The Encyclopedia of World Religions

146 S fasting

families. Father-mother-child may be seen as an analogy or model of creation: the sky-father, the earth-mother, the fruits of the earth and above all humanity as their children. The extended family, moreover, may be seen as an image of the ideal organization of society, with the sacred king as the father of all. Family structures vary, of course. In traditional societies, they may be patriarchal, ruled by the father; matriarchal, ruled by the mother; patrilo cal, with the bride dwelling in her husband’s fam ily home; matrilocal, when the husband moves into his wife’s family home; polygamous (several wives for one man) or polyandrous (with several husbands for one woman). In each case, HEAVEN may be considered to be set up in something like the same way. The most common arrangement in traditional societies, however, is patriarchy. It may be a reflection of the belief that G OD above is also a supreme father. Patriarchy may also be evidenced in careful attention to the shrines of male ances tors, as in Confucian China, where it is seen as an extension beyond the grave of “filial piety,” or the obligation of children to parents ( see C ONFUCIANISM and C HINA , RELIGIONS OF ). Religious mythology involving family images is not restricted to the highest deity, however. As we have seen, the earth is frequently portrayed as a mother. Siblings are also frequently important. Sometimes the primal parents of humanity are presented as twin brother and sister. On the other hand, two brothers may be rivals, like Cain and Abel in the Hebrew scriptures. The family is important as a center for reli gious RITUALS , with a household ALTAR as an impor tant place for DEVOTION . Among devout Hindus, the most important offerings are really those made in the home, where food offerings are prepared by the wife and the husband acts as chief priest. In J UDAISM , celebration of the Sabbath in the home, with Sabbath PRAYERS and meal, is a primary obli gation. Most festivals of all religions, like C HRISTMAS for Christians, have important home components. And most religions emphasize the importance of good, loving, and devout family life for all who are set in families.

fasting Giving up eating or drinking or both. Eating and drinking are simple biological acts that human beings generally do every day. Most reli gions have found it useful to order and regulate them. They have told people what they may and may not eat or drink. A religion’s dietary laws do this. They make restrictions that are permanent ( see DIET AND RELI GION ). Fasting imposes restrictions, too, but it makes restrictions that are temporary. A fast may involve only specific items, or it may be total. In any case, fasting is a particularly pointed way to involve one’s body in religious observance. It may also be used to evoke mental events that occur when someone is deprived of food and drink. When people fast, how long they fast, who fasts, what they give up in fasting, and why they are fasting—these are questions that religions answer very differently. Some fasts are short; others are long. On the D AY OF A TONEMENT , observant Jews fast from one sunset to the next ( see J UDAISM ). Catholic, Ortho dox, and some Protestant Christians have tradi tionally fasted during the 40-day period before E ASTER known as L ENT . Muslims fast from sunrise to sunset for the entire month of R AMADAN ( see I SLAM ). B AHA ’ IS fast in the same way for an entire month, but the Baha’i month is only 19 days long. Fasts may take place before life-cycle RITUALS . For example, some Native Americans fast before seek ing a VISION . Fasts may also take place before ritu als performed for HEALING and renewal. Orthodox Christians fast before receiving the E UCHARIST . Some fasts involve the entire community: the Day of Atonement, Lent, Ramadan. But even here there may be exceptions. For example, those for whom the Ramadan fast may present diffi culties—the elderly, the sick, the very young, pregnant women, travelers—are not supposed to fast. Other fasts involve small groups, for example, those who will participate in an indig enous American sweat lodge or Orthodox Chris tians who will receive the eucharist at a particu lar service. Still others may be entirely private. Hindu women often take personal vows that may involve fasting.