The practice of fasting as a spiritual devotion has its origins in the earliest recorded religions. It was a fundamental tenant of Jainism. The last Jina, Vardhamana, achieved enlightenment after a stomach rumbling 13 years of depravation, teaching that believers should fast to achieve passionless detachment from life, culminating ultimately in their death by voluntary starvation. This may explain why Jainism has only 4 million followers left in the world.

While few modern religions share Jainism's extreme dedication, nearly all of them promote or sanction fasting in some form. Jesus Christ spent forty looooong days and nights fasting in the desert in the preparation for his formal ministry. During his temptation, Satan offered to turn stones into bread. A more inspiring menu might have changed the history of Christianity.

Mahatma Gandhi is probably the most famous proponent of political fasting. He starved himself to pressure his Hindu and Moslem followers to observe his principles of non-violence during India's struggle for freedom. But political hunger strikes were a far from new phenomenon.

The imprisoned Suffragette Emmeline Pankhurst found her attempts to fast for women's rights repeatedly frustrated when Parliament passed the Cat and Mouse Act. The Suffragettes were let out of jail, only to be rearrested when their fasts had been broken. Pankhurst, a slight, grey haired woman, used these periods of freedom from starvation effectively, burning down Ayr racecourse and breaking the windows of the Prime Minister's house.

Her dedication was eclipsed by Terence MacSwiney. The former mayor of Cork was imprisoned for carrying secret IRA codes. He joined nine others in the longest hunger strike in recorded history, dying in Brixton on the 74th day of the fast on October 25th, 1920. Just one year later Irish independence was achieved.

Over 60 years later, The Irish Conflict claimed another life by starvation when IRA activist Bobby Sands died on May 5th 1981. The incident twice caused outrage. First with the death of Sands and then when Fox News in the USA attempted a crude joke on television.

'Bobby Sands died after sixty-six days on a hunger strike in prison in Belfast,' said anchorman Steve Shepherd. 'The moral of the story: eat more often.'

A massive online petition by outraged Irish-Americans forced Fox to apologise. 

The obvious physical toll of fasting was demonstrated by comedian Dick Gregory, while engaged in a fast against the Vietnam War. He called for a joint boycott of all barbers, only to find himself unable to participate when his hair stopped growing as a result of not eating.

In primal religions fasting prepared followers for a ceremonial observance. Eastern religions used it to gain mystical insight. Christianity associated fasting with repentance for sin. Nowadays , the self sacrifice of fasting is used to pressure governments non violently. In the present day, hunger strike has become a powerful tool for refugees seeking political asylum. This crossover between the religious and political fast can be seen in such actions such as the 40 Hour Famine, an event run annually by the Christian relief organisation, World Vision Australia, to raise awareness of world hunger.

On Monday 11th April, Christian Aid asks you all to join in a similar one day fast. 

Please note: fasting is dangerous and should not be undertaken without proper planning.