Cultural+Taboos

Script:

You can tell a lot about a society by what they believe to be taboo. Cultural taboos are proscribed by society as improper or unacceptable. In other words, taboos are those types of acts that are considered unthinkable and are never accepted in a certain society. The world is a very vast place though, and different countries have different taboos. Many things that are accepted elsewhere may not have a place in the society that one lives in and visa versa. Cultural Taboos should not be taken lightly. People can be easily offended if one is ignorant of the rules and sanctions of a society. If one wants to learn about a certain society, learning what they consider to be taboo is a good place to start. Cultural taboos are one of the major beliefs that make each and every society different. One of the most interesting things about the topic of Cultural Taboos is that it can be a very broad topic. This pod cast will be mainly focused on the eating habits of certain religions and which foods are considered taboo in different societies. It is worth noting that almost all religions have rules on dietary habits, they only vary when it comes to what is being allowed to be eaten. Judaism is the oldest of the Western Religions, and that is where this pod cast will start. There are three different divisions in Judaism. The strictest Judaism followers are the Orthodox Jews, followed by the Conservative Jews, and then the Reform Jews. Kashrut or “keeping kosher” is the name of the Jewish dietary law. Jews believe that that which is “unclean” should not be eaten. This is where the Cultural Taboo of Judaism that is not keeping kosher gets a little tricky. For Orthodox Jews, it is definitely Taboo to not keep kosher. They would never even consider eating an animal with cloven hooves or that chews its cud. The Conservative and Reform Jews are the ones who would be least likely to keep kosher, at least not all of the time. They would probably not consider it a major problem to eat something that is considered taboo to eat by the Orthodox sect of Judaism. If one continues in the chronological order of the Western Religions, one would stumble upon Christianity. Christianity is the most popular religion in the world, and a major taboo of Christianity is Cannibalism. In fact, Christianity is credited with ridding the world of most cannibalistic activities. Rachel Bell, author of the article entitled "Cannibalism: The Ancient Taboo in Modern Times", writes "The spread of Christianity by missionary agencies has also led to a significant decrease in the practice...In fact, the spread of Christianity is believed to have significantly diminished cannibalism worldwide". Cannibalism is severely frowned upon and not at all accepted in the Christian faith. The Eastern faith of Hinduism will be the next religion that is looked at. The belief that Hindus have about cows is a perfect example of just how much some societies can vary. For most Americans, it is almost impossible to consider a life without beef. But Hindus believe that cows are sacred and that they should never be killed or harmed. Cows are considered the symbol of life and a source of food in Hinduism and it is against the law to kill one, let alone eat it. "Since the cow is thought to be God's useful gift to mankind, consuming beef or veal is considered sacrilegious for Hindus". Faithful Hindus would never consider eating a cow because of their strong faith and their knowledge that it would be considered taboo in their society. Buddhism is a bit of a different religion. The way they see the world is so different than what Americans are used to. One of the Five Precepts of Buddhism is “I observe the precept of abstaining from the destruction of life”. This would lead one to draw the conclusion that a true follower of Buddhism would be a vegetarian and refuse to eat any meat at all. All religions have their own set of beliefs and teachings. Although they are overlooked, similarities can always be found between religions. Even though Cultural Taboos are teachings that often set religions apart, similarities can still be found. Some taboos even over lap throughout certain religions. If more people focused on how the religions agree rather than contradict with each other, then it is possible that the world would be a better place.

December 6, 2010 Prompt #9: BIG PICTURE: MAIN RULES AND CONSEQUENCES. Describe the main teachings of **The Chinese Philosophies: Confucianism and Taoism** pertinent to your issue. What are the consequences (legal, social, spiritual) when the teachings are not followed? In other words, I'm asking you to investigate whether your ethical issue is considered a public matter, with public, legal, and social consequences, or is it considered a spiritual or personal matter, with more private consequences affecting personal relationships and spiritual matters.

Confucianism and Taoism provide ethical guides to the proper behavior of individuals and officials. This is their purpose: "Taoism sought to promote the inner peace of individuals and harmony with their surroundings. Confucianism, based on the teachings and writings of the philosopher Confucius, is an ethical system that sought to teach the proper way for all people to behave in society". Confucianism deals a lot with relationships. Whether it be between husband and wife, boss and employee, or parent and child. A main teaching is that those who are inferior should serve with respect, and those who are superior should never abuse their power. If one were to abuse the power that comes with being in charge, than it would be a very public matter. It is clearly stated that, if necessary, a leader can be thrown out of power if they have become corrupted. It would be considered taboo if a person of power would be able to abuse that power and still remain in office.

Sources: http://academic.brooklyn.cuny.edu/core9/phalsall/texts/chinrelg.html

November 22, 2010 Prompt #8: BIG PICTURE: MAIN RULES AND CONSEQUENCES. Describe the main teachings of **Buddhism** pertinent to your issue. What are the consequences (legal, social, spiritual) when the teachings are not followed? In other words, I'm asking you to investigate whether your ethical issue is considered a public matter, with public, legal, and social consequences, or is it considered a spiritual or personal matter, with more private consequences affecting personal relationships and spiritual matters.

The Dahmmapada is the Buddhist scripture that was ascribed by the Buddha himself. These words are written in the Dahmmapada: "To do no evil; To cultivate good; To purify one's mind; This is the teachings of the Buddhas". This really sums up what Buddhists believe and seems to be the path that they follow. Buddhism is more of a moral code religion than one with commandments. These are the "Five Precepts" of Buddhism: 1. I observe the precept of abstaining from the destruction of life. 2. I observe the precept of abstaining from taking that which is not given. 3.I observe the precept of abstaining from sexual misconduct. 4.I observe the precept of abstaining from falsehood. 5.I observe the precept of abstaining from intoxicants that cloud the mind and cause carelessness. If a Buddhist were to break any of these precepts, it would be a private matter. "Buddhism places a great emphasis on 'mind' and it is mental anguish such as remorse, anxiety, guilt etc. which is to be avoided in order to cultivate a calm and peaceful mind." After a precept was broken, than it would be up to that person to think on it and figure out a way to avoid the future mistake. It would never be considered a public matter if one of the precepts were broken and it would be dealt with in a private matter.

Sources: http://webspace.ship.edu/cgboer/buddhaintro.html http://www.urbandharma.org/udharma2/5precepts.html http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/budethics.htm

November 15, 2010 Prompt #7: BIG PICTURE: MAIN RULES AND CONSEQUENCES. Describe the main teachings of **Hinduism** pertinent to your issue. What are the consequences (legal, social, spiritual) when the teachings are not followed? In other words, I'm asking you to investigate whether your ethical issue is considered a public matter, with public, legal, and social consequences, or is it considered a spiritual or personal matter, with more private consequences affecting personal relationships and spiritual matters.

Hinduism has some very interesting beliefs that seem very foreign to us who are not accustomed to their beliefs. For example, it is considered taboo in Hinduism if anyone kills a cow. Cows are considered the symbol of life and a source of food in Hinduism and it is against the law to kill one, let alone eat it. They do not worship the cow however, just show respect to it. Hindus did not always forbid the slaughtering of oxen and bulls, but a milking cow was never killed. The reasoning behind Hindus not eating cows if quite simple: "It was expensive to slaughter an animal for religious rituals or for a guest, and the cow provided an abundance of important products, including milk, browned butter for lamps, and fuel from dried dung". If a cow was to be slaughtered and eaten, it would definitely be a public matter. "Since the cow is thought to be God's useful gift to mankind, consuming beef or veal is considered sacrilegious for Hindus". Hindus would probably not even consider eating a cow, let alone follow through with that thought. If they did however, because it is against the law, it would be dealt with in a very public manner. Hinduism is a very different religion and way of life than anything that Americans are used to.

Sources: http://www.religionfacts.com/hinduism/things/cow.htm http://hinduism.about.com/od/vegetarianism/a/holycows.htm

November 8, 2010 Prompt #6: BIG PICTURE: MAIN RULES AND CONSEQUENCES. Describe the main teachings of **Islam** pertinent to your issue. What are the consequences (legal, social, spiritual) when the teachings are not followed? In other words, I'm asking you to investigate whether your ethical issue is considered a public matter, with public, legal, and social consequences, or is it considered a spiritual or personal matter, with more private consequences affecting personal relationships and spiritual matters.

"The Arabic word 'Islam' simply means 'submission', and derives from a word meaning 'peace'". There are five pillars of the Islamic faith. They are:


 * Faith or belief in the Oneness of God and the finality of the prophet hood of Muhammad (Faith)
 * Establishment of the daily prayers (Prayer)
 * Concern for and alms giving to the needy (The Zakat)
 * Self-purification through fasting (The Fast)
 * The pilgrimage to Makkah for those who are able (The Pilgrimage)

Islamic Taboos focus around these five laws. If one were to violate any of these laws, than there would be serious consequences. It would be considered taboo to not pray daily and, if able, to not fast during the time of fasting. These violations would be taken seriously and would be a public matter. For if one is seen in violation of these laws, than they would be brought to justice in a very public matter. The Quran clearly states that prayer is important: "Woe to the worshipers who are unmindful of their prayer. (Quran 107:4-5)" Prayer is very important to the Islamic nation, and there would be major consequences if someone was found not praying at the specific time of prayer.

Sources: http://www.islamicity.com/mosque/uiatm/un_islam.htm http://www.islam101.com/dawah/pillars.html http://www.themodernreligion.com/basic/pray/prayer_timely.htm

October 18, 2010 Prompt #5: FINE PRINT: DIVERSITY AND NUANCE. Are there different rules for different people/sects within **Christianity** regarding your ethical issue? What about differences in the way consequences are applied? **This week, concentrate on the similarities and differences between Catholics and Protestants on your topic.**

Both Catholics and Protestants fall under the religion of Christianity. They are two different denominations though and can be quite different. A major difference in these two denominations is that Protestants believe the Bible to be the one and only standard of truth, while Catholics believe that the Bible alone is not sufficient. Catholics believe strongly in the Catholic tradition and pray to the different saints. Part of the Catholic tradition is the fact that marriage is to be between a man and a woman. It is taboo to have same sex marriages. Gay marriages are not accepted in the Catholic tradition at all. Protestants are a little different. Many conservative Protestants believe that marriage is a holy sanctimony between a man and a woman. There are however some Protestants that believe gay marriage to be acceptable. Although both Catholics and Protestants fall under the religion of Christianity, they sometimes majorly differ in their beliefs.

Sources: http://catholicism.about.com/od/catholicliving/f/FAQ_Marriage.htm

October 4, 2010 Prompt #4: BIG PICTURE: MAIN RULES AND CONSEQUENCES. Describe the main teachings of **Christianity** pertinent to your issue. What are the consequences (legal, social, spiritual) when the teachings are not followed? In other words, I'm asking you to investigate whether your ethical issue is considered a public matter, with public, legal, and social consequences, or is it considered a spiritual or personal matter, with more private consequences affecting personal relationships and spiritual matters.

A major taboo in Christianity is cannibalism. In fact, Christianity is credited with ridding the world of most cannibalistic activities. Rachel Bell, author of the article entitled "Cannibalism: The Ancient Taboo in Modern Times", writes "The spread of Christianity by missionary agencies has also led to a significant decrease in the practice...In fact, the spread of Christianity is believed to have significantly diminished cannibalism worldwide (Bell 1)". Bell continues to write, and eventually tells a story of the way people are viewed if cannibalism is apart of their life: "In 1846, a group of eighty-nine men, women and children led by a man named George Donner set out across the Sierra Nevada Mountains en route to California. During the trek, the weather took and unexpected turn and they were forced to take an alternative route. Half of the travelers perished before the remaining people eventually succumbed to their situation and began to feed on the flesh of the dead in an attempt to survive. The forty-six survivors were eventually rescued, however upon reaching civilization they were regarded as monstrous criminals and tried for their actions. The travelers served around six months before they were re-released back into their communities (Bell 2)". As shown above, cannibalism is a very public manner. People take it upon themselves to try those who have been accused of cannibalism, and jail is usually the outcome. I am sure that after the travelers had served their time and were released back into their communities, they were probably not well accepted. Even when those people had a legit excuse and where only doing it out of survival, they were still punished. Cannibalism is severely frowned upon and not at all accepted in the Christian faith.

Sources: http://www.trutv.com/library/crime/criminal_mind/psychology/cannibalism/2.html

September 27, 2010 Prompt #3: FINE PRINT: DIVERSITY AND NUANCE. Are there different rules for different people/sects within **Judaism** regarding your ethical issue? What about differences in the way consequences are applied?

There are three different divisions in Judaism. There are Orthodox Jews, which are the most devout, Conservative Jews, and Reform Jews. The strictness by which Jews follow the laws of the Torah depend on what kind of a Judaism they practice. Orthodox Jews are the most strict, so they are expected to follow all commandments given to them. I feel that they would not even consider participating in something that is Taboo to the Jewish culture because they are so devout. Conservative Jews, are a little less strict. They embrace modern culture more than the Orthodox Jews. In my opinion, they probably would have a bit of a guilty conscience but would not lose any sleep over their guilt. Reform Jews are the ones who are influenced the greatest by modern culture. They believe that the Jewish traditions should be modernized and made to fit into the modern day. If they were to do something that would be considered an old Taboo (not keeping kosher), than they would probably not feel guilty in the slightest and would move on with their lives as if nothing happened.

Sources: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orthodox_Judaism http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conservative_Judaism http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reform_Judaism

September 20, 2010 Prompt #2: BIG PICTURE: MAIN RULES AND CONSEQUENCES. Describe the main teachings of **Judaism** pertinent to your issue. What are the consequences (legal, social, spiritual) when the teachings are not followed? In other words, I'm asking you to investigate whether your ethical issue is considered a public matter, with public, legal, and social consequences, or is it considered a spiritual or personal matter, with more private consequences affecting personal relationships and spiritual matters.

The religion of Judaism, like many religions, have certain laws that must be followed. One set of laws is called the Kashrut. The Kashrut outlines what Jewish people may and may not eat. In the Jewish religion, it is unacceptable to eat that which is unclean. The Jewish people receive their direction from the Torah, in particular Leviticus and Deuteronomy. Mammals that both chew their cud and have cloven hooves can be eaten. Pigs are considered unclean and camels can not be eaten because they do not have cloven hooves. Fish must have fins and scales to be considered kosher, shellfish is unacceptable. Eating meat and milk together is not allowed with observant Jews waiting between one and six hours to eat one after the other. More devout Jews will always keep kosher, but those of whom do not keep kosher are not punished. It is a personal choice and each person is able to make their own decisions considering what they eat.

Sources: http://www.jewfaq.org/kashrut.htm http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kashrut

September 13, 2010 Prompt #1: Define and describe your topic as an ethical issue and identify the controversies and dilemmas within the issue. Seek to do general background reading to understand the main issues inherent in your topic.Identify at least two opposing positions often taken on your ethical issue, and explain the main arguments (2-3) supporters of each side use to state their case.

Cultural Taboos are proscribed by society as improper or unacceptable. Taboos are always looked upon in bad taste and are never acceptable in a certain society. Within different societies, there are different taboos. Many things that are acceptable elsewhere may not be appropriate in certain places.Not all taboos are universal, so if a person were to travel to a different culture, he or she should be aware of that culture's taboos. Taboos range from incest to eating a certain animal. People run into dilemmas when they move into a culture that is different than what they are used to. People who were raised never to eat cows, may have a problem if they move to America. Americans eat a good amount of beef and those who believe that cows should never be eaten may have a hard time following that rule. Some cultural taboos have gotten less strict in their following. If one were to travel back in time, they probably would find homosexuality to be a cultural taboo. Now, it is an accepted fact in America and it is almost more frowned upon to disagree with homosexuality. Taboos are always evolving and changing. What is taboo now may not be in a couple decades. Cultural Taboos vary from place to place and people should always be aware of them as to not offend anybody.

Sources: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/taboo?o=100074