LENT IS HERE!

[Rev.Reverence]

..I would like to start by saying, it is NOT a strictly Orthodox/Catholic thing...(some Protestants do it too)...but that's not what I'm talkin' about...HooDoos sometimes keep Lent...as well as Santerians (I think more than on occasion)...I have heard of various strains VooDoo Islanders that keep Lent...oH! & Rastafarian Peoples as well...

...Lent is based around the 40 days before Easter...which is the Sunday after the Jewish Passover...

Thought since we have such a large number of different Religious/Spiritual types that several may celebrate one of MY favorite Rites of the "World Church" both in Passover & Lent...I dig them both..Lent & Easter-(as Cherny pointed out at Christ Mass Time)...are central to the emulation & study of The Christ...& The Worship if you call it that.

...& if you're not into this kinda' stuff...please leave this thread alone we already know.

[phee]

I observe others observing lent... heh

[candyman]

Since I kinda follow Rasta...I do kinda observe Lent. The key word there is kinda...it means that I do not give anything up, I find that extremely odd in a way, but I do take it alot easier on a few things. Since I am not very active there is not much for me to give up...well really nothing at all. I won't quit smoking, I have to eat, homework is a must, and I need my sleep. So, I guess I will give up the mountains of candy that I eat every day in exchange for a few pieces here and there.

Now I am not sure if this applies but, could going out on the weekends and doing things rather than staying in my room doing nothing be considered giving something up?

[TitsMcGee]

We eat a lot of fish this time of year.

[Slogo]

IDK

My mom always gets really into it at first and asks everyone what they're giving up. She usually fails hers within a week. My family isn't that religious and I have a short attention span so we really don't give anything up

[Homicidalheathen]

someone wants me to give something up with him...but I am not catholic...i thought it was a catholic thing. I know there is the thing about meat and fatty meat but fish is ok

I was thinking coffee cause I can't give up the red meat right now

picking on my friend with ocd....er thats a tough one cause its my only form of live entertainment at the moment. I wait till he is in the other room and move things around...he comes out and moves them back, its hellarious...close blinds, open cabinets...it drives him nuts.

We walk behind him and he goes crazy he really has a thing about that one...we do it in public with lots of people around...3 of us will walk in single file behind him and he freaks lol

yah maybe I will give up pickin on him for 40 days should be quite boring.

I don't get the 40 days thing what is that purifying one's self for passover?

thats a long time to give shit up

cant I just fast and be good for a few days and call it even?

[Scary Guy]

"I gave up Jesus for lent"

[Oh_My_Goth]

...& if you're not into this kinda' stuff...please leave this thread alone we already know.

[phee]

I think you guys might be missing the... er gist of Rev's original post.

[freydis]

<sarcasm>Classy, guys. Seriously.</sarcasm>

but anyway....

I am not Christian, nor do I observe Lent, but I have an Ash Wednesday story.

I used to work as a co-op at Madonna University's web department. Did it two years in a row.

Threw me every time Ash Wednesday came around. I'd come into the building, and be utterly mesmerized by all the dirty foreheads in the building before it would occur to me that it was Ash Wednesday.

LOL

[hunhee]

...& if you're not into this kinda' stuff...please leave this thread alone we already know.

I think you guys might be missing the... er gist of Rev's original post.

I deleted my comment and the comments around my comment. I apologize if you thought I was making fun of it, I wasn't, I was making fun of how I read it when I saw the title (instead of lent I read lint). I did not read the initial post until now. I apologize.

I used to celebrate lent, and all the connecting holidays. I actually used to be a bible teacher (imagine that). As a Lutheran (growing up), I didn't have to give anything up, nor did we have to abstain from eating meat. The only things I remember was going to church Palm Sunday, Ash Wednesday, and then of course getting to wear my nice spring Easter dress. That was the only holiday my father was made to go to church when I was a kid.

[phee]

To be honest we did take advantage of the season and bought pastries

[hunhee]

To be honest we did take advantage of the season and bought pastries

I went to buy punczki's yesterday for a group of friends in celebration of fat tuesday, and the only ones left were the prune ones. Not that I don't like prune, but I can't imagine a bunch of 20-30 year old guys would be very favorable toward it.

[Der Nister]

I know that it is here and that is the extent of my observing of lent.

I'm German so I don't observe most other holidays/traditions ect.

Some of the standard ones yes (thanksgiving/Halloween) but most no.

[Troy Spiral (13)]

German? Is nationality relevant to metaphysical claims? If anything transcends national borders this does. Not trying to be insulting, just seems like comparing apples to universal constructs.

Lent:

I try not to let my seething become apparent. That or sneak into the nearest parish and flip through The Book Of The Law when I'm supposed to be "observing".

[Bernadette]

I'm Catholic.

I relish in MardiGras/Fat Tuesday festivities - who doesn't love a party and good food and drink!

I do try to not eat meat on Ash Wednesday and Lenten Fridays.

I do try to either give something up or do something positive during that time -- in addition to any new year things I've already been working on.

I am deciding on what my thing to give up or do is tonite... ticktock.

[Slogo]

Actually one year I got soooo sick of eating fish that I gave it up the next year

[Oh_My_Goth]

I have given up chocolate & meat in observance of Lent...

It's not quite as hardcore as traveling through the desert for 40 days, but I think it will do

[Der Nister]

German? Is nationality relevant to metaphysical claims? If anything transcends national borders this does. Not trying to be insulting, just seems like comparing apples to universal constructs.

I am not jewish so I do not observe jewish holidays or traditions and so on and so forth.

It isn't about trancending nor do I feel I must observe or take part in other nationalities traditions.

I am not trying to insult anyone for doing such things but they are not for me. Maybe being of German decent has nothing to do with it but I do not feel it is right to be a part of something that is not of my families heritage.

Lent is here or not here - makes no difference. Celebrate or don't - it's all the same to me.

I think religious rituals are meaningless anyway - maybe to those that do it it means something but to me they do not.

That is only my point of view of course.

[Scary Guy]

I think religious rituals are meaningless anyway - maybe to those that do it it means something but to me they do not.

That is only my point of view of course.

It's not just your point of view, to me it's all just a bunch of pomp and circumstance to reaffirm belief. Then ceremonies turn into tradition and it gets past down, then people forget the original reasons for doing it. For example the church taking over pagan holidays and turning them into their own.

K sorry to rain on everyone's parade, back to the thread.

[TitsMcGee]

I am not jewish so I do not observe jewish holidays or traditions and so on and so forth.

It isn't about trancending nor do I feel I must observe or take part in other nationalities traditions.

I am not trying to insult anyone for doing such things but they are not for me. Maybe being of German decent has nothing to do with it but I do not feel it is right to be a part of something that is not of my families heritage.

Lent is here or not here - makes no difference. Celebrate or don't - it's all the same to me.

I think religious rituals are meaningless anyway - maybe to those that do it it means something but to me they do not.

That is only my point of view of course.

Lent is not strictly a jewish thing. Christians practice it too. And I'm german too ffs my last name is Romel, and I still practice lent.

[Der Nister]

It's not just your point of view, to me it's all just a bunch of pomp and circumstance to reaffirm belief. Then ceremonies turn into tradition and it gets past down, then people forget the original reasons for doing it. For example the church taking over pagan holidays and turning them into their own.

K sorry to rain on everyone's parade, back to the thread.

Exactly - most people don't even bother to find out what something is all about. Not pointing any fingers here.

But I will say I have some family that are zealous and swear up and down that christmas is the birthday of their saviour.

It is not.

It is a pagen holiday that was toned down for Americans.

Anywhoz.........

Let the lenting continue.

[Az_]

*Insert standard joke about giving up religion for Lent here*

[Scary Guy]

*Insert standard joke about giving up religion for Lent here*

Plz see my post earlier in the thread :D

[Rev.Reverence]

I have given up chocolate & meat in observance of Lent...

It's not quite as hardcore as traveling through the desert for 40 days, but I think it will do

I have given myself to much contemplation. About Jesu Christ & his fellow Prophets. About the endless volumes about the "word of god" & "proper actions" & how to help my fellows.

I am refraining from:

meat other than bird & fish

fermented grain...& "strong drink"

I am not spending frivolous time away from the house.

I'll be at Church eventually

I am also attempting to be as nice as possible.