Lifestyle > Train of Thought
Some thoughts on fasting
7even:
sometimes I get the expression that people think their god don't wants them to enjoy life.
*Jamal*:
--- Quote from: 7even the Harbinger on November 25, 2004, 05:08:20 AM ---sometimes I get the expression that people think their god don't wants them to enjoy life.
--- End quote ---
Fasting isn't something for the weak and narrow-minded, so you wouldn't understand.
To answer Antonio's questions...
I don't feel any "different" now, it's something you get used to when you do it for so many years. When I was younger, I fasted because it was part of my religion and my parents kind of expected me to. However, as I got a little older and realized a lot of things, the concept of fasting made a lot of sense even in a non-religious sense. It teaches you self-control and restraint. It's harder at the beginning, but as time goes on, it gets easier and actually becomes ordinary. Personally, I don't find fasting physically challenging, but there are some who do. The only time I can remember it being difficult was when I would have football or soccer practice/games while fasting. A person with hardships, be it personal or illness-related doesn't need to fast; as a matter of fact, when you're ill you're not supposed to fast at all. To answer your question of why muslims fast, it is basically a way to put yourself in the position of someone who is poor and doesn't have food. You basically feel their "pain" in a lesser extent. While I fasted, several things actually came to my mind. For example, when it was time to break my fast, I thought about those people who can't afford food or not enough of it, and thought about how they not just refrain from eating during the day, but can't even eat at night (like I do) simply because they don't have the access to the food. I "could" eat whenever I want to because the food is right in front of me, but they can't because they have no food. It's really something that makes you think while you fast. Also, I do this for 30 days out of the year, they do it all year long. As part of the Islamic religion, every Muslim who is able to, must share some of his income/wealth with someone in need. It's one of the fundamentals. And, at the end of Ramadan, is one of those times when every Muslim donates money to these people in need. People send money abroad to Muslims living in poor conditions. So, basically I put myself in someone else's shoes to feel what they go through (not to the same degree), and then I do something to help someone who goes through it. I really don't see how people can make retarded, narrow-minded comments like "god doesn't want them to enjoy life", when in fact, you're doing something to help someone. Anyways, I hope I answered your questions.
*Jamal*:
By the way 7even, since I'm known to teach/school you peeps in TOT, let me inform you that "impression" is the word you were looking for, not "expression". See, you always learn something new from me... sometimes you just decide to learn the hard way of arguing until you're proven wrong. :)
7even:
Lol, I know, don't know why I wrote expression. Anyway.. is fasting supposed to be fun? Is not drinking alcohol, not taking drugs and not having sex before marriage and stuff like that, supposed to be fun? I don't think so. But that's what religion wants you to do more or less. Does God hate us all, or what?
Religious people can be so contradicting sometimes...
*Jamal*:
--- Quote from: 7even the Harbinger on November 25, 2004, 06:36:12 AM ---Lol, I know, don't know why I wrote expression. Anyway.. is fasting supposed to be fun? Is not drinking alcohol, not taking drugs and not having sex before marriage and stuff like that, supposed to be fun? I don't think so. But that's what religion wants you to do more or less. Does God hate us all, or what?
Religious people can be so contradicting sometimes...
--- End quote ---
WTF? What does fun have anything to do with it? Is going to the dentist supposed to be fun?
By the way, I don't drink, smoke, or take drugs, but guess what? It's my choice. Personally, I don't feel the need to do any of those to have fun. I bone bitches though. So you can see that religion is not why I choose or don't choose to do certain things.
Seriously, that has to be one of your dumbest posts, even in your standards. Just because something isn't fun, doesn't mean it was created to prevent people from having fun. I'm assuming school, doctors, cops, courts, etc are all in place to prevent people from having fun. Idiot. Religious people can be contradicting? Not once have I contradicted myself, yet you, a "non-religious" person, have proven yourself to lack common sense, logic, and any sort of intelligence with 1 post.
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