Posted by
BLOGASSAULT on Saturday, February 23, 2008 11:17:52 AM
The Church of England is telling its parishoners rather than fasting in the traditional way, which is Jesus instructed us to do, they should instead reduce their
carbon footprint for Lent.
Bishops Richard Chartres of
London and
James Jones of
Liverpool recently partnered with the
U.K.-based nonprofit organization Tearfund (Jones is a vice president) to promote a Lenten "carbon fast," a plan that prescribes a household energy-saving tip for each of the period's 40 days. Carbon-cutting reflects the Christian value of caring for the poor, the logic goes, because coastal and drought-prone third-world regions are disproportionately affected by global warming.
The logic behind this sounds more like environmental activism, and replacement of GOD's word. If you go to
Catholic Online, or simply read your bible, it's clear that Christ told us to fast. And that means not eating, praying, and turning your mind towards GOD. Things GOD told us to do that will effect change. Turning your thermostat down for Lent may make you feel good, but it will do nothing for the poor and needy.
Here is a qoute from a catholic saint about what Lent is supposed to mean.
"Fasting is directed to two things, the deletion of sin, and the raising of the mind to heavenly things. Wherefore fasting ought to be appointed specially for those times, when it behooves man to be cleansed from sin, and the minds of the faithful to be raised to God by devotion: and these things are particularly requisite before the feast of Easter." - St. Thomas Aquinas ("Summa Theologica" 13th century A.D.)
GOD askes that we turn our mind towards Him, not the environment. GOD help us.