G.E.—India
But what happens is this. Hindus [mostly] take some of the food and offer it to the idols. Now they offer it to people because that food offered to the idols is very precious and the belief is that it will invoke blessing. But when they see a Christian or a Muslim come for a gathering or a function, most of them are sensitive not to give the food offered to the idols. They bring the same food but the ones not offered to the idols. Or I have in some contexts told them gently that I would love to eat but not the one offered to the idols.
What do you think a Hindu would think of you if you ate from the part of the food that had been offered to the idol?
Hmmm... that is good question. In some places that I have been, I have been able to witness that my God is much bigger than any other spirits or forces, and I am not afraid nor I am acknowledging their god. Because as you said, they do think that I have accepted their god or see their god as mighty or worthy of worship. Where I have shared that it is the opposite.
G.J.—India
Yes. It is an issue when we start addressing it.
Yes. It is an issue when we start addressing it.
Most Christian parents always warn and keep their kids in check about those offering foods, and things we will encounter with friends at school.
Now Hindu's do the offering food stuff mostly during their festivals. Although, they have about 10-15 main festivals all through the year for different deities, the main 3-4 festivals are usually lengthy and the celebrations go on for about 7-10 days. This is when they have stalls put up on the streets or neighbourhoods with large idols, and constant puja's (worship) and chanting of the recitals called mantras etc. Families sign up for this worship with the priest and stuff. They have stalls like this in all neighbourhoods through out the country, big and small, 5 feet x 5 feet to 20 x 20 feet. So they have like 20 - 100 puja's everyday, and at the end of the each puja session, the priest just gives the prasad (food snack that has been offered to the idol and is kept in front of the idol) to everyone in the vicinity.
So first thing our parents train us and warn us is, when we're walking along that route, DO NOT even look at the stall. It's nothing but Satan. So we somehow get this fear in our hearts as children, that that is so evil and even looking at it can make the devil go after us. Or that something bad will happen to us, if we lurch around there or see the idol and the stuff there.
Secondly, to understand the concept of why Hindu's offer food, snacks and goodies to Christians and Muslims - Being a country with several religions, the biggest way we share with our community and neighbours is that when its Christmas, Christians make big plates of goodies (Snacks, cookies, cakes and all kinds of sweet and salty, spicy snacks) and we visit our Hindu and Muslim neighbours or friends and give them and visit a little bit. An average family usually hands about 20-30 such packets or plates. Muslims do this to only very close neighbours or friends, and Hindu's do it too.
So as far as I can remember, everybody that knows you and is close to a Christain knows that we don't eat the prasad. We are trained to just tell our friends that we don't eat food offered to idols. So sometimes, when we are visiting a friend and their parent brings over a prasad before we leave to school and give an exam, the mother brings over some prasad, and we just have to say - no thanks aunty. I cannot eat prasad. It's hard at first but soon, it becomes second nature.
Secondly, to understand the concept of why Hindu's offer food, snacks and goodies to Christians and Muslims - Being a country with several religions, the biggest way we share with our community and neighbours is that when its Christmas, Christians make big plates of goodies (Snacks, cookies, cakes and all kinds of sweet and salty, spicy snacks) and we visit our Hindu and Muslim neighbours or friends and give them and visit a little bit. An average family usually hands about 20-30 such packets or plates. Muslims do this to only very close neighbours or friends, and Hindu's do it too.
So as far as I can remember, everybody that knows you and is close to a Christain knows that we don't eat the prasad. We are trained to just tell our friends that we don't eat food offered to idols. So sometimes, when we are visiting a friend and their parent brings over a prasad before we leave to school and give an exam, the mother brings over some prasad, and we just have to say - no thanks aunty. I cannot eat prasad. It's hard at first but soon, it becomes second nature.
The best part is - Hindu friends that know you start taking off the snacks aside first for their christian friends and then put the whole bowl in front of the idol. They just bring over stuff and say, - we did not put it in front of the idol. we took some aside first. so you can have it.
Even at work, on a big Hindu festival day, the whole office has a small puja and someone in the office goes around all the floors giving prasad to everyone. We just have to say, No I don't eat prasad or just be absent from the scene for a while.
Yes, you can take it and not eat it and throw it away, but my mom always said, Do not take it. let them know that we are not supposed to eat it.
No doubt, there will be people who laugh at us or talk about it behind us, but that's never bothered me. the only thing I would worry about is that I can tell them No, and that they will take No for an answer. Some people try to force you - Just this one time, yu know.
And also no doubt, there might be hindu's who say they didn't offer and bring you stuff from there. But we can't knnow that.
L.B.—PNG
When I first went into the Dom Tribe the clan that I lived with to learn the language and culture and begin evangelism would often kill a pig as part of a bride price, to pay a debt etc. Because I was part of that clan I was given a small portion of the meat. I would always take the meat and eat it.
When I first went into the Dom Tribe the clan that I lived with to learn the language and culture and begin evangelism would often kill a pig as part of a bride price, to pay a debt etc. Because I was part of that clan I was given a small portion of the meat. I would always take the meat and eat it.
Then about every 5-6 years there would be a large pig killing ceremony where dozens of pigs would be killed and because I was part of the tribal clan I was also given a small portion of this meat to eat . It wasn't until I began to evangelize and had young Christians that this became an issue. The Christians came to me and said "Don't you realize the pig that was killed during the pig killing ceremony was sacrificed to the spirit of our ancestors?". They said I should not be eating this meat. When I realized they were bothered by this I no longer took my share of this meat.
C.M.—China/Thailand
This was never an issue unless we went to a village for a festival. We would attend the “celebration” (used ever so loosely) and be observers. It was good to fast and pray during those times. However, in a day to day setting the markets are just that, markets where folks are trying to make some cash.
This was never an issue unless we went to a village for a festival. We would attend the “celebration” (used ever so loosely) and be observers. It was good to fast and pray during those times. However, in a day to day setting the markets are just that, markets where folks are trying to make some cash.
P.K.H—India
Glory...really it is a nice topic to discuss. In India it is a everyday test for the christians. If you go to a store, the owner of the store every day morning without offering Pooja he won't sell anything. If you go to a meat shop we will get Hallal meat only. that means he offers that to God before he sells to us. If you get in to a Bus everyday morning without offering prayer to God and without breaking a coconut to God he won't start the bus. In some buses we can find neatly framed idol photos. Even in the Banks we can find idol photos in the corners. Even if you go to a hotel everyday morning without offering to the God and without keeping some portion of the food in front of the idols he won't serve the food. What we have to do? Knowingly we are eating that food, we are purchasing the things from the store knowingly, we are travelling in the buses knowingly, we are getting the meat knowingly :). By doing all these things Are we doing against to the Word? By doing all these things Are we falling in our faith? Firmly i can say NO. Then am i encouraging people to eat the food which was offered to Idols?..No.. It is good not to take food which was offered to Idols. If anybody takes such food,then not to judge them by the food. It is good not to take such food when it is weaking fellow believers faith. For further clarifications refer to Mark 7:15-23.,Romans14:20-23.
Glory...really it is a nice topic to discuss. In India it is a everyday test for the christians. If you go to a store, the owner of the store every day morning without offering Pooja he won't sell anything. If you go to a meat shop we will get Hallal meat only. that means he offers that to God before he sells to us. If you get in to a Bus everyday morning without offering prayer to God and without breaking a coconut to God he won't start the bus. In some buses we can find neatly framed idol photos. Even in the Banks we can find idol photos in the corners. Even if you go to a hotel everyday morning without offering to the God and without keeping some portion of the food in front of the idols he won't serve the food. What we have to do? Knowingly we are eating that food, we are purchasing the things from the store knowingly, we are travelling in the buses knowingly, we are getting the meat knowingly :). By doing all these things Are we doing against to the Word? By doing all these things Are we falling in our faith? Firmly i can say NO. Then am i encouraging people to eat the food which was offered to Idols?..No.. It is good not to take food which was offered to Idols. If anybody takes such food,then not to judge them by the food. It is good not to take such food when it is weaking fellow believers faith. For further clarifications refer to Mark 7:15-23.,Romans14:20-23.
Generally we avoid such places and funtions. If we go there we ask people not to serve such food for us. We are not worrying about taking food unknowingly because it won't weakens my faith in the God. In my experience i used to attend many functions and places, when they invites me i will clearly tells them that i won't eat food because you offers it to idols. Sometimes they prepares food for us separately. Sometimes by saying like that we avoids such functions.
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