Issue 16 - Day 4

1 Corinthians 8

1 Corinthians 8:4, 7-9
4)  As concerning therefore the eating of those things that are offered in sacrifice unto idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is none other God but one.

7)  Howbeit there is not in every man that knowledge: for some with conscience of the idol unto this hour eat it as a thing offered unto an idol; and their conscience being weak is defiled.
8)  But meat commendeth us not to God: for neither, if we eat, are we the better; neither, if we eat not, are we the worse.
9)  But take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours become a stumblingblock to them that are weak.

Is this a problem for you? Do you even know it is a problem? Strangely it is a problem today in England, for all of us. It turns out that although major supermarkets have special halal ranges of meat, the majority of the chicken, and almost all the New Zealand lamb, even when not labeled as such, is actually halal.

Now this is not a problem, first because we know that there is only one true God so who cares what prayers people have made to false gods over the meat we eat. And secondly, because the process really only means a trained muslim performed the killing of the animal along with hundreds of others that day, muttering a couple of words of a set prayer. not exactly offered to idols in the classical sense. However it is a problem in the cultural melting pot that is London. We have many friends of other religions (do continue to pray for their salvation), and if they, or others, see us eating halal meat they will believe us to be influenced by Islam.
Be careful for the sake of others, impressions are often worse than reality.