My Thoughts on Why Daniel and His Three Friends Went Vegetarian in Babylon

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I decided to go through a slow study on Daniel. Granted, this was Old Testament times so we really need to understand how things were different for the Jewish times vs. the dispensation of the New Testament. Danieel and his friends were probably in their late teens (and would be considered marriageable at that time) so whether or not they were married men isn't clear. Daniel's three friends were known as Mishael, Hananiah (not to be confused with the false prophet), and Azariah. Their names were soon conveniently changed into Belteshazzar, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego so they can be assimilated into the Babylonian culture. Even more, their diet was about to change. They were soon introduced to the king's food which they flat-out refused with due politeness.

What was the issue of the food? I was thinking about how Daniel and his three friends were among the faithful remnant. Why God allowed them to be in Babylon is part of a much greater plan. Before Islam came in the 7th Century A.D. (and I once thought it was synonymous with Judaism until I dug through the encylopedia) - most of the Middle East was most likely involved in eating swine flesh. Islam though isn't fully kosher since food like shrimp and shellfish are still found in halal restaurants even with the absence of pork. Pork was considered common meat in the pagan world. God also had health reasons to command the Jews not to eat certain types of food. Personally, I don't find myself fond of pork because of it being so greasy. Also, shellfish and shrimp are sea scavengers. 

The "Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible" which I selected to show why certain types of meat or fish weren't eaten:
3-7. Whatsoever parteth the hoof, and is cloven-footed, and cheweth the cud--Ruminating animals by the peculiar structure of their stomachs digest their food more fully than others. It is found that in the act of chewing the cud, a large portion of the poisonous properties of noxious plants eaten by them, passes off by the salivary glands. This power of secreting the poisonous effects of vegetables, is said to be particularly remarkable in cows and goats, whose mouths are often sore, and sometimes bleed, in consequence. Their flesh is therefore in a better state for food, as it contains more of the nutritious juices, is more easily digested in the human stomach, and is consequently more easily assimilated. Animals which do not chew the cud, convert their food less perfectly; their flesh is therefore unwholesome, from the gross animal juices with which they abound, and is apt to produce scorbutic and scrofulous disorders. But the animals that may be eaten are those which "part the hoof as well as chew the cud," and this is another means of freeing the flesh of the animal from noxious substances. "In the case of animals with parted hoofs, when feeding in unfavorable situations a prodigious amount of foetid matter is discharged, and passes off between the toes; while animals with undivided hoofs, feeding on the same ground, become severely affected in the legs, from the poisonous plants among the pasture" [WHITLAW, Code of Health]. All experience attests this, and accordingly the use of ruminating animals (that is, those which both chew the cud and part the hoof) has always obtained in most countries though it was observed most carefully by the people who were favored with the promulgation of God's law.

 7. the swine--It is a filthy, foul-feeding animal, and it lacks one of the natural provisions for purifying the system, "it cheweth not the cud"; in hot climates indulgence in swine's flesh is particularly liable to produce leprosy, scurvy, and various cutaneous eruptions. It was therefore strictly avoided by the Israelites. Its prohibition was further necessary to prevent their adopting many of the grossest idolatries practised by neighboring nations. 

12. Whatsoever hath no fins nor scales, &c.--Under this classification frogs, eels, shellfish of all descriptions, were included as unclean; "many of the latter (shellfish) enjoy a reputation they do not deserve, and have, when plentifully partaken of, produced effects which have led to a suspicion of their containing something of a poisonous nature."

There was a scientific reason behind Leviticus 11 aside from just a religious reason. The one that fascinated me the most was the ban on pork. Personally, I find pork to be not something I look forward to even if God allows me to eat pork in the New Covenant.  I guess eating meat prescribed in Leviticus 11 can be said to be more delicious. I personally find beef and chicken more appetizing as a source of protein than pork. Pork has been known to carry a lot more pathogens than beef or chicken. Pork requires a more meticulous process in cooking than beef or chicken. Pork carries more parasites due to ot its bad dietary habits. The hot climate would've contributed to various diseases. If intestinal worms weren't the biggest concern then think about high cholesterol. I guess a lot of countries ate pork as evidenced by the Gadarene incident with hog-raising. As of these days, I personally prefer not to eat pork as much as possible even when I eat pork. However, I'd rather not have pork in my fridge for that reason. I usually try to avoid pork for health reasons.

Daniel and his three friends being faithful Jews would've been observant of the Old Testament laws. I think one of the big reasons why they refused the king's food was probably the presence of roast boar and other prohibited foods. I think the Babylonians probably served them a delicious serving of pork to celebrate. Maybe, they also saw that the way the animals were slaughtered in Babylon probably never met kosher standards. It would be a very difficult thing to do. They were hungry but they can't accept anything God has prohibited during that time. Their best solution was to really eat plant-based meals. They politely begged their supervisors to test them first by eating plant-based foods for ten days. 

Why do I think Daniel and his three friends got healthier than the others? My personal opinion (with some basic science) is that the food of the king's palace was probably very high in cholesterol. I wonder if people ate pork daily in Babylon or the other pagan countries. I heard pork consumption was a staple in the Middle East until the rise of Islam in the 7th Century A.D. After that, many countries just simply banned pork as a result. Eating a vegetarian diet over a diet with unhealthy meat might be the best option. In fact, it's said that most gladiators were actually vegetarians. Daniel and his three friends probably found hacks along the way to eat a vegetarian diet for some time without getting hungry easily. They probably had a rich supply of carbohydrates and vegetable proteins to help them in their daily vegetarian. Probably, just probably, they managed to eat meat much later when they found ways to get their kosher culture permitted by the king himself. 

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