ernest_t_bass
Posts: 24,984
Mar 8, 2014 10:43am
Is anyone participating? I'm not catholic, but I have many catholic friends, so this year I've decided to participate in Lent. I'm not doing this for religious reasons, rather to just give something up. If you're participating, what are you giving up?
I'm giving up potatoes, bread, and pasta. Figured that would eliminate quite a few carbs in my lifestyle, and allow me to drink more booze.
Bonus:
Dumbest thing I've ever heard of someone giving up on Lent, was a female friend in college. She gave up BUYING beer. Not drinking, but BUYING. She said it was ok to drink other people's beer, but she wasn't going to waste her own money on it. DERP.
I'm giving up potatoes, bread, and pasta. Figured that would eliminate quite a few carbs in my lifestyle, and allow me to drink more booze.
Bonus:
Dumbest thing I've ever heard of someone giving up on Lent, was a female friend in college. She gave up BUYING beer. Not drinking, but BUYING. She said it was ok to drink other people's beer, but she wasn't going to waste her own money on it. DERP.
lhslep134
Posts: 9,774
Mar 8, 2014 10:57am
Dumb? That's brillianternest_t_bass;1588003 wrote: Dumbest thing I've ever heard of someone giving up on Lent, was a female friend in college. She gave up BUYING beer. Not drinking, but BUYING. She said it was ok to drink other people's beer, but she wasn't going to waste her own money on it. DERP.
HitsRus
Posts: 9,206
Mar 8, 2014 2:48pm
^^^^and it could be noble also if the idea was to take the money that she would normally spend on beer and donate it to a charitable cause...say a soup kitchen, or to families in need.
Lent is about sacrifice that moves you closer to god or to enhance your spiritual well being. Unfortunately a lot of Catholic ritual is misunderstood, incorrectly interpreted, or taken too literally....even by Catholics themselves.
Lent is meant to be a period where you sacrifice worldly items or actions for spiritual improvement....that's a pretty broad spectrum.
Sometimes kids give up stuff they like, such as candy, as an exercise in sacrifice for a good cause, but giving up "potatoes" so that you lose weight, probably doesn't qualify as a Lenten sacrifice for an adult.
Lent is about sacrifice that moves you closer to god or to enhance your spiritual well being. Unfortunately a lot of Catholic ritual is misunderstood, incorrectly interpreted, or taken too literally....even by Catholics themselves.
Lent is meant to be a period where you sacrifice worldly items or actions for spiritual improvement....that's a pretty broad spectrum.
Sometimes kids give up stuff they like, such as candy, as an exercise in sacrifice for a good cause, but giving up "potatoes" so that you lose weight, probably doesn't qualify as a Lenten sacrifice for an adult.
T
Tiernan
Posts: 13,021
Mar 8, 2014 5:49pm
The Catoleigh religion is the most corrupt organized crime syndicate in the world. I grew up a good little lamb of the Pope until I was old enough to understand how much BS they pulled off in "the name of God". So for Lent I'm giving up Not drinking.
Heretic
Posts: 18,820
Mar 8, 2014 5:51pm
If I feel like altering something or giving it up, I do so out of that desire; not superstition.
Pick6
Posts: 14,946
Mar 8, 2014 6:51pm
Lent is not exclusive to Catholicism, correct?
Get felt up by a priest or two in your time?Tiernan;1588113 wrote:The Catoleigh religion is the most corrupt organized crime syndicate in the world. I grew up a good little lamb of the Pope until I was old enough to understand how much BS they pulled off in "the name of God". So for Lent I'm giving up Not drinking.
We get it already.Heretic;1588114 wrote:If I feel like altering something or giving it up, I do so out of that desire; not superstition.
OSH
Posts: 4,145
Mar 8, 2014 7:08pm
I do not do empty traditions.
Lent is so dumb for many (most) people.
Lent is so dumb for many (most) people.
M
MontyBrunswick
Mar 8, 2014 7:47pm
I don't give up anything because I'm not out to prove anything.
Hope this helps.
Hope this helps.
HitsRus
Posts: 9,206
Mar 8, 2014 8:00pm
It is not about proving anything.I don't give up anything because I'm not out to prove anything.
It is not an empty tradition.I do not do empty traditions.
It is not a superstition.If I feel like altering something or giving it up, I do so out of that desire; not superstition.
Thanks for sharing!So for Lent I'm giving up Not drinking.
M
MontyBrunswick
Mar 8, 2014 8:50pm
Then why do it?HitsRus;1588126 wrote:It is not about proving anything.
justincredible
Posts: 32,056
Mar 8, 2014 9:02pm
I like a good fish fry, but that's about as "lent" as I get.
Pick6
Posts: 14,946
Mar 8, 2014 9:03pm
You also like to get fried in other ways amirite?!justincredible;1588138 wrote:I like a good fish fry, but that's about as "lent" as I get.
Q
QuakerOats
Posts: 8,740
Mar 8, 2014 9:14pm
dlazz;1588130 wrote:Then why do it?
That was explained above, too bad you missed it.
justincredible
Posts: 32,056
Mar 8, 2014 9:28pm
I don't particularly like sun burns, no.Pick6;1588140 wrote:You also like to get fried in other ways amirite?!
ernest_t_bass
Posts: 24,984
Mar 8, 2014 9:39pm
Good thread.
M
MontyBrunswick
Mar 8, 2014 10:58pm
No, it wasn't.QuakerOats;1588142 wrote:That was explained above, too bad you missed it.
HitsRus;1588072 wrote: Lent is about sacrifice that moves you closer to god or to enhance your spiritual well being.
Isn't that proving something?HitsRus;1588126 wrote:It is not about proving anything.
ernest_t_bass
Posts: 24,984
Mar 8, 2014 11:06pm
So... Anyone participating in lent?
OSH
Posts: 4,145
Mar 8, 2014 11:19pm
Sure it is. When all the talk is "I'm giving up facebook, pop, chips, beer, etc. etc. etc." the Lenten season is empty. It's not about "giving up" these trivial things in our lives.HitsRus;1588126 wrote:It is not an empty tradition.
As you mentioned in your previous post, it's about sacrifice AND enhancing your spiritual life. "Giving up" facebook for 40 days does nothing if you don't do the other side. Oh, not eating meat...empty. That comes from no Biblical context. But...I can eat fish on Fridays. Oh ain't that special.
HitsRus
Posts: 9,206
Mar 9, 2014 8:58am
^^^Well, the traditions are surely empty...for you.
Lessons of sacrifice of some earthly things we love serve to remind us of the sacrifce that Christ made for us on the cross. The sacrifices we make are small but constant reminders of the ultimate sacrifice made on Good Friday. We do these things this time of year, because it is a time of renewal of baptismal vows as we prepare to celebrate the resurrection and our redemption.
While these are Christian values, you don't have to be religious to appreciate that spring is a time of growth and renewal. Secular humanists can use the time as a reminder to improve their lives and focus on the common values of human dignity that we all share.
Lessons of sacrifice of some earthly things we love serve to remind us of the sacrifce that Christ made for us on the cross. The sacrifices we make are small but constant reminders of the ultimate sacrifice made on Good Friday. We do these things this time of year, because it is a time of renewal of baptismal vows as we prepare to celebrate the resurrection and our redemption.
While these are Christian values, you don't have to be religious to appreciate that spring is a time of growth and renewal. Secular humanists can use the time as a reminder to improve their lives and focus on the common values of human dignity that we all share.
OSH
Posts: 4,145
Mar 9, 2014 9:37am
As I said, the sacrifice only means something if the individual were to "remind us of the sacrifice that Christ made for us." Giving up facebook and doing nothing else is not a sacrifice. Giving up potato chips and doing nothing else means nothing. This is what Lent has become.HitsRus;1588218 wrote:Lessons of sacrifice of some earthly things we love serve to remind us of the sacrifce that Christ made for us on the cross. The sacrifices we make are small but constant reminders of the ultimate sacrifice made on Good Friday. We do these things this time of year, because it is a time of renewal of baptismal vows as we prepare to celebrate the resurrection and our redemption.
While these are Christian values, you don't have to be religious to appreciate that spring is a time of growth and renewal. Secular humanists can use the time as a reminder to improve their lives and focus on the common values of human dignity that we all share.
An individual can use this time, but it's not that way. It's become an empty tradition amongst many (and I'd venture to say most) religious persons. There's much more to Lent than just giving up some trivial object.
ernest_t_bass
Posts: 24,984
Mar 9, 2014 9:48am
So... Anyone participating in lent?
HitsRus
Posts: 9,206
Mar 9, 2014 9:53am
^^^yes.
GOONx19
Posts: 7,147
Mar 9, 2014 10:19am
I gave up reading your posts.ernest_t_bass;1588223 wrote:So... Anyone participating in lent?
C
Con_Alma
Posts: 12,198
Mar 9, 2014 11:00am
OSH;1588221 wrote: ....There's much more to Lent than just giving up some trivial object.
This.
Pick6
Posts: 14,946
Mar 9, 2014 11:10am
IM giving up water for 40 days