It is true I am not a Catholic I am an Atheists.?

Question

But I have not closed my mind up so tightly inside a cocoon of ignorance that I can't ask a question about something I don't know about like some of you have. Whether I bealive in a thing or not is immaterial. Now does anyone have the nerve to give me an honest answer. My question Why is it a sin for Catholics to eat meat on Friday. Seems like a simple enough question. Is it a secret or something. Or do you just not know the answer your self Catholics?

Answer 1

When I was a child, fasting and abstaining from eating meat was required on all Fridays. Now I think it is just Ash Wednesday and the Fridays during Lent (the 40 days preceding Easter, Feast of the Resurrection) and Advent (encompassing the 4 Sundays/weeks before Christmas. The idea behind it is that fasting and abstaining cleanses, purifies and "mortifies" the body in order to strengthen the spirit. Fish and (oddly enough) eggs are permitted substitutes. This is a rule of the Catholic Church.. The rule is manmade and rather arbitrary and can be unmade by man. (That sets Church rules as something apart from unchanging theological doctrine."). The Church defines breaking that particular rule as a generally lesser sin. And sinning requires more than just a wrong deed. It involves intent, which must be conscious, knowing and willing.

Answer 2

You are correct that you may and actually should ask questions about things that you are curious about, but you don't have to ask in such a challenging, derisive manner(Does anyone have the nerve...Or do you just not know...your self Catholics).

Catholics traditionally did not eat meat on Friday as a sacrifice to honor God. After Vatican II, The rules were changed from abstaining from meat on every Friday to only the Fridays during Lent, (the 40 days leading up to Easter), and on Ash Wednesday, the 1st day of Lent. It's no big secret. Since you have a ? after your statement that you are an atheist ( a person who believes that there is no God) are you sure that you're not an agnostic ( a person who believes that the human mind cannot know whether there is or is not a God)? Labels aside, if you go to ANY Catholic church, I am sure you will find someone who would gladly answer any of your questions, without any expectation that you will join their church. Peace!

Answer 3

It used to be severly frowned upon, but not so much anymore (with the exception of Good Friday). When my parents were growing up they would never eat meat on Fridays, only fish. The whole thing came about because on every friday of the year Catholics are supposed to abstain from something as a kind of penance. They actually don't know where the idea of abstaining from meat came from, since no single Pope introduced the idea, but it gradually became common practice to abstain from meat of fridays.....even to the point that eating meat was at one time considered a sin. But today, it isn't so. Only the most dedicated Catholics will follow this tradition, and for the most part Catholics only give up meat now on Good Friday.

Answer 4

Catholics are permitted to eat meat on Fridays, except for a few special days during the season of Lent.

Friday is the day Jesus gave his life for us, so Catholics have always been obliged by the church to do some sort of personal sacrifice each Friday, in order to demonstrate their appreciation of Jesus' work, and to make their work part of his.

In the old days, abstaining from meat was the prescribed way to do this.

Today, other forms of sacrifice, prayer, or charitable acts may be substituted.

To ignore this requirement is to commit a sin against the lawful and God-given authority of the church, and it also shows a lack of appreciation for Christ's sacrifice, which may also be sinful, in it's own right.

Answer 5

During Lent we don't eat meat, nor on Ash Wednesday the start of Lent. Some people will go as far as not to eat meat on Holy Thursday and Holy Saturday as well. People with serious physical illnesses, seniors and kids under 7 don't have to subtain. It is a sacrific we make, like giving up something for the 40 days of Lent.
The rules have changed but alot of people still stick to no meat on Fridays, and will not eat meat on St. Patrick's day even with Pope approval ( I am one ). I think early church gave up meat on all Fridays for fasting/sacrific reasons. You can probably get more info at a Catholic website getting ready for the Lent season.

Answer 6

Since the earliest days of the Catholic Church, on every Friday throughout the year, Catholics are required to do some kind of penance. Most Catholics do not eat meat on Friday as a penance. As far as research says, no Pope introduced this practice, but it gradually became a practice.

Abstaining from something helps us refocus on what is important and it cuts out the things that might have seemed important. By abstaining, we have better ability to concentrate on God.

Answer 7

Well, well...this question takes me back in time...
There once was a little girl who they called "The Doubting Thomas" I went to a Catholic School, and Catholic Church..(Italian Roman Catholic)...from Boston..you don't get much more Catholic than that.
Now I asked Father Wall... I was making my First Communion at the time, what happened to all the people who went to Purgatory as a punishment for eating meat on Friday's?
Since the Catholic Church had reversed this ruling. Well did they get parole or something? (only an "Italian" would think of that)
His answer is what I will share with you dear...Gee, good question, I am not sure...so he called over the Monsignor to ask the same question..and Monsignor said...very good question there Missy..but, I don't want to give you the wrong answer...so, the next time I see the Bishop that is the first thing I will ask him. I will tell Father Wall to give you that answer in catechism class.
I got a blessed, a pat on the head and my Mother...who was about ready to faint, pushed me through the rectory outside to the car, telling me ssh be quiet...Sharon Lee....what have I told you about doing that, you embarrass Mommy and Daddy.! It has been now...34 years and counting and the "Bishop" hasn't gotten back to me on it yet...(laugh) Father Wall retired, (last I heard he had retired) Monsignor Harrington died..a couple of years ago. Now the unpopular but most settled upon idea is this, in the early years of the church...the fishing fleet was owned in a large part by the church...when fish sales were lagging the Pope, decided to make it mandatory to eat fish on friday to up sales. Whether this is the truth or not remains to be seen, but that is the closest answer to the riddle of meat on friday I have ever gotten. My Mother wonders why I am a Taoist..(laugh) I believe in a God like force...but his official representatives down here..well...the customer service sucks! Take Care...and I hope this answered your questions...from a former Catholic (with sense)

Answer 8

I used to be Catholic, and as I recall, the Meatless Fridays were discontinued after Vatican II in 1965. Before that, when I'd sneak a White Castle after school, it'd somehow never taste right on Fridays! Though I'm not Catholic anymore, I was pretty devout myself at one time, did my catechism, and still remember a lot of it.

The practice of Friday abstinence had something to do with Adam and Eve, supposedly, and some sort of association with their deed in the Garden of Eden. Exactly what, I never could figure myself.

Answer 9

When I was a child we did not eat meat on Fridays, we only ate fish. I do not recall ever being told it was a sin but that is was to remember the fish story (which I will be honest I do not remember exactly right now). I think people stopped doing this mostly because kids hated fish and it caused alot of parents headaches just like being forced to drink cod liver oil. It is as honest of an answer as I can give you but It is only based on my personal experience, I hope you do not consider that arrogant because it was intended in the way you asked.

Answer 10

Back when Christianity was just gaining a worldly foothold, meat was a staple of the people's diet. Agriculture was expensive and time-consuming, so meat was a necessity. However, Christians were taught to give up parts of yourself for God - hence the decision to sacrifice meat one day a week, similar to Muslim fasts. Even though meat is not such a staple today, the tradition stuck, although many current Christians do not practice it.