In a message dated 12/29/1998 8:38:43 AM EST, [log in to unmask] writes:

<< I am sorry the event offended you.  However, I did think it related to
 paleo food, as much as many other posts do when talking about where
 certain foods come from and/or how they get from where ever they are to
 the consumer.  I doubt that the whole kosher process is run by monkey-
 smuggling rabbis, but I know one rabi that put a black mark on the whole
 process. >>

James, the problem is, even if the story were true, it is a way to brand the
entire process of kosher inspection by a single incident, which is a logical
fallacy.   You can't put a black mark on the process because of one
individual.  This is like saying, "All men are healthy, but George is fat,
therefore all men are fat."  It makes no sense.  I forget the name for this
particular fallacy, but you can find it in any basic logic textbook.  You
cannot use the single example or person and generalize to a larger group.
(Latest example of this type of flawed thinking:  Clinton fooled around in the
White House, therefore ALL the Presidents cheated.  Guess what, it is not a
true statement, unless Harry Truman was really good at hiding something from
his wife!  As an example.

 You try to taint the whole industry with this one story, and then the
unssubstantiated allegation that many of these rabbis supposedly take bribes,
or maliciously pull their endorsements because  of personal factors.   Can I
deny this never takes place?  Of course not, but is it rampant?  Must not be,
kosher food endorsement is among the most rapidly growing areas of the food
industry, and most foods, once endorsed, if they follow the rules, stay kosher
as long as they want to!

The particular example you mentioned, again, even if true, is particularly
odious, and could have been left off this forum easily, unless we all get to
sling things against different groups.  It is one thing to tar the large food
manufacterers for their sins of putting chemicals in food;  this is all
substantiated fact.  And putting hormones and antibiotics in cattle feed, in
these factory-like feedlots, is not a big secret.  Those kinds of stories
might be appropriate here.

A rabbi using a monkey belt to evade customs....this is NOT a reasonable story
to "prove" that kosher food is or is not paleo (and some is, and some is
not--kosher certification certainly is NOT based on paleo guidelines, and I
will say, some kosher food is as bad as could be in a health sense, with
hydrogenated oils etc.  The issue in this list was about the meat, however).
It is NOT RELEVANT.

I will take you at your word that you did not mean to be anti-semitic or
offensive.  But you have to understand that such a story will always offend,
when it is NOT in context of what is being discussed.  One rabbi story does
not have anything to do with whether a kosher chicken is raised without
antibiotics!

So, please just think a bit more in the future.  I am sure you are not a
stupid man, but this story did not belong.  I am going to end my thread on
this, as I don't think there is anything more to say on it.  I accept your
apologies, and take you at your word that you meant no harm.  I, for one, will
stay on this list, because I am fascinated by the paleo ideas, but I would not
like to see it denigrated this way.

Maurice