I was born into the Catholic guilt ..
I distinctly recall being a child and thinking I’d burn in hell because I accidentally ate a chicken finger on a Friday in lent. I think I even tearfully told a priest at my Catholic school mandated confession in my early grade school years.
Since then, it obvious became less and less of an important matter.
However, I finally found an article from a Catholic site that claims to explain WHY Catholics are told not to eat meat on Fridays.
Is it because of the fishing industry needing business? Popes not liking mutton? God declaring that fish rocks the casbah?
No. It’s all because—yet again—of sex.
Basically this: Hot blooded animals, AKA meat, can be equated to to hot sex. And for that reason you should steer clear. Seriously. Saint Thomas’ own words:
Fasting was instituted by the Church in order to bridle the concupiscences of the flesh, which regard pleasures of touch in connection with food and sex. Wherefore the Church forbade those who fast to partake of those foods which both afford most pleasure to the palate, and besides are a very great incentive to lust
Now I remember George Constanza equating sex and eating, in one episode even using food during his promiscuity.. But I myself have never had any sexual experience because of steak, chicken, or any ‘other white meat.’ A friend of mine once told me eating hot dogs was phallic.. But I don’t know.
Apparently St. Thomas never saw me eat Shrimp Scampi, which if made with Dry Sherry, becomes an gratifying sexual experience for me.
FISH. IT’S WHAT’S FOR DINNER.
