On Wed, 24 Aug 2016 11:36:52 +0100, "NY" wrote:

"e27002 aurora" wrote in message
.. .
Usually it is also a liquid fast. But, it is only 24 hours.

"Only" 24 hours? I'd find it very difficult to go without a glass of water
(or a cup of coffee or some sort of liquid) every couple of hours.

Going without food you can last a bit longer, though on the few occasions
I've had to fast before an operation I've been *ravenous* by the time I'm
taken to theatre and my throat has been so parched it's sore. At least some
hospitals will allow you to swill out your mouth with water during the
fasting period as long as you promise not to swallow (!).

As someone for whom religion (in the sense of worship, praise, belief and
following rituals) means nothing, I can't see the motivation for doing
anything that is unpleasant simply to conform to a religious rule.

In doing, one understands. Peoples have holidays, high days,
commemorations which unite them and remind them of who they are. To
take one example, Tisha B'av (9th day of the month Av) is a day of
mourning. Jewish people remember the destruction of the Temple,
Jerusalem and being scattered among the nations.

Those United States have holidays like July 4 and Thanksgiving which
remind Americans of their history and cement our unity.

The components of the United Kingdom similarly have high days and
holidays which reminds its peoples of their history and cement them as
communities. e.g. Scottish Hogmanay, English Guy Fawkes night, etc.