If eating shellfish is an "abomination," why do Christians still do it?

Question

I'm not trying to start a "is is right/wrong to be g*y" conversation here. I also recognize that there is significant debate as to what, precisely, "lie with a man" means (or prohibits).

Here is my question: I'm confused as to why eating shellfish and homosexuality are abominations, but everyone except kosher Jews has no problem with shellfish. How to reconcile this?

Answer 1

it was in old testament  times  but is  not today  if  you thank  God  for your food.

Answer 2

Our loving Holy Father cares about our health, that is why He told us to eat a certain way.  Shell fish, as well as some animals, are not healthy to eat because of what THEY eat and the way toxins in their system are stored in their muscles (meat).

Many Christians, myself included, are beginning to recognize the wisdom of this and eating as God directs in Leviticus.  God's word is not a Chinese menu from which we can pick and choose what we like or dislike.

As for Jesus fulfilling the Law, please remember, that He was a Torah-observant Jew, as were His disciples.  He never told them to start a new religion, but to spread the Good News of the Jewish Messiah.

He also said that "I did not come to abolish the law, but to fulfill it ... not one jot or tittle of the Law shall be abolished until the earth passes away"!!   He has not fulfilled the law until His return !!  For so long, Christians have not read the rest of that one verse and because of it, we were deceived !!

D1

Answer 3

Because some people just follow the rules that they like and say the ones they don't like are outdated.

Answer 4

Matthew 15:11 ... Jesus said, "It is not what enters into the mouth that defiles the man, but what proceeds out of the mouth, this defiles the man."

As for homosexuality, this is a behavior and not a food, and Jesus did not come to abolish the Commandments and Laws, but to "fulfill" them... but that argument is for another question and another day.

Have a blessed day.

Answer 5

Christians don't follow mosaic law when it comes to kashrut because they believe Jesus "saved" them from those sins.

They do follow the mosaic law on sexual morality/immorality however this is somewhat by default as most of it deals with forms of incest and beastiality which were taboo in most societies anyway.

Most christians are very uneducated about the bible and homosexuality.

The bible (OT and NT) explicitly mentions homosexuality in one form or another, three times. Once in Leviticus (maybe twice in Leviticus as an elaboration), and once in Romans, and once in the story of Soddom.

Leviticus is likely a prohibition on homosexual s*x between men as waisting sperm was sinful and it was a likely thought that a man who could have his urges satisfied without the responsibilities brought by being a father and husband might then see no use for a woman, and that would be one more woman who would not have a husband to provide for her (this was just how things were at the time).

It's usually agreed that this does not apply to homosexual s*x between women, though an orthodox rabbi would discourage it on other grounds.

The story of Soddom might appear to be about homosexuality but isn't. It's about inhospitality and there are places where this is explicitly stated.

In Romans, Paul does express his disdain for homosexual behavior, and calls it unnatural, but this is Paul's personal opinion on practices where were common in the cultures around him and not in his own culture.

The other passages which christians like to point to when debating homosexuality and the bible don't actually speak of homosexuality. In modern version of the bible, the word "homosexual" has been used in place of words which very likely did not refer to that.

So to answer your question, do christians play pick and choose? Yes. Do jews? Sure. No one is perfect. With homosexuality we have a case of christians trying to emphasize something which really wasn't that big of a deal at the time. If you went up to your average jew during that 6,000 year span, or even at the time of Jesus, and asked them what was the greater sin, they may have very well have said "eating shellfish", who knows.

Answer 6

Because they are just so yummy!!!

.

Answer 7

As far as I'm concerned, it's great news. More Lovely Oysters for me!

Answer 8

It's a cultural thing.  Thankfully, cultural attitudes change generation by generation, but not soon enough for those currently abused, unfortunately.

Answer 9

The shellfish thing was written to Jews in the Old Testament. Christians, by definition, did not exist at this time.

There were two sets of laws given to the Jews back in the OT: the purification laws and the moral laws. The moral laws were (and are) eternal. However, the purification laws were abolished when Christ went to the cross.

The entire concept of needing to keep oneself pure had no more meaning since all sin had been paid for by Christ (past sin, present sin, and future sin). Hence the eating of shellfish became acceptable. The only ones who still don't eat shellfish are, as you mentioned, those who still keep kosher -- they don't recognize Jesus as the Messiah and therefore don't recognize that the OT purification laws have been fulfilled in Christ.

Homosexuality is part of the moral law. So it still stands. It is still against God's will for anyone to participate in this practice. But that does not mean that God doesn't love these people. We know from many passages in the Bible that God still loves people even when they sin. When they lie. When they steal. When they murder. God's love never stops.

I hope that helps. Its a bit confusing if you're not very familiar with the Bible - I'd consider your question to be an advanced topic. But it was a good one.  

Answer 10

Eating anything is not an abomination. It was once a dietary law for Jews- but never for Christians.

Homosexuality was a grave sin during the dispensation of the law for Jews and also under the new covenant for Christians.

Shellfish were "cleaned" in the New Testament. Homosexuality was not.  

Answer 11

It's just a warning against the iodine in seafood, kills some people.

Answer 12

Jesus "freed" His followers of Mosaic Law by His coming; Christians liked the idea of this because many of them love seafood.  But homosexuals? Not so much.  So they decided to keep that bit.

"No man believes the bible means what it says, rather that it says what he means"...is how I think Bertrand Russell put it...

Answer 13

Why d'you think women don't cover their hair, despite the NT?

They're picking their own rules and what makes sense to them.

Answer 14

Jesus fulfilled the Old Testament laws with his death.  (Matthew 5:17).  That means that the laws of Moses were no longer in effect.  Now, some of those laws were based on things that are still wrong.  For instance, just because the law of Moses that said do not falsely accuse your neighbor was fulfilled doesn't mean it is ok to start doing that.  

Two men having s*x with each other is a perverted thing, whether or not the law of Moses was fulfilled.  That is why it is still wrong.  

Answer 15

Unlike eating shellfish, same gender s*x is also condemned in the New Testament.

Answer 16

Because Christians are also an abomination.

Obviously.

Gee, these questions are just gettin' too easy.

Answer 17

Becuz as you say everyone except kosher jews. Paul said, for early christians that eating the food from idols was ok, only as long as you don't cause a new christian to stumble in his early faith. This would go right in line with your question, only as to shellfish, it is okay unless a new believer feels it would be a sin. Then you, as the mature believer, should refrain from eating the shellfish in front of the new believer.

Homosexuality- read first chapter of Romans, especially from verse 20 on. Gods' view of homosexuality has not changed fromthe OT to the NT- it is still an abomination. People know this but it is their choice to commit this sin and, knowing how God feels about it, they continue they will receive punishment because they know and still commit the sin.