ANSWERS: 8
  • help out the needy, strengthen the weak, give hope to the hopeless, defend the defenseless. Isaiah 58:5-7 "Is it such a fast that I have chosen? a day for a man to afflict his soul? is it to bow down his head as a bulrush, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him? wilt thou call this a fast, and an acceptable day to the LORD? Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke? Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh?"
  • In Judaism, on certain fast days, one abstains from other things besides eating so completing the "fast" includes not doing things beyond just not having food. In the English language, though, one could use the word "fast" to mean "to abstain from something". This site (though Christian) discussed a deeper meaning of fasting http://www.allaboutgod.com/christian-fasting.htm . This site uses the word outside of the religious context to refer to other abstentions http://www.melanniesvobodasnd.org/fasting-from-other-things-besides-food/
  • If you want to use strictly defined meanings of the English language as opposed those that are accepting of a more liberal belief that language is ever changing -- and as long as the context / usage is understood then it is thought to proper -- that is a whole different can of worms. There are numerous words that are regionally understood, words whose meaning that can change by voice modulation, words that with specialized meanings by age group or vocation. If a smoker refuses a smoke by saying "I'm on a fast," would you understand the intent? Note -- I am not advocating for either position -- just saying they exist.
  • "Fasting" relates only to food...nothing else... To ' fast' in relation to charity is to give very little. As implied by rooruu.
  • 9-5-2017 As usual, people mouth the words with no particular idea of what they are saying or what it is supposed to accomplish. When you want to talk about something in the bible, most of the time you can look up the first use of the word to get a definition. But you get no such definition for "fast", although the word is used plenty. It drags on until Isaiah chapter 58 where God devotes a paragraph to ripping the Jews because they think fasting is some sort of magical ceremony that will obligate God to do something for them. The answer is not to learn how to fast, it is to study God's word so you know the information God put there for that purpose.
  • Hmm! Cheat like Muslims in Ramadan - no eating in daylight, pig out at night!
  • Hmm! Cheat like Muslims in Ramadan - no eating in daylight, pig out at night!
  • not sure

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