Should Christians take prasad?

[bahBR]

Should Christians take prasad?

If yes, why should we take it? And how should we think? What should be our attitude?
Is not prasad food offered to gods/goddesses?
Is taking and eating prasad an act of worship?

If we should not take then what do we say or do to show respect to the Hindu person/friend or the Hindu priest who is offering prasad to us? What kind of words/actions would a Hindu expect if I am to respectfully reject his/her offer of prasad to me?


In the past, a Hindu friend (living, at that time, in an area where Christians are more in population) told me how annoyed he was when his Christians friends/neighbours never take prasad when he shared prasad with them. But then, he was expected to receive our food gifts during Christian events and especially during Christmas. This food was, of course, prayed over by the Christian priest/pastor. He was equating prasad with our Christmas feast. Was he right in doing this comparison?

What about groceries that we buy from Hindu or Muslim shopkeepers? Don't they, especially Hindus, dedicate their businesses to their god(s)? I live among them and every time I buy from them. About 90% of my daily needs!

A teacher at our seminary who has studied Hinduism (I think he has a PhD in Hindu studies) told us that we should not reject prasad since the meaning of it is that the Hindu priest is sharing the grace of God to all people regardless. We should, in a sense, receive NOT to share in the grace offered BUT to share true grace to the person offering us prasad. This is beside the point, as the NT does not clearly prohibit eating food offered to idols as in 1 Corinthians 8 but offers a balanced approach.

I personally think it has to do with our conscience. In my conscience, if I eat something like prasad or something that is dedicated or prayed over by people of other religion, I do not think that when I eat I am worshipping another god. All I have to be is careful that a Christian with a weak conscience does not stumble if, by any chance, he or she sees me eating prasad. Especially, if he/she does not think the way that I do. This attitude I take from my reading of 1 Corinthians 8.


Another attitude is about offence - from 1 Corinthians 8. If I offend a 'brother' - a fellow Christian, then I will not eat.

But it has been over 2000 year since the times of the NT. No Christian should give an excuse that he or she has not read or been taught the key teaching of the NT (including 1 Corinthians 8). Which is ever growing and increasing maturity in Christ - not remaining in a state of weak conscience or offence. Unless he/she has not read 1 Corinthians 8 (Have I also read and understood it fully?). Unless he or she has a lazy Bible teacher/preacher (am I one?). Unless he/she is still new in their relationship with Christ (which MAY be the situation that 1 Corinthians 8 is about). Unless they are forced to renounce Christ in a situation of persecution using food offered to other gods (Has anyone heard of such?).


Then again, should there be any limit to eating this kind of food? What about demonic influence that some claim may happen on those who eat such food? And other questions...


I am open to be corrected.

 

[blue_ladybug]

You might want to start by explaining what prasad IS... cuz I dunno.. lol

 

[bahBR]

You might want to start by explaining what prasad IS... cuz I dunno.. lol

O sorry I thought I was asking an Indian group.

You may start at the Wikipedia page to have an idea about it: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prasāda

Or ask a Hindu friend or a Hindu background believer.

 

[blue_ladybug]

People rarely come into this forum.

 

[G00WZ]

Should Christians take prasad?

If yes, why should we take it? And how should we think? What should be our attitude?
Is not prasad food offered to gods/goddesses?
Is taking and eating prasad an act of worship?

If we should not take then what do we say or do to show respect to the Hindu person/friend or the Hindu priest who is offering prasad to us? What kind of words/actions would a Hindu expect if I am to respectfully reject his/her offer of prasad to me?


In the past, a Hindu friend (living, at that time, in an area where Christians are more in population) told me how annoyed he was when his Christians friends/neighbours never take prasad when he shared prasad with them. But then, he was expected to receive our food gifts during Christian events and especially during Christmas. This food was, of course, prayed over by the Christian priest/pastor. He was equating prasad with our Christmas feast. Was he right in doing this comparison?

What about groceries that we buy from Hindu or Muslim shopkeepers? Don't they, especially Hindus, dedicate their businesses to their god(s)? I live among them and every time I buy from them. About 90% of my daily needs!

A teacher at our seminary who has studied Hinduism (I think he has a PhD in Hindu studies) told us that we should not reject prasad since the meaning of it is that the Hindu priest is sharing the grace of God to all people regardless. We should, in a sense, receive NOT to share in the grace offered BUT to share true grace to the person offering us prasad. This is beside the point, as the NT does not clearly prohibit eating food offered to idols as in 1 Corinthians 8 but offers a balanced approach.

I personally think it has to do with our conscience. In my conscience, if I eat something like prasad or something that is dedicated or prayed over by people of other religion, I do not think that when I eat I am worshipping another god. All I have to be is careful that a Christian with a weak conscience does not stumble if, by any chance, he or she sees me eating prasad. Especially, if he/she does not think the way that I do. This attitude I take from my reading of 1 Corinthians 8.


Another attitude is about offence - from 1 Corinthians 8. If I offend a 'brother' - a fellow Christian, then I will not eat.

But it has been over 2000 year since the times of the NT. No Christian should give an excuse that he or she has not read or been taught the key teaching of the NT (including 1 Corinthians 8). Which is ever growing and increasing maturity in Christ - not remaining in a state of weak conscience or offence. Unless he/she has not read 1 Corinthians 8 (Have I also read and understood it fully?). Unless he or she has a lazy Bible teacher/preacher (am I one?). Unless he/she is still new in their relationship with Christ (which MAY be the situation that 1 Corinthians 8 is about). Unless they are forced to renounce Christ in a situation of persecution using food offered to other gods (Has anyone heard of such?).


Then again, should there be any limit to eating this kind of food? What about demonic influence that some claim may happen on those who eat such food? And other questions...


I am open to be corrected.

I wouldn't mostly because i wouldn't want to influence people of a lesser understanding to participate, or to believe that i myself support it. Its not hard to reject offerings, just peacefully say no thank you and bless them instead.
Being Christian is to be set apart from others and not really about integrating into groups, but instead being trendsetters


as for groceries just pray over them, and pray with the understanding that the food you have isn't that of idols, but that of God/Christ. Also to give thanks, and to know that Christ is above all idols/false gods/ and principalities .And yes it does have a lot to do with a persons conscience, and that's why we pray and have faith, being resolved and grounded in the understanding
of truth revealed as we grow. Things like demonic influence over people occur due to weaknesses caused by lack of understanding and living to truth.

 

[Ugly]

It is an Indian section of the forums, but it is rarely posted in. And anyone on the site is free to respond in any forum. Chances of getting many Indian responses is slim.
Likely very few of the rest of us have Hindu believing friends to ask.

But I do not believe there is any scripture prohibiting such food. Check your conscience though. Just be careful not to confuse misguided l, religious guilt with Godly direction.
Personally I wouldn't hesitate to eat such a thing. As I Corinthians points out "we are no worse if we do not eat, and no better if we do."
The only concern about eating food offered to idols was having a negative influence on a weaker Christian that hasn't learned enough to see it's irrelevance.
Really nearly everything we buy comes from non-christians. Does this mean we should be naked and hungry and jobless? Nope. We are IN the world after all. So eat and enjoy without conscience is my attitude.
Also I Corinthians 8 passively negates the fear of demonic influence from such foods.

 

[bahBR]

Of course, any one is free to respond.

Thanks for the answers so far.

 

[Didymous]

Should be fine if you sanctify it by the word of God and prayer.

 

[Didymous]

Oh yeah. 1 Timothy 4:4,5

 

[Didymous]

I do this for any food I'm suspicious of: Unfortunately, that's often my own cooking.

 

[bahBR]

Oh yeah. 1 Timothy 4:4,5

So simple, why do we make things so complicated?

 

[bahBR]

I do this for any food I'm suspicious of: Unfortunately, that's often my own cooking.

O yeah, I like this answer also.

 

[rachitdholak]

Why not ??
Everyone is equal and every one has the right to practice their own religion.
Hence it totally depends on you.

 

[philip413]

If you are into Bible reading then you'll see the answers already given in it. I recommend reading NIV edition which is very simple for me to understand. So, here is the verse that'll help you out. Again, if you are so serious to understand then go ahead open your Bible and read it out.
Verses:
1 Corinthians 8: 1- 13 ; online link (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Corinthians+8&version=NIV)

 

[blue_ladybug]

O sorry I thought I was asking an Indian group.

You may start at the Wikipedia page to have an idea about it: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prasāda

Or ask a Hindu friend or a Hindu background believer.

I don't have any Hindu friends.

 

[Meena]

I understand your predicament

 

[SoulWeaver]

Another attitude is about offence - from 1 Corinthians 8. If I offend a 'brother' - a fellow Christian, then I will not eat.

But it has been over 2000 year since the times of the NT. No Christian should give an excuse that he or she has not read or been taught the key teaching of the NT (including 1 Corinthians 8). Which is ever growing and increasing maturity in Christ - not remaining in a state of weak conscience or offence. Unless he/she has not read 1 Corinthians 8 (Have I also read and understood it fully?). Unless he or she has a lazy Bible teacher/preacher (am I one?). Unless he/she is still new in their relationship with Christ (which MAY be the situation that 1 Corinthians 8 is about).

This is a good question. I also sometimes wonder where my freedom in Christ ends and concern for other believers' offence begins, because nowadays we have so many denominations and everybody is offended by something. There's almost nothing that some other Christian will not consider "wrong". Per example, some Christians think instrumental music has no business in glorifying God and that we are only "allowed" to sing. And so forth. I make worship music with voice and instruments myself. It edifies and uplifts me and others. It's a small channel, just a few subscribers, but one of them is a Christian war veteran who says my songs bring him peace and relieve his ptsd. Obviously, it's not my doing - but God gets through my music to him, to comfort him. So should I delete my music so that another person of weaker faith is not "offended", and then someone else I can serve is not helped? I personally believe that with these things we probably need to come before God and weigh profit vs loss that we are making for the Kingdom of God in every individual case. It can be tough when life is so filled with gray areas, but that's what we need to do, since we as apostle Paul says, still "know in part".

Unless they are forced to renounce Christ in a situation of persecution using food offered to other gods (Has anyone heard of such?).

Can you explain this one a little? What kind of situation are you speaking about?
Why would it mean renouncing Christ if you are simply trapped in a situation where you have no other food available, you are simply eating it because you are hungry to survive, and not because you put your faith in some idols. (Or I am misunderstanding the scenario?)

What about demonic influence that some claim may happen on those who eat such food? And other questions...

Mark 7:14 Again Jesus called the crowd to him and said, “Listen to me, everyone, and understand this. 15 Nothing outside a person can defile them by going into them. Rather, it is what comes out of a person that defiles them.”

Jesus makes it clear that you cannot be defiled by merely eating something. But if you eat with selfish intent per example, or have doubts if it's right to eat, that can make you open for "influence". If something is troubling for you if you do it, it's better to avoid it then to inject strain and doubt into your spiritual life.
In short, if you doubt, don't. I recommend to read the whole chapter of Romans 14 for more reference:

Romans 14:22 So whatever you believe about these things keep between yourself and God. Blessed is the one who does not condemn himself by what he approves.23 But whoever has doubts is condemned if they eat, because their eating is not from faith; and everything that does not come from faith is sin.

 

[MySweetLord7]

I don't think it is bad to take prasad (I am familiar with it, yes). It is prepared with goodness, and with loving intentions. There is no malice or ill will, only the extended hand of a brother/sister from another faith tradition. Bless them and take their hand and their fine company. Eat together and discuss high spiritual aspirations. We share more than we differ oftentimes.

 

[KhedetOrthos]

I think that you’ve come up with the right answer in referencing 1st Corinthians 8. The first Jerusalem council‘s instruction was to avoid meat sacrificed to idols, but understand that those instructions were (1j specific to a mixed congregation of Jewish and gentile Christians and (2) specific to non-kosher meat. So this isn’t a contradiction, merely a specific instance of Paul’s instructions in 1st Corinthians 8 being applied.

 

[Tararose]

My understanding is that we are free to eat anything but if it has been made obvious by the one selling it or giving it,
that the food has been offered to idols we mustn’t buy it or eat it least we be seen to agree with the deity they believe in. We might know but not have been told, and if so we can say without lying, I was not told this food had been offered to idols. This is, in my understanding why the verses stress to buy and to eat WITHOUT asking questions. And why also Paul says if someone tells you “this meat has been offered to idols” then for the sake of not appearing to be ok with idols, we then have to refuse.

I have no issue with anyone disagreeing but I cannot really see any other meaning in these verses.

We are not called to never offend but
to avoid offended when it is possible. It would certainly have offended the host of such a feast in the example
Paul gave, just as in the example
You are faced with in your situation. But
Offending in such a case was of no concern to Paul, it seemed to be of greater importance to ensure a believer wouldn’t give the impression of knowingly eating food offered to idols. (Despite the fact he and we know it is just food and nothing more and we can eat it ordinarily if no one had made the matter clear and put us in that situation.)

1 cor 10

25 Whatsoever is sold in the shambles, that eat, asking no question for conscience sake:

26 For the earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof.

27 If any of them that believe not bid you to a feast, and ye be disposed to go; whatsoever is set before you, eat, asking no question for conscience sake.

28 But if any man say unto you, this is offered in sacrifice unto idols, eat not for his sake that shewed it...