An anti-gay Christian group has begun a planned 40-day ‘fast’ to oppose same-sex marriage – but participants are still allowed to eat food.

The Virginia-based Family Foundation announced a coordinated ‘fast’ last month, in order to influence the US Supreme Court into rejecting same-sex marriage when it hears the first of a series of appeals cases in October.

The group had said: “The Supreme Court begins their session on October 6th. We fully expect them to take a marriage case sometime in the next year.

“Join us for 40 Days of Prayer, Fasting and Repentance for Marriage from August 27 through October 5, 2014.

“Our 40 Days will culminate on October 5th just before the court begins their session.”

However, they later quietly clarified that members don’t actually have to give up any food at all to take part in the ‘fast’.

They wrote: “We are asking the entire Body of Christ to join us for this feast – giving up physical food isn’t necessary – but feeding on the spiritual food provided is vital.”

The challenge begins today, with the group’s introductory ‘fast’ video claiming that God would want people to be ‘holy’ by opposing same-sex marriage.

As people don’t actually have to give up food to take part, the group opposed to re-defining the definition of marriage seem to be re-defining the meaning of a fast.

Watch the clip below: