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Jack the Bodiless · 06-11-2003, 04:59 AM

I can't find any reference to human flesh, either as "clean" or as "unclean", in the dietary codes of Leviticus or Deuteronomy.

So, would human flesh be kosher if suitably prepared? Is there no Biblical prohibition on eating it, or have I missed something?

When that plane crashed in the Andes, and some of the passengers survived by eating the dead: didn't some religious folks object? Did they have Biblical grounds for their objection, or was it another case of "I don't think it's right, therefore I assume God doesn't either"?

It would seem to be a surprising omission. Generally, sacrificial animals consist of things that the priests can eat afterwards, and the Hebrews did occasionally sacrifice humans, according to the Bible...

seanie · 06-11-2003, 05:03 AM

From memory I think the Catholic church went out of its way to exonerate the passengers that ate the dead in the Andes. It was OK by them, though I've no idea on the theological background.

Aravnah Ornan · 06-11-2003, 05:20 AM

Lev. 11:3: "Whatsoever parteth the hoof, and is clovenfooted, [and] cheweth the cud, among the beasts, that shall ye eat." Since human beings don't fit that description, I assume that human flesh isn't kosher.

Jack the Bodiless · 06-11-2003, 05:29 AM

That verse wouldn't be relevant to humans: the authors wouldn't place us "among the beasts".

Also, while the Bible specifically declares some meats to be "clean" and others "unclean", it's rather hazy on the status of meats not mentioned in either category. Apparently, cloven-hoofed animals are out if they don't chew the cud, and cud-chewers are out if they're not cloven-hoofed. Neither applies to us.

Jack the Bodiless · 06-13-2003, 03:08 AM

Another angle on this:

Cannibals typically believe that eating people is a magical/religious rite which confers the strength of an enemy, the wisdom of your grandfather etc. This doesn't really fit with the modern J/C concept of a person's vital essence residing in an immaterial "soul".

But what about the story of Samson and Delilah? A J/C myth in which a hero's magical vitality resides in a removable body part (hair, in this case). That's only a small step away from the notion of a hero's vitality residing in a removable, edible body part...

...And, of course, there's the whole "transubstantiation" thing in Christianity (symbolic ritual cannibalism).

06-11-2003, 04:59 AM	#1
Jack the Bodiless Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: UK Posts: 5,815	"Long Pig": is it kosher? I can't find any reference to human flesh, either as "clean" or as "unclean", in the dietary codes of Leviticus or Deuteronomy. So, would human flesh be kosher if suitably prepared? Is there no Biblical prohibition on eating it, or have I missed something? When that plane crashed in the Andes, and some of the passengers survived by eating the dead: didn't some religious folks object? Did they have Biblical grounds for their objection, or was it another case of "I don't think it's right, therefore I assume God doesn't either"? It would seem to be a surprising omission. Generally, sacrificial animals consist of things that the priests can eat afterwards, and the Hebrews did occasionally sacrifice humans, according to the Bible...

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06-11-2003, 05:03 AM	#2
seanie Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Edinburgh. Scotland Posts: 2,532	From memory I think the Catholic church went out of its way to exonerate the passengers that ate the dead in the Andes. It was OK by them, though I've no idea on the theological background.

06-11-2003, 05:20 AM	#3
Aravnah Ornan Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Alexandria, VA, Faith-Based States of Jesusland Posts: 1,794	Lev. 11:3: "Whatsoever parteth the hoof, and is clovenfooted, [and] cheweth the cud, among the beasts, that shall ye eat." Since human beings don't fit that description, I assume that human flesh isn't kosher.

06-11-2003, 05:29 AM	#4
Jack the Bodiless Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: UK Posts: 5,815	That verse wouldn't be relevant to humans: the authors wouldn't place us "among the beasts". Also, while the Bible specifically declares some meats to be "clean" and others "unclean", it's rather hazy on the status of meats not mentioned in either category. Apparently, cloven-hoofed animals are out if they don't chew the cud, and cud-chewers are out if they're not cloven-hoofed. Neither applies to us.

06-13-2003, 03:08 AM	#5
Jack the Bodiless Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: UK Posts: 5,815	Another angle on this: Cannibals typically believe that eating people is a magical/religious rite which confers the strength of an enemy, the wisdom of your grandfather etc. This doesn't really fit with the modern J/C concept of a person's vital essence residing in an immaterial "soul". But what about the story of Samson and Delilah? A J/C myth in which a hero's magical vitality resides in a removable body part (hair, in this case). That's only a small step away from the notion of a hero's vitality residing in a removable, edible body part... ...And, of course, there's the whole "transubstantiation" thing in Christianity (symbolic ritual cannibalism).

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