A fast and a hunger-strike are very different things. Entirely different. They have so little in common that we now seem to be in two separate worlds.

The hunger-strike is a form of protest used by people when they want to show by their actions that they would rather die than live with the injustice (misfortune or problem) against which they are protesting. That is to say, these people would prefer to live, but only to live a life that satisfies their requirements of it.

By going on a hunger-strike, people are demanding something of others. Their demands may be very great, but broadly fall into three categories:

- The hunger strikers insist that their demands are satisfied;
- They demand attention;
- They demand sympathy, understanding and compassion.

The first of these varies from case to case. But the second and third are identical for any and every hunger-strike. As a rule, these demands are not satisfied, though the first is easiest of all. Unless the protestors are madmen, they generally issue demands that can be satisfied in full. This is how it is for us! It is not at all difficult to meet the two demands which have been issued: 1. Review the decision on the compulsory closure of the building. 2. Decide to reclassify it as a place of worship.
This seems to be very simple and achievable. But the individuals who could carry this out will not do so unless two further requirements are met: if the hunger-strike is ignored and if there is no popular sympathy, compassion or understanding for the strikers.

The history of hunger-strikes in Belarus demonstrates that neither sympathy nor compassion and understanding can be expected. No-one will even pay attention.
This is an empirically proven fact. Remember just this year. Remember the hunger-strike undertaken by entrepreneurs in Brest and Volkovysk, and the strike by the Youth Front in Minsk, Soligorsk, Zhodino and so on.
Overall, did any of these hunger-strikes attract any widespread attention?
How many resulted in victory? Not one.
And the thing is not even that the demands they issued were not met. The tragedy is that their actions evoked no sympathy, compassion or understanding.
What can be expected of a society which lacks understanding, sympathy and compassion?

Fasting is quite different. A fast is not a protest. In fasting, Christians are not demanding anything of others – at least, if it is a Christian fast, and if we understand what we are doing. Here is what the Bible says about when people do not understand what a fast is:

“Why do we fast, if thou dost not see it? Why mortify ourselves, if thou payest no heed? Since you serve your own interest only on your fast-day and make all your men work the harder, since your fasting leads only to wrangling and strife and dealing vicious blows with the fist, on such a day you are keeping no fast that will carry your cry to heaven. Is it a fast like this that I require, a day of mortification such as this, that a man should bow his head like a bulrush and make his bed on sackcloth and ashes? Is this what you call a fast, a day acceptable to the Lord?” ( Isaiah 58: 3-5).

What is written here sounds more like a hunger-strike than a fast. “You serve your own interest only on your fast-day and make all your men work the harder”. The will of some individuals is directed towards demanding hard tasks of others. “Is it a fast like this that I require, a day of mortification such as this, that a man should bow his head like a bulrush and make his bed on sackcloth and ashes? Is this what you call a fast, a day acceptable to the Lord?” Clearly, this is a rhetorical question. The reply is clearly in the negative too: no, such a ‘fast’ is not acceptable to the Lord. So what is? Here are the verses that follow in the Bible:

“Is not this what I require of you as a fast: to loose the fetters of injustice, to untie the knots of the yoke, to snap every yoke and set free those who have been crushed? Is it not sharing your food with the hungry, taking the homeless poor into your house, and never evading your duty to your kinsfolk?” ( Isaiah 58, 6-7).

For a Christian, a fast is not a protest, but a liberation.
Liberation from what?
From illusions, futile hopes and fantasies.
And there is far too much of this sort of rubbish around - both illusions and fantasies.

Vladimir Matskevich
Translated by Chris Ayton (Scotland)