Dietary taboo thread. Food, which is needed to sustain life, takes on a sacred characteristic. It could be that in the past, dietary taboos were adaptive; many plants are poisonous, and some animals are likelier to carry dangerous parasites

Regardless of the reason, we seem to like following rules that prohibit certain foods. Nonreligious people chase fad diets with gusto—something in our soul longs for a “no eat” list. It gives us a sense of purity, and binds groups together through a shared ritual and custom.

It’s popular to mock multiculturalists for their enthusiasm for foreign foods, as if it could justify the negative externalities of their agenda, but part of the reason they do it is that food is a vehicle for identity and belonging.

Jesus said, “Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man”, and yet I notice many Protestants eagerly embracing health food trends, almost as if something is missing from their religious practice, a food taboo shaped hole in the heart

Jews: kosher laws. Land animals must be ruminants with cloven hooves. Sea creatures must have fins and scales. No meat with milk. Many such mitzvahs!

Hindus: Some sects: no meat at all. Others, no meat of cows. Eggs and dairy ok.

Muslims: halal food. No pork, no blood, no carrion, no alcohol, no food that has been dedicated to other gods besides allah.

Mormons: no alcohol or caffeine. That old joke about how do you stop a Mormon from drinking all your beer on a fishing trip? Always invite at least two mormons!

Catholics: no meat on Friday, no meat on lent, lots of variations and exceptions here. At least they tried

Buddhists: vegetarianism, and a prohibition on alliums, as they are thought to excite the senses

Veganism: nothing of an animal whatsoever, including even a prohibition against owning objects made out of leather. Vegans extend Marxist ideas about exploitation to include all animals, and view it as a moral transgression.

Raw Vegans: these people are so nutrient deficient that they have to give themselves enemas. I think they have a poop fetish

CrossFit: it is not mandatory, but the memeplex of the paleo diet has evolved into symbiosis with CrossFit, and many crossfitters take it up.

Neoliberals: gluten free, locavorism, foreign foods from a different culture each day, meatless Monday—it goes on and on

Communists: no food at all, maybe the occasional potato

Nrx: mangan-ism, ketogenic diets. Optional, not integral, similar to the paleo+CrossFit connection @mangan150