mikokiko
posted on Feb 29, 2008 - 04:15 AM
http://travel.msn.com/Guides/article.as ... >1=10856
What DO YOU THINK???!!
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Coptic Fasting leads one to starvation?
Biboboy
posted on Feb 29, 2008 - 04:54 AM
Agape,
I'm not a medical doctor nor a psychologist, but the first question that anyone should ask about this condition is whether Jonathan has Bulimia or not. None of the news mentioned it. Plus, it says he's been there for 4 months, which means he probably went through the 40 days fast of the Nativity, and that's it.
And I think we all know the effects of fava beans and falafel 
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egyptianhomeboy
posted on Feb 29, 2008 - 05:12 AM
Seriously lol, he probably just didn't want to eat the nasty looking fool and badengan. And honestly, we all know when Egyptians eat...they eat! So he probably waited all day to eat and when they finally ate, he probably thought "What is this stuff?" 
I would understand if the family was impoverished or something, but if they were they probably wouldn't be able to host a foreign exchange student...
I don't buy it
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jydeacon
posted on Feb 29, 2008 - 12:20 PM
haha this is ridiculous, most egyptians have trouble losing weight especailly because of the fasts. you would think they would have told him mabrook, you look great haha. No but in all seriousness i agree with you guys, what if he had bulimia or something of that sort. Or didn't want to eat the food presented to him.
ophadeece
posted on Feb 29, 2008 - 01:16 PM
Dear all,
Disgusting piece of news showing the Coptic Christians as mean; may God forgive those who put it up on that website; I don't know why I am getting sick of the funny stuff happening around the world.
No people, it couldn't be that he suffers with bulimia because the report alleges that he used to weight 155 pounds before travelling. But of course I agree with most of you; I don't buy it at all - fasting makes one put on weight, and it seems that guy rejected the food, and the culture within the family, and was told horrible stories by people at this "English speaking school" that he went to. You all know the muslims of course, don't you?
The advice we can give him now is to not go to that particular family again; their lifestyle doesn't agree with you mate.
God bless you and pray for us a lot
Overgrownegyptian
posted on Feb 29, 2008 - 05:59 PM
even if they fed him 2 times like he said they did, the kid eats 5 times a day and still stays at 155 lbs..meaning he has a super metabolism.
it's really insulting cause i read some of the comments that people said about the coptic christians and they have NO clue who were are or were until this story and its really just upsetting.
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Noosa_1978
posted on Mar 01, 2008 - 01:02 AM
I think that this guy is a major lier. He is probably trying to sue in order to get money to pay for his college. I know that college could be very expensive, I am up to my knees in debt with college loans. Let me tell you something, I was baptized in the Coptic Orthodox church a few years ago and I am very observant. I fast very regularly but I live with my mother, who does not believe in God, and she does not fast. Still I go out of my way for her and prepare meat for her even though I am fasting and dying to eat meat when I can't. I know that most Egyptians are the same way as me. Every time I visit with one of my Egyptian friends, I feel like I am in a hotel. Egyptians are very nice and hospitable people. In fact, everytime I visit my egyptian friends' house, I end up gaining alot of weight. My friend went to visit her husband's family with him and her 2 kids and they looked 10 pounds fatter when they got back. Part of the time they were there was during the fasting time. This boy is a lier and he is making my fellow brothers and sister and I look bad as a group. I am not going to take it and I will defend us all the way.
Noosa_1978
posted on Mar 01, 2008 - 01:13 AM
Maybe we all should start going public with our faith and exposing it to others. This way, people will know that we are actually very good and kind hearted people. I am planning to write a book to tell every about the wonderful things that our faith has to offer.
kirollosab
posted on Mar 01, 2008 - 05:54 AM
you guys pretty much covered it all, but i read the story last night
i don't agree wtih anything he said (yes i know my opinion could be biased), but still if the family fasts taht means they attend church, no copt can ever have the heart to do that (i know i'm generalizing)...
my pt is... Egypt is mainly known for its hospitality (which was one of the turning points in St. Pachomios' life... because he went to egypt to fight, and some people brought his ship food, and he found them out to be Christian Copts, and eventually God brought him to our chruch to be a great father). there is no way this guy is telling the truth, and as Mr. Shaker Hanna said in the article, that this boy was trying to gain some of the money that his family paid to the AFS: this means he probably complained about the money.
i don't think the family was impoversihed (sorry mike) lol... because his parents said they saw his pics on facebook... which means that he had access to internet... yea i havent been to egypt in 5 years... but i lived there, and if u have internet ur not poor lol
just like everyone else i'm not buying it!
keep me in ur prayers,
Noosa_1978
posted on Mar 02, 2008 - 01:26 AM
Kirollosab, you are right on the money. I think that this guy is lying because he wants to have enough money to pay for his education. It was actually my friend Nargis who brought me to the Coptic Church. She was fasting at the time we met. I was in a homeless shelter and she was a volunteer. She bought me food from McDonalds because I was very hungry and was not able to afford anything to eat. My mom had thrown me out of the house and I was homeless. We became friends after that. Eventually, I started comming to the church and eventually I got baptized. Everytime I visit an Egyptian friend, I tend to gain weight because they feed me too much.
Just_Push_Pray
posted on Mar 02, 2008 - 04:48 AM
Copts have dealt with persecution since the days of St. Mark...
Dealing with a deceptive teenager is by no means comparable to the early days.
However, like all of you, I was disgusted to hear someone falsely accusing a Coptic family because he wasn't accustomed to sacrficing a Whopper.
We must get used to these things..
Remember, God puts us in these situations to see how we will react... it's a test.
NaderA
posted on Mar 02, 2008 - 09:54 PM
This story is stranger than fiction:
http://sneakersandbooks.blogspot.com/
Noosa_1978
posted on Mar 03, 2008 - 12:53 AM
Nader you are right 100%. Actually fasting is very heathy for you. Studies show that people who are on a Vegan diet, which we are all on during fasting, tend to live longer live than those who eat meat. They are less prone to heart attacks, diabetes, obesity, high blood pressure, and other medical ailments that people who eat meat tend to have. The reason why lots of people in the USA are obese, are very prone to heart attacks and have other ailment, are because the typical American diet consists of alot of red meat. Red meat is high in fat and full of cholesterol, but it sure tastes good. It is true at first that your body has to get used to fasting. You feel hungry all the time because your body misses eating meat. However after a while, your body gets used to it and you have more energy. Breaking the fast is a whole different ball game though. At that point, your body is not used to eating meat and people tend to get sick after easter or christmas. I remember last I got really sick after I broke my 55 day fast. I ate like a little piggy on easter and ended up in the hospital, unable to keep food down. But I was so happy I fasted. I think this boy is a major lier and I believe the host family 100%. I think that this boy is lying to get money to pay for college. If his family cannot afford to pay for his education than they should have never sent him to Egypt. Let me tell you something. My family had no money and they were not able to afford to send me abroad as an exchange student. I had to go out and work to help my family, because we did not have any money. I was lucky that part of my college tuition was paid for by scholorship but I had to work and take out loans. I had to miss out on the college life because I had 3 jobs when I was in college. I did it to help my family. I am up to my knees in debt and still paying for my degree. I plan to go back and get my masters but I know I am going to have to pay for it for a long time. If I did not have any scrupples, I would have made up a lie to sue someone, but I want to be a honest person and I know that someday, God will help me get the money to pay off my loans. I have a very faith in him. He always rewards those that are honest.
Noosa_1978
posted on Mar 03, 2008 - 12:53 AM
One more thing, check out this website ok. http://forums.myspace.com/t/2235882.asp ... viewthread
egydave
posted on Mar 03, 2008 - 02:19 PM
http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/story?id=4377174&page=1
This is the Good Morning America show. Watch it. Our church is in one of the scenes.
We all know that even fasting food is fattening. How does he not notice his dramatic weight loss?
Noosa_1978
posted on Mar 03, 2008 - 08:29 PM
This boy is a major lier because he wants to make a quick buck for college. I am really angry that he lied like this. If someone wanted to starve someone, they would have had to lock them up in a room. He was free to move about. The US dollar is very strong in Egypt. He could have walked into any restaurant and had a descent meal for a dollar or less. He did not have steal food. His family should have been responsible enough to send him money. He is not just defaming his host family, he is defaming me too. I feel like I am being told that I am a bad person because of my religion and that I fast very regularly. I know that I am not a bad person.
Noosa_1978
posted on Mar 04, 2008 - 02:45 PM
Another thing that I would like to add is that if this boy was telling the truth. Meaning if it were true that our fasting leads to starvation, I would be really slender and would not need to go to the gym regularly. My mother would not be harrassing me about my weight, she is constantly saying I am fat. But this boy is not truthful and therefore I am quite pudgy, and I have to go to the gym everyday to loose the weight. I have gained alot of weight because my Egyptian friends feed me very well. I wish I knew what diet this boy went on. It is quite possible that this boy has an eating disorder and lied because he does not want to get help. He is sick and needs help in the worst way.
, I like how the Coptic response is unanimous in condemning this story as ridiculous.
geomekhaiel
posted on Mar 04, 2008 - 04:12 PM
What do you guys think of this:
http://csulb.facebook.com/group.php?gid=12775775836
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