By C C Pung JP
DIETARY restriction is practised by every religion and all people since time began.
Therefore, to see so much talk about it in this day and age raises question not so much about the adherents but more a reflection of the insecurity of the questioners.
Pork consumption is prohibited in Islam since it began.
So, about 1.5 billion Muslims don’t and can’t eat pork.
The Jews also don’t eat pork. The Saturday Adventist Church also prohibits pork.
Many Buhddist and Taoist sound pork because they are vegetarians.
It’ll take a study combining history, anthropology, science.
Humanities and religion to understand the practice each of the groups of pork-haters.
But the ballpark figure still shows more people eating pork in the world than those who don’t.
In fact the global pork market is estimated to grow to USD420 billion in 2028 from just USD254 billion in 2022.
It is the most consumed meat in the world.
There’s evidence that humans reared pigs as far back as 5000BCE.
I watched on Tiktok an amusing video of a man who claims to have a PhD in pig/pork studies and Quranic verses to explain why Allah banned pork.
I couldn’t get the context for which he’s articulating the subject in 2025, centuries since Muslims stayed away from pork.
He mentioned something about the make-up of pork as if trying to say that pork is bad and Allah knew it from way back.
The big sins in Islam don’t include eating pork.
Malaysia’s obsession of pork is therefore funny because major sins in the eyes of Islam such as slander and thievery (corruption) are widespread and the culprits are ironically majority Muslims.
Hindus (they number in the billion, too) abhorr from beef and treat cows as deity.
They adhere strictly but hardly preach to imply that beef eaters are unclean or foolish.
Some Buddhist sects ban beef but accept pork. Different folks. Different strokes. You each his own. This god-created world is not monochrome but a kaleidoscope of colours, culture, beliefs, even in the world of meats and palates.
Me a Chinese and non Muslim, is said to eat anything with their backs to the sky, meaning anything that crawls, no matter the method of slaughter.
But I do have my taboos. I resent being stereotyped with a single brush in a single stroke.
Be proud of your God. Be proud of your religion. Eat as you please.
Stay in your lane. You are not good enough to judge others.
Editor: The views expressed are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of talantang.com
