to admire religious fasting for its discipline and commitment?

Plenty of people do things that aren’t universally comfortable or appealing and don’t get this level of pushback.

If you're familiar with MN you'll know that's absolutely not true.

Also the whole “it sounds unpleasant so I don’t like it” isn’t really an argument, it’s just a personal reaction.

It is a personal opinion though and this is an opinion/discussion thread. People are free to speak about their own reaction.

The bit about being “cagey” is a bit weird. No one owes anyone a full breakdown of their beliefs or personal practices to have a discussion.

Your level of relentless zeal on this is beyond normal 'discussion' though. Repeated posting of links isn't discussion. You seem to have a vested interest and you can't blame posters for questioning why you won't reveal that.

"Honestly, a lot of this feels like people are uncomfortable with it"
You must surely have expected most people to feel uncomfortable with the concept of denying yourself water for hours on end.

People are allowed to be uncomfortable about it without justification, just as you are free to be evangelical without disclosure.

"That doesn’t make them pointless or something to be dismissed."
People are free to dismiss a concept at will.

Quite. And fasting for some can lead to mental illness, which can literally be deadly. My dd didn’t think she needed to eat to live. And it all started with skipping lunch.

It's not impressive causing yourself health issues and eating unhealthily because a work of fiction says you should. What it is, is stupid.

And yes, it is unhealthy despite the dubious links you keep bombarding people with.

I admire the discipline but not allowing water is dangerous. Particularly in hot weather. It’s asking for an acute kidney injury.

The reason behind fasting or religion is irrelevant. I am concerned wifh the adverse health effects to some people, predominantly girls in their teens and young women. Me personally? I can regularly have OMAD and be fine as long as I drink a lot of fluids. This is because I don’t have the genetics to become mentally ill when restricting the times when I eat.

I genuinely don't think that it the case.

The people here questioning dry fasting are in the most part doing so due to health concerns or through imagining how it would impact on them. If you don't do it it sounds pretty unpleasant and miserable. The thought of not even being able to have a sip of water to quench thirst is something most people don't like to deal with under any circumstances.

The other thing is the OPs relentless 'but the health benefits'. He made his point very early on in the thread and is hammering it home with evangelical zeal with no acknowledgement that any other poster or source might have a point.

They've also been cagey about whether they fast, their motivations or religion ("just a God as I don't like labels"). It all makes people anti/look for an agenda.

Many posters have said 'fair play, but it's not for me'.

Seems it matters to OP, though. More biases from the performance of inclusivity.

Although come to think of it, I've never seen an awareness campaign at work about Jewish or Mormon fasting.

If people are to find God, they will. I wouldn’t want a Muslim knocking on my door to spread the word of Islam so I wouldn’t go around preaching to people either.

And it’s not “keeping it quiet”, I’m openly Christian but I don’t need to create a performance over it.

I've purposefully referred to 'those fasting'. It does not matter whether Christian or whatever the facts remain the same, you preload.

You just drink in advance, get your quota in. I've been in situations where I knew access to food and drinks would be limited so you preload. Drink a litre with your morning banquet.

I've worked 12hr shifts in a busy department where you'd be lucky to get a sit down never mind a sandwich and we coped with it.

I'm not saying it's ideal but it's certainly doable and not the big song and dance some make it out to be.

I dry fast all the time. It’s actually really easy. Not for religious reasons though. 36 hrs is better for autophagy

I think it’s the lack of drink that is very hard and after a massive meal you generally also feel a bit sluggish.

Because in the @BlueMum16 's workplace it is only Ramadan.

I have nothing against inclusivity and celebrating diversity, I used to love teaching that unit.

It's, in my experience, never a Muslim that proposes this, usually someone who doesn't know much about different faiths and cultures.

No one is fasting. People are binge eating. If I had a banquet for breakfast I'd skip lunch too. Particularly if I knew I was having another massive feast at dusk.

Those complaining that they can't function at work need to not participate or change their jobs so they work shifts.

I've worked with people fasting, I've seen the amount consumed just before dawn and dusk. It is no hardship.

I admire the dedication, but having spent that time in a high school with sleepy, exhausted teenagers who can’t even have a glass of water I do wonder if at that age it does more harm. Some fall asleep, concentration levels are incredibly low and I’m not sure how much of what they are taught over Ramadan has actually gone in.

I am very impressed by the people who can do it as I know I couldn’t so I have a lot of respect for them.
however, I do also see that people fasting for Ramadan do need adjustments at work and are vocal about not being able to perform/function as well as normal, especially in the afternoons. Whilst I get its part of their religion, I do question whether it’s right for people to actively choose to do something that impacts their ability to properly work.

What type of Christian are you that wants to keep it quiet, isn't spreading the faith part of Christ's teachings ? It is refferenced quite a few times in the bible....

Op you should have left the word ‘Ramadan’ out and there wouldn’t be so many ‘pressed’ people in this thread.

Of course I’ve “noticed” - I just don’t feel the need to shove it down other people’s throats as religion is (or should be!) a private thing. I don’t need to be “admired” for following my religion

Except a recent study linked it to higher cardiovascular issues