Unclean animal

In Judaism, the concept of "impure animals" plays a prominent role in the Kashrut, the part of Jewish law that specifies which foods are allowed (kosher) or forbidden to Jews.

According to Jewish dietary laws, to be "pure" an animal must also be free from certain defects and must be slaughtered and cleaned according to specific regulations (Shechita).

[20] British anthropologist Mary Douglas proposed that the "unclean" label had philosophical grounds, namely it was cast on foods that did not seem to fall neatly into any symbolic category.

[21] In the very early days of Christianity it was debated if converts ought to follow Jewish customs (including circumcision and dietary laws) or not.

According to the account of the Council of Jerusalem in Acts 15, a compromise was reached between those who wanted full compliance and those who favored a more liberal view.

It was agreed that the converted Gentiles would have to bear "no greater burden than these necessary things: You must abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals, and from sexual immorality.

Some, like the Seventh-day Adventists, argue that the liberal view would imply the acceptance even of alcohol, tobacco, rats and roaches as "clean food";[24] and that God never declares something an abomination and then changes his mind.

[25] Supporters of the stricter view have also disputed the interpretation[citation needed] of Peter's vision Acts 10:5–10, claiming that God was merely instructing him not to refer to Gentiles as "unclean" since salvation had been extended to them.

This is expressly stated by Peter later in the chapter at Acts 10:28 ("but God hath shewed me that I should not call any man common or unclean.")

[28] In Islam several animals are considered unclean and their consumption is sinful (harām), except in case of necessity; while others are permitted (halāl), as long as they are slaughtered in the proper manner and with blessings given to God.

If someone converts to Islam, Allah "allows them as lawful what is good and prohibits them from what is bad; he releases them from their heavy burdens and from the yokes that were upon them".

[29] Finally, the Qur'an forbids food which has been invoked by a name other than Allah, which has been sacrificed on stone altars, or has been subjected to the pagan practice of raffling with arrows.