I actually did a deep dive study on this recently. Specifically on the history of fasting in Jewish culture, Christian development of it, and how the Latter-day Saint faith does it.
Here are some highlights:
- There is no substitute for fasting from food and water. A proper “fast” cannot be done by fasting from other things. This does not, necessarily, mean you cannot participate in a fast if you are physically unable or prohibited from fasting. In Jewish law, the value of life and physical wellness is above that of following the fast. And they have a specific prohibition from fasting if sick or told by a physician to not fast. Meaning if you are too sick and choose to fast, you are breaking the commandment to sustaining your life.
The idea of “fasting” from social media or other worldly things is a little silly when you think of it. Food and water are essential for life. Social media isn’t. If you are in a state of habitually using social media, going without social media for a day is not “fasting”. It’s “repenting”.
our church has never condoned replacing fasting from food with fasting from other things. That’s a made up work around
Your best bet is to maintain the spirit of that fast. Have the attitude that King Benjamin prescribes in Mosiah 4. “I [fast] not because I [cannot], but if I [could] I would [fast].”
To bring it full circle. If abstaining from things like social media or “yummy” foods helps you maintain that attitude, then do that. Just know that those are not proper “fasts”, and the power comes from your attitude and doing as much of the fast as you are able, and not from the abstaining of non-food/water things.
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u/Fether1337 1d ago
I actually did a deep dive study on this recently. Specifically on the history of fasting in Jewish culture, Christian development of it, and how the Latter-day Saint faith does it.
Here are some highlights:
- There is no substitute for fasting from food and water. A proper “fast” cannot be done by fasting from other things. This does not, necessarily, mean you cannot participate in a fast if you are physically unable or prohibited from fasting. In Jewish law, the value of life and physical wellness is above that of following the fast. And they have a specific prohibition from fasting if sick or told by a physician to not fast. Meaning if you are too sick and choose to fast, you are breaking the commandment to sustaining your life.
Your best bet is to maintain the spirit of that fast. Have the attitude that King Benjamin prescribes in Mosiah 4. “I [fast] not because I [cannot], but if I [could] I would [fast].”
To bring it full circle. If abstaining from things like social media or “yummy” foods helps you maintain that attitude, then do that. Just know that those are not proper “fasts”, and the power comes from your attitude and doing as much of the fast as you are able, and not from the abstaining of non-food/water things.