Humor will not be tolerated!! -Portia

When you were talking about how some people believe that you can't brush your teeth while fasting it reminded me of an awesome verse in the Koran that says something along the lines of The stench of your stinky breath while fasting is sweet to God (it is compared to the breath of a Musk Ox)... not that they don't brush their teeth while fasting, just that after a while everyone's breath stinks when they fast...

So maybe those who believe we shouldn't brush our teeth before fasting were just wanting to make sure God could smell their breath and know they were fasting

Werf_Must wrote:So maybe those who believe we shouldn't brush our teeth before fasting were just wanting to make sure God could smell their breath and know they were fasting

Well, if you think God doesn't know you're fasting unless you have bad breath, that's a different doctrinal issue altogether

Actually, in a lot of religions there is fire, smell, and smoke as part of the ritual. Symbolically, if not literally, it is thought that your prayers and offerings to God will go up to heaven in the smoke. Think of burnt offerings. Think of candles, incense, and so forth. I know the Hindu religion also does this. So thinking your breath will ascend to God may not be correct doctrine, but it may have an ancient origin.

vorpal blade wrote:Actually, in a lot of religions there is fire, smell, and smoke as part of the ritual. Symbolically, if not literally, it is thought that your prayers and offerings to God will go up to heaven in the smoke. Think of burnt offerings. Think of candles, incense, and so forth. I know the Hindu religion also does this. So thinking your breath will ascend to God may not be correct doctrine, but it may have an ancient origin.

Do you think there's a connection between such ancient rituals and not brushing your teeth when fasting?

On the subject of stink-breath, I'm also reminded of Matthew 6:16-18:

16 Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
17 But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face;
18 That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly.

Katya wrote:Do you think there's a connection between such ancient rituals and not brushing your teeth when fasting?

Well, I don't know. I didn't make my comment armed to the teeth with facts. It could be a subject one could get his teeth into. I'd hate to try to keep up an argument in the teeth of much opposition. I guess you'd have to say that my first comment had no teeth it in.