What is the purpose of repressing your humanly desires in the name of devotion to a religion, or piety?

Question

What do you sacrifice when you adhere to such rules? Naturally, morals and principles aren't solely religious based. Normal, decent people with a conscious and a sense of humanity wouldn't act on a desire that was harmful to others or themselves...I'm not speaking about anything insane, I mean, stuff like having a few drinks at a friends house, going to see a movie, having sex with a boyfriend or girlfriend, having that 2nd leg of chicken, spending a lot of money on yourself to get something you want...etc.

How does forgoing even the most humblest desire and forgoing food (fasting) make one more closer to anything except insanity? Do you ever get grouchy whilst on a holy fest?

Answer 1

No religion asks you to repress your desires - people who do that wind up sick. What religions do ask you to do is to look at the suffering you're causing yourself with your desires. All of the things you mention are not bad in and of themselves, but most of the time the reason we do those things is to distract us from what is important and they only bring temporary happiness, not fulfillment or true happiness within ourselves. Our desires are fine until we are frustrated in them because our idea of what we want is different from reality (like having sex with our partner - we want that, it's ok to do, but what happens when the partner wants to break up? we're upset and sometimes even hate that person for not loving us anymore or giving us our desire; or the person who feels that having the latest fashions will make them popular and happy, when we can't afford the latest fashions, we're miserable).

What Buddhism asks us to do is neither express nor repress our feelings or desire, but to look at them deeply. Make the choice, even for just 20 minutes, to just sit with our feelings and desires and allow ourselves the time to look at what they are really telling us.

What we have the potential to do, is see ourselves as we really are, have compassion for ourselves and others, and be freed from the desires that control our lives.

Answer 2

There was an old pop song -- "What's love got to do with it?"

My question to you is "What's repression got to do with it?"

You repress something it is going to pop out somewhere or someway for as one philosophical statement notes: "What you are, you are becoming."

Fasting shows you how much you are attached to desire; and perhaps might reveal to you that there is no such thing as "humble" human desire.

You can't change your desires unless you change your nature and only Jesus Christ has the power to do that. Until you have a new heart and spirit within you, your attempts will be insane and grouchy to say the least.

This type of religion is like a mule attempting the Kentucky Derby. Unfortunately there are millions of people in the world today running this kind of race. I am not calling you a mule. I am telling you that kind of race will not work. Been there, done that.

Answer 3

IMHO, there is very little said in the bible about having sex with a boyfriend/girlfriend-- however in a morally counscious world, if a pregancy results, both people should take the responsilibity.

Having a few drinks is no big deal-- in a morally conscious world, overdoing it can cause OTHER people problems, like drunk driving and killing or seriously injuring someons becuz you drank too much.

Having that 2nd leg of chicken is no big deal -- in a morally conscious world, that chicken eater might want to give some $$ to the Salvation Army or Soup Kitchen , knowing that there are some people out there whose only meals come from scavenging dumpsters and who are lucky if they find a stale bagel or ONE chicken leg.

Spending alot of $$ on yourself to get what you want is no big deal -- as long as the bills or the wife and kids don't suffer from lack of money. Setting aside a little $ to help others (humans, AND animals) is as worthwhile (or even better than) as fasting would be..

If fasting (which is a dsicipline that turns some people off-- I am one of them) turns you off, try meditation-- try sitting in a quiet safe peaceful place (or even on a bus, or subway or when you are in the tube) and sending love and healing to the world-- that is also a discipline.

Answer 4

Sacrifice begins at the heart. Sex with a boyfriend might seem like it matters very little especially into days society. But if you break up in a week or even years ahead it often can bring regret and hurt. Having a glass of wine might not hurt you it is the problem of continuing to indulge after the first drink that is the problem. You are no longer in control of yourself or the things around you. That second chicken leg might not hurt you but if you did it everyday you might find yourself gainning excess weight. God desires us to be disciplined in every area of our life. Obedience to God over the little things might not seem important but over time it makes a big difference. Often the one Chicken leg turns into a whole chicken.

Sacrifice is not easy but one needs to know when and how to stop. Even not eating that chicken and fasting can be a problem by going overboard the other way. There needs to be a balance. Christ being the center of the balance.

Answer 5

I sometimes have to curb my tongue, darling, and I've had to learn the hard way to mind what I say. I have a history of saying something honest about myself, my beliefs, or my life (I'm not talking about being rude to other people), only to realize that everyone in the room is looking at me like I have ten heads. Of course, as I've gotten older, I've learned to care less about social approval in some circumstances, so now I have a more comfortable balance between expressing myself and not offending other people, but it took a while to learn. I also have to repress the urge to be openly affectionate toward my beloved under some circumstances. We tread a pretty fine line of family and cultural conflict...a misplaced, public kiss or hug could mean disastrous condemnation for us, and I don't want him to suffer for it. On a different level, I guess I always feel the need to manage the urge to eat as much chocolate or chips as I want, or the urge to drink until I'm silly, or to forget my manners. Interesting question, darling!! (((Uncle)))

Answer 6

Religious requirements varies from one church to another. Whatever is the ordained requirement it becomes the sign for obedience to the church's rule. Just like joining a fraternity or brotherhood, most oftentimes, the members are required to adhere to a goal of depending the fraternity at any cost including fight to the death if needed to prove loyalty.
That is what is normally called as "sacrifice." or show of obedience to the law. It is not only religion that requires what you are saying...even military duties, police duties, firemen's duties, big and small business corporations or companies including your own family will naturally have something to repress or supress to achieve or preserve a call of duty or obligation.

Answer 7

my religion doesn't repress the things that feel good; in fact, it encourages it! i have never been on a holy fest and the only time i was fasting was when i was too ill to keep water down, let alone food.

i don't see the point either, it's just one of those things, innit? like a very annoying person, that everyone knows at least one. you know, always there, in yer face type thing. oh and having that second leg of chicken will make me spontaneously combust (probably).

Answer 8

While we are more attentive to our human desires, we will have a tendency to become preoccupied with such--what then would be our need to access spirit? When we deny our flesh, desire and lust become alienated--the urge to satisfy those appetites tempts our reasoning and questions our sense of right and wrong--this is the continuing battle of the spirit and it affects everyone everyday...

I have a friend that fasts regularly and I asked a similar question of her. She replied that it was to purify her body and to keep her spirit humble. Where I understand what she is doing, I wondered if the spirit would be better served if she gave her food to the needy while she was fasting and bless the soul of him that is fasting against his will...that just seems right to me...

Answer 9

Then you delve into "relativism".What you may think is harmful,I may not,and still think of my self as a "Normal descent person".Who's to say?
No where in the Bible does it say ,not to enjoy entertainment(ie a movie or play) or having a drink or two.Getting drunk is frowned upon but not drinking.Spend all the $$ you want but remember Jesus said "Give to Ceasar(the world) what is Ceasar's and to God ,what is God's".
Don't forget your local church and charities.
Fasting does nothing,absolutely nothing.Sex outside marriage is "Fornication" so you are on your own there !I can't get you by with that one.
Of all the 7 jewish holidays ,all are Feastdays but one,Yom Kippur.So chow down baby!

Answer 10

human decency is found just as commonly (maybe even more commonly) among atheists as with believers.

but regarding the sacrifices (fasting, foregoing sex until marriage, etc.), there are a whole bunch of reasons why we Christians do it. the main reason though is that we do it out of love, for the sake of forgiveness of sins, and for the sake of Jesus' suffering. moritification is an integral part of the Catholic Faith because it was what Jesus did. He suffered and died for our sins. so it is our belief that by suffering and dying to our desires, we aid in the process of salvation in our own very little way.

of course, there is a marked difference between a monk fasting and a sado-masochist who wants to starve himself to death. suffering for the sake of suffering is insanity. but suffering for the sake of love is a prayerful attempt at holiness.