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Author Topic: Ostentatious fasting.  (Read 1354 times)

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Offline Raoul76

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Ostentatious fasting.
« on: January 10, 2010, 10:06:14 PM »
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    • I have a question about fasting.

    Christ says that when we fast, we shouldn't moan and groan and carry on and make a big spectacle about it.  Those who do "have already had their reward," meaning as we know that their reward is being seen by others as holy men.  

    But then you have all these saints who did exactly what Christ warned against, especially the extreme ascetics of the early Church.  Who is the saint that stood on some kind of platform his entire life, exposed to the elements?  The irreligious surrealist ( that's a tautology ) Bunuel made a film loosely based on it --

    Simon of the Desert

    Heck, John the Baptist was an ostentatious faster if there ever was one.  He ate bugs.  Does someone know how this apparent contradiction can be reconciled?

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    Readers: Please IGNORE all my postings here. I was a recent convert and fell into errors, even heresy for which hopefully my ignorance excuses. These include rejecting the "rhythm method," rejecting the idea of "implicit faith," and being brieflfy quasi-Jansenist. I also posted occasions of sins and links to occasions of sin, not understanding the concept much at the time, so do not follow my links.

    Offline littlerose

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    Ostentatious fasting.
    « Reply #1 on: January 10, 2010, 10:11:37 PM »
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    • Eating bugs does not make John the Baptist ostentatious.

    Have you ever put a crawdad down next to a palmetto bug or a locust and looked at it?

     :ready-to-eat:

    John the Baptist was the first Cajun

     
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    Offline Dulcamara

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    Ostentatious fasting.
    « Reply #2 on: January 10, 2010, 10:14:24 PM »
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    • Wasn't he in the desert anyhow? What else is there to live on out there?  :scratchchin:
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    I renounce any and all of my former views against what the Church through Pope Leo XIII said, "This, then, is the teaching of the Catholic Church ...no one of the several forms of government is in itself condemned, inasmuch as none of them contains anythi

    Offline littlerose

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    Ostentatious fasting.
    « Reply #3 on: January 10, 2010, 10:18:56 PM »
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    • The Bible says "locusts and honey".  If they were big ones, he probably skewered them along with some wild onions and coated them with honey and then roasted them, shishkabob-style and it was probably pretty good.

    Anthony Bourdain would've given him four stars.
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    Offline Raoul76

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    Ostentatious fasting.
    « Reply #4 on: January 10, 2010, 10:44:10 PM »
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    • He had followers, John the Baptist, didn't he?  Maybe some of them loaded up on trail mix before they joined his party.

    We have become so soft.  I am almost tempted to walk out of my house and live as a homeless.  I may actually do it too, such is my impulsive streak.  

    It doesn't frighten me, at least not as much as hell or purgatory.  The weather is warm and I'm sure I'd have great success as a street preacher, although my inability to grow a beard is a handicap.  I'll never have that wild and woolly look.

    Maybe I'm onto something... Bring back Desert Asceticism!  Los Angeles is the desert!

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    Readers: Please IGNORE all my postings here. I was a recent convert and fell into errors, even heresy for which hopefully my ignorance excuses. These include rejecting the "rhythm method," rejecting the idea of "implicit faith," and being brieflfy quasi-Jansenist. I also posted occasions of sins and links to occasions of sin, not understanding the concept much at the time, so do not follow my links.

    Offline Alex

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    Ostentatious fasting.
    « Reply #5 on: January 13, 2010, 03:48:52 AM »
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    • Quote from: Raoul76
    I have a question about fasting.

    Christ says that when we fast, we shouldn't moan and groan and carry on and make a big spectacle about it.  Those who do "have already had their reward," meaning as we know that their reward is being seen by others as holy men.  

    But then you have all these saints who did exactly what Christ warned against, especially the extreme ascetics of the early Church.  Who is the saint that stood on some kind of platform his entire life, exposed to the elements?  The irreligious surrealist ( that's a tautology ) Bunuel made a film loosely based on it --

    Simon of the Desert

    Heck, John the Baptist was an ostentatious faster if there ever was one.  He ate bugs.  Does someone know how this apparent contradiction can be reconciled?



    Christ meant that they shouldn't show off about it and have prideful feelings doing it (such as thinking they are holier than everyone else because of their fasting). The saints you mention weren't showing off. One of the reasons they actually went to the desert was to be away from people. They wanted to keep their mortifications and fastings hidden. But word always somehow gets around about a holy person and so their life ended up becoming public.
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    Offline Raoul76

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    Ostentatious fasting.
    « Reply #6 on: January 13, 2010, 03:56:17 AM »
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    • Standing on a big rickety platform your whole life is not drawing attention to yourself?  How would he EAT without drawing attention to himself?  Catch flies with his tongue?

    I always assumed someone who did this had a special inspiration from God, that in certain cases someone can make an example out of themselves.  Or God makes an example out of them.

    Another difference might be that instead of moaning and groaning, like the Pharisees who fasted, these saints were radiant and content despite their ascetic lives.  They were not trying to show people how much they were suffering, and they did not consider what they were going through suffering.  They only wanted to show how it was possible to live with nothing but the love of God.

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    Readers: Please IGNORE all my postings here. I was a recent convert and fell into errors, even heresy for which hopefully my ignorance excuses. These include rejecting the "rhythm method," rejecting the idea of "implicit faith," and being brieflfy quasi-Jansenist. I also posted occasions of sins and links to occasions of sin, not understanding the concept much at the time, so do not follow my links.

    Offline Raoul76

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    Ostentatious fasting.
    « Reply #7 on: January 13, 2010, 04:02:00 AM »
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    Readers: Please IGNORE all my postings here. I was a recent convert and fell into errors, even heresy for which hopefully my ignorance excuses. These include rejecting the "rhythm method," rejecting the idea of "implicit faith," and being brieflfy quasi-Jansenist. I also posted occasions of sins and links to occasions of sin, not understanding the concept much at the time, so do not follow my links.

    Offline CM

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    Ostentatious fasting.
    « Reply #8 on: January 13, 2010, 04:05:58 AM »
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    • Blessed Jean Vianney was, as far as I can see, a true and humble ascetic.

    Simon of the Desert?  Show me one Catholic writing wherein he is mentioned.
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    Offline Raoul76

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    Ostentatious fasting.
    « Reply #9 on: January 13, 2010, 04:09:21 AM »
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    Readers: Please IGNORE all my postings here. I was a recent convert and fell into errors, even heresy for which hopefully my ignorance excuses. These include rejecting the "rhythm method," rejecting the idea of "implicit faith," and being brieflfy quasi-Jansenist. I also posted occasions of sins and links to occasions of sin, not understanding the concept much at the time, so do not follow my links.

    Offline Alex

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    Ostentatious fasting.
    « Reply #10 on: January 13, 2010, 04:13:46 AM »
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    • Quote from: CM


    Simon of the Desert?  Show me one Catholic writing wherein he is mentioned.


    http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/13795a.htm
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    Offline Raoul76

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    Ostentatious fasting.
    « Reply #11 on: January 13, 2010, 04:16:27 AM »
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    • I think he's only a saint of the Orthodox Church though he was Catholic.
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    Readers: Please IGNORE all my postings here. I was a recent convert and fell into errors, even heresy for which hopefully my ignorance excuses. These include rejecting the "rhythm method," rejecting the idea of "implicit faith," and being brieflfy quasi-Jansenist. I also posted occasions of sins and links to occasions of sin, not understanding the concept much at the time, so do not follow my links.

    Offline CM

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    Ostentatious fasting.
    « Reply #12 on: January 13, 2010, 04:49:57 AM »
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    • Wow.  Thank you.  I have to agree it seems prideful, but the Catholic Church recognizes him as an early Church Saint (as your link showed Mike).
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    Offline Alex

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    Ostentatious fasting.
    « Reply #13 on: January 13, 2010, 06:41:41 AM »
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    • Quote from: Raoul76
    I think he's only a saint of the Orthodox Church though he was Catholic.


    No. He's considered a saint in the Catholic Church too. That is why he is called "St. Simeon of the Stylites.
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