Taboo

taboo

1. Taboo

2. Formal definition A taboo is a vehement prohibition of an action based on the belief that such behavior is either too  sacred  or too  accursed  for ordinary individuals to undertake, under threat of supernatural punishment

3. It is a social or religious custom prohibiting or restricting a particular practice or forbidding association with a particular person, place, or thing. A taboo is an activity that is forbidden or sacred based on religious beliefs or morals. Breaking a taboo is extremely objectionable in society as a whole. Around the world, an act may be taboo in one culture and not in another. F orbidden, banned, proscribed, vetoed, ruled out, interdicted, outlawed, not permitted, not allowed, illegal, unlawful, not acceptable, restricted, off limits, out of bounds; are just some of its synonyms.

4. Examples of Taboo Activities Abortion - terminating a pregnancy. Addiction - addiction to legal or illegal drugs, including alcoholism Adultery - sexual intercourse with someone other than your spouse Bigotry - speaking negatively about someone of another race Blood products - Jehovah Witnesses are forbidden to use blood products, including blood transfusions Cannibalism - a human being eating the flesh of another human being Circumcision - this is practiced by Jews for religious reasons Flowers - giving an even number of flowers is taboo in Russia because they are for the dead Fornication - sexual relations between people not married to one another Gestures - certain gestures are considered obscene  Head position - in Indonesia, it is taboo to have your head higher than an elder person

5. Illegal drugs - using or abusing illegal drugs. Infanticide - killing an infant. Intermarriage - marriage between people who are closely related. Inter-religion marriage - marriage between people of different religions. Masturbation - manipulation of one’s own genitalia. Matricide - killing one’s mother. Miscegenation - sexual relations or marriage between different racial groups. Murder - considered taboo unless in war or self-defense. Offensive language - obscenity or vulgarity. Patricide - killing one’s father. Polygamy - having more than one spouse at the same time. Sex selective infanticide - killing an infant based on gender, usually female. Slavery - humans are treated as property and made to work for no pay. Suicide - the taking of one’s own life. Wearing shoes inside - in some places, shoes are not worn inside a house.

6. Islamic Religious Taboos Food Taboos Various dietary laws govern what Muslims may eat, which makes certain foods taboo. Pork is forbidden to Muslims as are foods containing pork products. Other meats, including beef and chicken, are also taboo if they are not slaughtered according to Islamic standards, making them Halal, or permissible for consumption. Foods containing blood, like black pudding, are also not allowed, along with birds of prey and animals that consume meat. Alcohol The consumption of alcohol is strictly taboo in Islam and is considered a "great sin" in the Quran. This ban is believed to be connected to the requirement for Muslims to pray, while sober, five times a day, leaving little time to drink and recover from its effects before needing to worship again. It is also believed that alcohol is banned in Islam by a higher power due to its ability to have a negative impact on health.

7. Depicting the Prophet Though he has been included in works of art in past centuries, Muslims usually consider creating depictions of the Prophet Mohammed taboo. This belief has caused great strife when Mohammed has been depicted in an unflattering light. Generally, Islamic scholars believe that Mohammed forbade his companions to create portraits of him. There is also a fear that if pictures of Mohammed are made, they may be worshipped and Muslims are only supposed to worship Allah. Sex-Related Taboos In Islam, Adultery is taboo when it takes place between unmarried men and women. According to the Islam Basics website, it is also taboo not to wash before saying prayers after intercourse. In some Muslim countries, sexual taboos extend to unrelated men and women being separated in school, work and social settings. Such taboos also influence men and women to dress modestly .

8. Suicide and Euthanasia Muslims teach that life is sacred and a gift from God, thus any act that would destroy this gift is forbidden. Obviously, this prohibits murder, but the Muslim faith also discourages suicide and euthanasia. This stems from the belief that God, not man, should decide on the length of a human being's life. However, the Islamic Medical Association of America permits euthanasia in cases where the doctor simply turns off life-support, as they view this mechanical assistance as a temporary and human-assisted extension of life.

9. Taboos All Around the World Cannibalism Cannibalism  is the act or practice of humans eating the flesh or internal organs of other human beings. A person who practices  cannibalism  is called a  cannibal . The Aghori Babas , who live in the city of Varanasi, India, are famous for eating the dead. They believe that the greatest fear human beings have is the fear of their own deaths, and that this fear is a barrier to spiritual enlightenment. So by confronting it, one can achieve enlightenment.

10. 2. Self-Flagellation the action of flogging oneself, especially as a form of religious discipline . Followers of the Shi’a sect of Islam carry out the ritual of mass self-flagellation every year during the Holy month of Muharram, in order to commemorate the martyrdom of Hussein, the grandson of Prophet Muhammad.

11. 3. Fire Walking The Nine Emperor Gods Festival is a Taoist celebration carried out in Penang, Malaysia. One of the purification rituals involves walking barefoot on burning embers. Fire is believed to overcome impurity and repel evil influences—so walking over the fire signifies a man’s strength, and his resolve to free himself from evil.

12. 4. Dancing With the Dead Famadihana , meaning “The Turning of the Bones,” is a traditional festival which takes place in Madagascar. The participants believe that the faster the body decomposes, the faster the spirit reaches the afterlife. They thereforedig up their loved ones, dance with their corpses to live music around the tomb, and then rebury them. This bizarre ritual is carried out every two to seven years.

13. 5. Impaling The annual Vegetarian Festival in Phuket, Thailand, is host to a most extreme ritual. This intensely masochistic event requires the participants to push spears, knives, swords, hooks, and even guns through their cheeks. It is believed that gods enter their bodies during the ritual, protecting them from evil and bringing good luck to the community.

14. Dining-Related Taboos 1. Chinese tradition believes that long noodles symbolize a long life, so if you're lucky enough to eat a big steaming bowl of long noodles, don't cut them—it symbolizes cutting a long life short. 2. While eating at the table, you should never point your chopsticks at another person.

15. While dining in Italy , you should never ask for extra cheese unless it is offered to you. It’s seen as a challenge of the chef’s cooking abilities.

16. If you finish a bottle of vodka, the empty bottle should always be placed on the ground. Russians believe that placing an empty bottle back on the table causes bad luck.

17. As a sign of respect in Korea, you should never begin eating at the dinner table until the eldest or most senior person has begun eating .   While you might think that it is polite to show up just a few minutes early for a dinner party in America, it is actually rude to show up early for dinner in Tanzania. Guests should always arrive 15 or 20 minutes late for a meal to be polite.

18. India