It seems ridiculous that with all this fabulous food on offer, many of the people who are strict adherents of these religions still prefer the bitter taste of conflict.
For those who are not true believers religion can be terribly confusing. Some would say incomprehensible. Others would say mystifying. The less tolerant would say unbelievable.
There are tomes, screeds, scrolls, scriptures to be studied, interpreted and memorised. There are strict rules to be obeyed.
Sins to be avoided and punishments to be absorbed. There are songs to sing, chants to repeat, clothing edicts to be adhered to, places of worship to be attended, ceremonies to be held. Like I said, it is confusing and often overwhelming.
The one element that is not open to interpretation is the role that food plays in religion. How can gluttony be a sin when there is such a tempting array of food associated with the various religions? And we are not talking about the fish and loaves or the communion wafer here.
We need look no further than Easter. For the gluttons this is a time to tuck the bib into our collars and let the belt out a notch or two. There is no better way to start the day than with a nicely toasted hot cross bun slathered with butter.
Some parents might really need the strong cup of coffee that goes so well with the buns because they forgot to hide the Easter eggs in the garden for the children and had to rush around frantically before the brats wake up and see that the Easter bunny is actually an unshaven, grumpy guy in a tatty dressing gown.
And they might also see the bleary bunny pocketing all the candy-coated ones that look so convincingly like hen’s eggs.
After coping with the sugar rush it is time to move on to lunch with pickled fish taking pride of place on the table, perhaps with some rice or crusty bread and a nice leafy salad. The slightly sweet generously spiced fish with lots of onions is a proudly South African version of the traditional Easter Sunday fish menu.
There are some upstarts in Johannesburg who are convinced they can make pickled fish better than the aunties on the Cape Flats, but I put my faith in the Woolies offering.
As the gluttons stifle a belch and collapse on the couch for an afternoon nap they might even spare a moment to reflect on the religious significance of the three Easter staples.
A month of fasting, with no food from sunrise to sunset, is enough to make most gluttons sick to their stomachs. I have heard some muttered complaints, or perhaps that is the growling stomachs, but generally I am amazed at how calmly Muslims cope with this lengthy time of dietary restrictions. I might even hold out for a day or two knowing that a plate of sweet dates would be waiting for me as the sun goes down.
There is no doubt that the mountain of delicious mutton biryani that awaits at the end of the month makes all the hunger worthwhile.
The devious gluttons carry on with their normal eating habits and then towards the end of the month begin their relentless campaign of hints, pleas and outright begging until a large tupperware of those delicious, beautifully decorated little biscuits appears in the office.
The more hardcore gluttons will down their knives and forks at the thought of a meat-free menu, and shudder at the mention of the stricter vegan option. It is their loss because they miss out on the beguiling combination of vegetables, pulses, grains and spices enjoyed by members of the Hindu faith.
There are endless clever ways to transform these simple ingredients into delicious meals, but it is the simplest that is my go-to lunchtime favourite: dhal and rice. Easy to make and satisfying to eat, especially with some kumquat pickle and a side order of flaky, buttery roti.
It seems ridiculous that with all this fabulous food on offer, many of the people who are strict adherents of these religions still prefer the bitter taste of conflict. Religious wars have left a bloody trail throughout history and the shocking situation in Gaza is the latest senseless human tragedy.
Israeli and Palestinian diets are similar in many ways, but it would be overly optimistic to think that sharing a meal of falafel in pita with all the trimmings is going to do anything to resolve this conflict.
But don’t lose faith.
Way back in 2012, chefs and business partners Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi, who grew up on different sides of the divided city, had this to say in their book, Jerusalem: “It takes a giant leap of faith, but we are happy to take it — what have we got to lose? — to imagine that hummus will eventually bring Jerusalemites together, if nothing else will.”
Bob Marley said: “A hungry man is an angry man,” but Rastafarians generally have a peace-loving reputation. The ganja probably helps with this. They adhere to one of the strictest vegetarian diets. Vegetables, fruit and grains, prepared without salt. No meat, maybe some fish but no shellfish. No milk or coffee, everything natural and unprocessed.
This is a diet probably best enjoyed in a ramshackle house in the hills above Kingston nestled in a dense growth of all the trees and plants that provide the vegetables, fruit and grains. The soundtrack would be strictly reggae, with the venerable Max Romeo, who died this week, providing some religious inspiration.
“I’m gonna put on an iron shirt and chase the devil out of Earth
“I’m gonna send him to outer space to find another race.”
It is tempting to believe that even all those years ago Max had Elon Musk in mind when he wrote these words.