Fasting

[Xpycoctomos]

But pregnant woman eats for two. My only issue is, I don't know what task I might get. I might prepare my mind and start fasting, but in the middle of the day, I might get a task in the heat that might cause problems, then I would have to explain why I didn't eat, etc etc etc

But heck all these in my mind sound like an excuse, I feel really bad not doing it.

I'm not going to tell you not to feel bad but I think that if there are exceptions that exist, your position would be among them. Just so you know, it isn't an all or nothing thing. I mean, talk to you SF. Start with something(s) "small" that you two agree upon. After all, fasting isn't about rules, it's more about training the body and soul to conform to God and not gluttony and laziness.

So, fast or don't fast... just talk to your SF about it.

Also, keep this in mind. In the Greek Army, they are more or less all doing it. In the US Army, you will be the ONLY one doing it. Not to mention the risk of falling into prelest unintetionally as you notice you are the only one doing it, but also you just don't have the support. In the Greek army, their spiritual needs in this fashion are institutionally catered to and as a GROUP. All I am trying to say is that your situation is vastly different from theirs, even if they were in Iraq a few bases down.

Just food for thought (pun intended )

John

 

[Xpycoctomos]

I don't think the best way to fast is to take us all on. What might be an easy fast for me would torment another.

For example, a 12 hour fast is nothing to me as I do about 18 hour daily (I skip all breakfasts) and I've done 36 hours with only two cups of tea.

My problem though lies in the long fasts. The last two week fast is a great example. First day, I'm fine. Second day, I get an invite out for sushi. Still no problem though watching the delicious fish slide by was torment. Third day though, I get invited to a movie and ice cream, my best friend calls and says he's got a case of fresh Brazillian sausage, another friend comes back from the US and drops off a pack of pepporoni for pizzas, and another friend wants me to barbeque for him that weekend. At that point I was about on the floor in the fetal position whimpering from the amount of temptation.

But I try anyway. I fail and I get up again and try again. And I grow closer to God through the challenges and prayers.

So if you like, maybe you can join us for the Nativity fast starting Mid-December and going to December 24th. No meet, no cheese, no milk, no egg, no fish etc. But just know that as the reason behind your desire to fast and ours is different.

You are Japanese... and Orthodox? Sweet! share your story or link me to it!

Xpy

 

[Xpycoctomos]

"But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, so that you do not appear to men to be fasting, but to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly." (Matthew 6:17-18).

Yeah, but he's Muslim. That's like him quoting the Qur'an at us.

 

[Futuwwa]

I don't think the best way to fast is to take us all on. What might be an easy fast for me would torment another.

For example, a 12 hour fast is nothing to me as I do about 18 hour daily (I skip all breakfasts) and I've done 36 hours with only two cups of tea.

My problem though lies in the long fasts. The last two week fast is a great example. First day, I'm fine. Second day, I get an invite out for sushi. Still no problem though watching the delicious fish slide by was torment. Third day though, I get invited to a movie and ice cream, my best friend calls and says he's got a case of fresh Brazillian sausage, another friend comes back from the US and drops off a pack of pepporoni for pizzas, and another friend wants me to barbeque for him that weekend. At that point I was about on the floor in the fetal position whimpering from the amount of temptation.

But I try anyway. I fail and I get up again and try again. And I grow closer to God through the challenges and prayers.

So if you like, maybe you can join us for the Nativity fast starting Mid-December and going to December 24th. No meet, no cheese, no milk, no egg, no fish etc. But just know that as the reason behind your desire to fast and ours is different.

Hmm, would it be to disrespect your fast to join it for personal reasons? My bravado is solely aimed at those who are dissing the Islamic fast claiming that the Orthodox is truer somehow.

I've met a few Christians on CF who have joined their Muslim (real-life) friends in fasting during Ramadan. Citing various reasons such as brotherhood and going through what the Muslims are in order to understand them better. Maybe I should join you for the same reasons. If I'm welcome.

 

[RobNJ]

They are air-conditioned, so much air-conditioned sometimes makes me throw a few bad words at it. It GETS SO COLD in our sleeping tents... Come on....

Could be worse... My father went "winter camping" in Belgium, in the '40's. They called it The Battle of The Bulge. He was less than thrilled with the experience

 

[Philothei]

Hmm, would it be to disrespect your fast to join it for personal reasons? My bravado is solely aimed at those who are dissing the Islamic fast claiming that the Orthodox is truer somehow.

I've met a few Christians on CF who have joined their Muslim (real-life) friends in fasting during Ramadan. Citing various reasons such as brotherhood and going through what the Muslims are in order to understand them better. Maybe I should join you for the same reasons. If I'm welcome.

yeah well well well....

 

[HumbleSiPilot77]

My bravado is solely aimed at those who are dissing the Islamic fast claiming that the Orthodox is truer somehow.

And they explained why it is truer, 3 pages now with 40 posts each...

I've met a few Christians on CF who have joined their Muslim (real-life) friends in fasting during Ramadan. Citing various reasons such as brotherhood and going through what the Muslims are in order to understand them better. Maybe I should join you for the same reasons. If I'm welcome.

A few? It was only one disoriented 18-20 yr old kid who didn't know what he was doing. He was not Orthodox either. Only reason he cited was to experience what muslims go through in this month. That is all. Any others?

 

[Protoevangel]

Hmm, would it be to disrespect your fast to join it for personal reasons? My bravado is solely aimed at those who are dissing the Islamic fast claiming that the Orthodox is truer somehow.

Fast however and whenever you want. With bravado, it is useless and vain. I don't care if you completely fast for forty days straight, it will do no good. In no way could I consider you fasting "with" us.

 

[Futuwwa]

A few? It was only one disoriented 18-20 yr old kid who didn't know what he was doing. He was not Orthodox either. Only reason he cited was to experience what muslims go through in this month. That is all. Any others?

I'm confident I have seen a few more previously (during last year's Ramadan I think), though I don't remember any names. Sorry.

 

[HumbleSiPilot77]

There was a hint in my post but it is ok...

 

[nestoj]

Hmm, would it be to disrespect your fast to join it for personal reasons? My bravado is solely aimed at those who are dissing the Islamic fast claiming that the Orthodox is truer somehow.

I've met a few Christians on CF who have joined their Muslim (real-life) friends in fasting during Ramadan. Citing various reasons such as brotherhood and going through what the Muslims are in order to understand them better. Maybe I should join you for the same reasons. If I'm welcome.

I don’t think it would be disrespectful, but we fast from reasons of faith and union with God, and you want to fast for personal reasons – whatever they are. I hope it is not for a reason of proving something to you or someone else – that is, that wouldn’t be “joining you in fast”. In order to join Orthodox fast one needs to observe fast from Orthodox perspective and trough Orthodox understanding – if you lack that, from our perspective, then that wouldn’t be fast at all, that would be diet at best and a prideful starvation at worst - and certainly we wont find that to be “joining us in fast”.

If the reason for this fasting interest of yours is to prove that islamic fast can be the same as Orthodox Christian, then you are on a bad start for several reasons:

• that would be your personal fast and not one of islam
• you are engaging it for totally wrong reason
• since you are not doing it for proper reasons, you will have no aid from Holly Ghost, will probably fail and feal bad about it (this is perhaps why islam prescribes it’s fast the way it prescribes it)
• as a consequence of no.2 and 3 it can do you only harm – no good from it

Point is – it’s not disrespectful but it’s also not fasting (at least not the way we understand it to be).

nestoj
God helps

 

[Philothei]

Maybe the armenian genocide did not happen either huh???

As the western scholars say too with their agendas....

 

[DarkNLovely]

Maybe the armenian genocide did not happen either huh???

As the western scholars say too with their agendas....

Oh my goodness! I was talking to someone from Armenia and I googled the couuntry and I saw pictures! Oh my! It was too much I had to turn away1 Idn't even know about how the suffered. I need to learn more!

 

[Xpycoctomos]

With bravado, it is useless and vain.

Without Christ it is completely useless and vain. I don't care if Muslims did exactly like us. It's completely irrelevant to anything on our path.

John

 

[Protoevangel]

Without Christ it is completely useless and vain. I don't care if Muslims did exactly like us. It's completely irrelevant to anything on our path.

John

 

[Philothei]

http://foru.ms/t6143350&page=2

 

[Futuwwa]

I don’t think it would be disrespectful, but we fast from reasons of faith and union with God, and you want to fast for personal reasons – whatever they are. I hope it is not for a reason of proving something to you or someone else – that is, that wouldn’t be “joining you in fast”. In order to join Orthodox fast one needs to observe fast from Orthodox perspective and trough Orthodox understanding – if you lack that, from our perspective, then that wouldn’t be fast at all, that would be diet at best and a prideful starvation at worst - and certainly we wont find that to be “joining us in fast”.

If the reason for this fasting interest of yours is to prove that islamic fast can be the same as Orthodox Christian, then you are on a bad start for several reasons:

• that would be your personal fast and not one of islam
• you are engaging it for totally wrong reason
• since you are not doing it for proper reasons, you will have no aid from Holly Ghost, will probably fail and feal bad about it (this is perhaps why islam prescribes it’s fast the way it prescribes it)
• as a consequence of no.2 and 3 it can do you only harm – no good from it

Point is – it’s not disrespectful but it’s also not fasting (at least not the way we understand it to be).

nestoj
God helps

Ok, nevermind then. I knew there were spiritual aspects to the Orthodox fast which I wouldn't be able to appreciate, but I didn't realize it was that ingrained in Orthodox theology. I'm used of thinking of fasting as a disciplinary thing, a learning of self-restraint. Oh well, at least I have learned something, which means I won't leave this forum empty-handed when the crowd with pitchforks finally organizes itself enough to drive me out of here.

 

[nestoj]

I'm used of thinking of fasting as a disciplinary thing, a learning of self-restraint.

It's that, also. But it's not only that - since fast is not only about food, actually food is least important, but also of guarding yourself from yourself in every way and intensify your efforts to unite with God. Purpose is preparation - purification so you could approach God more closely (God is so pure and powerful that if unprepared was to find himself in unscreened presence of Him - he won't be able to remain there without help from God. Actually, in our present state we would have to run if God was to reveal Himself to us in all His glory - so by His mercy He screens us from His power.).

One more thing - noone is capable of becoming worthy of Gods presence by himself - without Gods help - that's why we are telling you that your reasons are prideful and wrong.

Whom does God chooses to be worthy of help - that is a totally different question and i can't answer it.

p.s one can fast without fasting from food.

nestoj
God helps

 

[HumbleSiPilot77]

which means I won't leave this forum empty-handed when the crowd with pitchforks finally organizes itself enough to drive me out of here.

Is that the ultimate aim?

 

[nestoj]

when the crowd with pitchforks finally organizes itself enough to drive me out of here.

Show more seriousness and respect - and that needs not happen.

nestoj
God helps