AIBU to eat in front of my muslim coworkers?

[EmmbadTheBad]

So it's Ramadan at the moment. I was at a meeting at work recently and a muslim woman, who I don't work with directly, made a comment about how thoughtless the people she shares an office with are for eating in front of her while she is fasting (at this point everyone glances guiltily towards the biscuits in the middle of the table). There are a couple of muslim women in my office and, I'll be honest, it had not even occurred to me that it might be insensitive to eat in front of them while they are fasting.

We do have a kitchen at work but it's very small and a lot of people, myself included, tend to eat at their desks. Quite apart from anything - as an atheist - I don't want to be observing other people's religious beliefs. I know Ramadan is nearly over but I intend to continue eating at my desk. IABU? Would appreciate opinion from anyone fasting at the mo.

[PhaedraIsMyName]

Playerwho are you quoting in your post at 22.56?

You put 2 things in bold and I can't find any post saying them, certainly not SolidGold who you seem to have got a grudge against. And your comment about children and alcohol was uncalled for in this thread. No one has said anything negative about fasting, it's a personal choice to do so same as it's a personal choice to not do so and see no reason to do so.

Almost every one has been sceptical this even happened but if it did happen the woman making a fuss is clearly unreasonable.

[Jan616]

Patsyandeddie- Surely it's not a very 'Christian' thing to go out of your way to make someone uncomfortable? None of my Muslim friends have ever had a problem with me eating in front of them, so I continue to do so. I would never 'go out of my way' to eat in front of them to try and prove a point...how immature.

[Bogeyface]

Yeah Patsy, send her back to where she came from!

Oh wait...she might have been born here and have chosen a different religion, how does that work?

Just out of interest Patsy, what is your religion? And when was the last time you attended a service?

[PhaedraIsMyName]

Patsy that was a very silly comment. I've never known anyone on a fast ask others not to eat in front of them. It would be an utterly unreasonable request if they did and can safely be met with a polite "no"

Both you and Player , who seems to be making up quotes to discredit another poster, should perhaps have a wee think to yourselves before you next post.

[DownByTheRiverside]

'There are interesting issues if you live in the land of the midnight sun where there is no sun set at all at some times of year'

Ah, in that case you work on Mecca time and use that timetable for fasting and prayers. Muslim soldiers on exercise in the Arctic circle did when it became an issue for them.

[NutellaLawson]

Player quoted 2013Mother2013. She is not making up quotes (ctrl + F before making accusations, people).

[CoteDAzur]

Player - Thee may be such an article in the "British Journal of Midwifery" but it is wrong.

Sorry to break this to you but midwives are not at the top of the medical hierarchy.

[JessieMcJessie]

wow PatsyandEddie, did you get confused and think you "was" on the Daily Mail website? It may be more your thing than Mumsnet dear.

[ocelot41]

I may be odd here but if a friend is on a diet, I would think it unkind to eat cake and biscuits in front of him/her unless I was at a birthday party or something where that kind of thing is unavoidable.

If someone is fasting I would probably leave them be to go eat elsewhere. I am a grumpy bear when I have to diet so fasting must be really tough and I wouldn't want to make it tougher for him/her.

If your coworker really said what she said then I would put it down to low blood sugar induced grumpiness - it wasnt very sensitively put, but who doesn't get narky when they are really hungry? Personally, I would try to make nice - you have to work with this lady all year, yes? So what's the problem with eating elsewhere for a couple of weeks? It isn't that big a deal!

[limon]

Yanbu.

I never used to eat in front of a fasting colleague but that was my choice.

[BuzzardBird]

Oh come on, try harder.

[BuzzardBird]

Oh and welcome to Mn...big surprise there.

[Player67]

Sorry to break this to you but midwives are not at the top of the medical hierarchy

You don't have to be at the top of the medical hierarchy to produce research. What a narrow restricted view

[Player67]

Patsy are you deliberately trying to make us all laugh? Because it has worked

Shall we do the reverse? Any non Christians, find out what your fellow Christians have given up for lent and then keep bringing that item to them or mentioning that item right in their face

The Christians I have met show compassion and tolerance and love. That is real Christianity

[CoteDAzur]

Player and anyone else who may be interested in the effects of fasting on the fetus: Here are two pages of the book SuperFreakonomics you will find interesting.

Basically, babies who were in utero while their mothers fasted during Ramadan have a significantly higher risk of visual, hearing, or learning disabilities as adults. The magnitude of these effects depends on:

(1) Which month of gestation the baby is in when Ramadan falls (effects are strongest when fasting coincides with the 1st month of pregnancy, but can occur at any time up to the 8th month)

and

(2) How long the fasting period is between sunrise and sunset - fasting during summer in Michigan means the expectant mother is not eating/drinking anything for 15 hours, which means fasting there is worse for one's baby than in Uganda which sits on the equator and therefore has roughly equal daylight hours year-round.

Someone should tell the Journal of Midwifery

[CoteDAzur]

Player - I'm not the one with the restricted view. You are the one who thinks an article from 2007 in a midwifery journal is the undisputed pinnacle of scientific knowledge.

It is not. Whatever was in that article, more recent research has proven that fasting during pregnancy significantly increases risk of visual, hearing, and especially learning disabilities.

If you don't have a restricted view yourself, you really need to read them and update your knowledge in this field.

[Player67]

You have quoted economists who you think have the undisputed pinnacle of scientific knowledge. They really don't

[PhaedraIsMyName]

Sorry missed where the quote came from but there was still no need for Player to make that snippy comment about SolidGold

[CoteDAzur]

Just read it. Sticking your head in the sand isn't an argument and it makes your bum stick out

Do you know what a meta-analysis is? It is statistical analysis of the results of many studies, which are carried out by scientists. Economists are the ones doing the statistical analysis in that research I posted, not the ones doing the scientific studies.

[Player67]

Effect of fasting during Ramadan on fetal development and maternal health


Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Research
Volume 34, Issue 4, pages 494–498, August 2008


Abstract
Aim:? The aim of the present study was to determine whether fasting during Ramadan causes ketonemia and/or ketonuria and their effects on fetal intrauterine development.

Methods:? Thirty-six consecutive healthy women with uncomplicated pregnancies of ?20 weeks of gestation who were fasting during Ramadan were included in the study group (group 1). The control group (group 2) consisted of 29 healthy pregnant women who were not fasting. Doppler ultrasonography was performed in all subjects in the beginning and at the end of Ramadan to evaluate the changes in the following measurements: fetal biparietal diameter; fetal femur length; and estimated fetal body weight. Fetal biophysical profile, amniotic fluid index, and umbilical artery systole/diastole ratio were measured in the beginning and at the end of Ramadan. Effects of fasting on the mother were evaluated by measuring serum concentrations of 3ß hydroxybutyrate and glucose, and urinary concentration of ketone. Subjects with any of the followings were excluded: diabetes; thyroid dysfunction; Cushing's syndrome; adrenal disease; pre-eclampsia; and multiple pregnancy.

Results:? The mean duration of fasting in the study group was 18 ± 2.1 days. The mean maternal glucose level was significantly lower in the study group than in the control group (P = 0.003). No statistically significant differences were found between the two groups in the comparisons of other parameters.

Conclusion:? We concluded that fasting during Ramadan does not lead to maternal ketonemia or ketonuria in pregnant women. In addition, fasting during Ramadan has no significant adverse effect on intrauterine fetal development or the fetus's health.

[Player67]

Solid made snippy comments herself Phaedra

She shouldn't give it out if she can't take it back

[GreedyBitch]

Oh ffs, can we have less cynicism, moaning and tired old soundbites from the platinum members of mumsnet? Not everyone who posts here has been around since the (God-created) dinosaurs. Who says the muslim in the OP is made up? Oh, that's right..some of you have been here since Ken Barlow started in Corrie and have therefore seen, heard and done it all on these threads. If you're that bored of the repetitive topics from relatively new members who don't have your back catalogue of astounding experience around these parts you could always do one to Netmums. Or stick to threads called 'Do You Know Who I Am?'

[GreedyBitch]

Player, you will find there is a triumvirate of atheist posters who mock God/gods mercilessly, using adjectives such as 'imaginary' in a boringly repetitive fashion where'er they go. They do seem to lead fairly libertine lifestyles (if, of course, they are to be believed; they may well be fantasists or living with the fairies, just like the religious folks they love to mock).