a cow, me. Yeah, because it wasn't for you. I guess this is why there's not that many Buddhist restaurants. Like, I've never been to a Buddhist restaurant. Same. But you'd have to get cow meat that was like, hey, no one heard this thing get killed.

It broke its leg. So you get like that much because we got to share it with the whole restaurant. Now, later Buddhist teachers, particularly in the Mahayana tradition, interpret these guidelines more strictly. So the Buddhist master Emperor Wu of Liang, who lived around 464. A.D. wrote, the consumption of meat diminishes the seed of compassion. So, kind of reiterating one of the earlier Buddhist texts that we just read, the connection between dietary choices and spiritual cultivation and Buddhism extends beyond the rules of food. They say that eating the flesh of being increases the karma of killing, much like the Jains. Many Buddhist

practitioners believe that consuming pork and other meats generates negative karma that you got to deal with in your next life. Dang. Now, interpretations of these teachings vary significantly across Buddhist traditions. Some Buddhists, particularly in East Asia, avoid pork and other meats. Some Tibetan Buddhists permit meat consumption due to the geographical and historical circumstances. The 14th Dalai Lama has addressed this adversity, noting that while vegetarianism is admirable, it's not mandatory for all Buddhists. This reflects Buddhism's adaptability to different cultural contexts. So that's kind of nice.

the Buddhists are like reasonable about it. Like, hey, you just, if you need to, you can. It doesn't mean you're going to get killed by a pig later. But still, you should be, you know, chill with that. All right, let's move on to another eastern tradition as we're going farther east. Now, if I had to ask you what country you think eats the most pork? Random guess. United States.

That's actually a good question. Let's find out. Which country eats the most pork? pork per capita because I think that's a good distinction. Wow. Hong Kong eats the most pork per capita in the world, 121 pounds per person each year. Whoa. So what if I told you that some Chinese folk religions don't eat pork? That'd be news. Yeah. But it's true. The classic rights, also known as the Ligji described the

specific taboos surrounding pork consumption stating that in the first month of autumn one should not consume pork as it disturbs the harmony between heaven and earth. This ancient text reflects how early Chinese civilizations viewed dietary restrictions as essential

for maintaining cosmic balance. The pig holds a sacred connection in several Chinese deities, most notably Zhu Bejai. who appears in the classical novel Journey to the West as the Divine being trapped in pig form. The classic of mountains and seas known as Shanghai Jing describes how certain mountain spirits take the form of pigs suggesting that these animals serve as bridges between the mortal and spiritual realms.

The duality of pigs both as sacred and profane has led to complex rules about when and how pork can be consumed. So that's interesting. That's different than the Abrahamic religion. It seems like the Abrahamics are a little bit like, hey, pigs are impure. They just eat anything. They don't chew their cud, so don't eat them. Whereas some of these Chinese folk religions are like, hey, pigs are actually so divine, and they are a connection to these gods who embody the pig form, that we got to actually respect them for that reason.

Traditional beliefs around ritual purity in Chinese folk religion place significant emphasis on the proper handling and consumption of pork. Now this is something known as the Huang di Nijing, the yellow emperor's inner canon. Why is it that color? I don't know. I'm just saying what it is. There is no joke here. I have respect for the Chinese people.

This warns that improperly preparing pork can disturb one's chi, the vital energy, and affects spiritual clarity. So during important ceremonies, particularly those honoring ancestors or celestial deities, specific guidelines dictate how pork should be prepared and presented. So the Book of Rights, that thing I was just talking about before, that emphasizes that when making offerings, the purity of the sacrifice is more important than the quantity, highlighting how spiritual significance of pork transcends its material value. Again, there's seasonal restrictions on pork consumption that follow the Chinese lunar calendar. So with specific prohibitions during key festivals and observance, the ghost festival, many communities avoid pork consumption believing that the strong smell might attract hungry

ghosts. The annals of spring and autumn records that different seasons have different dietary observations, with pork restrictions being particularly stringent during transitional periods between seasons when the spiritual and physical worlds are believed to be closely connected. So there you go. If you tune into this episode being like, oh, for sure the Chinese eat a lot of pigs. Technically you're right, but there are some Chinese folk religion adherence that refuse to do it. Now let's switch it up and go someplace. completely different. We're going to the island of Jamaica, and we're going to look at the Rastafari. Rastafarian tradition interprets the biblical dietary laws uniquely, blending African spirituality

with Judeo-Christian teachings. Again, I didn't grow up Rastafarian. I don't know a ton about it, to be honest with you, we should do an episode on Rastafarianism, because that sounds fascinating. But Rastafari will draw on Loviticus 11, which, again, as we've seen in Judaism, as well as Ethiopian texts that the pig is unclean. So rastafarians have developed this distinct African-centered understanding around this ancient prohibition. Leonard Howell, one of the early leaders of the Rastafari movement, taught that these biblical laws were originally African wisdom preserved through the Hebrew scriptures, emphasizing how these dietary restrictions serve as a path to spiritual liberation and cultural resistance. That's so interesting. Can you look up if Rastafaris eat

pork. That is like news to me. I'm so surprised by this. I don't know why. I just assume like, yeah, you know, a little ox tail, little beef patty. No, rastafarians do not eat pork. They follow a strict diet called what we will find out soon is eat all. Wow, that's fascinating. The rastafari movement places profound emphasis on the connection between food and spiritual consciousness, known as lividi. As expressed in the teachings of Marcus Garvey, what we put in our bodies directly affects our ability to reason and to see things in their true perspective. Christos, I'm glad you brought up ETAL and the principle of ETAL living. This is fundamental to the Rastafarian practice.

It goes beyond simple dietary restrictions to embrace a holistic approach to natural living. The word ital derives from vital. Yeah, there you go. Vital. Vital. Ital. Ital. And its dietary guidelines emphasize life-affirming foods, as stated in

in the recordings of the early Rasta elder Leonard Howell's teachings. Can we get a picture of Leonard Howell, by the way? It's so fascinating. Leonard Howell, I'm not familiar with this guy. He says that the food of earth must be pure, as Jah created it, untouched by Babylon systems. Wow, Leonard Howell. Handsome guy. Good hairline, too.

The philosophy views pork not as merely as unclean meat, but as a symbol of spiritual and physical degradation. Rastafarians associate pork. consumption with colonial oppression and historical trauma. Many elders teach that during slavery, pigs were fed the same poor quality food as enslaved peoples, making them carriers of physical and spiritual pollution. As noted in the writings of Mortimo Plano, a significant Rosafari elder, the pig was the garbage disposal of the plantation and to eat of it is to eat of the system of downpression. This historical context adds to the layer of cultural resistance to

to the dietary prohibition, like in food choices to the liberation from colonial influence. That is fascinating. Because I feel like I knew that, even just growing up, the, like, barbecue is basically, like, food that slaves made good.

Have you heard that before? Like, I was taught that in school. Like, basically all the barbecue food that we eat, like, pulled pork and, like, ribs. Ribs. Like, brisket. Hot dogs, I think, are German.

Oh. But, like, a lot of, like, if you go to a barbecue restaurant, you're going to get pulled pork, get ribs, all that stuff. Apparently was like the waste meat that was given away to the enslaved peoples in America. And obviously, you know, probably in like the colonial islands and stuff. And so as a result, they turned it into, like, amazing food that now, like, white guys in Texas are like, yeah, we made it. But they also say that the pigs and enslaved people ate the same diet. Yeah, I mean, the pigs are just eating like the, you know, waste. They'll just eat anything.

So that's interesting that the rossafari tie it in saying like, hey, this is a sign of our colonial oppression. Shout out to the rossifari. That's awesome. Rastafarians interpret Isaiah 52 also to say, you know, don't touch any unclean thing. And they, again, see this bodily and spiritual purity through conscious eating. And so you have Rastafari figures like Leonard Howell and Marcus Garvey, who emphasized that true spiritual Elevation requires attention to what you put into your body. One traditional chant proclaims pure food, pure thoughts, Papa Johns.

No, pure food, pure thoughts, pure meditation brings erration to the nation. This holistic approach to food purity represents a radical reimagining of biblical dietary laws through the ends of African spirituality and post-colonial consciousness. Wow. That's awesome. I have way more respect for the Rastafari now. That's sick as hell. It doesn't just end there.

We also got some Hindu sex that don't do it. So, you know, if you haven't seen the Hindu episode, we did a whole episode on the different sex of Hinduism. Hopefully this lines up. Hindu philosophy, particularly is outlined in the Bhagavangita. Foods are categorized into three fundamental qualities. You have the satvik, which is pure, the Rajasic, which is passionate and the tamasic which is impure the sacred text states that foods that promote life purity

strength health joy and cheerfulness which are savory and oligionious what is that word look up what that means oligionious substantial and agreeable are dear to the satific people pork along with other meat products is traditionally classified as tamasic believed to promote darkness and spiritual dullness there's another text that elaborates what you eat determines the quality of your mind and the quality of your mind determines the quality of your thoughts again the connection between food and spiritual consciousness is deeply embedded

into Hindu spiritual practices wow that's fascinating did you find out what that word means rich in covered with or producing oil oily or greasy oh wow that's interesting so again some Hindus will also adopt this idea of

ahimsa which we found in the jamesa tradition, which is this principle of nonviolence. Basically, you know, this potentially has influenced some Hindu practices, which says that, you know, Ahimsa is the highest Dharma. Many Hindu sects interpret this as divine mandate for vegetarianism, viewing the consumption of pork or any meat as a violation of this fundamental principle. And of course, there's regional and sectarian variations in pork prohibition that, again, reflects the vast diversity of the Indian cultural landscape. Now, while many North Indian Hindu communities maintain strict, strict vegetarian diets, some Hindu communities in East India and Nepal have included pork in their diets.

Many modern Hindu spiritual movements, such as the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, known as Iscon, informally prohibited pork consumption, citing Vedic injunctions against meat eating. Wow, that's fascinating. So there you go. Some of the Hindus also Again, it seems like every religion sees food as the influence of your thoughts and your consciousness and that way you consume becomes you in some capacity. So therefore, everything you consume needs to be pure, which I think is just a good lesson in general. I think all people can adopt that. While on the topic of Indians, we'd be remiss to not discuss the American Indian, aka the Native American. Some Native American tribes also hold pork in this.

unique position, even prior to European colonization. So the Black Elk, a renowned Oglala Lakote Holy Man, spoke of this in his teachings. So this is what Black Elk said. Our people lived from the natural foods of our lands. Each creature that sustained us held sacred meaning. The introduction of pork represents not just a new food source, but a departure from traditional relationships with the land and its creatures. Oh, that's interesting. Pigs are not indigenous to North America. Wow. So if pigs aren't over here, the natives are like, hey, this is outsider food. This is not for us. Wow, that's really interesting. So the introduction of pork represented not just a new food, but a departure from the traditional relationship with the land and its creatures.

Wow. Many tribal elders, such as those of the Navajo people, teach that pork lacks the spiritual connections that define traditional foods like buffalo, deer, and corn, which are embedded in creation stories and ceremonial practices. The spiritual connection between traditional foods and culture runs deep in Native American traditions. So, for example, the Hopi people, H-O-P-I, they say, when we eat foods of our ancestors, we consume their wisdom and their strength so we can only eat the food of our ancestors. If you eat someone else's food, you might be consuming the wisdom of their ancestors.

Wow, that's really interesting. Traditional foods are seen as gifts from the creator, each with its own spirit and purpose in maintaining cultural continuity. The Cherokee speak of this idea that, quote, every plant, every animal that gives itself for food carries medicine and stories. This worldview sees food not merely as sustenance, but as a link to ancestral knowledge. Native American spiritual traditions emphasize maintaining harmony with natural order through dietary practices. Lakota Elder Luther Standing Bear taught that, quote, what we eat becomes part of our spirit, and our spirit must remain in balance with Mother Earth.

This philosophy views food choices as sacred agreements with the land and its creatures. Wow. This makes a lot of sense, actually. If you're like, hey, we eat the food of our land and we absorb the wisdom of our elders and our ancestors that also ate the same food, we have to continue eating the food that is of our land. Wow, that makes a lot of sense. The integration of food choices with ceremonial practices remain central to Native American spiritual life. During the green corn ceremony, many southeastern tribes emphasized the consumption of traditional foods as a way of renewing spiritual connections.

As documented in Pueblo tradition, each food offered in ceremony carries prayer to the spirit world. Notably, pork is absent from these practices as it lacks the spiritual significance of indigenous food that have been a part of ceremonial life for countless generations. So, yeah, I guess Thanksgiving didn't have pork? Just turkey and cranberries, I guess. Wow. This is wild. I feel like I learned a lot just by going through all this. Which tradition is your favorite, which is a no wrong answer here? Purely based on them not eating pork? Yeah.

I don't want to get political, but the Native American one is the coolest. Yeah, being like, yo, we got our shit. Right. We eat ours. And you come over here with your freaking, you know, bow jangles or whatever. It's like, no, no, we don't have bojangles here. Yeah. We just eat.

It's also. not religious at all. Yeah, it's kind of like the Rastafar I one, where it's like a little religious, but it's also like, yo, that's plantation shit. We don't do that. We are rising above it. Right.

Which I think is, that's far. Also, I love, like, Rastafari language, like Gideon SideQuest, who was describing this. Like, even in one of the Rastafari elders we were talking about, he says downpression.

Is that an impression? Oppression. Oppression. Okay. That, like, words have meaning. So you don't fall in love because falling is bad. You stand in love. You don't understand something because that means you're under it. You overstand.

So even when he was writing, he's like, yo, we're not giving in to that downpression. Because uppression sounds like it's up. No, no, no. It's down pressure. They're pushing us down. So they change language in a way that fits what they're trying to communicate. Which is kind of fun because you never say downpression. I guess maybe unless you're talking about like a weather system or something.

but I think it's fascinating. I'll be honest. Yeah, I like the Rastafari tradition. And all these people not eating pork, it kind of makes you wonder like, yo, should I phase out pork? I don't know. I will say the common thread, like I was saying before, is that all these cultures have this strong fundamental belief that we put in your body impacts your thoughts, impacts everything, and impacts who you are. Which I think is generally true. Like, it goes beyond pork.

I think you could say the same for, like, processed foods. eating garbage at the 7-Eleven when you pop in, grab a tequito, you know, eat like a beef jerky. It's like, what even, what is that? You know what I mean? Like, is that even food? Like, I don't know, RFK might make me a Jane. I'm close.

But if I missed your tradition, if you belong to a faith background that we didn't discuss, I would love to know what it is and why you don't eat pork. Please comment below. And furthermore, if I did talk about your faith tradition and I got something wrong, I would love to know the correct answer. correct me, gently, nicely. All right? I'm trying my best. And as always, this has been

another episode of Religion Camp. Okay. So maybe today, take a break off pork. Think about the words that we've been discussing. And I'll see you guys next Sunday. Thank you so much. And peace be with you. If you've made it to the end of this episode, that's because you rock with us. And for that, we rock with you. You are sophisticated. You enjoy honest, true communication, a high-browed type of person that understands this. History is not just dates and names, it is a tapestry of human triumph and tragedy. From the day Nostradamus made his first prophecy to the morning Paul Revere took his midnight ride from ancient oracles to modern revolutionaries. That is why I need you. If you have not already, please sign up for today in history, our free newsletter. Today in history

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