Taking care of you is not in itself bondage, what I refer to as bondage to law is when one is so specific about the performance of duty that the living becomes the performance of laws.
In my life I would see many things that need to be limited for my health, however, even then I might still enjoy chocolate and be heavier than the perfect weight I should have. In my life I may not drink alcohol, however, if I am an adult and drink MILK then it is probably not good for me simply because it is all fat. That is what milk is and since adults need smaller amount s of calcium than children, milk is a luxury not a necessity for adults. Lean meat with absolutely no fat is probably healthier for me than the alternative, however, it sometimes is the grease and fat that provides flavor for the meat even if we do not know it.
I think that bondage can take many roles, and hide in many different areas of our lives. If I am so afraid to do anything for fear I am going to sin by doing something, I might turn into the fool that Solomon talked about who was afraid to go out into the world and do business because the lion or bear might attack him. He does not leave his house so he never does business and starves; this is the danger to obeying laws just for the sake of obeying laws.
I personally do not believe that the food laws that are practiced by the Jews or the Muslims have much bearing on modern life in my country. While there are some valid concerns in the second and third world countries and in some areas of Europe since they do not have the same health laws as us, it is less of a concern in the US. We use pork products in many ways and if one chooses to eliminate pork from his diet it is possible but there are limits. If one were to demand beef that was slaughtered a specific way in the US then one would need to seek Kosher beef which will raise the price and lower the availability.
Now in my religion, we choose to fast in a specific way throughout the year. The devoted Orthodox Christian, no matter where he lives, will try to fast from meat and dairy products on Wednesday and Friday each week. For those days we eat only products grown from the earth and we do so to remember the day our Lord was betrayed by Judas and the day of the crucifixion. We also fast a period in the spring to mourn and remember the separation from God caused by our sin and the need for Jesus’ sacrifice. This longer fast is much more difficult and many choose to observe it. We fast from meat and dairy products for the entire time, about 40 days, and eat only products grown from the earth as well. This may be too restrictive for some and there is no compulsion even inside the religion for such obedience. We have several fast periods throughout the year that are shorter than that where we practice the same thing. So with all the fasting that we practice, it is really quite interesting that we have still got to work so hard to control our weight. Exercise and healthy eating as well as other needs continue to be important to us as well.
So generally speaking, the bondage I see is when obeying the Laws take priority over the exercise of love and life in the world. I believe that one is intended to fellowship with God and just as Adam did in the Garden, to walk WITH God.
ciao
paul
