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Friends, I'm in a bit of a quandary. This Christmas, I accepted a gracious invitation to enjoy Christmas dinner with my across-the-street neighbors, who happen to be a wonderful Laotian family.
Yes, yes, I know, but they're Christians, and as far as I know, they're not on welfare.
Anyway, one of the many treats served up by Mrs. Phong was delicious, barbecued Laotian rock rats.
These are very hard to come by in the US, and the Phongs actually had to smuggle some live ones into the country just to get started raising them in their back yard, so I felt deeply privileged to have been able to enjoy this rare delicacy.
However, earlier today, as I was cross-referencing my Weight Watchers food plan with the 1611 KJV in order to make sure my diet was fully compliant with God's laws, I was disturbed to stumble across the following:
I'm sure I don't have to tell you that "coney" is a word which other versions of the Bible translate as "rock badger," and is generally understood to refer to the rock hyrax. Needless to say, I was deeply alarmed by the many similarities between the rock rat and the rock hyrax.
I am really hoping some of our resident experts on Biblical zoology can tell me whether the rock rat is, as I fear, similar enough to the rock hyrax that it is covered by this prohibition against eating it.
Assuming the worst, I will, of course, fully repent and ask God to forgive me. The greater challenge, naturally, will be convincing the dear Phong family of the error of their ways. As I said, they've invested quite a lot of time and energy in bringing these creatures over here and breeding them.
Thank you in advance for any guidance you might be able to offer.
Yes, yes, I know, but they're Christians, and as far as I know, they're not on welfare.
Anyway, one of the many treats served up by Mrs. Phong was delicious, barbecued Laotian rock rats.
These are very hard to come by in the US, and the Phongs actually had to smuggle some live ones into the country just to get started raising them in their back yard, so I felt deeply privileged to have been able to enjoy this rare delicacy.
However, earlier today, as I was cross-referencing my Weight Watchers food plan with the 1611 KJV in order to make sure my diet was fully compliant with God's laws, I was disturbed to stumble across the following:
Leviticus 11:1-5
1And the LORD spake unto Moses and to Aaron, saying unto them,
2Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, These are the beasts which ye shall eat among all the beasts that are on the earth.
3Whatsoever parteth the hoof, and is clovenfooted, and cheweth the cud, among the beasts, that shall ye eat.
4Nevertheless these shall ye not eat of them that chew the cud, or of them that divide the hoof: as the camel, because he cheweth the cud, but divideth not the hoof; he is unclean unto you.
5And the coney, because he cheweth the cud, but divideth not the hoof; he is unclean unto you.
1And the LORD spake unto Moses and to Aaron, saying unto them,
2Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, These are the beasts which ye shall eat among all the beasts that are on the earth.
3Whatsoever parteth the hoof, and is clovenfooted, and cheweth the cud, among the beasts, that shall ye eat.
4Nevertheless these shall ye not eat of them that chew the cud, or of them that divide the hoof: as the camel, because he cheweth the cud, but divideth not the hoof; he is unclean unto you.
5And the coney, because he cheweth the cud, but divideth not the hoof; he is unclean unto you.
I am really hoping some of our resident experts on Biblical zoology can tell me whether the rock rat is, as I fear, similar enough to the rock hyrax that it is covered by this prohibition against eating it.
Assuming the worst, I will, of course, fully repent and ask God to forgive me. The greater challenge, naturally, will be convincing the dear Phong family of the error of their ways. As I said, they've invested quite a lot of time and energy in bringing these creatures over here and breeding them.
Thank you in advance for any guidance you might be able to offer.
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