Specific Religious Practices and Food Customs

Introduction 

Food is regarded as a crucial part of a spiritual ritual and religious observance in diverse faiths. In most societies, religious laws play a crucial role in shaping dietary habits, where religious beliefs influence people’s decisions to avoid or consume particular foods. Religious differences are therefore necessary for planning balanced diets in different societies. Food plays an intricate role in religious beliefs, and cultural practices and the role varies among communities and individuals. Hence, understanding the role that food plays in both a religious and cultural practice is, therefore, essential in demonstrating respect as well as responding to the needs of individuals from diverse cultural and religious backgrounds. Although not all regions possess specific requirements about food, the majority of the main world religions, including Islam, Christianity, Buddhism, Judaism, Rastafarianism, and Hinduism have food customs that influence their eating habits to a great extent as this paper seeks to demonstrate. Dietary practices vary across religions, and the rationale for each practice is founded on diverse religious texts; however, different religions demonstrate common dietary practices, which include fasting and tendencies to avoid certain foods that are considered unclean. 

Christianity 

Christianity is made up of three main faiths, including Protestant, Orthodox, and Catholic faith. Samuel and Makhani (2016) argue that a lthough the different faiths share most beliefs and religious customs, the laws that govern the consumption of food and drink differ from one faith to another. Catholics observe some fast and feast days throughout the year. Some of the feast days include Easter, Christmas, Palm Sunday, the Annunciation, Pentecost Saturday, and the Ascension. Abstinence and fasting a full meal a day is often practiced by some Catholics on Fridays of Advent, Lent season, and Ember Days, while some Catholics only fast or abstain from some foods only on Good Friday and Ash Wednesday. Further, Catholicism requires that people should avoid beverages, except water, and foods an hour before receiving the Holy Communion. 

Orthodox Christianity differs from Catholicism in their Biblical theology interpretation, particularly about the use of leavened bread rather than unleavened wafers in Holy Communion. However, the two faiths are similar in that they observe some fast and feast days, with Orthodox Christianity observing such feast days as Theophany, Christmas, Annunciation, Pentecost Sunday, Easter, and the Transfiguration among others ( Samuel and Makhani, 2016) . Orthodox Christianity also observes the Meat Fare Sunday on the third Sunday before Easter, the Cheese Fare Sunday a Sunday before Easter, and the Lenten fast, which begins a day after the Cheese Fare Sunday, also known as Clean Monday. Orthodox Christians are also required to avoid drinks and food before communion. On fast days, all animal products, fish, and meat are prohibited; however, Christians are allowed to eat shellfish. The fast periods in Orthodox Christianity include the Fast of the Apostles, Lent, Advent, and the Fast of the Dormition of the Holy Theotokos. 

Protestants mostly have only two primary feast days for most Protestant regions, including Easter and Christmas. Samuel and Makhani (2016) maintain that m ost Protestant religions impose minimal restrictions on fasting and food since they believe that God made all natural and animal products for the enjoyment of human beings. However, Protestants advocate for moderate drinking and eating, as well as engaging in exercises since drunkenness and gluttony are considered as sins that should be controlled. In Christianity, only the Seventh-Day Adventists and Mormons have dietary laws that are fundamental to their faith. Mormons avoid coffee and tea as well as alcoholic beverages. Further, most Mormons avoid drinks that contain caffeine, and the religion encourages followers to limit the consumption of meats and mostly consume grains. 

In most cases, Mormons consider fasting one day each month and donating their food money to the less fortunate and the poor. Mormons also observe self-control and reason, which they believe helps people to stay healthy. The Mormons' dietary laws are documented in the Word of Wisdom, which outlines laws about abstaining from illegal drugs, tea, coffee, alcohol, and tobacco, as well as laws that guide followers into proper eating ( Asraf Mohd-Any, Shahnaz Mahdzan & Siang Cher, 2014) . Seventh-Day-Adventists, on the other hand, are vegetarians, and they discourage the act of overeating. Adventists are also prohibited from consuming alcoholic beverages, coffee, and tea. Moreover, Adventists are discouraged from eating between meals and they are required to drink water before and after meals ( Asraf Mohd-Any, Shahnaz Mahdzan & Siang Cher, 2014) . The Adventists' beliefs are founded on the teachings of the Bible, as well as in the belief that people are holistic in nature. 

Judaism 

Judaism is classified as Orthodox or Liberal based on how strictly individuals observe the Jewish laws. Rosenblum (2014) notes that th e laws referring to food in Judaism are known as Kashrut, while food that is permitted in the religion is known as Kosher. The Jewish dietary laws are regarded as some of the most complex laws when compared to other religious food laws. The laws outline the foods that are considered unclean, and therefore not fit to eat, and the foods that are considered clean and fit for consumption. The laws also include instructions on how animals may be slaughtered, the manner in which food is to be prepared, as well as rules on when milk products may be consumed together with meat products; In Judaism, followers are strictly prohibited from consuming such foods as shellfish and pork. Food laws in Judaism are over 3,000 years old, and they play a critical role in reinforcing the Jewish community's identity; hence, food forms an essential part of religion in the lives of practicing Jews ( Rosenblum, 2014) . 

The majority of laws about the preparation of drinks and foods in Judaism were established due to health concerns. For instance, rules about the use of plates, pans, utensils, and separating dairy products from meat mainly focus on the reduction of contamination. Jewish food laws require that blood should be removed from meat before it can be consumed. Further, Judaism prohibits the consumption of animals that do not chew the cud and those that lack cloven hooves since they are regarded as unclean animals ( Rosenblum, 2014) . Leavened food is also restricted in Judaism, and the religion also restricts the consumption of meat and dairy products at the same meal. The feast days found in Judaism include the Passover and Hashanah; foods are an essential part of the feasts. For instance, during the Passover, which is a commemoration of the day the Jewish nation was born, bitter herbs are eaten as a way of remembering the suffering that the Israelites experienced under the rule of the Egyptians. 

Islam 

According to Mehrotra et al. (2013), Islamic teachings advocate for moderation in all aspects of life, including dietary and eating habits. Muslims believe that acts like eating are a form of worship whenever they are done by the teachings of Allah. Islam utilizes the concept of Halal to identify the aspects of life that are permitted or lawful, including regulations that pertain to food. Islam allows all foods except the foods that are regarded as harmful. Aspects of life and foods that are prohibited in Islam are defined as Haram. Foods that are categorized as Haram include birds of prey and pork. Muslims consider eating as an act of preserving their right health ( Mehrotra et al., 2013). However, the overindulgence or use of such stimulants as coffee, tea, and alcohol is discouraged in Islam. Muslims also practice fasting, which is done regularly on Thursdays and Mondays, during Shawwal, and the whole month of Ramadan. Fasting involves abstaining from drinks and food from the sunrise to the sunset. Eating in Islam is regarded as a matter of faith, where fasting presents an opportunity for believers to gain Allah’s approval, understand the suffering that the poor undergo, and an opportunity for wiping out the previous sins. Additionally, Muslims believe that failing to observe proper eating habits minimizes one’s spiritual awareness. 

Hinduism 

According to Kwon and Tamang (2015), Hindus avoid all foods that they consider to slow down their physical or spiritual growth. Hinduism does not prohibit the eating of meat; however, eating ducks, pork, crabs, camels, and snails are prohibited. Moreover, beef is not eaten since Hinduism considers cows as sacred animals. However, Hindus consider other products from cows, including butter, yogurt and milk as innately pure, and they also consider the products to promote the purity of the body, spirit, and mind. Therefore, foods that are considered less pure can be improved by preparing them with milk or ghee among other products regarded as pure. Other foods, however, such as alcohol are regarded as inherently contaminated, and they cannot be made pure. Hindus also avoid such foods and onions and garlic since they stimulate the senses, and therefore inappropriate for people searching for spiritual unity ( Kwon & Tamang, 2015) . The majority of Hindus are vegetarian due to their adherence to the concept of ahimsa, which involves non-violence as it applies to foods, especially, the aspect of inflicting pain on animals when slaughtering. Hindus also practice fasting on Sundays, the days of the full and new moon, the Feats of Sivaratri, among other days of the significant Hindu holidays. Additionally, Hindus fast on several personal days, including anniversaries of marriages and deaths and on birthdays. Fasting in Hinduism is considered as an essential mechanism for promoting spiritual growth. 

Buddhism 

According to Mehrotra et al. (2013), Buddhism is more of a philosophy of life than a religious doctrine. The dietary laws in Buddhism mainly depend on the country and the branch of Buddhism, where the main branches of the philosophy include the Zen, Mahayana, and the Theravada among others. Although some Buddhists include fish in their diets, the majority are vegetarians. The three most common feasting, fasting, and resting festivals in Buddhism include the death, enlightenment, and birth of Buddha ( Mehrotra et al., 2013). However, monks embrace complete fasting on days of the full and new moon every lunar month. Further, Buddhist monks avoid consuming any solid foods after the noon hour. Hinduism is similar to Hinduism regarding food practices in that most Buddhists observe the concept of ahimsa, which involves avoiding inflicting pain on animals when killing them since they believe in karma; hence, the majority of Buddhists chose to be vegetarian. Buddhists consider natural foods as the purest foods as well as an emphasis on moderation during the consumption of all foods ( Mehrotra et al., 2013). Further, Buddhist nuns and monks are prohibited from storing, cultivating, or cooking their food, and instead require to rely on donations from believers, where they are restricted from asking for specific foods from the believers. 

Rastafarianism 

Mehrotra et al. (2013) note that Rastafarians are only allowed to consume foods that are slightly cooked without artificial preservatives, flavors, and colors, also defined as I-tal. Rastafarianism prohibits the consumption of meats, canned products, and unnatural drinks. The religion allows for the consumption of fish that is less than twelve inches long but restricts the consumption of other types of seafood. The majority of Rastafarians are vegetarian, and they also avoid consuming, tea, alcohol, and coffee among other drinks containing caffeine, since they are believed to confuse the soul. Rastafarians do not consume shellfish ad pigs, which they consider as scavengers and unclean. Rastafarians also use Biblical texts to support the use of herbs, which include marijuana among others ( Mehrotra et al., 2013). Rastafarianism a permits herbal drinks and the use of marijuana for medicinal and religious purposes. 

Conclusion 

There are no religions that maintain the same ideologies about health, spiritual wellness, and diet; however, most religions embrace firmly related practices. For instance, fasting is practiced in almost all religious groups, where virtually all the groups that practice fasting consider it as a mechanism for humbly disciplining followers to facilitate spiritual growth. In most religions, the fasting practice is closely linked to specific days that are regarded holy. Religious groups across the world observe the act of fasting although the rational and time frame of fasting differs across religions. For instance, Muslims fast through the entire month of Ramadan, Jews fast for a specified time of the day, mainly from sunrise to sunset, Catholic fast for some hours, while Mormons fast in selected days. Further, religions demonstrate similarities in the types of foods that they prohibit, including pork among Muslims, Rastafarians, and Judaism among other religions. However, different religions differ regarding their dietary practices to a great extent. For instance, while eating beef is allowed in Islam and Christianity, the consumption of beef is prohibited in Hinduism since cows are regarded as sacred. 

References 

Asraf Mohd-Any, A., Shahnaz Mahdzan, N., & Siang Cher, C. (2014). Food choice motives of different ethnics and the foodie's segment in Kuala Lumpur. British Food Journal ,  116 (12), 1879-1896. 

Kwon, D. Y., & Tamang, J. P. (2015). Religious, ethnic foods. Journal of Ethnic Foods ,  2 (2), 45-46. 

Mehrotra, V., Gupta, R., Sawhny, A., Agarwal, S., Gupta, I., & Garg, K. (2013). Cultural, Religious, Social and Personal Customs" A Boon or Bane" For Oral and General Health.  Journal of Oral Health & Community Dentistry ,  7 (3). 

Rosenblum, J. D. (2014). Food and identity in early rabbinic Judaism. In  Meals in Early Judaism  (pp. 59-70). Palgrave Macmillan US. 

Samuel, F., & Makhani, N. (2016). Food Cultures.  Community Nutrition for Developing Countries , 47.