Is it forbidden to eat “Aravana Payasam” (a sacred sweet offered to Sabarimala temple devotees) offered by our Hindu brothers?

As long as the object and intention of the action, say eating foods offered to idols, are not worshiping that idol as God, the moral permissibility of the action is governed by the possibility of scandals it might cause in the people nearby.

Is the object and intention wrong here?

The intention could be to simply please your friend or to provide nutrition to your own body, which isn’t wrong in any way. The object is the act of eating foods offered to idols. It isn’t sin provided you do not overeat and fall into gluttony. It doesn’t matter even if it was offered to an idol. The object cannot be adoration since adoration requires internal dispositions. If one does not intend to worship God or idols of pagans, the assumption that the mere external acts cause worship of God or idols is superstitious. (Refer Catechism, 2111.) For example, if one makes the sign of the cross without proper interior dispositions, say for example just as a good exercise for arm, would not be honoring the Father, Son and Holy Spirit in doing so. Similarly, if a new religion sprung up that had the bicycle as part of its worship, Catholics would not be forbidden to ride a bicycle. Just is the case with eating. Just because someone considers eating some particular food is a part of worshipping their idol doesn’t mean that anybody who eats it also worships that idol as God.

So one does not worship their idol as God in eating foods offered to such idols.

Next question is whether it causes scandals.

If your friend who offers you such foods assumes you are worshipping his idol in eating that food he gave and if you eat it, granted you would not be worshipping that idol as God but would be causing scandals because your friend thinks you’re adoring his idol. Make sure that you do not cause scandals before eating it by simply asking them, why do you think I should eat this? Or Will your God be pleased if I eat this? Then you would know if it will likely cause scandals. Read what St. Paul had to say to the Corinthians regarding causing scandals by eating such foods in 1 Corinthians chapter 8.

And not the least point to mention, certain Non Christian worships involve invoking Satan, eating such foods is just like poking Satan. If you do not have enough protection, you would be likely his victim, either through temptations or obsessions or possessions.

People often get confused with Tobit 1:11 concerning eating foods offered to idols, but that was Jewish ceremonial law which is no longer binding on Christians now. Meats, such as had been immolated to idols, were just forbidden to the Jews alone. It was a part of their ceremonial laws.

From Baltimore catechism:

Q. 1136. How many kinds of laws had the Jews before the coming of Our Lord?

A. Before the coming of Our Lord the Jews had three kinds of laws:    

1. Civil laws, regulating the affairs of their nation;    

2. Ceremonial laws, governing their worship in the temple; 

3. Moral laws, guiding their religious belief and actions.

Q. 1137. To which of these laws did the Ten Commandments belong?

A. The Ten Commandments belong to the moral law, because they are a compendium or short account of what we must do in order to save our souls; just as the Apostles’ Creed is a compendium of what we must believe.

Q. 1138. When did the civil and ceremonial laws of the Jews cease to exist?

A. The civil laws of the Jews ceased to exist when the Jewish people, shortly before the coming of Christ, ceased to be an independent nation. The ceremonial laws ceased to exist when the Jewish religion ceased to be the true religion; that is, when Christ established the Christian religion, of which the Jewish religion was only a figure or promise.

Dr. Nelson Thomas

Disclaimer!
The views, thoughts, opinions presented here belong solely to the author and are not necessarily the official view of the Jesus youth movement.

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