A few weeks ago, I learned that the whole issue of eating food sacrificed to idols was not just an issue relevant in Bible days, but one that is still very real in 2009.

Acts 15:29 says that abstaining from food sacrificed to idols is one of a few requirements of us to do well. Note that Paul is not adding prerequisite for us to achieve salvation, so he is not supporting legalism. He is simply saying if you want to “do well”, stay away from food sacrificed to idols. It’s one of the more subtle, yet important bits of wisdom in the Bible that tends to get overlooked because everyone loves to eat.

Sure, when we thank God for our food before we eat it, I believe that God protects us from anything wrong with that meal. And in Acts 10:9-20, God gave Peter a dream telling him that any type of food is okay to eat (shellfish, pork, animals that “chew the cud”, and others that were banned from Jewish law).

But it’s important to not confuse the two. God is saying that He made every animal, vegetable, grain, and starch in the earth. And that when we thank Him for it, it will be nourishment to our body when eaten in moderation.

However, this does NOT include when people take these foods and lift them up as an offering to a false god/goddess.

Evolution of the Starbucks logo (notice what it started as)

When I first heard this, I was in disbelief. And so was my brother. He was talking to an African lady who lives in the US, telling him about how Christians have a habit of eating food sacrificed to idols. My brother replied, “That doesn’t happen nowadays…yada, yada.”. But the lady asked my brother, “Do you drink Starbucks?” and he said, “Yeah, ofcourse. Who doesn’t?” She said, “Well, you know that lady with the long hair and the star in the middle of her forehead on their logo, and every storefront and cup they have? That’s the pagan goddess of fertility.”

I was like whoa. God started to reveal to my wife and me so many things about this that we had to cut out at least 10 restaurants out of our normal routine. I’ll share those with you here.

1. Starbucks Coffee (check out their mission for the “human spirit”)
2. P.F. Changs China Bistro
3. Pei Wei (a P.F. Changs subsidiary)
4. any Asian restaurant with a statue of Buddha (read the 1st customer review here)
5. McDonald’s
6. Peet’s Coffee and Tea
7. The Cheesecake Factory
8. Arizmendi’s Bakery (Emeryville, CA)
9. Jupiter’s (Berkeley, CA)

I want to clarify that I don’t believe that eating these foods will send anyone to hell. But I do believe it has a negative impact on our quality of life due to demonic activity happening at these companies on a corporate, and consumer level. This falls under Paul’s comment in 1 Corinthians 10:23 where he says, “All things are lawful for me, but not all things are helpful; all things are lawful for me, but not all things edify.” So just to summarize, nothing’s wrong with drinking coffee or eating hamburgers. But it’s not wise to flat out ignore what a company supports, invests in, and believes in, especially when it directly opposes the Gospel.