CJ. the issue with halal/non-halal meat does not deprive me of meat of any kind.
Denial of ham sandwiches does...and is outright culinary discrimination on the basis of religious identity. All I ever suggested in that case was simple common sense. If the 13% Muslims want halal food.. GIVE them a table of it and the problem is solved.

Offering only halal meat simply means its the same meat but the blood has been drained more thoroughly. Its still meat, and I assure you, I don't live for the 'blood taste' in meat. In fact, that is one of the things the first Christian council made a point of (Acts 15) refrain from Blood (due to its close association with idolatrous worship.)

My song and dance about the ham sambo's was in reality a performance about Sharia by stealth, and if I get a whiff of it in any level of socieity I'll ramp up the performance to blockbuster level :)

Here is Sharia Law
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e6ZzSNAKbvE

and here is its impact on Christians.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sJRcKcjJM9w

I'd be interested in your take on that last one, because I see it as 'lawful protest/worship' in the light of discriminatory application of the permit law and is in the category of the non violent African American civil rights protests which I'm sure u support

BOAZ_David. It's not still meat when it has been processed the Halal way. It is Halal meat - blessed in a religious Muslim way and it has meaning and significance. Muslims wouldn't eat it if it wasn't processed so that means that it isn't the same as non Halal meat.

I dont have a problem with Muslims processing their own meat and products for their own consumption, in their religious ways, but I do have a problem when they make it so that people do not have a choice and it is fed to everybody.

They should provide people with a choice. Problem is that its cheaper just to do it the Muslim way - but at what cost!! There is a purpose and a significance in the production of Halal meat and products and people should stop to consider as I believe that there is reason for concern.

Boaz, I was about to suggest that you take greater care with your selection of "evidence" from YouTube - after all, it is a totally untrustworthy medium, with no editing, selection or peer review process. But sometimes you surprise me with your choice - and the one where the Imam was describing "how to beat your wife" absolutely blew me away.

>>Here is Sharia Law
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e6ZzSNAKbvE <<

I assume that you posted it without irony, as a self-confessed (right here on OLO) daughter-beater.

The gentle Imam in the video was explaining, compassionately and thoughtfully, the physical limits of such action, and as I watched it I thought "Boaz would certainly approve of this."

"The husband is held liable... woman is not his merchandise... cannot do what he wants... even if she forgives him."

This takes me right back to your daughter-beating post where you claimed

>>Smacking appropriately is not abuse<<

Out of curiosity - because I was one of those people who took you to task about your willingness to physically assault your daughter - which part of it did you object to?

Or did you, in fact, post it as living proof that you and Islam do, in fact, have more in common than you thought?

That really would be a breakthrough!

The laws of slaughter proscribed for Muslims, Jews, and in the Old Testament are all the same.

Rather than eating meat that has been prepared according to Islamic precepts, you can look it as meat prepared according to the dietary rules of the Old Testament.

Since the new testament Christians haven't had to follow these rules, but they're in no way contrary to your faith.

Personally I don't like the way the meat is bleed out losing its juices (that are important for tenderizing the meat)... but there's no idealogical problem.

Yes. Halal refers only to the method of killing. You would not know the difference, which leads us to the matter of trade practices with regard to the claim that the butcher supplies halal meat - particularly if the location is not particularly Muslim.

How does the customer, including a Muslim, know for sure that the meat is halal? He/she doesn't of course, which just points out the nonsense of the whole thing.

Jolanda, do you have opportunity to shop elsewhere? If so ask the butcher if they have non-halal meats and if not let them know you are taking your business elsewhere and why.

You might want to check that your new butcher does not pray for their customers or otherwise add their own religious additives to your purchase if that stuff bothers you.

Personally I'm more with the group that suggest that as long as what is being done does not physically impact on the product in a negative manner or restrict my choice then so what.

At a guess BD will be praying for most of us from time to time without our consent, if that takes up time that he could otherwise spend trying to restrict the rights of gays or defame peace loving mossies then it's probably a good thing.

R0bert