Fasting and Lifting?

Bigger Stronger Leaner Competitive Bodybuilding
21

That being said, I think fasting is great for muscle gains. Most bodybuilders try to maintain a constant anabolic state and positive nitrogen balance. That’s the stupidest idea anyone ever had. If that’s all it took, if our bodies were as simple and stupid as that, wouldn’t we all be huge??

Our bodies are programmed to survive at all costs. That’s what we are meant to do. For the last couple million years, that’s what got us hear, it’s our single most basic instinct…SURVIVE. Do you think our bodies will continue to retain protein as muscle if it know it’s guaranteed to get 6-10 meals of it every day??? NO FUCKING WAY!!

It’s been theorized that the single most important stimulus for muscle growth is the catabolic state. Whether it’s from training or fasting, a catabolic state is the only signal that causes our body to increase it’s output of all sorts of anabolic hormones in an attempt to retain all it’s tissue and SURVIVE!!! So get into that state, through in some good ol’ protein and fat and a little carbs from veggies and fruit and watch your body grow!!

22

[quote]Pound4Pound wrote:
That being said, I think fasting is great for muscle gains. Most bodybuilders try to maintain a constant anabolic state and positive nitrogen balance. That’s the stupidest idea anyone ever had. If that’s all it took, if our bodies were as simple and stupid as that, wouldn’t we all be huge??

Our bodies are programmed to survive at all costs. That’s what we are meant to do. For the last couple million years, that’s what got us hear, it’s our single most basic instinct…SURVIVE. Do you think our bodies will continue to retain protein as muscle if it know it’s guaranteed to get 6-10 meals of it every day??? NO FUCKING WAY!!

It’s been theorized that the single most important stimulus for muscle growth is the catabolic state. Whether it’s from training or fasting, a catabolic state is the only signal that causes our body to increase it’s output of all sorts of anabolic hormones in an attempt to retain all it’s tissue and SURVIVE!!! So get into that state, through in some good ol’ protein and fat and a little carbs from veggies and fruit and watch your body Grow!![/quote]

Just a simple observation given your last 2 posts.

Not everyone lets everything they do be dictated by the bodybuilding,strength-gaining, mass adding possible benefits that may be derived thereby.

While you had a nice quote there???–I’ll fast for whatever reason I see pertinent to my own beliefs and my own interpretation of what my God may or may not have wanted.

And I’ll leave that mass building theory to those smarter than myself. I will simply add that everything works sometimes for some. Other than that I see very little scientific reasoning behind your theory.

23

[quote]stellar_horizon wrote:
A lot of really wacky shit.

  1. There is no such thing as “sin”. It’s a man-made concept to keep people in line.

  2. There is no comparison whatsoever to reducing carbs because of dietary concerns and not eating because an invisible superhero in the sky told you to.

24

[quote]sasquatch wrote:
harris447 wrote:
stellar_horizon wrote:
I’m also an Orthodox Christian. I fast because b[/b]that’s what Christ & His Apostles commanded & taught, and b[/b]because there’s a great significance to fasting - it brings the body to a higher level of discipline (known as asceticism in ancient Christianity) so that the soul may engage in a deeper focus upon God and the afterlife. When people fast, they become conscious of their mortal “here today-gone tomorrow” status, and that’s one critical aspect of this life Jesus Christ continuously emphasized and preached about - to make humans realize that it’s not all over when we’re a sack of bones & dirt laying six feet under.

Kudos to all (whether Orthodox Christian, Roman Catholic, or Protestant) who fast for the sake of partaking in His eternal kingdom.

As you already know, the traditional Lenten fast which the Orthodox Christian Church abides by is quite rigorous and taxing on the body - but that doesn’t mean you can’t train or sufficiently recuperate during the fast.

Foods that fall within the ancient Christian fasting guidelines include but are not limited to:
FAT
walnuts, olives, peanut butter, almonds
CARBS
sweet potatoes, pasta, rice, any fruits & veggies
PROTEIN
octopus, shrimp, crabmeat, lobster
*and if you obtain the blessing to implement shakes in your diet from a discerning spiritual father, stock up on quality protein powders.

If you eat enough of the right combinations without oversatiating and falling into gluttony, you might even get BIGGER! It’s all in how you manage your feeding times and caloric intake. If you’re still concerned, some supplements to keep testosterone levels boosted couldn’t hurt either as the abstinence from red meat and poultry causes a drop-off in libido & sexual drive (which is actually one of the spiritual goals of asceticism).

no meat → lower testosterone → lower sex drive → lower temptation → lower opportunity of falling into mortal sin → better chance of living in God’s image

Peace be with all!

This is, without a doubt, the single most insane thing I’ve read on this board in quite a while.

Following your “logic”: Cutting balls off–>NO sex drive–>Go straight to heaven!!

YAYYYYYY!

Lunatics.

So you don’t believe in it.
So you don’t see the belief behind it.
So you must ridicule it.

We agree on little harris, but hating just to hate is not your style. If you don’t agree, fine.

Why is someone a lunatic for their held beliefs? What of vegetarians?

Blessings to you stellar.[/quote]

I would like to add one thing to this good post about the apparent hate for someone’s religion that was posted by “harris.”

That is the unfortunate truth that being bigoted in this country is politically incorrect and terrible – EXCEPT when it comes to bigotry against Christianity. Then that’s OK, right?

Well, it isn’t! How dare you Harris decry others for their sincere faith and belief! By the way, Christ never told Christians to be “door mats.” We need to rebuke, in love, but we need to rise up and call people out on their hate for Christianity and Christians. Lord knows the liberal biased media and harris won’t.

25

[quote]harris447 wrote:
stellar_horizon wrote:
A lot of really wacky shit.

  1. There is no such thing as “sin”. It’s a man-made concept to keep people in line.

  2. There is no comparison whatsoever to reducing carbs because of dietary concerns and not eating because an invisible superhero in the sky told you to.

[/quote]

Oh, thanks Harris. What qualifications do you have to speak on these faith issues? Please tell us…

Have you ever read the Bible?

Also, please if there is no such thing as sin, what category of behavior do you place stealing, lying, fornication, adultery, etc.? Just “bad mistakes?”

26

[quote]harris447 wrote:
stellar_horizon wrote:
A lot of really wacky shit.

  1. There is no such thing as “sin”. It’s a man-made concept to keep people in line.

  2. There is no comparison whatsoever to reducing carbs because of dietary concerns and not eating because an invisible superhero in the sky told you to.

[/quote]

thank you so much for your profound words of wisdom mr. post-modern. the next time you want to lecture us like little kids and convert us to your limited world-view of anything goes, go to another site.

27

Way above in this thread, someone noted that it was hypritical of me to inquire about fasting as a Christian practice since I am divorced. It is, in fact, a fair enough question.

As another poster mentioned, Orthodox allow divorce and remarriage in certain circumstances as a recognition of our falleness.

I, however, am a Catholic. The Catholics take a different approach. Divorce and remarriage is forbidden. However,civil divorce is allowed if necessary to safeguard oneself, and the children, etc. Remarriage is considered adultery following the words of Christ.

The Catholic Church does, however, have annulements, that is a declaration that the marriage was, ob initio, a nullity. The classic “medieval” case for this is when a gun was put to the head of one of the parties. Free will is needed to enter into the sacramental state. Refusal to welcome children which indicates a rejection of one of the essential charachteristics of marriage is another solid ground. There is admittedly, a lot of abuse in this process, and it may be overly legalistic (a frequent criticism of the West by the East), but there is a logical consistency to it,nonetheless.

If I recieve an annulment, it will be on softer grounds of inability to consent. At the time of the marriage, my wife was very depressed, threatening suicide, and after 10 years of ups and downs and diagnoses of bipolar disorder and borderline personality disorder (which worsened greatly in the two post partum periods), I had to leave before she killed me- literaly. (and guess who got the kids (not me)).

Anyway, prayer and fasting is part of my reparation for the mistake of my marriage, part training to make prgoress spiritually for the hope of heaven, part exercise to clear my judgment now. By the way, since this is a BB site, weight lifitng was a life savor to me in that it kept my depression at bay and improved my self esteem.

Oh, by the way, Harris and others are just expressing what the culture expresses. As David Brooks said of todays bohos: the only socially acceptable religious objects that one can place in one’s home, are nonChristian objects. A Buddha, cool. An Islamic prayer rug, neat, an African totem, very spiritual Hoever, when most people see the crucifix in my apartment or the icon of the virgin, they find them unpleasant and in bad taste. But are we not to rejoice when persecuted for His sake? And in my experience, liberal Catholics are the worst. If I do something very simple like abstain from meat on Fridays, a liberal Catholic will start a fight. However, if I were a vegan, they would go out of their way to get me some soy and beans, etc.

Peace,

28

[quote]harris447 wrote:
stellar_horizon wrote:
A lot of really wacky shit.

  1. There is no such thing as “sin”. It’s a man-made concept to keep people in line.

  2. There is no comparison whatsoever to reducing carbs because of dietary concerns and not eating because an invisible superhero in the sky told you to.

[/quote]

It’s pretty funny that you called me a hater for posting my dislike and general repugnance for homosexuals and perverts.
Then you come here and stomp on Christianity and religion in general, belittling the beliefs of billions of people world wide. Superhero in the sky?
I think we are getting to know what makes you tick harris. You are a disturbing fellow.

There is no sin…?

That’s what pedophiles probably believe as well…
Interesting to see this side of you.

29

Without touching on the subject of fasting and its effects on strength and muscle mass, I want to say that this was a really well thought out, eleqouent post. I am not religious at all, but I am a philosophy major and appreciate all forms of higher thinking. While I may not agree with everything you have to say, I respect your beliefs because they are well thought out and mean a lot to you.

Anyone on here who is about to make a comment about religion and such, should take the time and really read this man’s post. While I agree with another poster that there is no such thing as ‘sin’, this religious man obviously has a much more coherent view of life than most dumbass’ on here that talk shit just because they havent taken the time to see if they believe in anything other than the pursuit of their own pleasure.

I really don’t believe in a higher power at all… but it just pisses me off to see an intelligent mans views get pushed to the side without a second thought…

30

[quote]rawda wrote:
harris447 wrote:
stellar_horizon wrote:
A lot of really wacky shit.

  1. There is no such thing as “sin”. It’s a man-made concept to keep people in line.

  2. There is no comparison whatsoever to reducing carbs because of dietary concerns and not eating because an invisible superhero in the sky told you to.

thank you so much for your profound words of wisdom mr. post-modern. the next time you want to lecture us like little kids and convert us to your limited world-view of anything goes, go to another site.
[/quote]

Amusing that a bartender has the balls to pass judgement on anyone, but…

Show me where I said “anything goes”. When I said there is no such thing as sin, I meat that there are no acts that will annoy the Superhero, or keep you from going to the Dreamy Palace full of light and white people.

All actions are either constructive to society or destructive to society. People committing actions that are destrcuctive to the cohesion and progress of society must be shithammered with the force of a thousand exploding suns.

But, they won’t go to Hell. Cuz, it’s fictional.

31

[quote]grey wrote:
harris447 wrote:
stellar_horizon wrote:
A lot of really wacky shit.

  1. There is no such thing as “sin”. It’s a man-made concept to keep people in line.

  2. There is no comparison whatsoever to reducing carbs because of dietary concerns and not eating because an invisible superhero in the sky told you to.

It’s pretty funny that you called me a hater for posting my dislike and general repugnance for homosexuals and perverts.
Then you come here and stomp on Christianity and religion in general, belittling the beliefs of billions of people world wide. Superhero in the sky?
I think we are getting to know what makes you tick harris. You are a disturbing fellow.

There is no sin…?

That’s what pedophiles probably believe as well…
Interesting to see this side of you.

[/quote]

Wow, you must be a true Christian, what with your “repugnance of perverts.”

What an astounding load of hypocracy you are.

32

[quote]harris447 wrote:
grey wrote:
harris447 wrote:
stellar_horizon wrote:
A lot of really wacky shit.

  1. There is no such thing as “sin”. It’s a man-made concept to keep people in line.

  2. There is no comparison whatsoever to reducing carbs because of dietary concerns and not eating because an invisible superhero in the sky told you to.

It’s pretty funny that you called me a hater for posting my dislike and general repugnance for homosexuals and perverts.
Then you come here and stomp on Christianity and religion in general, belittling the beliefs of billions of people world wide. Superhero in the sky?
I think we are getting to know what makes you tick harris. You are a disturbing fellow.

There is no sin…?

That’s what pedophiles probably believe as well…
Interesting to see this side of you.

Wow, you must be a true Christian, what with your “repugnance of perverts.”

What an astounding load of hypocracy you are.

[/quote]

It is the ‘acts’, not the persons.

You just seem so angry about it and so absolute. Just an observation–we all know how things come across the internet.

While we differ, I always thought of you as someone with alot of opinion and good sound judgement behind them. I guess I don’t see that on your posts in this thread.

33

[quote]harris447 wrote:
grey wrote:
harris447 wrote:
stellar_horizon wrote:
A lot of really wacky shit.

  1. There is no such thing as “sin”. It’s a man-made concept to keep people in line.

  2. There is no comparison whatsoever to reducing carbs because of dietary concerns and not eating because an invisible superhero in the sky told you to.

It’s pretty funny that you called me a hater for posting my dislike and general repugnance for homosexuals and perverts.
Then you come here and stomp on Christianity and religion in general, belittling the beliefs of billions of people world wide. Superhero in the sky?
I think we are getting to know what makes you tick harris. You are a disturbing fellow.

There is no sin…?

That’s what pedophiles probably believe as well…
Interesting to see this side of you.

Wow, you must be a true Christian, what with your “repugnance of perverts.”

What an astounding load of hypocracy you are.

[/quote]

You are the pot calling the kettle black.

Did I say I was a true Christian?

Is that what you assumed because I pointed out that your ridiculing people over their beliefs in a higher power and at the same time standing up for gay rights was the most hypocritical bunch of nonsense you have written in a long time.
Heaven and hell does not exist? Are you sure? If your talking about the ones described to us when we were little kids in bible class then you are probably right.
Hell is a state and not a place.
Some believe that after death we continue to exist at some level.

I’m glad that you have figured it all out…You should assemble all the world leaders and hold a summit explaining to Jews, Muslims, Buddhists as well as Christians that they are waisting their time in prayer, meditation and just general dogoodery cause harris with a number after his name from t-mag has it all figured out. There is no immortal soul…

There is only black and white and when you die that’s it. Finished, caput, finita la musica baby.
Here I was for years undecided on how and what God is and you had the answer all along.

What a sad and empty life you must live. Judging by a lot of your other posts you must have some pretty scary demons haunting you.
Isn’t it ironic that you don’t believe in them? Well I’m gonna let you in on a little secret…the devil does exist and he believes in you.

I still dislike perverts.
I imagine by your reaction that you on the other hand enjoy their company.

I wish I could be a good Christian…I also have too many personal demons that keep me from achieving a state of peace but I’m working on it.

34

[quote]grey wrote:
harris447 wrote:
grey wrote:
harris447 wrote:
stellar_horizon wrote:
A lot of really wacky shit.

  1. There is no such thing as “sin”. It’s a man-made concept to keep people in line.

  2. There is no comparison whatsoever to reducing carbs because of dietary concerns and not eating because an invisible superhero in the sky told you to.

It’s pretty funny that you called me a hater for posting my dislike and general repugnance for homosexuals and perverts.
Then you come here and stomp on Christianity and religion in general, belittling the beliefs of billions of people world wide. Superhero in the sky?
I think we are getting to know what makes you tick harris. You are a disturbing fellow.

There is no sin…?

That’s what pedophiles probably believe as well…
Interesting to see this side of you.

Wow, you must be a true Christian, what with your “repugnance of perverts.”

What an astounding load of hypocracy you are.

You are the pot calling the kettle black.

Did I say I was a true Christian?

Is that what you assumed because I pointed out that your ridiculing people over their beliefs in a higher power and at the same time standing up for gay rights was the most hypocritical bunch of nonsense you have written in a long time.
Heaven and hell does not exist? Are you sure? If your talking about the ones described to us when we were little kids in bible class then you are probably right.
Hell is a state and not a place.
Some believe that after death we continue to exist at some level.

I’m glad that you have figured it all out…You should assemble all the world leaders and hold a summit explaining to Jews, Muslims, Buddhists as well as Christians that they are waisting their time in prayer, meditation and just general dogoodery cause harris with a number after his name from t-mag has it all figured out. There is no immortal soul…

There is only black and white and when you die that’s it. Finished, caput, finita la musica baby.
Here I was for years undecided on how and what God is and you had the answer all along.

What a sad and empty life you must live. Judging by a lot of your other posts you must have some pretty scary demons haunting you.
Isn’t it ironic that you don’t believe in them? Well I’m gonna let you in on a little secret…the devil does exist and he believes in you.

I still dislike perverts.
I imagine by your reaction that you on the other hand enjoy their company.

I wish I could be a good Christian…I also have too many personal demons that keep me from achieving a state of peace but I’m working on it.

[/quote]

“The devil does exist and he believes in you.”

Wow, you made me laugh. Aren’t you a grown-up? Don’t you have better things to do with your precious mind than believe in fairy tales?

I’d like to know exactly how I was “ridiculing” people. I just wish a little bit of reason, a tiny bit of rational thought could be applied to this whole religion thing.

But, of course, you can’t. Cuz it collapses the second you do.

But good luck with your “demons.” (You do know there’s no suck thing, right?)

35

[quote]harris447 wrote:
grey wrote:
harris447 wrote:
grey wrote:
harris447 wrote:
stellar_horizon wrote:
A lot of really wacky shit.

  1. There is no such thing as “sin”. It’s a man-made concept to keep people in line.

  2. There is no comparison whatsoever to reducing carbs because of dietary concerns and not eating because an invisible superhero in the sky told you to.

It’s pretty funny that you called me a hater for posting my dislike and general repugnance for homosexuals and perverts.
Then you come here and stomp on Christianity and religion in general, belittling the beliefs of billions of people world wide. Superhero in the sky?
I think we are getting to know what makes you tick harris. You are a disturbing fellow.

There is no sin…?

That’s what pedophiles probably believe as well…
Interesting to see this side of you.

Wow, you must be a true Christian, what with your “repugnance of perverts.”

What an astounding load of hypocracy you are.

You are the pot calling the kettle black.

Did I say I was a true Christian?

Is that what you assumed because I pointed out that your ridiculing people over their beliefs in a higher power and at the same time standing up for gay rights was the most hypocritical bunch of nonsense you have written in a long time.
Heaven and hell does not exist? Are you sure? If your talking about the ones described to us when we were little kids in bible class then you are probably right.
Hell is a state and not a place.
Some believe that after death we continue to exist at some level.

I’m glad that you have figured it all out…You should assemble all the world leaders and hold a summit explaining to Jews, Muslims, Buddhists as well as Christians that they are waisting their time in prayer, meditation and just general dogoodery cause harris with a number after his name from t-mag has it all figured out. There is no immortal soul…

There is only black and white and when you die that’s it. Finished, caput, finita la musica baby.
Here I was for years undecided on how and what God is and you had the answer all along.

What a sad and empty life you must live. Judging by a lot of your other posts you must have some pretty scary demons haunting you.
Isn’t it ironic that you don’t believe in them? Well I’m gonna let you in on a little secret…the devil does exist and he believes in you.

I still dislike perverts.
I imagine by your reaction that you on the other hand enjoy their company.

I wish I could be a good Christian…I also have too many personal demons that keep me from achieving a state of peace but I’m working on it.

“The devil does exist and he believes in you.”

Wow, you made me laugh. Aren’t you a grown-up? Don’t you have better things to do with your precious mind than believe in fairy tales?

I’d like to know exactly how I was “ridiculing” people. I just wish a little bit of reason, a tiny bit of rational thought could be applied to this whole religion thing.

But, of course, you can’t. Cuz it collapses the second you do.

But good luck with your “demons.” (You do know there’s no suck thing, right?)
[/quote]

You know I can also argue both sides of the whole “God” thing. There is a God there is no God. Who has solid proof?
Nobody. That doesn’t mean he cannot exist.
I think the difference between us is that you have closed your mind to the possibility that there just might be more to it than a cold grave at the end of the road.
I have read and seen some strange things in my time and like to give the benefit of doubt on a lot of these metaphysical issues.
As for demons…I’m talking about the ones that live in each and every one of us. The ones that goad us into having that “one drink” at the end of a hard day that turns into a night of binging.
I’m talking about the ones that whisper in the ears of a mass murderer.
The very same ones who told you it was ok to steal that chocolate from the store.
Demons are not physical beings but extensions of our mind and soul that would bring us or others into harms way.
Do you want to tell me that evil does not exist?
You must have lived a sheltered life in your structured world. It must be pretty cool to be able to see death and destruction on television and be able to dismiss it by shutting off the television.
I’m wondering…have you ever looked into the eyes of a truly evil person?
I have…

You ask for a little bit of reason and some rational thought yet you are surrounded by irrational war, genocide, massmurderers and things I would rather not think about on a daily basis.
If somebody needs to turn to God to help them through their ordeals then I say let them pray.
It will do no harm and just maybe might help.
I personally hope that you are so wrong…otherwise we live a pretty shallow and useless life. Like ants or bees. Doomed to die and dissapear into the shadow of oblivion.

36

So anyway, this thread is getting off topic. Let’s get back to the issue of the op. I am a Christian also, and have had problems trying to fast while on an intense regimen. To give you an idea of my regimen, it involves bodybuilding (with lots of powerlifting movements), Karate training (I am a black belt) and lots of intense cardio (I try to stay in tournament shape at all times).

I have tried fasting the day before I have a training session And had poor results). Usually, I either need to cut my training down to just the basics, or go on a limited fast. Maybe I will just drink orange juice while fasting, or will miss a meal or two (but still have a big dinner). I also try to fast during times when I am on a schedulaed break from training. This is good not only from a spiritual standpoint, but a physical one. Even secular doctors say that fasting clears out pollutants in our bodies, which speeds along our healing process. So since the point of a scheduled break is to get rest and rebuild, fasting is a good way to speed this along. After a few days of regular eating, your muscles will fill out again, you will have lost a few pounds of fat, and your body will be in better shape to hit the weights hard again.

My point is that there is no way I am able to do a strict fast (water only) when training for several days at a time. I will have to modify it a little.

37

I couldn’t help myself–although this thread probably belongs in the Get A Life section.

To paraphrase George Carlin: Religion is the biggest bullshit scheme out there. Christians have actually managed to convince people that there’s a big man that lives in the sky with a list of ten things you shouldn’t do–if you do one of those things he’ll send you to a place filled with sorrow, torture and misery–to have one thousand times the pain of your flesh burning in fire for eternity–with no hope of escape, salvation or light for ever and ever and ever. But he loves you…

Flame on you religious zealots. I know it’s PC to say I respect you for your beliefs but honestly I don’t. Anyone who believes that they have the answer to eternal salvation and that I am damned forever for not choosing your team (and worshipping some Arab guy that was killed in the Middle East over 2000 years ago as the son of a virgin–impregnated by the creator of the everything everywhere) deserves no respect from me. I believe in evolution and the big bang. Religious zealots and fundamentalists are putting all us reasonable people in mortal danger. Stop the madness.

As an aside I think you should do the full fast for forty days with no cheating–maybe you’ll finally get that Body by Jesus that’s so popular these days.

By the way, there are no loop holes. Fasting means not eating anything with any calories whatsoever–not even a rice cake. Just ask Ghandi…

38

Very depressing indead–and the roots of existentialism. Guess what–we are like ants and bees and doomed to die and dissappear into the shadow of oblivion (very poetic) at any moment–that’s what makes us human (of course I have all the answers too–it makes me feel less lonely and doomed).
Praying is fun too. I pray to Joe Pesci (Don’t you m f’ers dare decry me for my personal ridiculous beliefs–don’t you dare). I did a test and figured something out: When I pray to God my prayers are answered at about a 50% rate. Then I prayed to Joe Pesci for a while and got the same result. Thing is, Pesci knows how to get shit done.

39

[quote]djnleffler wrote:
grey wrote: I personally hope that you are so wrong…otherwise we live a pretty shallow and useless life. Like ants or bees. Doomed to die and dissapear into the shadow of oblivion.

Very depressing indead–and the roots of existentialism. Guess what–we are like ants and bees and doomed to die and dissappear into the shadow of oblivion (very poetic) at any moment–that’s what makes us human (of course I have all the answers too–it makes me feel less lonely and doomed).
Praying is fun too. I pray to Joe Pesci (Don’t you m f’ers dare decry me for my personal ridiculous beliefs–don’t you dare). I did a test and figured something out: When I pray to God my prayers are answered at about a 50% rate. Then I prayed to Joe Pesci for a while and got the same result. Thing is, Pesci knows how to get shit done.[/quote]

I also remember the routine George Carlin had on religion. I laughed my ass off.

I also read the Joe Pesci one somewhere but I don’t remember where?

40

djnleffler-

I find it quite ironic that you take such a hostile tone with respect to christianity yet have The Conquering Lion of the Tribe of Judah as your avatar, do you realize its symbolism?

Just an observation