Fasting - act of faith

[Guest guest]

Elchanan, I see what you trying to convey, but I do not concur

with this definition of " faith " as it relates to the function of fasting.

An " act of trusting " (whatever that is) may simply be regarded as

an instinct as concerns fasting. Instinct and faith are not the same

" animals, " regardless of the attempt to make them the same.

 

Main Entry: 1in·stinct

Pronunciation: 'in- " sti[ng](k)t

Function: noun

Etymology: Middle English, from Latin instinctus impulse, from instinguere to

incite; akin to Latin instigare to instigate

1 : a natural or inherent aptitude, impulse, or capacity <had an instinct for

the right word>

2 a : a largely inheritable and unalterable tendency of an organism to make a

complex and specific response to environmental stimuli without involving reason

b : behavior that is mediated by reactions below the conscious level

 

Main Entry: 1faith

Pronunciation: 'fAth

Function: noun

Inflected Form(s): plural faiths /'fAths, sometimes 'fA[th]z/

Etymology: Middle English feith, from Old French feid, foi, from Latin fides;

akin to Latin fidere to trust -- more at BIDE

1 a : allegiance to duty or a person : LOYALTY b (1) : fidelity to one's

promises (2) : sincerity of intentions

2 a (1) : belief and trust in and loyalty to God (2) : belief in the traditional

doctrines of a religion b (1) : firm belief in something for which there is no

proof (2) : complete trust

3 : something that is believed especially with strong conviction; especially : a

system of religious beliefs

 

 

Faith and trust are human constructs, and not necessarily " animal " constructs.

It could

be that the reason " animals " don't " question everything " is that faith and trust

don't

factor into their behavior. One can format reasoning (and laminate it

to all available surfaces) in order to preserve and afix one's belief that

fasting

is " an act of faith, " but that does not make it true. Suggesting that faith

and instinct are the same, which you seem to be advocating, smacks of

overarching

rhetoric.

 

It seems to me that the hubris with which you convey your ideas borders on

absolutism.

Are we attempting, in this forum, to transcend ignorance via cooperation? ...or

are we simply

supplanting one paradigm with a " new & improved " paradigm ala Elchanan?

 

This may seem like a contentious reply, however, I am not forgetful of the fact

that humans are " animals " too, and have instincts, as well as faiths.

 

swaraj,

 

tev

 

" INFO @ Vibrant Life " <VLinfo wrote:

tev treowlufu Tuesday, June 07, 2005 3:47 PM Re: [Raw

Food] Water fasting was-- Re: Pleasure Trap

 

That was an excellent commentary on fasting, but surely

you aren't going dogmatize fasting with this concept below.

Animals fast, and it has nothing to do with " an act of faith. "

The bodies' of animals function in " fasting " mode to accomplish

the task of restoration.

 

For many humans, fasting may be utterly tied to " an act of faith, "

as you suggest; but I have discussed with others, on fasting forums,

of how they approach fasting much differently (many, as a discipline,

and not as an act of faith).

 

swaraj,

 

tev

_____

Tev,

 

I do not mean this in some " religious " sense, but any act of trusting is an

act of faith. The only difference is the level of consciousness of the

individual, whether animal or human, the level of awareness that an act of

trust and faith is indeed occurring. For animals, the trust or faith may be

intrinsic -- they simply don't question everything as we tend to do, and in

this sense, they may be more fully connected with their own instinct, their

own innate intelligence, than we are. We have the gift of conscious

awareness, which implies the opportunity to disconnect from our gift.

 

Elchanan

 

 

 

 

 

The experience of dynamic religious living transforms the mediocre individual

into a personality of idealistic power. Religion ministers to the progress of

all through fostering the progress of each individual, and the progress of each

is augmented through the achievement of all. [The Urantia Book: 1094:1]

 

 

 

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