Christianity, Islam, and Judaism:
Perspective on Fasting
One of the longest established disciplines of the human body is that of fasting.
Fasting is abstaining from food, drink, sleep or sex to focus on a period of spiritual growth(www.alinaam.org.za).Fasting has also been used in nearly every religion in the world, including Christianity, Islam, and Judaism. Many of history's great spiritual leaders fasted for mental and spiritual clarity, including Jesus, Buddha, and Mohammed. Fasting is an important element in religious practices.
Christian Perspective
Nowhere in the New Testament is fasting commanded as a binding obligation upon the Christian. However, if one elects to fast it should be nothing less than drawing nearer to God. Even though fasting is not commanded that doesn’t mean that fasting isn’t recommended as a part of a Christian’s spiritual growth. Fasting is very important in Christianity. Jesus fasted for 40 days and nights. The Book of Acts records believers’ fasting before they made important decisions (Act 13:4, 14:23). Fasting and prayer are often linked together (Luke 2: 37; 5:33). Although fasting in Scriptures is almost always a fasting from food; there are other ways to fast. Anything you can temporarily give up in order to better focus on God can be considered a fast (1 Cor. 7:1-5). Fasting should be limited to a set time, especially when the fasting is food. The occasions for a fast is total voluntary. Christians fast for different reasons. They fast during difficult times, to express sorrow or regret for sin or to seek guidance from God. Christian also fast to communicate emotion to God.
Christian fasting is more than denying he or herself food or something else of the flesh – it’s a sacrificial lifestyle before God. In Isaiah 58, a “true fast� is not just a one-time act of humility and denial before God; it is a lifestyle of servant ministry to others. Isaiah tells us, fasting encourages humility, loosens the chains of injustice, unties the chords of the yoke, frees the oppressed, feeds the hungry, provides for the poor, and clothes the naked. (Isaiah 58: 1-9). The concept of Christian fasting isn’t a one-day thing – it’s a lifestyle of servant living for God and others.
Jewish Perspective
Fasting is a part of the Jewish tradition. Fasting was instituted in Biblical times as a sign of morning, or when...
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...d Judaism rely heavily upon law for fasting. They have major fasts based on the Holy Qu’ran and the Torah. Christian fasts are not restricted to commands from the Bible. As a matter of fact, fasting is not required at all. They are encouraged to fast for spiritual growth. If Christians decide to fast, they have individual freedom to choose when and how they fast. Unlike Christians, Muslims and Jews have to fast completely from food. Christians have a choice to fast from whatever keeps them from focusing on God.
Even though Islam, Judaism, and Christianity have different perspective on fasting, they all have a common goal to get closer to God. No matter how a fast is carried out, one should never lose sight of the main goal of fasting. Fasting provides an environment for a deeper spiritual life.
Bibliography
http://www.aish.com Retrieved February 20, 2005. http://www.alinaam.org.za/ramadhaan/freligions.htm Retrieved February 20, 2005.
Fisher, Mary Pat (2002). Living Religions, Fifth Edition Prentice-Hall, Inc. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey.
The Holy Bible, New International Version Grand Rapids, Michigan 1973. http://www.islamworld.net / Retrieved February 26, 2005.
—Forgiveness is a suite of prosocial motivational changes that happened after a person has incurred a transgression (McCullogh). McCullogh also asserts the forgiveness process includes empathy for the transgressor, generous attributions and appraisals regarding the transgression and transgressor, and rumination abalout the transgression where agreeableness takes a serious place in the person who needs to forgive someone. Andre was impressed by his father’s work, the emotion developed in Andre’s mind have given up revenge and resentment thought to his father. When Andre’s father had an accident that made his legs crushed and had to sit on a wheelchair for the rest of his life; Andre immediately felt how vulnerable people are. He cherished the relationship with his father, in fact after the accident Andre started to cherish everyone besides him. The accident was a trigger to a prosocial motivational change to Andre and his father’s relationship. “But deliver us from evil. Amen” (Dubus, 387). Andre prayed on his father’s funeral. Forgiveness needs something to trigger; Andre understand pop’s condition and forgave him. Andre knew that his father has done the best he could, and he was happy and grateful that he had a father. Moreover, Andre’s life was full of sports, the healing process was impacted by
The motivation and tendency of people to forgive others remains an important topic of discussion. In today’s society most people at some period have experienced feeling of un forgiveness towards friend, or relatives. “Forgiveness was defined as the ability to relinquish of resentment towards others” (Baskin & Enright, 2004, p. 80).
In the Jewish religion dietary laws are one of the most important parts of keeping the faith. These laws are thought to be sent from God to keep the Jewish people pure. Over the year it has became easier for Jews to eat kosher but many people have chosen to assimilate with passing time. A tradition that started around 3500 years ago that has kept its importance.
Throughout time, food has always played a large role in every day life. One aspect of life that food really plays a large role in is religious life. It is important to recognize that the first commandment that God gave to us was a restriction on eating. Many religions have dietary laws or restrictions that explain to the people of their religion what they can and cannot eat. The first commandments that God gave to us were related to eating. In the Bible, we see the Mosaic dietary laws. These laws were set and regulated by Moses, as explained by God’s law. The Old Testament is full of restrictions regarding food consumption and what types of foods should not be consumed. I will be further examining the Mosaic dietary laws and the role they continue to play in the modern-day and in many people lives.
In understanding the Mosaic dietary laws maintained in the books of the Old Testament, it is necessary to consider the early restrictions placed on certain types of food consumption, the restrictions outlined by Moses for the people of God, and the implications of these eating restrictions both then and in the modern era. What must be recognized is that “To this day, these rules—with variations, but always guided by Mosaic laws—are followed by many orthodox Jews” (2). Jewish religious practices, then, are based not only in their ancestral ordinances, but in the specificity of Mosaic law in terms of dietary limitations and circumcision (3). Relating the significance, then, of early restrictions and their application to Mosaic law, as well as an understanding of the role of Moses, are elements important in understanding Mosaic dietary laws.
“ Ramadam is the month in which was sent down, The Koran, as a guide to mankind…. So every one of you who are present at this home during that month should spend it in fasting. But if anyone is ill, or on a journey the prescribed period it should be made up days later. Allah intends every facility for you he does not want to put you through difficulties. Ramadam’s origin lies in the time of Muhammad. He taught his followers that the fast was important because it was a sign that they had submitted to Allah.
Many people believe that fasting is not recommended. That is a false notion to many because they believe that fasting will affect the concentration of a person when one is hungry. This might be true at the beginning but in long run it does not. It has been proven that those people who adopt a serious program of fasting improve their attention, concentration span, focusness and alertness.
The proper method and strictness of Ekadasi fast is difficult to follow in modern times. Devotees observe a full day fast on Ekadashi day. They pray to Lord Vishnu, chant mantras and Krishna songs. In various temples special gatherings are organized where lectures are held on Bhagwat Gita .It is believed that chanting and fasting together forms a protection layer around devotee’s body.
Whereas, Frenkiel’s younger brother Chaim explained to reporters why he did not fast this year. “If I decided to fast this year that would mean thanking God for putting me through this hell”, he describes, “and honestly
During the month of “Nissan”, or the month in which Passover is to occur, on the tenth day each person must take a lamb from his or her home. They have to keep it until the fourteenth of that month and then must eat it in a hurry because it is the Passover Sacrifice. Then once they do that they must eat bread for seven days than on the next day they have to clear out yeast from their houses. Although today religions don’t exactly practice it in this way. For instance, Christians we experience Passover every spring, where we are essentially suppose to pray and fast for forty days.
Forgiveness is empathy. I believe it means, putting ones self in the position of the other person, and wiping away any sort of resentment and antagonism we feel toward them. Forgiveness is a journey to freedom. Forgiveness works directly on the emotion of anger, resentment, hostility, and hatred by diminishing its intensity or level within the mind and heart. Only the one who is wronged can forgive.
“For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.”(Matthew 6:14-15, NIV) Husain Haddawy’s The Arabian Nights discusses many situations in which individuals learn to forgive others for the wrong that they have done against them. The Bible refers to the idea of forgiveness as an act not only for the person that has wronged you but for yourself; in order to grow, we have to forgive because if we do not, God will not forgive us. Haddawy’s literary work emphasizes the importance of forgiveness through the stories relating to the Demon and King Shahrayar.
Forgiveness is freedom. There is a key that opens the door to healing, happiness and peace, that key is forgiveness. Forgiveness starts from you and it is the greatest gift you can give yourself. Forgiveness of both self and others is the most powerful tool we have, and it is readily attainable to all of us .Take a step of creating a kinder humanity by forgiving someone in your life. If you are convinced and ready to forgive, you may be wondering where to start. My suggestion is to start small by letting go of the grudges, bitterness and anger.
Asking to forgive is often considered as hard words and it rarely comes out from anybody’s mouth. However, when said, it gets harder to ignore the same. In our lifetime we have been on both the sides. We might have asked somebody to forgive or somebody could have asked us to forgive them. However, the emotional concern often results from unforgiveness. When you do not forgive a person or if somebody does not forgive you, it often leads to bitterness, resentment, hated and anger. Many families often develop depression as well as social behavioral problems due to hatred and anger. In a few cases it has led to serious issues like murder.
In Islam, Ramadan is a month of fasting, prayer, and contemplation. It is the ninth and holiest month of the Islamic year (Ramadan). It is believed that Ramadan is when the Holy Qur’an “was sent down from heaven, a guidance unto men, a declaration of direction, and a means of Salvation” (Fasting in Islam). Muslims take this time to concentrate on their faith. During Ramadan, Muslims are not supposed to eat or drink from sunrise to sunset and steer clear of wrongful thoughts and behaviors. Ramadan celebrates the guiding light in the Qur’an that protects humans from evil and vice and leads them towards good and virtue (The Spirit and Ramadan).