From a religious perspective how do you relate to eating and drinking?

David Arnow Jewish

In the story of creation God has fashioned everything humanity will consume. So it’s not surprising that among God’s first communications to Adam and Eve come rules about eating. Judaism’s approach to food begins with gratitude, humility and a sense of control. As the Talmud says, one is forbidden to enjoy anything without first reciting a blessing that acknowledges God’s bounty.* But it’s so easy to take it all for granted. Complex though they are, Judaism’s dietary laws can help to reinforce this fragile sense of mindfulness about how and what we eat. “The earth is the Lord’s and all that it holds . . .” (Psalms 24:1).

Mary C. Boys Christian

Given how essential food and drink are to human survival, their significance in religious imagination and practice is unsurprising. Much of Jesus’ teaching takes place “at table.” The gospels also provide accounts of his feeding thousands of people at a time with a few loaves and fish, yet he also teaches that “one does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.”* Paul’s letters discuss controversies about how members of the early church should treat one another when they gather to eat and drink. The Eucharist, the community meal of Christians that developed out of the Last Supper, is a sharing of bread and wine in memory of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus.

Related Texts

While they were eating, he [Jesus] took a loaf of bread, and after blessing it he broke it, gave it to them, and said, “Take; this is my body.” Then he took a cup, and after giving thanks he gave it to them, and all of them drank from it. He said to them, “This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many.
— Mark 14:22-24

And as he sat at dinner in Levi’s house, many tax collectors and sinners were also sitting with Jesus and his disciples–for there were many who followed him. When the scribes of the Pharisees saw that he was eating with sinners and tax collectors, they said to his disciples, “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?” When Jesus heard this, he said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick; I have come to call not the righteous but sinners.”
— Mark 2:15-17

Now John’s disciples and the Pharisees were fasting; and people came and said to him, “Why do John’s disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?” Jesus said to them, “The wedding guests cannot fast while the bridegroom is with them, can they? As long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast.
— Mark 9: 18-19

[Jesus said] “For John the Baptist has come eating no bread and drinking no wine, and you say, ‘He has a demon’; the Son of Man has come eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Look, a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ Nevertheless, wisdom is vindicated by all her children.”
— Luke 7:33-34

On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. When the wine gave out, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.” And Jesus said to her, “Woman, what concern is that to you and to me? My hour has not yet come.” His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.” Now standing there were six stone water jars for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding twenty or thirty gallons. Jesus said to them, “Fill the jars with water.” And they filled them up to the brim. He said to them, “Now draw some out, and take it to the chief steward.” So they took it. When the steward tasted the water that had become wine, and did not know where it came from (though the servants who had drawn the water knew), the steward called the bridegroom and said to him, “Everyone serves the good wine first, and then the inferior wine after the guests have become drunk. But you have kept the good wine until now.”
— John 2:1-10

Muhammad Shafiq Muslim

All deeds and actions of a Muslim are part of worship in Islam. Even the act of eating and drinking is an act of worship when the Islamic requirements of Halal (allowed) and Haram (forbidden) are observed. The Qur’an stresses the importance of healthy eating, a balanced diet and hygiene. Muslims are allowed to eat what is good and lawful, what is pure, clean, wholesome, nourishing and pleasing to the taste (Qur’an 2:168). The Qur’an constantly reminds Muslims to eat and drink, but waste not in extravagance. Certainly God does not like those who waste in extravagance (7:31). Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) promoted clean and healthy eating habits among his followers. He asked his companions to wash their hands before and after eating. He also taught to eat with the name of God and end eating by praising Him. Eat using the right hand, but do not eat until you truly are hungry and do not eat and drink excessively. He preferred the hungry to eat first while he would be the last to eat, though he himself would be very hungry. He advised Muslims to continue this practice.

Note: Translation of the Qur’anic verses and many of the Hadith translation with references were taken from Islamicity.com; some translations of and references to the Hadith were taken from ahadith.co.uk.

Related Texts

A man came to the Prophet. The Prophet sent a messenger to his wives [to bring something for that man to eat] but they said that they had nothing except water. Then Allah’s Apostle said, ‘Who will take this [person] or entertain him as a guest?’ An Ansar man said, ‘I.’ So he took him to his wife and said to her, ‘Entertain generously the guest of Allah’s Apostle.’ She said, ‘We have got nothing except the meals of my children.’ He said, ‘Prepare your meal, light your lamp and let your children sleep if they ask for supper.’ So she prepared her meal, lighted her lamp and made her children sleep, and then stood up pretending to mend her lamp, but she put it off. Then both of them pretended to be eating, but they really went to bed hungry. In the morning the Ansari went to Allah’s Apostle who said, ‘Tonight Allah laughed or wondered at your action.’ Then Allah revealed: ‘But give them [emigrants] preference over themselves even though they were in need of that And whosoever is saved from the covetousness Such are they who will be successful’” (59.9).
— Al Bukhari, Book on Merits of the Helpers (Ansar) of Madina, Hadith No: 005.058.142

For it is He who has brought into being gardens — [both] the cultivated ones and those growing wild — and the date-palm, and fields bearing multiform produce, and the olive tree, and the pomegranate: [all] resembling one another and yet so different! Eat of their fruit when it comes to fruition, and give [unto the poor] their due on harvest day. And do not waste [God’s bounties]: verily, He does not love the wasteful!
— Qur’an 6:141

O CHILDREN of Adam! Beautify yourselves for every act of worship, and eat and drink [freely], but do not waste: verily, He does not love the wasteful!
— Qur’an 7:31

A human does not fill any container worse than his stomach. It is enough for a human to have some morsels to strengthen his back [keep his back straight]. If he must eat more, then it should be one-third of his stomach for food, one-third for drink and one-third for breathing.
— Hadith Ahmad