Table manners

Generally someone might be considered more or less "educated" because of their table manners. Indeed , in some countries if  some individual held the knife or spork like if he or she would be holding a pen ,therefore he or she could be seen as less polite than that who hold the Knife with  their index finger while eating.

With this in mind, tell us how important  are table manners for you , according to your own culture, belief or religion?show us some real examples.

The left hand is used for personal hygiene. ha ha that's euphemism: that you use your left hand to wash your bottom.

Sometimes I also get invited to Muslim homes for "alms giving", a few days after someone has died, and you are asked to sit on rugs for a community meal. I feel uncomfortable when I have to share my plate (actually a large basin or a bowl) with others. I try to excuse myself by saying that I do not want to dip my fingers into the community bowl as I also eat 'Haram" food. If that doesn't dissuade them in their insistence, I finally resort to the four-letter word – "pork". I quietly tell my host that I had eaten it on occasions. That does the trick. Then some of the food is portioned onto my own plate before the others dip their fingers into the bowls of food.  

Here in South Asia, people only use the right hand when eating, even for breaking up a food item like cooked chicken. In Sri Lanka, almost all the beef shops are run by Muslims, while those selling fish could be from any religion.

The British don't normally use a spoon and fork when eating a curry meal, but a knife and fork. I have seen a lot of Americans use a fork in their right hand.