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An Item Fast!?!?!?!?!

Basant TawfikBasant Tawfik
edited December 1969 in Coptic Orthodox Church
Is it true that instead of fasting by food, u can fast by items. i know this is kind of confusing, look......... a sunday school teacher told my brother that u don't have to fast by food. He said that u can fast by items, for example...... u can fast by not watching tv, or by not talking on the phone, or not using the computer,etc. so is that true, and if yes do u have to still fast by food with the item fasting!?!?!?!?!

Comments

  • Unknown
    OF COURSE. That is what fasting is about, you abstain from food and what you call item fasting. But you cancel one, you must still fast from food it is for the great lent. This is the holiest fast. You also have to realize that the church has placed the idea of fasting from food, because it is a sign of love and devotion to God. The church also says that one must fast from sin, and what he really likes to do.
                So yes both are needed. GBU
  • SilentOneSilentOne
    The main point of the fast is to grow spiritually. I've heard and read it many times, especially from priests and monks, that they would rather a person fast from their sins and become more spiritual, than fast from any food whatsoever. What does one gain from not eating food the entire fast if they do not grow spiritually? It's just a diet then, masked by a religious event.

    I'm not saying fasting from food is wrong, I'm saying it should also be an addition to a fast from sin. Fasting from food takes the mind off food and puts it on spirituality (that IS the point). By fasting from food, you are also sacrificing one of the things you enjoy to God, and that too is a plus. So, if one can fast from sin, fast from food as well. If one cannot fast from sin, try harder, for that is the main point of the lent.
  • jydeaconjydeacon
    SilentOne is correct, if you are just fasting from the food and not actually growing then all you have done is change your diet as he said, but that doesn't mean that you disregard the fast and say i won't watch tv instead. no not watching tv or fasting from an item should come with the fast from food, generally when the children are young we ask them to only fast from things they like to make it easier on them, but as they grow older just doing that is not enough, its all about self-control. by fasting from certain foods for a period of time you learn self-control which you should then apply to your spiritual life, which would be controlling yourself from sins.
  • coptic pharoahcoptic pharoah
    the orders of fasting u need to do then optional..plz correct me if i am wrong

    1. Fasting from Sin (mandatory)
    2. Fasting from Food (mandatory for most ppl...exept 4 medical reasons and etc...)
    3.Fasting for "items" (optional)

    Plz correct me f I am Wrong...

    God Bless

    Coptic Pharaoh
  • Ti Agia Malatini
    I do not think that fasting from items is optional.  My opinion is, along with giving up food, you should try to give up an item that you really like, such as watching TV.  As mentioned already, the point of the fast is to develop spiritually, and if you think that sacrificing watching TV is going to help you grow spiritually, go ahead and do it.  Doing so will open up that time for prayer or reading spiritual books.  When God sees that you are sacrificing something very valuable for Him, such as the amount of time spent watching TV, He will bless you more and more and help you overcome other habits or sins.  May God be with all of you.
  • LifeinChristLifeinChrist
    how old is your brother? if he is too young to start fasting the whole lent then an item fast alone is ok, then later on he can start from food. but if he is older like 5th 6th 7th 8th and up then he should be fasting from food, especially since we are in the third week
  • Basant TawfikBasant Tawfik
    [quote author=His Servant link=topic=6386.msg84394#msg84394 date=1206377081]
    how old is your brother? if he is too young to start fasting the whole lent then an item fast alone is ok, then later on he can start from food. but if he is older like 5th 6th 7th 8th and up then he should be fasting from food, especially since we are in the third week



    So it's accrording to age? Oh ya!!! i'm not asking for my brother. i just want to know because my brother said that a sunday school teacher told him that. i just wanted to know if it is true.
  • LifeinChristLifeinChrist
    yea some kids are too young to fast and need these foods to help them grow, some kids fast from certain things but still drink milk because they need it.
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