WK 3 Food and Religion Social Sciences Coursework Paper
Select one of the following questions:
Option 1: Pick either Jewish or Muslim dietary laws and explain which foods are forbidden, which foods are most admired and which have special meanings for a life transition, like a wedding, funeral, etc. Explain the meaning of these do's and don'ts from the perspective of the tradition you chose. References from your texts or another peer-reviewed or high-quality source required.
Option 2: Examine fasting in a religious tradition. What are the meanings of the different fasts from the perspective of the tradition? What challenges does this fasting give to practitioners of this food-restriction? Have you ever fasted for a day or more? Do you, or have you in the past, followed specific cultural or faith-based dietary laws? How did you experience that?
Option 3: Hindu sacred texts consider the cow a sacred animal and Indian laws protect these animals from harm in nearly all circumstances. Respect and protection for cattle has become a widely-promoted and deeply-felt cultural value in Hindu society. Anthropologists and sociologists theorize several practical reasons for why this prohibition might have started. Outline these theories and evaluate them, including specific examples.
YOUR NAME
SUBJECT AND SECTION
PROFESSOR’S NAME
DATE OF SUBMISSION
Religion plays a crucial role in the choices of food in many societies. Various religions follow some religious dietary laws in which some foods are restricted to be consumed and foods that are symbolic and must be present on special occasions. One prominent religion that has dietary laws and guidelines prescribe for its believers in Islam.
Like other religions, Islamic law includes distinguishing food and drinks that are prohibited and allowed. Halal is a term that refers to food and drinks that are allowed to be consumed while haram pertains to those that are restricted. Halal is an Arabic term that is translated as “lawful or permitted.” These dietary laws act to unite their believers and establishes a distinguished Islamic identity. The dietary guidelines set for Muslims regarding the foods that are allowed and prohibited are considered to be straightforward to follow. Islam is somewhat similar to Judaism concerning dietary guidelines. The commonality of these two religions regarding dietary laws can be attributed to the similarity in their ethnic backgrounds as Abrahamic religious groups (Huda, 2019).
According to Quran 2:168, Muslims are permitted to consume foods that are considered “good”. This includes food and drinks that are considered as clean, wholesome, pleasing, nourishing, and pure. Generally, all foods are allowed or considered as halal except for those that have been explicitly identified as prohibited. Allah’s name is mustered during the killing of an animal to be considered as halal food. As long as a prayer is offered during the time of slaughter, beef, goat, lamb, and chicken can be considered halal foods. However, under Islamic rule, prohibited foods can only be eaten without being considered as sinful act when there are no other alternatives available as in the cas...
You Might Also Like Other Topics Related to religion:
- Religion & Theology Coursework: Why Does God Allow Suffering?1 page/≈275 words | Other | Religion & Theology | Coursework |
- Philosophy: Pascal’s Wager (Religion & Theology Essay)3 pages/≈825 words | MLA | Religion & Theology | Essay |
- Religion & Theology Speech Presentation: Why Does God Allow Suffering?10 pages/≈2750 words | Other | Religion & Theology | Speech Presentation |
- Reading Reflection: Women and Indigenous Religions2 pages/≈550 words | MLA | Social Sciences | Book Report |
- Reflection essay on St Francis of Assisi (Religion & Theology Essay)12 pages/≈3300 words | APA | Religion & Theology | Essay |
- Contemporary Approaches to Classical and World Myths (Religion & Theology Essay)3 pages/≈825 words | MLA | Religion & Theology | Essay |
- The Choice to Rejoice (Philippians 4:4) Religion Case Study5 pages/≈1375 words | APA | Religion & Theology | Case Study |