Vraag 2 | Why should you fast if you are not religious? (Dutch spoken)
Easter, Pesach and Eid al-Fitr mark the end of a period of fasting or reflection. But what if you are not religious? Can these traditions be valuable even then? You’ll hear from Professor of History of Religion Gerard Wiegers in the latest episode of Vraag 2 on Spotify.
In this episode of Vraag 2, editor Jip Koene visits Professor of History of Religion and Comparative Religious Studies Gerard Wiegers. His research interests include the dynamics between Judaism, Christianity and Islam in the history of Eurasia and Europe. In these religions, fasting is a spiritual practice of self-discipline, contemplation and communion with a God.
Participating in a fast is not exclusively reserved for religious people. ‘If we look at the month of Ramadan, we see that non-Muslims, for example, also join Muslims in fasting,’ Wiegers explains. ‘That may be out of friendship, curiosity, solidarity, gratitude or because one has a certain philosophy of life that fits in with it.’
According to Wiegers, people's exact motivation to participate in a fast is very personal. ‘You have to make a distinction between what you read in religious texts and how people ultimately interact with them,’ says Wiegers. ‘In a highly secularised society like ours, what people think and feel in the process can vary greatly. Especially because they are not always so strongly connected to those organised traditions.’
Listen to the latest podcast episode on fasting on Spotify.
Production & presentation: Jip Koene
Final editor: Irene Schoenmacker
Music: Paolo Argento
