Food Religions

I love reading Robert Capon. He is particularly good at describing the neuroses that affect our daily lives, but which we don’t see. Here are a couple of my favorite sections from his book “Health, Money, and Love—And Why We Don't Enjoy Them” that show Capon at the top of his game:

"The human race is at least as religious about what it eats as it is about anything else; and there is probably no topic on which children are given more catechetical lectures than on diet. Think of the credal structures we constantly erect around their eating habits: chicken soup cures colds; spinach makes you strong; leaving Brussels sprouts on your plate hurts children in Africa; and of course, salt will kill you, butter is bad for you, vegetables are better than meat, and fish will make you smart. But it isn't just that the idiotic content of the catechism corrupts them; it's that they themselves, quite apart from any specific indoctrination, are more than ready to be indoctrinated. If they are not taught religions about food, they will invent them." (83)

In another chapter he says that "the net result of the religions of food is noncooking, nondining, and nonliving." (162)

How compelling. How have the religions of food affected you? Do you feel compelled to apologize for the lunch you bring to work? Do you find yourself talking often about foods you’ve given up? Do you pat yourself on the back when you power through a meal you hated but was “good for you”? Do you attach moral categories like “good” and “bad” to food groups?

Mealtimes are for celebration, not punishment. God made the whole world—including all the food—and has given it to us. Despising the gift is just a fancy way of despising the Giver.