Differences Between Fasting, Diet, and Vegetarianism: Metropolitan Amfilohije Warned What We Lose by Choosing Trends Over Spiritual and Bodily Abstinence
The teaching of the guardian of the Ark of Saint Basil of Ostrog vividly shows why selective fasting leads to spiritual "drowning" and reminds us that faith requires consistency from beginning to end.
TL;DR
- Fasting, like faith, has existed across all times and religions.
- In Christianity, fasting is an intrinsic part of its ethics and the foundation of human transformation.
- Modern interpretations of fasting as vegetarianism or diets often overlook its deeper spiritual significance.
- Vegetarianism's religious roots lie in the reverence for life, while diets prioritize physical health.
- The reduction in the significance of fasting has led to an increase in vegetarianism and the need for diets.
- Christian fasting addresses not only physical health but the entirety of the human being, including spiritual well-being.
- The attitude towards food reflects one's stance on oneself and the meaning of life.
- Modern medicine acknowledges the deep connection between mental and physical health, a concept the Church has long understood through fasting.
- The first commandment in Paradise was about food, emphasizing the proper use of creation and human freedom.
- True fasting involves abstaining from evil, controlling the tongue, anger, lust, gossip, and lies, engaging the whole person.