Re: Evidences of God -- ZOROASTRIAN -- MOSES

"John Hattan" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote in message
news:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> "Scot McDermid" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
>
> >
> >"Al Klein" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote in message
> >news:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> >> On Sat, 27 Sep 2003 11:31:43 GMT, georgann <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> >> posted in alt.atheism:
> >>
> >> >>> It says they shouldn't eat shellfish ... which for all desert
peoples
> >sounds
> >> >>> damn practical.
> >>
> >> >"Al Klein" wrote:
> >>
> >> >> Why?  Would a desert dweller get sick if he ate shellfish?
> >>
> >> >georgann, Teflon/Bulova apologist wrote:
> >>
> >> >That far away from the water from which it came it was bound to be
> >rancid.
> >>
> >> So was salt-water fish.  Shellfish doesn't turn rancid any faster than
> >> fin fish.
> >>
> >> >They didn't have ice, ice boxes or refrigerators in those days ya
know.
> >>
> >> Not for shellfish and not for fin fish.  But there's no prohibition
> >> against eating salt water fin fish.
> >>
> >> Try again.
> >
> >Anyone ever heard of red tide?
> >"Red tide" is reported is when a there is a toxic plankton
> >bloom.  Some plankton (especially the red ones although
> >not all "red tides" are actually red) are toxic to humans.
> >Shellfish (filter feeders) eat the plankton and can become
> >toxic.   For some reason 'fin fish' don't seem to be as
> >affected by red tide.
> >From
> >http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/fish/recreat/redtide.htm
> >   Oysters and other shellfish such as clams, mussels,
> >   whelks and scallops can accumulate red tide toxins
> >   in their tissues. People that eat oysters or other shellfish
> >   containing red tide toxins may become seriously ill with
> >   neurotoxic shellfish poisoning (NSP). Once a red tide
> >   appears to be over, toxins can remain in the oysters for
> >  weeks to months.
> >Also from that site:
> >   It's usually okay to eat fish, crabs and shrimp during
> >   a red tide bloom because the toxin is not absorbed
> >   into the fleshy tissues of these animals.
> >
> >So it is safer to not eat shellfish at all especially if you
> >have to do the collecting yourself.
>
> What about crabs and shrimp?

WHAT about crabs and shrimp?
Why does the site say they are usually safe?  It says above.
Why does the law of Moses say not to eat them?
They are bottom feeders. They eat the rotting flesh of
dead creatures.  As far as practical reasons, I can only
speculate that while Aunt Yenta became seriously ill from
trying the oysters for the first time nobody said "Here try
the crab. You see if it is okay".  After enough people
got sick while eating something with shell it doesn't
surprise me too much that all eating of anything with
a shell would be forbidden.
Orthodox Jews also have two sets of plates and cutlery.
One for meat and one for everything else.  For practical
reasons, the knife that cuts the meat that has gone bad
will infect the cheese that would have lasted longer.  But
they take hings maybe to a bit of an extreme, don't you think?
Especially now with automatic dishwashers.
And Jews also don't eat animals who chew the cud
unless that animal has a cleft hoof.  (Something like that.)