[aruanan]

Eating food that you KNOW was sacrificed to idols is not the same thing as eating food that was “sacrificed to idols” but there was no clue that it had been. The former is all we can control, and all we, as Christians, are responsible for.

According to the Apostle Paul, eating food that you KNOW was sacrificed to idols is no different from eating food you didn't know was sacrificed to idols or food that wasn't sacrificed to idols, except if a weak brother observes you eating food sacrificed to idols and his faith is harmed.

The bottom line for everyone: "But food does not bring us near to God; we are no worse if we do not eat, and no better if we do."

[RobRoy]

>>According to the Apostle Paul, eating food that you KNOW was sacrificed to idols is no different from eating food you didn’t know was sacrificed to idols <<

I disagree. I think that is why Paul had a “DADT” attitude about it. And yes, it was about the weaker brother.

The spirit of this is pretty clear. Food is food, but you are not to “appear” to be supporting the false religion.

If there is some guy in the kitchen at your favorite restaurant “sacrificing” the meat before he cooks it, and you don’t know it, you need not even think about it. OTOH, if there is the phrase “HALAL Restaurant” in big neon letters at the door of the restaurant, you should avoid it. Even then,there is nothing wrong with the food, but the reason for avoiding it is to keep from damaging the “lesser brother”.

Don’t even get me started about drinking alcohol. That one is a REAL conundrum - for some.