Do Jehovah’s Witnesses Eat Pork? Examining Their Approach to Dietary Laws

Jehovah’s Witnesses are well known for their avoidance of blood transfusions and certain holidays. But when it comes to food restrictions like pork, their stance is more nuanced. What principles guide their dietary choices on meat like pork? Let’s take a closer look.

Background on Jehovah’s Witness Beliefs

Jehovah’s Witnesses are a Christian restorationist group who believe

• God’s true name is Jehovah

• Jesus is God’s son but is separate from and inferior to God.

• Only 144,000 select believers will go to heaven.

• God’s kingdom on earth is imminent.

• They must evangelize before Armageddon destroys corrupt human governments

Witnesses follow unique interpretations of the Bible formulated by the Watch Tower Society. They also have some distinct lifestyle practices concerning medical care, holidays, and civic participation.

What Does the Bible Say About Pork?

Several Old Testament verses prohibit pork consumption, including:

• Leviticus 11:7 – Pigs are unclean and must not be eaten.

• Deuteronomy 14:8 – Do not eat pork or touch pig carcasses.

• Isaiah 65:4 – Eating pork is forbidden.

• Isaiah 66:17 – God will destroy those who eat pork.

So in the Law of Moses, pigs were clearly categorized as ritually unclean animals that were forbidden food.

How Do Jehovah’s Witnesses View Biblical Food Laws?

Jehovah’s Witnesses believe that Jesus’ sacrifice fulfilled and thus nullified the Mosaic Law. This means Christians are not obligated to follow dictates like circumcision, animal sacrifices, and diet rules.

Witnesses base this on verses such as:

• Mark 7:19 – Jesus declared all foods clean.

• Acts 10:15 – God told Peter no food is impure or unclean.

• 1 Corinthians 10:25 – Eat whatever meat is sold in the market without question.

So they view pork and other meats previously banned in the Old Testament as acceptable for Christians today.

Are There Any Food Restrictions?

Jehovah’s Witnesses have two specific dietary restrictions:

1. No blood.

Based on Acts 15:20, Witnesses do not consume blood in any form, including whole blood, blood transfusions, and blood sausage or pudding.

2. No meat with blood.

According to Genesis 9:4, they avoid meat that has not been properly bled. This means they only eat pork and other meats that have been thoroughly drained of blood.

Apart from these provisions, Witnesses have no official doctrine restricting other foods, including pork.

How Do Individuals Approach Pork and Meat?

Within these biblical guardrails, Jehovah’s Witnesses have personal freedom in their diet choices:

• Most Witnesses freely eat pork and other meats drained of blood.

• Some may personally avoid pork for health, cultural, or symbolic reasons.

• A few members choose vegetarianism, while meat eating is more common.

• Overindulgence in food or alcohol is cautioned against even though permitted.

So the individual Witness’s approach to pork relies on their own conscience and interpretation of scripture.

Contrast With Other Faiths

Unlike Seventh-day Adventists, Witnesses were never influenced by Jewish dietary law. Adventists inherited kosher style prohibitions on pork from their semi-Jewish roots.

And while many Christians cite the Old Testament to avoid pork, Jehovah’s Witnesses believe Christians are expressly free to eat it based on New Testament precedent.

So their acceptance of pork and other previously prohibited meats contrasts with those groups who still avoid certain foods for religious reasons.

Would Early Witnesses Have Eaten Pork?

The Bible Students who became Jehovah’s Witnesses in the late 1800s were post-Protestant restorationists not raised under Jewish law.

Since pork avoidance wasn’t part of their heritage, the earliest Witnesses likely maintained typical Protestant Christian diets including moderate pork consumption.

As American and European groups, their diet choices were far more shaped by their culture than Levitical law.

Unlike strict Adventist vegetarianism, Jehovah’s Witness teachings allow members to decide for themselves whether or not to eat pork and other animal products previously considered unclean.

While two specific restrictions apply, Witnesses are otherwise free to make personal diet choices based on health, conscience, symbolism, and practical wisdom. For most Witnesses today, this means pork is on the menu. But others may choose to avoid it for their own faith-based reasons.