Lord's Command or Personal Choice?

Having looked at the similarities and differences of the dietary requirements of the two monotheistic religions (Islam and Judaism), I wonder if similar rules apply to the third monotheistic religion (Christianity). I remember coming across one saying, that if a Muslim were to eat from a Christian or Jew, then he/she could trust a Jewish meal. In the back of my mind I used to ponder on the meaning of this saying but never fully grasped the logic behind it. By looking at Halal and Kosher, it became clear what it meant, i.e. both diets follow similar rituals for animal slaughter and pork is strictly forbidden in both religions. But is it the same in Christianity? Some of my Christian friends and neighbours do eat pork, but some don't. Upon asking, the answer I get is 'pork is forbidden in Christianity but it comes down to personal choice'. For me this doesn't make sense, if something is forbidden in a religion then where does this 'personal choice' fit in. As much as I longed for clarity, I never had a clear answer, so I decided to dedicate this post to find out whether ‘Pork in Christianity’ is forbidden or not. By typing 'Pork in Christianity' in Google, I found an endless list of articles, forums and blogs on the topic discussing whether it is allowed or forbidden, and most importantly why Christians eat it. Some of the online sites I consulted were;

• http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Why_do_Christians_eat_pork_while_in_the_Bible_it_is_forbidden

• http://www.quora.com/Why-can-Christians-eat-pork-shellfish-Muslims-eat-shellfish-but-Jews-cannot

• http://hudabaharoon-christianity.blogspot.co.uk/2004/03/bible-says-do-not-eat-pork.html

• http://www.versebyverseministry.org/resource_library/questions_and_answers/can_christians_eat_pork/

• http://easywaytoheaven.co.uk/I_articles/Are%20the%20Christians%20allow%20to%20eat%20pork.htm 

From these articles and forums I did not find a clear cut answer. What I wanted to know was whether eating pork is strictly forbidden or not in Christianity. I discovered that it was forbidden in the Old Testament but in the New Testament there is leniency towards personal choice. For someone who seeks a definite answer leniency doesn't seem adequate. Still confused, I searched video clips to shed light on the topic. I found many video clips discussing this topic from different perspectives. I was intrigued by the following videos;

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The following videos highlight why consuming pork is forbidden in religions as well as how it is harmful for human health. Very interesting facts! Indeed everything has a valid reason in God's Law. 

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After watching these videos, it is clear that originally pork was forbidden in Christianity, but it is not conveyed as a religious requirement across some Christian sects as shown in this table; 
 

Type of religion	Practice or restriction	Rationale
Eastern Orthodox Christianity	• Restrictions on Meat and Fish • Fasting Selectively	• Observance of Holy Days includes fasting and restrictions to increase spiritual progress
Mormonism	• Alcohol and beverages containing caffeine prohibited • Moderation in all foods • Fasting practiced	• Caffeine is addictive and leads to poor physical and emotional health • Fasting is the discipline of self-control and honoring to God
Protestants	• Few restrictions of food or fasting observations • Moderation in eating, drinking, and exercise is promoted	• God made all animal and natural products for humans' enjoyment • Gluttony and drunkenness are sins to be controlled
Rastafarianism	• Meat and fish restricted • Vegetarian diets only, with salts, preservatives, and condiments prohibited • Herbal drinks permitted; alcohol, coffee, and soft drinks prohibited • Marijuana used extensively for religious and medicinal purposes	• Pigs and shellfish are scavengers and are unclean • Foods grown with chemicals are unnatural and prohibited • Biblical texts support use of herbs (marijuana and other herbs)
Roman Catholicism	• Meat restricted on certain days • Fasting practiced	• Restrictions are consistent with specified days of the church year
Seventh-day Adventist	• Pork prohibited and meat and fish avoided • Vegetarian diet is encouraged • Alcohol, coffee, and tea prohibited	• Diet satisfies practice to "honor and glorify God"

When it comes to eating, some Christians follow their own personal choice. Can personal choice take over the requirements of religion?