How can Catholics state that they can't eat meat on Fridays, but then eat fish instead???? Fish IS meat.

Question

I'd like to hear a Catholic explain that one to me, and why they feel that fish doesn't count as a meat?

Answer 1

It was only made a rule when the fishermans market was low and was done to help them out.  Now it's done as a discipline during lent because if we can maintain self control form eating any other kind of meat we can have self control when we are tempted making it harder for temptation to over come us.  It's a form of fasting.  As to why it doesn't count as meat I don't know maby it has to do with the fact that jesus was a fisher of men?

Answer 2

its not meat,and im not catholic, but to me its not meat its fish.

if you said to somebody....we are having meat and potatoes for dinner and then you gave them fish, they would say i thought we was having meat! people dont call fish meat!

Answer 3

Ahh but there is crabmeat, no? That's a sea creature that has meat....good question. But alas this is the real answer which I got from the Catholic University of America School of History's Laura Trauth:

Fasting has been around since the early days of the church.   The idea behind the fast is to eat only enough to sustain yourself (1 meal a day), and nothing luxurious such as meat.  Initially milk, cheese, and eggs were not allowed either.  By the 1400's most people were allowed to eat these on fast days, however (though members of monastic orders might still refrain).

Scripture is the source of the idea that people should fast.  The Gospel of Matthew says, "the days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them and then they shall fast" (Matthew 9:15).  The bridegroom refers to Jesus.  Of course this doesn't say how long one should fast!  Those sorts of regulations were also set very early however. The number of days in Lent was set at 40 by the 7th century AD if not earlier.

Because they didn't have a modern understanding of various species, what counted as meat was a little odd to Medieval Christians.  Of course, they allowed fish, even though it's technically the meat of a living thing.  And since some birds spend much time at sea (geese, puffins), they were conveniently classified as fish too at times!  

Also during the middle ages, one was supposed to fast EVERY day.  Well, every day that wasn't a feast day for a saint -- which is about 36 out of the 40.  As with the fasting during Ramadan in Islam, exceptions would be allowed for people who were young, ill, pregnant, etc.

Some historians do note that the period of Lent occurs during the time of least food.  You've used up many of your harvest supplies, and the new early crops haven't started growing yet.  So it may well be that the designation of 40 days was influenced initially by the realization that this was the time period people might well be forced to fast anyway.  

In that sense, necessity and food shortage may well have shaped Lent to some extent -- but far earlier than the first world war.

Answer 4

By giving up meat,except fish, you are still sacrificing something.  But now catholics are given the option of doing other penance  on Friday instead of  giving up meat. For example you could say the rosary instead.

Answer 5

It's a tradition from a time when it was considered to be different I think.

Answer 6

it has nothing to do with being a vegetarian. meat was a luxury item back then, and only the rich people who had money to buy it or owned cattle could afford it. fish was in abundance. the purpose of "fasting" on the fridays was to not eat luxuriously. now though, lobster is the new luxury item and it is technically allowed since it is fish, so the purpose is somewhat lost.

Answer 7

In the first place that rule went the same way as latin mass went, because it was obsolete.

Fish is not meat, and I'm saying that as a chef. Having said that, I have to agree that, nowadays,  seems stupid and arbitrary that you couldn't eat produce from one living being but not from another, but put in the context of when the rule came to exist ( lots of centuries ago) eating meat was important and being able or not to eat it set you apart and gave you a superior status, not being allowed to eat it was the church way to try to make everybody the same.

Answer 8

The rule was made back in the 15 century if I remember right. THe fishermen were having a hard time selling fish so the Pope made fridays a fish only day. It didn't have anyting to do with vegetarianism, or a crulty free diet. The rule has been modified so it only apply to Fridays durring lent.

Answer 9

I used to be catholic and me and my family wonder the same thing. And I definatly agree, fish IS most definatly meat!

Answer 10

Its only during lent.  BUT GOOD QUESTION!!! Maybe you should put the question in a catholic forum....

Answer 11

the meat of the fish was not considered "meat" in the sense of abstaining because it was cheap and plentiful "back in the day".  the meat to refrain from was that of the "land animals" as it was much more expensive and rich.  in my family we abstained from fish as well usually having cheeses, pasta, potato pancakes (hhhmmmm, potatoe pancakes).

Answer 12

Beef = meat

Chicken = poultry

Pig = pork

Fish = fish = NOT meat = fish IS fish

Answer 13

It is a tradition, Jesus had to eat fish.  There wasn't much anything else around.

Answer 14

I found this .pdf floating around on the internet and thought I'd send it your way for more information.  I think you may find it interesting regarding Lent in a general sense. There are a few other links about Lent I have listed for your reading enjoyment.

As for fish, it is not considered 'meat' and so may be consumed as you see from previous commentors.  If it bothers you, I would suggest just not eating fish or any animal during Lent. I don't think there is a religious rule saying you *must* eat fish during Lent- just that it is acceptable to.

http://web.mac.com/jssweb/ElectronicGosp...

http://www.churchyear.net/lent.html

Answer 15

that is really not an issue today..

Eating RED meat OR abstaining is a religious issue The respect for Christ and the passion..

Not only that

☺

Fishermen in the middle ages would return from a week at sea and donate a portion to the monastery's..

(Because the were planing a wild weekend )

the monks so respected the generous gifts..

They came up support your local fishermen

Answer 16

The reason for not eating "warm-blooded" animals during lent started because people were not suppose to have a special food on friday during lent. Since most people were fishermen and fish was in abundance, fish was considered the "non-special" food of the time and "warm-blooded" animals were considered a treat.

Answer 17

Actually, this is based on the biblical terms.  In the original biblical languages (Greek, Hebrew and the later Latin), there was a different term for "meat" and seafood.  Meat did not contain fish or seafood at all.  Since this idea is base on the sacrifice of meat, and comes from a period when these languages were in use, seafood and fish are not included in this.  It is a matter of biblical linguistics rather than biology.