2007-01-29 04:42:32 · 20 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Fridays: No meat. Not technically a "fast" - but a day of abstinence.
Ash Wednesday: No food during daylight hours. Same for Good Friday.
40 days of Lent: Skip one meal. Sometimes more.
Other days as I choose. Like the seasonal Ember days....
Why? To remind myself that Jesus suffered on the cross for my sins.
2007-01-29 04:48:57 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋
Fasting and abstinence are both something that all Catholics are required to do between the ages of 14-60 years old during the Lenten season. Abstinence is not eating meat on designated days, including Ash Wednesday, all Fridays in Lent and Good Friday. Many Catholics continue to abstain from meat on all Fridays of the year as it was traditional before Vatican II.
Fasting is eating one full meal a day usually at dinner time. You can eat 2 smaller meals that do not equal the dinner meal. It usually consists of a vegetable soup with bread. Snacks in between those meals are forbidden but you can drink water, tea, or soda between the meals.
Your change of diet is a reminder of the sufferings of Christ and those in the world who dont' eat as well as we do. Fasting is good for the soul.
2007-01-29 05:55:05 · answer #2 · answered by Tapestry6 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
The rules and purposes of fasting are pretty much left to the believer to decide on our own. Fasting, like prayer, is a personal act making some sort of devotion by going out of our way to avoid something that usually consumes us, pushing it aside and focusing on the real things that are important, so fasting can be from anything.
Most fasting is from food. However some may just want to fast from certain foods like meats or greasy foods or whatever. Some may fast for a day, others just a morning, others a month.
Some may want to "fast", as it were, from the computer or tv or some sport, etc.
In short, fasting is taking a break from something we are usually obsessed with in some degree.
2007-01-29 04:52:22 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋
We don't eat or drink for 24 hours (two meals) once per month, typically the first Sunday of the month (from Saturday after lunch - Breakfast Sunday, eating lunch on Sunday at about the same time as lunch on Saturday). We do this, with increased prayer and thanksgiving, to draw closer to God.
I should also mention that I am Mormon, and not all Christians do this, or fast in the same way.
2007-01-29 04:53:02 · answer #4 · answered by Tonya in TX - Duck 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Well Catholics fast during Lent... 40 days before Easter. When you fast you do it to feel some of the suffering that Jesus did. It's a way of giving up something. Now a days the way of fasting has changed... you are allowed 2 snacks and 1 full meal. Children and the elderly are not asked to fast.
2007-01-29 04:49:16 · answer #5 · answered by tolchfan 1 · 0⤊ 2⤋
Fasting is going without food or drink for a period of time. Jesus fasted for 40 days while He was in the desert (Luke 4:1-2). The Christians in the Book of Acts also fasted as they prayed (Acts 13:2, 14:23). Christian generally fast in conjunction with prayer. When Christians fast and pray, they demonstrate the humility, sincerity and seriousness of their prayers (2 Samuel 12:16; Daniel 9:3). When they fast, they withhold their earthly desires of hunger and thirst for heaven's sake. Fasting is also an act of self-denial and humility. Christians deny satisfying their hunger or thirst as a way to control their fleshly desires (1 Corinthians 9:7), and acknowledge their dependence on God for their physical and spiritual strength (Deuteronomy 8:3; Psalm 23:1). Children should ask their parents or pastors for guidance if they would like to fast and pray. There are different types of fasting (e.g. total fast, 1-meal fast, Daniel fast, etc) to meet the different spiritual levels of believers. You may like to check with Campus Crusade for Christ for advice on fasting. Overall, it is important to remember that fasting is meaningless if we do it only for show rather than for God (Matthew 6:17-18). If you are planning to fast and pray for the first time, invite a mature Christian to fast and pray with you as your prayer partn
2007-01-29 04:48:46 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
Well fasting is not eating for a certain amount of time, a lot of people do it not just Christains. But it is not permanetly not eating like anorexia or anything like that. I know christians do it as a way to cleanse themselves and some people do it as a way to show love for jesus around easter and things like that. But the average everyday person does it to cleanse themselves of any toxins in there system and it also helps to lose a few pounds.
2007-01-29 04:49:22 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 1⤋
When Christians fast,it simply means,you do not eat for a brief period. You can drink water and if you must,some fruit juice. Fasting cleanses the body. It also makes you more alert so when you pray and study Gods word,you can become closer to him.
2007-01-29 04:50:51 · answer #8 · answered by monalisamouse 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
When a Christian Fasts, they obstain from eating food, or fast from something else, i.e. something they enjoy doing. They are showing to God that obedience going to God as their providor. It's a commitment to the Lord for thanking Him for giving you everything you need. Fasting is showing humility before God and giving up a part of your daily routine to seek Him out.
2007-01-29 04:54:22 · answer #9 · answered by Victoria T 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I believe fasting for Christians is not fasting from food altogether but rather abstaining from specific foods. During Lent, a friend of mine avoided meat and chocolate, and I know there were other foods but I can't remember what exactly.
2007-01-29 04:49:48 · answer #10 · answered by hayaa_bi_taqwa 6 · 0⤊ 2⤋