Advice on fasting

[fakename]

I'm fasting for the end of the "Obamanation" of forced payment for contraception.


But there could be certain situations where this would present a minor inconvenience to my health: Let's just say that I'm gluten-sensitive (maybe celiac) and given my present living arrangements, I have to keep a lot of stuff clean and uncontaminated and I have a low margin for error. Fasting makes things a little more complicated but a little more complication, has high marginal disutility -it increases the chance of cross-contamination; it's a whole complex thing and may have rather dangerous health effects (but with an emphasis on may).

Yet I call the inconvenience minor both because I could circumvent it (with however, more efforts) and because the chances of the health danger striking, though certainly increased, is still low.

Now there are ways I could get around this but I'm just asking if you think that I should limit or stop my fasting for the "minor health inconvenience" problem?

-thanks

[Anathama Sit]

Greetings Fakename,

My first bit of counsel, get the advice and approval of a Spiritual Director. Share with them your concerns. Perhaps there is another way that you could fast from something other than food.

God Bless,
Anathama Sit

[thistle]

Originally Posted by fakename

I'm fasting for the end of the "Obamanation" of forced payment for contraception.


But there could be certain situations where this would present a minor inconvenience to my health: Let's just say that I'm gluten-sensitive (maybe celiac) and given my present living arrangements, I have to keep a lot of stuff clean and uncontaminated and I have a low margin for error. Fasting makes things a little more complicated but a little more complication, has high marginal disutility -it increases the chance of cross-contamination; it's a whole complex thing and may have rather dangerous health effects (but with an emphasis on may).

Yet I call the inconvenience minor both because I could circumvent it (with however, more efforts) and because the chances of the health danger striking, though certainly increased, is still low.

Now there are ways I could get around this but I'm just asking if you think that I should limit or stop my fasting for the "minor health inconvenience" problem?

-thanks

In the first place Catholics are only required to fast two days a year which are Ash Wednesday and Good Friday and that fasting entails eating one normal meal and two small meals which together should not be more than a normal meal.

All other fasting is voluntary and you can stop it any time you want. You do not need a medical reason to stop it.

[Joe 5859]

If you're aiming for a long-term, regimented fasting plan, you really need the counsel of a spiritual director and a doctor before you undertake such a venture. We cannot give you medical advice.

[fakename]

Greetings Fakename,

My first bit of counsel, get the advice and approval of a Spiritual Director. Share with them your concerns. Perhaps there is another way that you could fast from something other than food.

God Bless,
Anathama Sit

is it morally necessary to get the advice of a spiritual director, because it is obvious to me that I can fast from other things if needs be.

[in_servitude]

How about you pray to God to carry the burdens of those that are fighting for religious freedom? You can make a commitment to God, through prayer, that you will take whatever burden (spiritual, emotional, whatever) that He decides.

I've done this in the past, and my experience is that God has no problem using your gift. I just wouldn't do this carelessly.

The benefit of this is that God knows what you can handle, and will not crush you.

God Bless

[hazmat]

pretty sure your fasting wont have any impact on the obamanation. maybe you should join a protest or do something a little more politically involved instead.

[fred conty]

Originally Posted by fakename

is it morally necessary to get the advice of a spiritual director, because it is obvious to me that I can fast from other things if needs be.

If it were me, I wouldn't take a chance on my health. The church also advises that anyone with health problems that fasting would agravate or endanger should chose some other method of mortification which would not have a health risk. Once upon a time when I was a smoker, that was much harder to give up than food. There are lots of other things we can do to deny ourselves.

Just a thought.