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Food culture and religion

Foodisanimportantpartofreligiousobservanceandspiritualritualformanyfaithsincluding Christianity,Judaism,Islam,HinduismandBuddhism.Theroleoffoodinculturalpracticesand religiousbeliefsiscomplexandvariesamongindividualsandcommunities.Anyintroductionto suchadiverseandcomplextopicwillnotbeabletoincludeeverything.Instead,hereisasample ofsomewaysinwhichvariousreligiousgroupsincludefoodasavitalpartoftheirfaith. Understandingtheroleoffoodinculturalandreligiouspracticeisanimportantpartofshowing respectandrespondingtotheneedsofpeoplefromarangeofreligiouscommunities.However,it isimportanttoavoidassumptionsaboutapersonscultureandbeliefs.Ifindoubt,ask. Christianity ThevariousfaithsofChristianityincludeRomanCatholic,OrthodoxandProtestant.Theregulations governingfoodanddrinkdifferfromonetothenext,includingsomefaithsthatdontadvocateany restrictions. Selectedfactsinclude: SomeCatholicandOrthodoxChristiansobserveseveralfeastandfastdaysduringthe year.Forexample,theymayfastoravoidmeatonFridays,duringLentoronGoodFriday. Someeatfishinstead. MostProtestantsobserveonlyEasterandChristmasasfeastdaysanddontfollow ritualisedfasting. TheritualofcommunionisregularlycelebratedbymanyChristians.Thisinvolveseating breadanddrinkingwine(orsubstitutes)torepresentthebodyandbloodofJesusChrist. SomeChristiansdontdrinkalcohol.TheseincludemanymembersoftheSalvationArmy andotherProtestantchurches. MormonsandSeventhDayAdventistsalsoavoidcaffeinatedandalcoholicbeverages.Many SeventhDayAdventistsdonteatmeatordairyproducts.Thosethatdoeatmeatdonteat pork. Self-denial(offood),orfasting,issometimesconsideredtobeprayingwiththebody.Itis believedtoimprovespiritualdisciplinebyovercomingthesensationsofthephysicalworld andfocusingonprayerandspiritualgrowth.ItmayalsobeusedbysomeChristiansasa waytorespectthosepeoplearoundtheworldwhoregularlyfacestarvationormalnutrition.

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Judaism JudaismcanbeLiberalorOrthodox,dependingonhowstrictlypeoplefollow(adhereto)theJewish laws.KashrutreferstothelawspertainingtofoodintheJewishreligion.Koshermeansthatafood isfitorpermitted.Foodssuchasporkandshellfisharestrictlyforbidden.TheJewishfoodlaws originatedmorethan3,000yearsagoandcontributetoaformalcodeofbehaviourthatreinforces theidentityofaJewishcommunity.Foodformsanintegralpartofreligioninlifeforapracticing Jew. Otherselectedfactsinclude: FoodsmustbepreparedintherightwayinordertobeKosher;forexample,animalsthat providemeatmustbeslaughteredcorrectly. Theconsumptionofcertainfoods,includingdairyproductsandfish,issubjectto restrictions;forexample,therearerulesforbiddingthemixingandconsumptionofdairy productswithmeats. RitualisedfastingisalsoincludedinJudaism.Forexample,YomKippurtheDayof AtonementisaJewishfastthatlastsfromapproximatelydusktilldusk. JewishfeastdaysincludeRoshHashanahandPassover. ThePassovercommemoratesthebirthoftheJewishnation.Thefoodeatenhelpstotell thestoryoftheExodus;forexample,bitterherbsrecallthesufferingoftheIsraelites underEgyptianrule.

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Islam Moderationinallthings(includingeatinganddietaryhabits)iscentraltotheMuslimwayoflife. WhendoneaccordingtothewayofAllah,dailyactslikeeatingareconsideredaformofworship. InIslam,theconceptofHalalmeaninglawfulorpermittedisappliedtoallareasofapersons lifeandincludesregulationssurroundingfood.Allfoodsareallowed(Halal)exceptforthosethat areconsideredharmful.Prohibitedfoods(andotheraspectsoflife)arecalledHaram. Otherselectedfactsinclude: ThelistofHaramfoodsincludespork,alcoholandanyproductsthatcontainemulsifiers madefromanimalfats,particularlymargarines. Breadorbreadproductsfermentedbyyeastmaypossiblycontaintracesofalcoholandso maybeconsideredHaram. GelatinemadefromporkorfromanyotheranimalthatisnotHalalisforbidden.(Some gelatinesmaybeHalal.) CaffeinateddrinkssuchascoffeemaybeconsideredHaram. Muslimfastingperiodsvary.ThemonthofRamadanrequiresmandatoryfastingfromdawn untilduskasdootherdatesofreligioussignificance,suchastheninthdayofZulHijjah.

Hinduism Hindusbelieveintheinterdependenceoflife.PeoplewhopracticetheHindureligiondonteatmeat fromanimalsoranyfoodthathasinvolvedthetakingoflife.Theyalsoavoidfoodsthatmayhave causedpaintoanimalsduringmanufacture.Karmaisbelievedtobethespiritualloadwe accumulateorrelieveourselvesofduringourlifetime.IfaHinduconsumesanimalflesh,they accumulatetheKarmaofthatact,whichwillthenneedtobebalancedthroughgoodactionsand learninginthislifeorthenext. Selectedfactsinclude: ManyHindusarevegetarianbutthisisnotcompulsory. Dependingonthelevelofadherencetothisbelief,inmanycasesbeefisforbiddenwhile porkissometimesrestrictedoravoided. Prohibitedanimalproductstendtovaryfromonecountryorregiontothenext.For example,duckandcrabmaybeforbiddeninonegeographicallocationwhilefishmaybe partofthestaplefoodforpeoplelivinginotherareas. MostHindusdonoteatbeeforbeefproducts,becausethecowisheldtobesacred. Dairyproductsincludingmilk,butterandyoghurtmaybeeaten. Foodstuffssuchasalcohol,onionsandgarlicarethoughttoinhibittheHindusquestfor spiritualenlightenment.Theyarethereforeavoidedorrestricted. Fastingdependsonthepersonscaste(orsocialstanding)andontheoccasion;for example,rulesregardingfastingdependonwhetherthedayhasreligiousorpersonal significance.

Buddhism ThedietaryrulesofBuddhism,whichismoreofalifephilosophythanareligiousdoctrine,depend onwhichbranchofBuddhismispracticedandinwhatcountry. Selectedfactsinclude: InhismultiplelivesonEarth,Buddhacycledthroughvariousanimalformsbeforeattaining theformofahumanbeing.MostBuddhistschoosetobecomevegetariantoavoidkilling animals. SimilarlytotheHinduconceptofKarma,Buddhismproposesthatviolenceorpaininflicted onotherswillreboundonyou,hencetheneedforavegetarianlifestyle.SomeBuddhists believethatacontributingcauseofhumanaggressionisviolenceagainstanimals. SomeBuddhistsavoidmeatanddairyproducts,whileothersonlyshunbeef.Thisis affectedbycultural,geographicalanddietaryinfluences. Religiousdatesvaryfromoneregiontothenext.MahayanaBuddhism,forexample, celebratesthreefestivalsforthebirth,enlightenmentanddeathofBuddha,while TheravadaBuddhistsobserveallthreeeventsonasingleday. Buddhistmonkstendtofastintheafternoon. Buddhistmonksandnunsarenotallowedtocultivate,storeorcooktheirownfood; instead,theymustrelyonalms,whicharedonationsfrombelievers.Thissometimes includesmeats,asmonksandnunsarentallowedtoaskforspecificfoods.

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Where to get help Yourreligiousorculturaladvisor Yourplaceofreligiousobservance

Things to remember

Foodisanimportantpartofreligiousobservanceformanydifferentfaiths,including Christianity,Judaism,Islam,HinduismandBuddhism. Theroleoffoodinculturalpracticesandreligiousbeliefsiscomplexandvariesamong individualsandcommunities. Ifyouareprovidinghospitalitytopeoplefromdifferentbackgrounds,alwaysservea selectionofvegetarianandmeatfoodsonseparatetrays. Avarietyofnon-alcoholicdrinksshouldalsobeavailable.

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