Fasting is the practice of abstaining from oral intake [eating/drinking] over a period of time.
Fasting has been practiced by people for various reasons. The most common and widespread reason for fasting is because of Man-made religious custom and tradition. For instance:
>Roman Catholics fast every Friday during Lent [between Ash Wednesday & Easter Sunday] by abstaining from eating animal flesh [except fish];
>Moslem's fast every day between sunrise and sunset during the entire month of Ramadan by abstaining from food or drink, and even avoiding to swallow one's own saliva.
Others fast in order to:
>cleanse the body of toxins for health reasons;
>ask for a special blessing or favor from God or some deity for some "worthy cause" --- either for one's own personal benefit or in behalf of another person, group, project and/or undertaking.
However, aside from merely staying away from solid food and/or liquids, there are actually "more creative" ways of fasting which hardly anyone [if any] is aware of, let alone practice. There is fasting by:
1) abstaining from anger and hatred, and instead giving one's family and friends an extra dose of love each day;
2) abstaining from bitterness and resentment, and instead forgiving those who have hurt;
3) abstaining from complaining, and instead thinking of the joys & successes God has given;
4) abstaining from discouragements, and instead keeping in mind that God has a perfect plan for everyone and behind the clouds, the sun is always shining;
5) abstaining from excessive pleasure-seeking, [such as, watching TV and spending time in various useless amusements & gossiping], and instead spending more time in Bible study, meditation, and prayer.
6) abstaining from judging others, and instead recalling how God overlooks everyone's faults;
7) abstaining from over-spending on unnecessary wants and luxuries, and instead reducing one's indulgent spending and wastefulness by at least 10% and giving the money to the needy.
Author Unknown
Fasting has been practiced by people for various reasons. The most common and widespread reason for fasting is because of Man-made religious custom and tradition. For instance:
>Roman Catholics fast every Friday during Lent [between Ash Wednesday & Easter Sunday] by abstaining from eating animal flesh [except fish];
>Moslem's fast every day between sunrise and sunset during the entire month of Ramadan by abstaining from food or drink, and even avoiding to swallow one's own saliva.
Others fast in order to:
>cleanse the body of toxins for health reasons;
>ask for a special blessing or favor from God or some deity for some "worthy cause" --- either for one's own personal benefit or in behalf of another person, group, project and/or undertaking.
However, aside from merely staying away from solid food and/or liquids, there are actually "more creative" ways of fasting which hardly anyone [if any] is aware of, let alone practice. There is fasting by:
1) abstaining from anger and hatred, and instead giving one's family and friends an extra dose of love each day;
2) abstaining from bitterness and resentment, and instead forgiving those who have hurt;
3) abstaining from complaining, and instead thinking of the joys & successes God has given;
4) abstaining from discouragements, and instead keeping in mind that God has a perfect plan for everyone and behind the clouds, the sun is always shining;
5) abstaining from excessive pleasure-seeking, [such as, watching TV and spending time in various useless amusements & gossiping], and instead spending more time in Bible study, meditation, and prayer.
6) abstaining from judging others, and instead recalling how God overlooks everyone's faults;
7) abstaining from over-spending on unnecessary wants and luxuries, and instead reducing one's indulgent spending and wastefulness by at least 10% and giving the money to the needy.
Author Unknown
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