www.byzcath.org Forums General Discussions Town Hall record 22C temperatures in the Arctic & rain at the North Pole

Hi Everybody,

Here is more imperative evidence of global warming, this time from the Arctic, as reported by the British newspaper "The Independent." A heatwave took place this summer in the Canadian Arctic, where the temperature was 71.6 degrees Fahrenheit (22 degrees Celsius). Other scientists reported similar dramatic warming and resulting melting of Arctic ice. One scientist reported observing *rain* at the North Pole.

-- John

Your point being?
Stephanos I

Maybe that it's stuffy in here today?

That global warming is real, that it is happening at an accelerated pace, and that urgent action is required now to respond to it.

-- John

But that does not mean that it is unprecedented or unnatural. The climate in the Northern Hemisphere was significantly warmer when Leif Eriksson founded a settlement on Greenland than now. Were there cars or globalization to blame?

The earth is warming. What gave us the idea that temperatures were in stasis? (If it's such a shock that it changes, that seems to be an underlining assumption.)

Terry

Their were some amazing climatic conditions during the Medieval Warm Period 800 to 1300 that would have provided enough material for Al Gore to write 10 books. Climatic change is nothing new however. With that being said, I'm all for cleaning up our lakes, rivers, forests etc and creating a healthier environment, but I want no part whatsoever of any global initiatives.

It. Is. Happening. Now.

The surface of the earth is heating up . . . as evidenced in various places. 71 degrees Fahrenheit in Arctic Canada is just the most recent, dramatic example! The increase in global heat is a fact: regardless of cause or even ideology.

And it will have consequences.

The increase in global heat, in turn, releases liquid water into the oceans and it releases methane and carbon dioxide into the atmosphere (both of which were previously locked in the frozen places of the world). Those materials, in turn, absorb and hold more heat from sunshine and other sources. That extra heat, in turn, melts more of the Arctic -- in Canada, Alaska, Siberia and so on.

One result will be --and already is in some places-- rising sea levels. The result of higher sea levels will be flooded lowlands and costal cities. That will not just be from the higher sea levels. That increased flooding will also come from the extra damage that will be possible from storms produced by and pushing that extra water onshore.

Meanwhile, another result will be changing patterns of rainfall and temperature. They are already changing in some places (like the Rocky Mountains and the South in the U.S.). This will impact agriculture and human populations. For food and for thirst, water could replace petroleum as the liquid gold that people fight over.

Etc.

The time is past for snickering.

The time is come (and is already late) for people to really think this through. We need to build better levees around the cities that are economically worth saving. We need to replan agriculture, transportation systems, and overall economics. We need to pray and fast. And, yes, we even need to examine ruthlessly how our patterns of living might be contributing to this . . . and how it could correct it. For example, simply planting mangrove forests in costal regions (including costal desert regions, such has already been done in Eritrea) can remove carbon from the atmosphere . . . because mangrove trees get the carbon which they use to build themselves from the air, and they are capable of living in salt water as well as fresh water. That is a small thing, but small things can add up to big effects. And so on. We have got to think this through in terms of how we are going to deal with it.

Everything climactic (and thus economic, and thus human) is going to change, remarkably, over the next 50 years. And this recent set of studies shows that the change is happening a lot faster and lot more powerfully than most people anticipated. As Christians, we are supposed to keep the commandment to take care of the earth as a garden. So, we have got to take some of the enormous energy and attention and resources that we spend on other issues and devote some it into getting ready to deal with climate change.

-- John

Lawrence,

I am in full agreement with you here. The problem I have with the debate as it's framed in the media and by politicians, is that it can fit too well into the rhetoric of class warfare. I suspect that since the fall of the USSR, the intellectuals who supported Marxism, or neo-Marxists, shaped their arguments to the times and began to focus on globalization, rainforests/ozone/climate change (the debate has shifted in the last two decades), and with economic justice in general.

Behind many of the initiatives to "stop global warming" are ideas which root in class warfare and economic justice; America is portrayed as an imperialist and polluting countries like India, China, and Russia are dismissed.

An economic wealthy nation is going to be cleaner and less wasteful than a third world or second tier national economy. They have the economic flexibility to put aside money to the environment. Poor countries do not have that flexibility, nor the level of luxury to be so free with state capital.

Terry

And you know what your right it is happening NOW just as it Happened THEN without any part of humans!
And if Our Lord God and Savior Jesus Christ doesnt return in all His glory, it will happen again in the future.
Stephanos I
Stop, dont worry! I suggest you read the procedings and find of the Pontifical Academy of Science. They suggest that humanity's impact on global warming is minimal. Don't be high jacked by the agenda driven alarmist.Many of which are new agers with an unscriputal and unchristian views of creation.
That being said, do you think I believe that Christians should be good stewards of God's creation? Most definitely.

I don't think that people are concerned because the earth is heating up...they're not idiots; no one thinks the earth's temperatures have always been "in stasis" as Terry puts it.

The difference between now and other times is that it is happening at a much faster rate than ever before. What usually takes decades or centuries has been accomplished within a mere few years in regards to temperature change.

And we KNOW that greenhouse gases and human pollution ARE part of the reason why the planet's heating up so fast. That is UNDENIABLE. Even if the earth's supposed to heat up, all indications are that it's not supposed to happen anywhere close to the rate it is right now, and the fact that humans are accelerating it at an alarmingly dangerous rate is FACT.

Any time that humans start wielding such a big influence on the temperatue and environment, we should be very worried. It is NOT natural, it is NOT the course the earth would have taken, warming up or not, had we not had a hand in it.

And frankly the fact that so many here seem to flippantly dismiss it out of hand as no big deal is absolutely repulsive, and if you live on the seaboard and your homes and everything you love flood in the next few decades, I won't blame the people who scoff at you and say, "I told you so."

Alexis

It's not that no one thinks such explicitly, but the shock to change begs that question.

I would be moved by scientific opinion if the climate models offered as evidence took into account world precipitation levels to the drop. Until we have that level of understanding there is no way to accurately project a world climate model 100 years into the future.

The arguments offered to the general public by political scientists are too rigidly rooted in false premises to be knowable as objective fact.

Emissions affect air quality. But do our emissions affect world climate as severely as claimed?


"And we KNOW that greenhouse gases and human pollution ARE part of the reason why the planet's heating up so fast. That is UNDENIABLE."

How do we know this?

How can we prove that it is happening much faster than before when our records only go back several hundred years in the best of cases?

That's a good question. I think they try to find evidence outside of the human record. The changing of the level of the dead sea to indicate a recent increase of evaporation levels and tree rings to point to dry/wet periods are some of the examples I've heard. There is other support given to the inference that this warming period is unprecedented. But to claim that it's unprecedented and 'our fault' is an arrogant attitude for a scientist to take.

But with billions of dollars appropriated by grants in support of climage research related to "Global Warming" and its effects, it may be some time before peer reviewed literature out of line with the assumptions will be broadly noticed.

There are apparently many and sundry ways to ascertain the rate at which climate has changed in the Earth's past outside of humans sitting and writing down their firsthand experiences of it.

Alexis

A fair question. I'm not a scientist, so I won't comment except to say that most of the world's scientists seem to have concluded that there is a strong correlation between air pollution and global warming. Maybe they are all wrong; I don't know.

But even if man's activities have nothing to do with global warming, global warming is happening now. And there will be consequences. And therefore, I think that we need to think it through and prepare: just like we would for any other kind of threat from nature.

-- John

Actually the rapidity that the warm up happens in is relatively short, the last time the warm up and subsequent Little Ice Age took only 20 years.
Stephanos I

As you guys fight it out on the issue of whether or not global warming is a natural cyclical phenomena (which I support) or that it is man-made (or aggressively accellerated by man), I would ask you to take a look at this particular meteorologist's blog:

http://www.norcalblogs.com/watts/weather_stations/

Basically, it gives creedence to "Urban Heat Island" effect that we do have in some metro areas. But more importantly, it goes on to talk about how our weather data collection instruments of record are not giving us an accurate picture of what's going on weather-wise due to their improper installation.

Scroll around the site... read some of the comments. I promise you will find it interesting.

The real question is what is anybody really, practically, going to to about it?

Are you going to live in a cave and lick the lichens off of the walls? That's the only way you're going to have Zero Impact on the environment.

That was a rhetorical you and not pointed at anybody here.

But we can minimize impact. Not that I'm a shining example, I drive a big German SUV...but kudos to those who put their money where their mouth is.

Alexis

Maybe if we all stop using a lot of incensing in our Churches, then Global Warming will go back to it's normal pace?

SPDundas
Deaf Byzantine

I go to to Alaska for work several times a year. It's clear that the temperatures in both Fairbanks as well as Anchorage are waaaaay warmer than they used to be. It's having a major impact on the native people who rely upon subsistance hunting and fishing for their survival. Even our Russian Orthodox priest friends are in deep trouble since they are not able to do what they need to do to survive. (www.dioceseofalaska.org [dioceseofalaska.org])

Both His All-Holiness Bartholomew and His Holiness Benedict have been calling for a world-wide focus on man's choices that are doing potential harm to our earth.

While wood and coal fired stoves/furnaces provided heat and cooking for 19th and early 20th century people, there are now so many more people on earth that our impact is going to be significantly greater. And, as God's anointed stewards of His creation, we can't just ignore our responsiblity for its care, and all its animals, plants and it elements. Just as killing another human being desecrates God's creation, ignoring the earth that nourishes us is a parallel sin. We spit in the Creator's face when we desecrate His creation. Profiteers do it with impunity; Christians shouldn't even think about doing so.

Holy Father Francis of Assisi, pray for us and bring us your graces!

Blessings!

Dr John

Actually maybe if we started to slaughter all the cows and elk and moose, we chould have a very big impact on global warming.
One of these animals product as much carbon as a flight from Los Angeles to the Phillippines.
Stephanos I
Lets start a bumper sticker campain, "Spare the Earth, kill a cow."

I have a Kansas friend who attributes the 'hole in the ozone layer' to cow farts. Actually, it seems to make sense with the methane emissions. So, I guess we should emulate the Cistercians and the Camaldolese in avoiding meat.

But this is just a red herring.

The real question, as acknowledged by Pope B-16 and Bartholomew, is what are we doing as part of God's creation, to be faithful stewards of the earth that has been given to us for our care?

If we just consume and ignore the realities of the earth's well-being, then we are like the stewards in the parable who bury the talent. We aren't making any benefit from what has been given to us. (And the benefit is OURS and our childrens'!!)

There are many opportunities to both respect and enhance the creation that has been given to our care. It's a sin to just ignore it and hope that things will be hunky-dory in the future.

Blessings!!

Dr John

Actually, if all Eastern Christians actually kept the fasts it would make a huge difference. If all Eastern Christians fasted from meat, fish and dairy on all Wednesdays, Fridays, and the other appointed times-- it would have a serious impact in reducing the demand for meat and fish. That, in turn, would reduce the pressure for transforming forests into ranches and fish ponds. The forests, in turn, would be able to continue what the planet needs them to do: removing carbon dioxide from the air and replace it with oxygen. And that, in turn, would slow global warming. Combined with other measures, it could help reverse global warming. All this is possible: from fasting . . . when and how we are supposed to be doing so.



I agree with you that Christians are supposed to be good stewards of the earth. Fasting is one of the ways to do that and to inspire others too. Our happy fasting can and does inspire by our spiritual discipline, by our balance (fasting some days and not on others), and by our improved health, etc.



Well said. Hopefully, what follows is the beginning of a good answer.

A lot of stewardship of the planet is simply doing what we should be doing anyway as Christians . . .

-- "Thou shall not covet" means living a materially simple lifestyle. St. John Chrysostom preached on this too. It has a spiritual effect; it has a social effect (by freeing up resources to help the poor); and it also has a material effect. It reduces economic demand for manufactured products, and that reduces pressure on the environment especially by overproduction.

-- Fasting from meat, fish and dairy on the required days helps spiritually (discipline, detachment from pain), physically (better health), and environmentally (as discussed above).

-- Morality and compassion not only help us avoid hell; they also strengthen society and people's lives and thus reduce the need for artificial substitutes for happiness and wholeness, like materialism, gluttony, lust, greed, drugs and whatnot.

-- Revering nature as the creation of God and as filled with the Holy Spirit helps people stay focused on God and communing with God, directly and with each other. And that, in turn, inspires people to take care of the world and each other. As Fr. Alexander Schmemann observed in "For the Life of the World," when the Gospel is rightly understood, Christ is seen as redeeming all of creation for the life of the world, which was created by God to be a vehicle for communion with God.

Etc.

But, we don't do these things. Or, we don't do them consciously. Or, we don't do them systematically.

And so, we leave it to others --the Buddhists, the Taoists, the New Agers and so on -- to be doing what we should be doing . . . And then we look at the matter of global warming (or even spiritual living) as us versus them -- instead of seeing Christ in everyone and everything (and seeing everything and everyone in Christ) and responding accordingly.

Some of the Orthodox mystics understood this, the omnipresence of the Holy Spirit, like St. Seraphim of Sarov. There was also Fr. Amphilochios of Patmos (as recounted by Bishop Kallistos Ware) in the 20th century, who encouraged ecology, especially by planting trees, as an act of theosis. There was also Fr. Schmemann and his masterful work, "For the Life of the World." And so on.

God help us that we imitate them.

-- John

What if global warming was better? The last warming brought many acres of arable land which otherwise could not have grown any food. It seeded exploration and led to a burst of economy and the standards of living increased.

Global cooling would be far worse. The effects of the warming are ultimately unknown; it's also not absolutely certain that a warming of 1-2 degrees will lead to shifts in the ocean currents.

A poll of scientists does not transform scientific theory into scientific fact. There is enough peer reviewed literature that complicates the global warming narrative, so I remain skeptical at some of the claims.

Better for whom? It might be better for Canada and Siberia; those places would become fertile. It would be lousy for Florida, Louisiana, Bangladesh and other low costal areas (including metro Houston), which either may well be flooded.

I know your skeptical; so was I. But there comes a point (in my opinion) when the evidence is so abundant that we have to say: there is something happening here. And then we have to figure out a way to live with it and, God willing, even to fix it.

-- John

But it is in our nature to adapt. Too many people seem to despair over our future. That is what I react against the most.

Terry

A few things I want to address:


I don't think any reasonable people claim that the earth's temperatures don't rise at times, including now (although your OP story doesn't "prove" global warming in any way). What is disputed is whether the recent rise is unprecedented, and as harmful as some people claim.


Compared to what? I'm not a scientist, but every time I've heard temperature figures in the media, it is always a very small sampling (usually no further back than the 1930's at the most). The earth is millions of years old, and we only have a few years' data, yet we think we can come to absolute conclusions!?!?


This is my biggest concern. Modern history is full of cases of humanity trying to "fix" a "problem" of nature, only to make it worse. Whether it was the eugenics of the early 20th century, or the third-world aid programs of the late 20th century, we have a poor success rate for solving nature's problems. So I am afraid that our attempts to "fix" global warming will have unintended consequence far worse than we can recognize now.

If you would have carefully read my previous posts then you would have noticed that that was my point exactly!
Stephanos I

Going off on a slight tangent:

You know it is funny how the health benefits to us from abstaining from meat are like gifts from Heaven, yet we refuse to accept these gifts. At the time that Greeks in Greece were observing the fast, and were economically poor, it was found that they had the lowest incidences of heart disease almost anywhere in the world...thus giving rise to the famous 'Mediterranean diet'. Infact, in studies I have read, it is the Greek diet, specifically, which is the healthiest.

Unfortunately, today's Greek has bought into fast food, whether it is McDonald's or souvlaki, and many Greeks do not fast on Wed. and Friday anymore.. the benefits of their traditional (which still exists, ofcourse) delicious main courses of various tasty cooked vegetables or legume dishes in olive oil, tomato sauce and herbs, when eatern, are now often supplemented with meat on the side, and the incidence of heart disease is on the rise. The Greek feels that it is 'poor' to eat simply like this, and truthfully, I don't know many American men who wouldn't say, at seeing a plate (even if it were a huge plate) of cooked vegetables infront of them, and a loaf of healthy bread with salad and cheese on the side: "where's the beef"!?!?

Today I read a definitive study about the benefits of less meat in the prevention of breast cancer. The article was quick to point out that it is not ONLY the addition of more veggies and fruit to the diet, but the *elimination* of meat. The recommended weekly allowance of meat in both of these instances is three times a week....hmmmm...all one needs to do is follow the Eastern fasting rule (even in its relaxed state of simply abstaining from meat), and voila: incredible health benefits, as well as less demand on the environment as John pointed out!

Alice

You're a riot, SPDundas, on a bunch of different levels...

Alexis

This was the Scripture I opened to last night. I thought it interesting in light of all the global warming talk...

Wisdom 19:
6
For all creation, in its several kinds, was being made over anew, serving its natural laws, that your children might be preserved unharmed.
7
The cloud overshadowed their camp; and out of what had before been water, dry land was seen emerging: Out of the Red Sea an unimpeded road, and a grassy plain out of the mighty flood.
8
Over this crossed the whole nation sheltered by your hand, after they beheld stupendous wonders.
9
For they ranged about like horses, and bounded about like lambs, praising you, O LORD! their deliverer.
10
For they were still mindful of what had happened in their sojourn: how instead of the young of animals the land brought forth gnats, and instead of fishes the river swarmed with countless frogs.
11
And later they saw also a new kind of bird when, prompted by desire, they asked for pleasant foods;
12
For to appease them quail came to them from the sea.
13
5 And the punishments came upon the sinners only after forewarnings from the violence of the thunderbolts. For they justly suffered for their own misdeeds, since indeed they treated their guests with the more grievous hatred.
14
For those others did not receive unfamiliar visitors, but these were enslaving beneficent guests.
15
6 And not that only; but what punishment was to be theirs since they received strangers unwillingly!
16
Yet these, after welcoming them with festivities, oppressed with awful toils those who now shared with them the same rights.
17
And they were struck with blindness, as those others had been at the portals of the just- When, surrounded by yawning darkness, each sought the entrance of his own gate.
18
For the elements, in variable harmony among themselves, like strings of the harp, produce new melody, while the flow of music steadily persists. And this can be perceived exactly from a review of what took place.
19
For land creatures were changed into water creatures, and those that swam went over on to the land.
20
Fire in water maintained its own strength, and water forgot its quenching nature;
21
Flames, by contrast, neither consumed the flesh of the perishable animals that went about in them, nor melted the icelike, quick-melting kind of ambrosial food.
22
For every way, O LORD! you magnified and glorified your people; unfailing, you stood by them in every time and circumstance.

I'm afraid that if we all followed the Eastern Fast, that on Wednesdays and Fridays, us humans will out produce the cows and the other ruminates... what with all the extra beans, corn, and vegetables.

We have to remember that, at least according to what I saw on the History Channel, that the Earth went through a mini-Ice-Age from the 14th to the 19th centuries and we are now coming out of it in the last 150 years.

Now, the experts did say that the only reason that the mini-Ice-Age ended was the Industrial Revolution. I've also heard that the earth warmed up after the Romans started mining for silver, gold, and iron.

So, once again, how much are we really willing to sacrifice to stop global warming. Will we give up metal?

It seems that, at least the pundits that I see on TV, everyone wants everyone else to do something to end global warming. But no one is actually willing to do what it takes on their own.

I have to second the notion that we should follow the Fasts more closely, even if only for health reasons, which are many... except for the sea urchins and other bottom feeders!

I think it is a good idea to "minimize" our impact as much as possible.

Thus we can

1) drive smaller cars less often. Especially in the US we need to get over our "idea of freedom" that a car gives and work together.

2) Fasting sounds good

3) Plant tress, etc.

4) Be good stewards of our own land by planting trees and doing what we can.

Sure it might start off small, but the point is for each person to start making a little bit of a difference.

Soon though, the biggest carbon polluter will be China and there isn't much that we can do about them currently.

Today, October 5th, 2007, here in northwest Ohio, it is about 82 - 85 degrees Fahrenheit. The normal temperature this time of year is 20 degrees cooler.

On New Year's Eve 2006, I picked a blooming dandelion.

Thirty years ago, we used to have snow from later November through the beginning of March. The winters have been been getting milder and milder since then. For the last 6 years, we have been getting autumn-like temperatures and precipitation for most of the winter, expect of about 6 - 8 weeks of decent cold and snow.

The climate is changing where I live, as well as other places too.

-- John

Same here, John. It is a sticky 85 degrees here today. For the last three years, what I have noticed, atleast in New York, is that the seasons have shifted...summer starts later and lasts into early autumn, autumn lasted into January, and winter didn't take hold until February, etc...very strange, and it is affecting the colors and the vibrance of the autumn foliage which was always such a beautiful sight to behold in New England.

On the other hand, in Athens, they had the longest and hottest summer EVER, and that was very scary.

Their were so many 'heat waves' into the 110 degrees area (in the shade), that alot of us would joke and say, 'why don't they just give it up with the 'another heat wave is coming', and just call the whole summer 'one big heat wave'! LOL!

When summers were their norm, (and the word 'heat wave' didn't even exist in modern Greek vernacular), air conditioning was scarce, as Greeks don't particularly like it since the air is not humid there, but it is rather dry and fresh-- after the strong sun dropped, the evenings were delightful, so there was no need for it to sleep either.

This year, it was impossible to live without air conditioning all day and evening long. Something is definitely up with these climate changes.

Alice

I don't know how #1 could work in Houston, unless it is an ideal. It can work in some areas.

I drive about 350 miles a week to and from work alone. This week I'll probably put on 500 miles to the odometer.

#2, you're serious about that one?

#3 and 4 are good and quite managable. I used to clean up some of the growth on trees with my dad once in a while along a major road, trimming the trees and some weeding around them. (We had gotten together with other people to plant them.) The trees, now after 15 years or so, are quite stout.

It was about 90 here in Indy.

I'll grant anyone that it's hotter. But is it a normal cyclical thing or should we all live in a cave? I think the science is still out on that one.

And, who here can afford to really live in a way that doesn't impact the environment. Even burning wood to keep warm in the winter (for the Canadians) pollutes the atmosphere.

#2 might not be the greatest, but fasting has never hurt anyone (when it is done within reason)

As I said before, I'am pro-environment, even though I'm not convinced things are as bad as some people insist. I have no problem supporting our own initiatives, but I positively want no part of the Kyoto Protocol or any treaty that poses a threat to US soveignty.

But fasting (you mean not eating meat?) seems to be bound often with spiritual devotion, to what end would we fast if for the environment?

[I look forward to the day when I will live a less urban life.]

Terry,

Good question, sir ! (By the way, you are making good posts in general.) Hopefully, I can make some good replies.




I'm smiling as I read this because I remember my own initial shock at the fasting rules of the Eastern Church. "They can't be serious . . . they don't actually [i]do that . . . do they? No meat, no fish, no dairy? Every Wednesday and Friday? And for weeks at a time in Lent and Advent and August? Insane!"[/i] LOL . . .

But it's true. "They" (we) do it. Or, we are supposed to be doing it . . . No meat, no fish, no dairy during the fasting days. People observe that rule to varying degrees, and there are many technicalities for those interested in such things. In general, though, Eastern Christians really do keep the basic rule of fasting.

Keep in mind that it's not full fasting. People still eat on those days; they eat carbohydrates (bread, potatoes, rice, etc.), vegetables, fruits, nuts, legumes, etc. It is, technically speaking, abstinence. Nevertheless, Eastern Christians keep the basic rule of fasting: no meat, no fish, no dairy during the fasting days.

I have found that fasting is quite possible with prayer and trust in Christ's grace. Like any other discipline, the key is to start small, to build up one's strength and one's discipline gradually but persistently, and to work up to the more challenging levels.

I have also found that fasting has several big, positive effects.

First, fasting enables me to realize --by direct, personal experience-- that I can make a major change to my lifestyle without ill effects by the grace of Jesus Christ. Once I realized that with food, I realized that I could make needed change in other areas of my life too with God's help.

For example, I kept the Advent fast for the first time in 2006. Much to my surprise, and by trusting in the grace of Christ, I did it. Then, after the holidays were over, I knew that I could start another needed change: quitting smoking. I had been a smoker for 22 years, but now I was able to quit . . . because I had already proved to myself (by keeping the Advent fast) that I could make a substantial lifestyle change. So, I did quit smoking. By the grace of Christ, over eight months later (and counting), I am still not smoking.

Second, there is a deepening of prayer life. One realizes just how much one needs the grace of Christ to make any needed, lasting changes. Those who keep the fasts are kept by them, by the grace of Christ.

Third, there is discipline. This, I think is especially good for men. Men need a certain amount of discipline that challenges us in our personal lives, that builds and focuses our strength. We thrive on it. Well, fasting is a way to practice that discipline: in body, mind and soul.

When I was a Roman Catholic, and when I was exploring the Protestant churches, I often felt things were too comfortable, too feminine, not demanding enough of me as a man.

However, Eastern Christianity makes those demands. It does not force, but it does demand: "Unless ye do penance, ye likewise shall perish." (Luke 13:3)

And the penance of the Eastern Church is balanced, and it becomes a way of life. Fasting is part of it. Church services are part of it. Prayer is especially part of it. But the point is: we are being challenged . . . and not just to sit through another sermon, or to give more money . . . in all the dimensions of our humanity.

Christ suffered for us, for our sins. When we are willing to suffer for Christ, we are willing to stop sinning. (See 1 Peter 4:1) And that's good, especially (in my opinion) for men, to remember and to practice. And fasting is a way to do so. LOL: in a very real sense, it helps to keep us honest.

If you choose to explore fasting, God be praised: you're a brave and unusual man in this flabby culture.

Start small and build yourself up. For example, you might want to start by skipping meat on Wednesdays and Fridays. Substitute it with seafood, cheese, nuts, legumes, peanut butter and other sources of protein for meat. (Ask us if you need food suggestions.) Skipping meat for two days per week won't seem like much of a sacrifice . . . until you actually try to do it. Then, you will realize how meat-saturated our diet it is, and how much we pay for it. You will also realize, more deeply than before, how much we need Christ's grace to make even the smallest, lasting change for the better . . . and you will be driven to deeper, more frequent, fuller prayer in order to do this. And that, of course, leads to a much fuller dimension of life: body, mind and soul. And it builds on itself from there.

Later (after a few months or a year or so, and maybe with some spiritual direction from a priest, monk or nun), you can take fasting to an additional level: skipping meat and seafood. Later still, you can go all the way: no meat, seafood or dairy.

By that time, you will "get it," and the different degrees of fasting (meat, fish, dairy) will seem like a natural progression. Also, the alternating periods of fasting and "normal" eating will be like a rhythm of physical growth and spiritual growth, which can do wonders for your body and soul.

That leads me to the fourth benefit of fasting: helping the environment. Cutting back on the consumption of meat and fish and dairy means cutting down on the demand for these products in the marketplace. That, in turn, means cutting back on the economic demand to cut down forests for ranches and fish ponds. And that means more forests will (God willing) be left alone: to remove carbon from the air, by using carbon dioxide and giving off oxygen. And that means less CO2 will be in the air to absorb heat. And that means, God willing, less global warming. All of this can and does result from the simple activity of not eating meat, fish and dairy on Wednesdays and Fridays, and Lent, and Advent and the Dormition Fast (two weeks) in August.

Finally, there is a transcendent benefit. If you do this, you will realize, even more than before, that we are all really interconnected by God. Our prayers and personal lives really do have consequences. Everything is happening in Christ, through the Holy Spirit, unto our Heavenly Father. It might sound goofy, but it isn't. It's the Trinity and sharing in His life by His grace, even (and especially) here and now.

-- John

I saw this on bbcnews.com today, and thought it was very interesting in regard to this whole thread:

Keep in mind when reading the article that 18C is 64.4 degrees Fahrenheit.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7027693.stm

Well, John, I think you did make a darn good reply.

As I was reading your post, I was trying to remember the last time I heard a homily on penance at Mass: it's been a while. I think the point you make about a man's need for discipline hits a nail on the head. Not that it's "male-only", but a man does usually need a challenge to stay interested.

Thanks.
Michael

Stephanos,

Your little hit-and-run comments just crack me up! Hilarious!