We need another thread then, who has the best fish fry?

We need another thread then, who has the best fish fry?

 

Who has the best fish fry?

 

:thumb:

Passed along from a learned friend:

 

Along with looking out for the poor, another reason I have heard is that back in ancient times in Europe (I believe before the Middle Ages or maybe the early Middle Ages) when Latin was the common language, the rule was to abstain from the Latin term Carne. While the Carne is often assumed to mean meat in the English Language, in many cultures in ancient Europe Carne only meant land roaming animals, fish and other seafood were not considered Carne, they were simply considered fish or seafood. This interpretation has continued to today.

Just curious...

 

Not being very familiar with Catholicism, I thought maybe the decision was made via papal bull...

Not being very familiar with Catholicism, I thought maybe the decision was made via papal bull...

I am poor when it comes to Catholicism and our practices, but I have always understood that it was never anything derived from the Pope.

Fish is meat.

I am poor when it comes to Catholicism and our practices, but I have always understood that it was never anything derived from the Pope.

 

From what I've read, RTS and CWF have hit on the reasoning somewhat. I might offer a little more though. I know a handful of Catholic apologists, and I have done a fair bit or reading/studying on the rational bases for Catholic teachings and practices, and the simplest explanation I can offer is the following:

 

The Catholic practice of both fasting from all food and abstinence from certain foods has gone all the way back to the teachings of St. Paul, who taught that we are to take part in these practices as Jesus did as a way to atone for our sins. Obviously, a fast of 40 days and 40 nights is likely to kill the average person, but as an acknowledgment of Jesus' Sacrifice for us on The Cross, we are to at least abstain from meat on Friday's during the season of Lent, and we are to fast between meals on the Ash Wednesday and Good Friday Holy Days.

 

The reason fish was used as an acceptable diet on these days of abstinence and fasting was based on the fact that fish was the most readily accessible source of life-sustaining food in those days. Also, if you read about the holocaust sacrifices (burnt offerings) of the Hebrews and early Christians, these were all generally offered from their herded animals - red meat. The reasoning for this is the fact that as well as being their livelihoods, their herds were the sources of food for their families, and giving up one of these animals was a sacrifice. Thus, giving up the consuming of red meat for the day is a symbolic "sacrifice".

 

Additionally, and more significantly, however, was the fact that fish was the primary source of dietary protein prior to the large-scale domestication and farming of livestock. It was a less-desirable "main course" due to its availability and lesser cost - anyone can go fishing for a day and bring home a meal, but livestock had to be raised, herded, fed, and watered. The average person's diet was based around fish, and thus eating fish meant "giving up" your ability to eat red meat for the day. This was additionally intended to have more of an impact amongst the more affluent, because as CWF cited earlier in this thread "Those to whom much is given, much will be required." Luke 12:48

Fish is meat.

 

If you really want to split hairs, fish is meat by definition. "Meat" is generally defined as "the flesh of animals as used for food". If you look into it further, the scientific etymology of "animal" is "any member of the kingdom Animalia, comprising multicellular organisms that have a well-defined shape and usually limited growth, can move voluntarily, actively acquire food and digest it internally, and have sensory and nervous systems that allow them to respond rapidly to stimuli".

 

That being said, the kingdom Animalia includes mammals, reptiles, fish, amphibians, and insects.

 

When being used in context to religious fasting and abstinence, however, "meat" is generally understood to mean any red meat, white meat, or fowl.

Not being very familiar with Catholicism, I thought maybe the decision was made via papal bull...

 

Sorry, just a feeble attempt at humor. Bulls deciding what's meat.

Sorry, just a feeble attempt at humor. Bulls deciding what's meat.

 

No worries, I was with you on that one :banana:

 

I just figured I'd go all "Catholic Geek" on everybody.