haha! Loosie, i love how you put that: "To me ... lying is always a good idea but most people here on this forum have morals."

i don't necessarily believe that lying means you don't have morals :) i have to "lie" or "avoid the truth" about my fasting sometimes in order to protect myself. if you tell the wrong people, you could get yourself into some big trouble.

i look at it this way... if you were hiding Jews in your attic during the nazi regime, and a nazi came banging on your door one day and asked you point blank if you were hiding Jews in your attic, what would you say? are you gonna tell the truth, full-well knowing your friends will now face certain death? would it be immoral to lie and say "no"? ABSOLUTELY NOT. you have to look at the context of the situation.

Bella

I do not call it lying, and I am not cynical about it. I am myself a very honest person or so I believe it to be my biggest virtue, of the few I have. I also believe myself to have high morals.

Let us understand that fasting can be considered a very personal matter that only involves ourselves and no others. It can be defined, then, as a highly private matter if we choose to.

Many of us do not like to tell others how often we have bowel movements and how our feces are -this is gross I know- but good to illustrate my point. We have the right to keep private our bodily functions. Personally, I never tell others when I have my period (and will do it if I find it pertinent). There is nothing wrong with talking about my period, but I have the choice not to do it, and no one in his/her right mind will call me a lier if I choose not to talk about it.

Fasting is for me as private as my period and my bowel movements. I choose not to disclose that information if not needed since many well intentioned people might unwillingly interfere with some of my goals. I also remember what the Greek say, "Use the power of Secret to reach your most cheriched goals" It works!

well, *obviously* i wouldn't recommend lying about fasting just for fun, or lying to a person who is most likely enlightened and/or open-minded. BUT, if you know you're talking to a narrow-minded person who probably wouldn't understand, then why waste your energy? i'd rather not "cast my pearls before swine" and waste valuable resources trying to defend my beliefs to a brick wall.