Eating 'Halal' meat?

[josh987654321]

Hi,

I currently have two food groups I am querying on this as one is a meat product and one isn’t.

I currently have in my diet ‘Beef Jerky’ and ‘Vegemite’

I knew vegemite had the Halal stamp on it, but seeing as how it was not a ‘meat’ product I didn’t feel very alarmed by it. However, I recently found that my ‘Beef Jerky’ also contains a Halal stamp on it.

I found the following thread - Eating “halal” meat? forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=257048&page=2

In which the answers given to me there were not satisfactory and many were very alarming to be honest. The ones who gave I believe near correct answers had ‘banned’ under their names.

To be halal certified the animal must be facing Mecca, have its throat cut while still alive and then ritually sacrificed by a Muslim who recites a prayer dedicating the slaughter to Allah.

This in my books is food sacrificed to idols, and even if someone tries to say that it isn’t, I would still like to be safe than sorry.

So just a few questions -

1. Seeing as how vegemite is not a ‘meat’ product, does the Halal stamp simply mean that it is okay for Muslims to eat or that it too was also dedicated to Allah through some form of Islamic ritual?
2. Given the ‘Halal’ approved meats, can we ourselves bless this food with the sign of the Cross making it fit for us to eat?

Thank you for your assistance (I hope I didn’t offend anyone).

God Bless

Josh

 

[underacloud]

Halal meat is not “ritually sacrificed”. It is merely blessed and is considered acceptable for Catholics to eat. Even if it were sacrificed, St Paul OKs Christians eating such food in 1 Corinthians. Not to mention that Allah is not considered a pagan God, but the same God who we worship.

There was an article in the Australian Catholic Weekly a few years ago that discussed this, and clarified that Catholics may eat Halal meat, but I cannot find that source now.

Catholics have never been prohibited, nor even discouraged, from eating Halal meats. And Catholics have been living in close proximity to Muslims for many many centuries.

Go ahead and eat your vegemite (yuck) and Halal meats.

 

[Petaro]

The Halal mark on Vegemite is a sign the yeast used contains no alcohol. You can eat it knowing that Kraft has decided to fund the Muslim Accreditation System for their commercial reasons. If you want non-Halal vegemite eat Dick Smith’s brand if you can get it.

 

[GEddie]

Halal simply means it is ok for Muslims.

For non-Muslims, IIUC, it’s just meat.

ICXC NIKA

 

[Gia_B]

I’ve always found it odd how some people get bent out of shape over halal meat, but don’t bat an eye when very similar food is labeled kosher. They’re the same thing in principle. Both halal and kosher just signify that the food fits into a set of dietary laws that we don’t follow. Neither means that much to us from a religious perspective.

 

[patrick457]

I’ve always found it odd how some people get bent out of shape over halal meat, but don’t bat an eye when very similar food is labeled kosher. They’re the same thing in principle. Both halal and kosher just signify that the food fits into a set of dietary laws that we don’t follow. Neither means that much to us from a religious perspective.

I agree. Just my two cents: of we’re going to dispute halal meat, why not kosher meat as well?

Personally, if we’re talking about not eating food offered to ‘idols’ I’d probably be more cautious of Hindu prasads (as those are offered to Hindu deities) than I would be about halal or kosher food.

To be halal certified the animal must be facing Mecca, have its throat cut while still alive and then ritually sacrificed by a Muslim who recites a prayer dedicating the slaughter to Allah.

The slaughter (dhabiha/zabiha) AFAIK is preceded by the phrase Bismillah Allahu akbar ‘In the name of Allah, Allah is the greatest’ - or even just a ‘Bismillah’ or even just ‘Allah’. The rationale is, that the animal must be killed in the name of God. (So apparently - correct me on this - the exact formula doesn’t matter, just as long as the name of Allah is said.) And yes, it has to face Mecca, otherwise the animal would become haram (‘sinful’ to eat).

(It is the Jewish shechita that has a clearly-defined dedication/blessing: “Blessed are you, O Lord God, King of the universe, who commanded us regarding so-and-so” - in this case, the shechita.)

P.S. To any Muslims here: is it true that Muslims are allowed to partake of the food of ‘the People of the Book’?

 

[KendraDZ1902]

I don’t see how halal or kosher foods can be deemed as sacrificing to an idol, since Jews and Muslims worship the same God we do.

 

[josh987654321]

Halal meat is not “ritually sacrificed”.

Given the description I found -

To be halal certified the animal must be facing Mecca, have its throat cut while still alive and then ritually sacrificed by a Muslim who recites a prayer dedicating the slaughter to Allah.

If this isn’t a ritual sacrifice of an animal, I don’t know what is.

It is merely blessed and is considered acceptable for Catholics to eat.

Sorry, I disagree.

Even if it were sacrificed, St Paul OKs Christians eating such food in 1 Corinthians.

I understand how you can get that from 1 Corinthians 8, however, in 1 Corinthians 10 he tells us not to eat it and in 1 Corinthians 8 I believe he mainly talks about the fact that it would lead your non believing brothers and sisters astray (again counselling against it).

However, aside from those two passages, I believe it is made clearer in other passages such as these -

Acts 15:28-29
28 For it has seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things: 29 that you abstain from what has been sacrificed to idols and from blood and from what is strangled and from unchastity. If you keep yourselves from these, you will do well. Farewell.”

Revelation 2:14
14 But I have a few things against you: you have some there who hold the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, that they might eat food sacrificed to idols and practice immorality.

Revelation 2:20
20 But I have this against you, that you tolerate the woman Jez′ebel, who calls herself a prophetess and is teaching and beguiling my servants to practice immorality and to eat food sacrificed to idols.

Not to mention that Allah is not considered a pagan God, but the same God who we worship.

The same God as revealed in Jesus Christ our Lord? I don’t think so.

There was an article in the Australian Catholic Weekly a few years ago that discussed this, and clarified that Catholics may eat Halal meat, but I cannot find that source now.

Okay, would be good to have a read because I am a little alarmed by this.

Catholics have never been prohibited, nor even discouraged, from eating Halal meats.

Okay. I believe we should probably not be prohibited, but counselled against and recommended to bless the food rededicating it to Christ before we eat it.

And Catholics have been living in close proximity to Muslims for many many centuries.

Yes.

Go ahead and eat your vegemite (yuck) and Halal meats.

I will continue eating my Vegemite and Halal meats at this stage (And avoid the Halal meats wherever and whenever possible), but I will be sure to bless them with the sign of the Cross beforehand (as I normally try to do with before I eat any food, unless they are snacks).

p.s. does simply making the sign of the cross before one eats also bless the food that one is about to receive?

Thank you

God Bless

Thank you for reading
Josh

 

[josh987654321]

The Halal mark on Vegemite is a sign the yeast used contains no alcohol. You can eat it knowing that Kraft has decided to fund the Muslim Accreditation System for their commercial reasons. If you want non-Halal vegemite eat Dick Smith’s brand if you can get it.

Thank you Petaro, I really don’t want to go without Vegemite (I usually have Vegemite and chesse sandwiches for lunch) as I did try the Dick Smith’s ‘Ozmite’ if that’s the one your referring to and it was awful in my opinion, the texture was all wrong and the flavor wasn’t the same.

Thank you

God Bless

Josh

 

[josh987654321]

Halal simply means it is ok for Muslims.

For non-Muslims, IIUC, it’s just meat.

ICXC NIKA

That’s what I thought until I found the following definition -

To be halal certified the animal must be facing Mecca, have its throat cut while still alive and then ritually sacrificed by a Muslim who recites a prayer dedicating the slaughter to Allah.

It’s my understanding that this is the case unless It is a meat product.

Thank you

God Bless

Josh

 

[josh987654321]

I’ve always found it odd how some people get bent out of shape over halal meat, but don’t bat an eye when very similar food is labeled kosher. They’re the same thing in principle. Both halal and kosher just signify that the food fits into a set of dietary laws that we don’t follow. Neither means that much to us from a religious perspective.

Never heard of kosher before (except in earlier thread I quoted). Nevertheless, I would rather be safe than sorry.

Thank you

God Bless

Josh

 

[josh987654321]

I agree. Just my two cents: of we’re going to dispute halal meat, why not kosher meat as well?

I don’t know much about ‘Kosher’ and I haven’t found that label on anything I normally eat (However I haven’t known to check) I’ll have to look into it.

Personally, if we’re talking about not eating food offered to ‘idols’ I’d probably be more cautious of Hindu prasads (as those are offered to Hindu deities) than I would be about halal or kosher food.

True, thank you for bringing it to my attention. I think to be safe than sorry, I will simply bless all of my food with the sign of the cross before I eat it in the future and hopefully I’ll be right.

The slaughter (dhabiha/zabiha) AFAIK is preceded by the phrase Bismillah Allahu akbar ‘In the name of Allah, Allah is the greatest’ - or even just a ‘Bismillah’ or even just ‘Allah’. The rationale is, that the animal must be killed in the name of God. (So apparently - correct me on this - the exact formula doesn’t matter, just as long as the name of Allah is said.) And yes, it has to face Mecca, otherwise the animal would become haram (‘sinful’ to eat).

Thank you for your assistance in this matter.

God Bless

Thank you for reading
Josh

 

[josh987654321]

I don’t see how halal or kosher foods can be deemed as sacrificing to an idol, since Jews and Muslims worship the same God we do.

I don’t know how we could worship the same God when we believe in the Triune God fully revealed in the person of Jesus Christ, the name above all others.

I hope this has helped

God Bless

Thank you for reading
Josh

 

[underacloud]

Given the description I found -

To be halal certified the animal must be facing Mecca, have its throat cut while still alive and then ritually sacrificed by a Muslim who recites a prayer dedicating the slaughter to Allah.

You found a description? Where is this description from? I think you need to research the facts a lot more thoroughly.

The same God as revealed in Jesus Christ our Lord? I don’t think so.

Yes, the same God. Our Catechism teaches us this. Muslims do worship the one true God. They may not enjoy the fullness of revelation, but it is a matter of Catholic faith that we accept that Muslims worship the one true God as we do.

 

[josh987654321]

You found a description? Where is this description from? I think you need to research the facts a lot more thoroughly.

Okay, I’m here for help with that. I’m happy to be shown otherwise.

I got that definition from a site with a YouTube video showing it, however, seeing as how the video was graphic I didn’t quote the link. Poster Patrick457 quoted a similar definition in his reply.

Yes, the same God. Our Catechism teaches us this. Muslims do worship the one true God. They may not enjoy the fullness of revelation, but it is a matter of Catholic faith that we accept that Muslims worship the one true God as we do.

How can that be? Fundamental and Basic doctrines of our faith are outright denied.

If God has revealed himself in the person of Jesus Christ, than how can those who deny Christ in certain ways be worshipping the same God? God from God, Light from light, true God from true God. They may be similar, they may be close to worshipping the same God, but I cannot see how they could be worshipping the same God.

Could you please quote where it says it in the Catechism that I may read how it is explained there?

Thank you for your assistance.

God Bless You

Thank you for reading
Josh

 

[Wesrock]

Paul wrote explicitly about food offered to idols. You do not have to concern yourself with worrying about that. All foods are clean, even foods offered to idols are harmless.

That said, I don’t think halal meat even meets the definition of idol food in any sense, but that’s irrelevant. If the meat was offered as a bloody sacrifice in the temple of Apollo and to Apollo, it’s fine for you to eat.

 

[underacloud]

Josh, I suggest you try searching the Catechism for yourself. It should not be hard to verify what I have said. It will be a better use if your time than watching whatever random YouTube nonsense you’re referring to.

 

[Wesrock]

Okay, I’m here for help with that. I’m happy to be shown otherwise.

I got that definition from a site with a YouTube video showing it, however, seeing as how the video was graphic I didn’t quote the link. Poster Patrick457 quoted a similar definition in his reply.

How can that be? Fundamental and Basic doctrines of our faith are outright denied.

If God has revealed himself in the person of Jesus Christ, than how can those who deny Christ in certain ways be worshipping the same God? God from God, Light from light, true God from true God. They may be similar, they may be close to worshipping the same God, but I cannot see how they could be worshipping the same God.

Jews don’t recognize Christ or the Trinitarian nature of God. Do they worship a different God? Islam recognizes the truth of monotheism. They forbid idolatrous practices. Even Jews a thousand years ago were forced to concede that, and some Jews even found Islam to be closer to their understanding of the truth than Christianity, which they saw as very pagan influenced and some even argued not monotheistic (relations between Jews and Christians were also much more strained at the time I’m thinking of). That’s not to say that Islam’s understanding of God’s nature is correct or that they have the fullness of revelation or that they haven’t been misled in some aspects. But I wouldn’t call them idol or demon worshippers. I suggest checking out Scott Hahn’s talk, Abba or Allah.

841 The Church’s relationship with the Muslims. “The plan of salvation also includes those who acknowledge the Creator, in the first place amongst whom are the Muslims; these profess to hold the faith of Abraham, and together with us they adore the one, merciful God, mankind’s judge on the last day.”

vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p123a9p3.htm

This doesn’t mean they don’t need Jesus, of course. I suggest reading the whole section.

 

[MarkInOregon]

I don’t know how we could worship the same God when we believe in the Triune God fully revealed in the person of Jesus Christ, the name above all others.

I hope this has helped

God Bless

Thank you for reading
Josh

CCC 841: The Church’s relationship with the Muslims. "The plan of salvation also includes those who acknowledge the Creator, in the first place amongst whom are the Muslims; these profess to hold the faith of Abraham, and together with us they adore the one, merciful God, mankind’s judge on the last day.

That is current Church teaching. They just have an incomplete understanding of His nature. They only see part of the picture, but it’s the same picture–not a different picture.

The peace of Christ,
Mark

 

[John_Lazarus]

Paul wrote explicitly about food offered to idols. You do not have to concern yourself with worrying about that. All foods are clean, even foods offered to idols are harmless.

That said, I don’t think halal meat even meets the definition of idol food in any sense, but that’s irrelevant. If the meat was offered as a bloody sacrifice in the temple of Apollo and to Apollo, it’s fine for you to eat.

Mithraists have the best barbecues.