Have you ever thought of what you eat and how your food had been prepared? Well, it seems that South Africa is under one of the best money making schemes, and it is perpetrated by Muslims and their halaal food requirements! And, don’t think that it doesn’t affect you. If you buy food in South African supermarkets, you are almost guaranteed of having been affected by the halaal scam!
I received the following newsletter from the South African Christianinfo mailing list this morning:
| Islam: Buy Halaal for Christmas? Think again! Read about the Halaal scam in South Africa Hoodwinked by Halaal! The manner in which "halaal" is implemented in SA is exploitative, dishonest, and an outright scam. It is a cleverly cloaked pyramid scheme and I can prove it! It fleeces the consumer who is forced to buy halaal because he doesn't have a choice, and 98.5% of the time he is not even a Muslim. I wish to extend a challenge to the halaal certification bodies, the food manufacturers, and the major supermarkets to disprove this statement. And if swallowing the halaal hoax is not hard enough, we may soon be taking halaal intravenously and also wearing halaal. Cuba and Malaysia are presently working on producing a halaal vaccine for meningitis, which will undoubtedly be exported to SA. South Africans are hoodwinked daily by the ingenious halaal hoax. You ask, "How am I being ripped off?" Read all at http://www.boerevryheid.co.za/forums/showthread.php?11678-Halaal-kos. What You Can Do: 1. Awareness is the first step. Most people don't know they are being exploited. Tell others about it. 2. Purchase non-halaal products and support stores that supply non-halaal products. (This will be difficult because most products are halaal). 3. Write a letter to the Editor of your local newspaper and expose how consumers are being exploited through the halaal scam. 4. Join the Facebook group: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=22066690454 Also read: http://fromtheold.com/halaal-scam-south-africa http://www.rainbowchickens.co.za/about_operations_certification.aspx http://www.fastmoving.co.za/news-archive/supplier-news/ general-mills-south-africa-receives-halaal-certification Ex-Muslim: Proposal that Islam is Tolerant is Fallacious, Dangerous By Lillian Kwon <http://www.christianpost.com/author/lillian-kwon/>|Christian Post Reporter, WASHINGTON - Though most Muslims are tolerant and peace-loving, Islam itself is not a religion of tolerance, a former Muslim asserted. more topics > <http://www.christianpost.com/topics/> Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free. (JN 8:32) |
However, having read this, we also have to understand what the Bible says about food offered to demons (‘allah’) as Paul calls these idols (1 Cor 10:20). As Christians we have liberty to eat any food. Yet, there are two cases in which we shouldn’t eat food offered to false gods such as the Islamic ‘god’ in the halaal preparation of foods:
- The weak brother (Christian): “[1] Now concerning food offered to idols: we know that ‘all of us possess knowledge.’ This ‘knowledge’ puffs up, but love builds up. [2] If anyone imagines that he knows something, he does not yet know as he ought to know. [3] But if anyone loves God, he is known by God. [4] Therefore, as to the eating of food offered to idols, we know that ‘an idol has no real existence,’ and that ‘there is no God but one.’ [5] For although there may be so-called gods in heaven or on earth—as indeed there are many ‘gods’ and many ‘lords’— [6] yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist. [7] However, not all possess this knowledge. But some, through former association with idols, eat food as really offered to an idol, and their conscience, being weak, is defiled. [8] Food will not commend us to God. We are no worse off if we do not eat, and no better off if we do. [9] But take care that this right of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak. [10] For if anyone sees you who have knowledge eating in an idol's temple, will he not be encouraged, if his conscience is weak, to eat food offered to idols? [11] And so by your knowledge this weak person is destroyed, the brother for whom Christ died. [12] Thus, sinning against your brothers [5] and wounding their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ. [13] Therefore, if food makes my brother stumble, I will never eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble. (1 Cor 8:1-13)”
- The unbeliever: “[18] Consider the people of Israel: are not those who eat the sacrifices participants in the altar? [19] What do I imply then? That food offered to idols is anything, or that an idol is anything? [20] No, I imply that what pagans sacrifice they offer to demons and not to God. I do not want you to be participants with demons. [21] You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You cannot partake of the table of the Lord and the table of demons. [22] Shall we provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than he? [23] 'All things are lawful,' but not all things are helpful. 'All things are lawful,' but not all things build up. [24] Let no one seek his own good, but the good of his neighbor. [25] Eat whatever is sold in the meat market without raising any question on the ground of conscience. [26] For 'the earth is the Lord's, and the fullness thereof.' [27] If one of the unbelievers invites you to dinner and you are disposed to go, eat whatever is set before you without raising any question on the ground of conscience. [28] But if someone says to you, 'This has been offered in sacrifice,' then do not eat it, for the sake of the one who informed you, and for the sake of conscience— [29] I do not mean your conscience, but his. For why should my liberty be determined by someone else's conscience? [30] If I partake with thankfulness, why am I denounced because of that for which I give thanks? [31] So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. [32] Give no offense to Jews or to Greeks or to the church of God, [33] just as I try to please everyone in everything I do, not seeking my own advantage, but that of many, that they may be saved. (1 Cor 10:18-33)”
Also see Convictions: How are we bound by them?
