Possibly, why Islam forbids eating Pork?
I was having one of those stimulating discussions with my brother O. and my sister E. about the genetic engineering field. O. was briefing us about the latest news in the organ replacement and transplantation field. This discussion soon evolved into a discussion in which we pondered if there is a relationship between Islam and Judaism forbidding eating pork and genetic engineering.
I think that xenotransplantation is acceptable in most religions. (xenotransplantation is the transfer of living organs, tissues, or cells from one species to another to replace the ever increasing organ shortages.) Both Islam and Judaism forbid the eating of pork, but accept xenotransplantation on the basis that humans have a higher place in the world and therefore have the right to use animals for their welfare, as long as the animals are treated with respect.
However the question that poses itself here is if the opposite holds true? Is it possible that Islam forbids eating pork because pigs have proven to be one of the best sources to supply organs to humans?
Maybe we will find a plausible reason soon… and the reason will be more convincing than the old debates about the pig eating its shit, or because it is polygamous!
By the way I know about genetic engineering as much as I know about Chinese language… so I am counting on O.’s contribution here.
Omar
Most organ transplants nowadays are considered to be relatively safe and routine procedures. However, the global demand for organs for patients waiting for transplantation is not being met. Recently, scientists and researchers are placing great hopes on being able to use cross-species transplants between humans and animals to help alleviate part of the shortage. This process is called xenotransplantaion.
Most animal organs have been extensively researched to find the most suitable replacement to that of humans. Of all the different animals, baboons and pigs are the favored xenotransplant donors. Baboons and chimpanzees are genetically close to humans. However, because of their developed social structure, human-like behaviors, and the large number of viruses they host; many ethical and medical issues were raised concerning their use; as a result, pigs became the most likely candidates for the job; mainly because of certain characters they hold, such as: pigs have organ sizes that are very similar to those of humans, and their genes can be easily inserted in human DNA.
Risks
1- Many public health concerns regarding the clinical trials of xenotransplantation have been raised. The major growing fear in transplanting animal organs, cells and tissues into humans is that such transplants might expose humans to the many different viruses primates and other animal harbor
2- Hyper acute Rejection usually caused by the natural antibodies
3- Acute vascular rejection
4- Ethical issues
Madas
This whole debate makes me think of the novel Never Let Me Go by Japanese/British author Kazuo Ishiguro, who also wrote the Remains of the day…The book is disturbing in the sense that when I finished the last word, I realized that I had been sobbing for a while… However it is also absolutely touching. Ishiguro always allows his characters to reveal their human weaknesses via veiled but suggestive language and situations. Usually the feelings feel very real and plausible.
the hyperacute and vascular rejections are also potential complication by transplanting organs from humans to humans, and can be prevented by pre-transplant testing.
I still couldn’t make the relation between transplanting organs from pigs and eating them??
Still have not figured it out
but what i am trying to say that maybe a reason could be found in this area at some point in the future…
I think the religious prohibition against eating pork probably had some sort of practical reason behind it. For example, pigs can carry the parasite trichinosis. If the meat is not thoroughly cooked, the parasite can infest the eater of the meat. Another thought is that the pig was just a taboo animal for some reason. Maybe a pig oinked at a Jewish priest the wrong way and so he declared the pig was evil.
I know that heart valves from pigs have been transplanted into human hearts now for the past several decades, at least.
I have heard about the genetic engineering of pigs to make their tissues more compatible with humans. I don’t know exactly when pig organs will be available for transplant, but it could be just a few years away.
Regarding the risk of virus transmission from animal organs, there is a theory that the AIDS epidemic may have begun this way. Back in the 1950’s a vaccine was made from chimpanzee kidneys that were ground up and injected into thousands of African test subjects. Some people have suggested that the Chimp version of HIV, known as SIV (S is for Simian), may have mutated in one of the test subjects into the form that is deadly to humans. However, other AIDS researchers believe that the origin of the epidemic is even older, maybe dating to the 1940’s or 1930’s. It could have just been a case of a hunter getting infected with SIV from an ape’s blood.
I really loved the movie The Remains of the Day! What a sad story it was though.
Thanks for your comment. Who knows… a lot of theories are possible, although i would like to hear a scientifically convincing reason.
I actually read something somilar about AIDS somewhere… It seems very possible… (see i always keep an open mind to a scientifically convincing reasons
Anyway… I didn’t see the movie… I read the book, and it was very touching… a cool dude this Ishiguro
I like the new look of your blog Mariam.
Merci
I really got tired of the old one.. i will try to create one of my own soon