to admire religious fasting for its discipline and commitment?

[catchingup1]

I’ve been thinking about this lately, especially with Ramadan just gone and the dry fasting of 24 hours by Jews and Mormons.

I can't help feeling impressed. Not in a gushy way, just genuinely. Going without food and water for long periods, while still getting on with normal life, work, family etc takes a level of willpower and discipline that I don’t think most people have.

It’s not even just the physical side. It’s the restraint, the routine, the intention behind it. The fact that people are doing it for something bigger than themselves, not just for a diet or health trend.

It's not just people who’ve grown up with it. There are converts every year across different religions who are doing these fasts for the first time as adults. They haven’t had years to “get used to it” and are choosing to take it on anyway. It’s a conscious decision, not just habit.

Even for people who have done it since childhood, plenty still find it challenging every year. It’s not like it becomes effortless, they’re still choosing to stick to it day after day.

Then you read so much now about people struggling with “food noise”, constantly thinking about what to eat next, cravings, snacking, not being able to switch off from it. So the idea of deliberately stepping away from all of that, even for a set period and managing your impulses like that. It does make me respect it.

I’m not saying it makes anyone better than anyone else, just that I admire the self control, discipline and commitment involved.

I came across this about the benefits of dry fasting:

www.bcm.edu/news/dawn-to-dusk-dry-fasting-leads-to-health-benefits-in-the-study-of-immune-cells

Didn't the title of your thread ask if it was unreasonable to admire it though? So you were asking me, and I replied, that yes, in my opinion, it is unreasonable.

Running in a severely dehydrated state is inadvisable.

Lol ok

It's as useful as Catholic self-flagellation.

My friend trained for a marathon during Ramadan. He achieved some of his best running times.

Yeah I also think it's not good to be risking dehydration. Therefore it's not something I admire. But then I'm also an atheist so the idea of "sacrificing" for religion is ridiculous to me.

Just not as fun

It's just another example of pointless religious control. It's not healthy and it's often abusive.

People can do pretty much anything if it’s for a limited time.
Making the choice to give up things for the rest of your life is hard, although easier the younger and less of a habit.
I give up booze every lent although quite a heavy drinker. It becomes easier every year as I know what it involves but also that it will be over by Easter. I can’t imagine doing it for a year however yet alone being teetotal even though I haven’t thought about drinking.

No otherwise healthy person is falling into a coma and dying from not drinking for fewer than 24 hours. We really have become such gluttonous creatures who must have gigantic water bottles with us at all times that abstaining from eating and drinking for a few hours is now admirable.

Drinking water is gluttonous. 🙄 Now I've heard it all.

I’m talking about the food. Though I also think this obsession with drinking copious amounts of water is absolutely ridiculous.

That's exactly what happens in my workplace.

I'm not sure, to be honest. I'm a Christian so more familiar with short, one off days or weeks of fasting for specific reasons than something long term and regular like Ramadan. But I'm not fully on board with the Christian take on fasting for two reasons - one which I feel is valid and one which is probably just me projecting my personal food issues onto others.

The first is the safety element of continuing daily life with no food OR drink. Decades ago I was doing a volunteer project in South America (yeah, I know, cringeworthy white saviour stuff but I was a student in the early/mid 2000s and we thought it was a good thing then). We'd painted a massive school perimeter wall in some very cheap whitewash. Unusually it rained hard before it was dry and it all came off. My friend felt (genuinely felt, I do believe) that God told him to repaint the whole thing himself and not to eat or drink anything until he had done it. It was 37 degrees and there was no shade. He worked all day and he did get it done but everyone thought it was dangerous. But it's hard to say anything against 'God told me' when you're a believer in a faith - even when you think you're right. That's an exteme example, of course, but I do worry about people driving on hot summer evenings having not eaten or drunk all day. Or doing physical work with machinery (maybe there's an exception for them, I'm not sure). Or being responsible for people's lives etc.

The second is that, for me and I do believe for a significant minority of women (sorry to stereotype), fasting will never primarily be about God or Allah - it will be about losing weight. But I have signficant eating disorder history and quickly/easily make a game out of fasting for longer and longer periods. So, when my church asks us to fast, I refuse on mental health grounds.

They gorge in the morning and gorge in the evening, many even put weight on during Ramadan. It’s literally just skipping lunch whilst making up for it later. I’m not sure why we’re expected to be impressed or respect this and have it constantly rammed down our throats all of a sudden.

I had such an invitation at my old work. I just deleted the email as it seemed a bit like they wanted to convert people which I didn’t think appropriate at work.

We do lots of events to encourage understanding of other beliefs, cultures etc. The Christians have events at Christmas and Easter, this fasting happened a few weeks ago. We've had someone doing Henna tattoos (can't remember what festival that was for).

The for Ramadan the multicultural network did talk about Ramadan, how Muslims fast, how/when they pray and what that actually means. They asked if we wanted to partner with a buddy and give it a go. There was food provided at the end of the day to break the fast with foods that Muslims would generally choose.

It was really well received and it's the second or third year we've done it.

All completely voluntary, as are all the other religious/other activities throughout the year. Likewise you just walk by/scroll past if you are not interested.

I am sure some do that but why are there so many studies that show it is beneficial?

www.bcm.edu/news/dawn-to-dusk-dry-fasting-leads-to-health-benefits-in-the-study-of-immune-cells

How is it abusive and not healthy? So many studies show how beneficial it is. Look at the links I have posted.

What kind of company/workplace was this? Totally inappropriate

Nash they eat at night. Takeaways in London are flourishing during Ramadan.

Swings and roundabouts according to a takeaway owner on the news last week, as they obviously lose business during the day.

It's abusive because it's often used as an excuse for committing some horrendous human rights violations across the world.

Maybe have a look at those kinds of links before you go about admiring it.

We can see them OP.

We can also do a google search that show that most medics advise against going without water for various reasons e.g. increased UTIs, headaches, dizziness, low energy, hampers the kidneys' ability to filter waste, which can lead to kidney stones or acute damage. Potential for dizziness, faintness, and decreased cognitive function. Increased risks of kidney damage, electrolyte imbalances, and severe hypotension

It's great that you support this, but it's definitely not entirely beneficial or without downsides and is not for everyone.

It really sounds like you're selling something rather than here for discussion.

Fasting is used an excuse for committing some horrendous human rights violations across the world?