Lenten Sacrifices

So it's that time of year again for most Christians (as well as just a lot of other people who like giving something up)... time to give something up for the next 40 days. I know that most religions have something similiar as well (though not at the same time), so what to you plan on giving up this year? Note that if it's not for Lent, let everyone know what your faith does as I'm sure that others are interested.


Anyways, I'm giving up donuts and danishes this year. Which means that I'm stopping by Dunkin' Donuts tonight right after I get back from the pool

Everyone at my school is talking about this...They're giving up Xbox and anime and all sorts o' stuff.

Me? I don't celebrate(?) it. Lent is more on the Catholic side o' things...And I'm not Catholic. In fact, I have no idea what denomination I am...

Does that mean I'm still allowed to stuff myself with food today? (Fat Tuesday...)

Ill just join because it's useful.

I promise not to spend money on anything other than food for the next 40 days.

That means no miniature wargaming stuff. No new fancy paints or brushes (I should stock up on some Red soon then), no music cds or anything.
Just the required.

Starting This Sat till the end of March.

MisterWaffles wrote:
Does that mean I'm still allowed to stuff myself with food today? (Fat Tuesday...)

Of course! I never made it to Dunkin' Donuts today, but I definitely filled myself with some King cake.

Someone should give up eating.

Where did lent come from? What's the point? Explain to the poor Pagan please...

It's 40 days before Easter, and it's a time reserved for contemplation and ...penance, you might say.

It's modeled on the 40 days that Christ was in the desert, praying and fasting before, I believe, he began his public ministry. In contemporary times, it pops up as all sorts of things. But traditionally, still, it is a quiet time; Catholics (and some non-catholic christians) take it as a time to give up something they enjoy sensually (with the senses) so that they can focus more on spiritual things. I've also heard (and practiced myself) looking at ways in my life that I don't live well. ...For example, last year I gave up saying anything at all if it detracted from someone else (true or no, if it might be unkind). My little sister gave up complaining one year.

I have never understood the idea of obtaining spirituality in spite of our bodies. But that's for another discussion.

Why is it set aside? Why not use the whole year to model Christ's self-sacrifices? I'm not trying to be rude or facetious, just trying to understand.

Because thats what Christians do? (I don't mean that to offend. I mean that as in, Christians view spirituality as OVERCOMING the physical desires, rather than embracing them)

But didn't those physical desires come from G-d? I mean to say, didn't G-d give us bodies, and didn't s/he fill them with physical sensation? So then what's the point in denying those impulses? I dunno, it's a part of Western philosophy I just can't fathom.

But back to Lent. I still don't get it.

Meh. Most appropriately I watched Chocolat last night...

I am not a christian, so I'm not giving anything up...I know why christians do it and all, but I just think that denying yourself is not what life is about.

Let's see if I can explain Lent a bit better; I'm not the most theologically minded person, so apologies if I get things wrong.

First of all, it's important to realise that God created Man (in the Old English sense, meaning both sexes) to enjoy life; the Garden of Eden was a Paradise, and Man was the most important creation, because he had the ability to return God's love - he was therefore given stewardship over creation, to enjoy it, but also to take care of it sensibly and keep it in good working order - the environmentalist and conservationalist side of Christianity are not often emphasised, which is a shame; Christians have just as much responsibility for nature written into the Bible as if it were a Greenpeace manual
Anyway - we are meant to enjoy ourselves, and to attribute that enjoyment to God as the ultimate source of it; basically, we're suppoesd to love and praise God for being good to us. But God (being a clever sort of God) also put rules in place, as a safeguard: with freewill comes the ability to do things that are harmful to human happiness and well-being in general, so God makes things clear just so we don't stumble into them without knowing they're harmful. Promiscuity, envy, worship of Idols; all these things and more are considered anathema to a society that believes in God and accepts that God knows best, therefore God says "don't do them for your own benefit."

Of course, since Man decided to go its own way, the relationship with God is no longer perfect; sin is the act of separating yourself from a relationship with God, and is harmful to people and saddening to God. Society sees the term of "sin" as this big, black evil deed that horrible people commit - in reality, it's any act that takes you away from doing what God knows is best for your life. God, in His grace, is always willing to let you back, but the more and more you pull away, the harder it is to want to come back; that's why even things like not making enough time for God in your busy life are considered "sin"; not in the 'murder/envy/lies' kind of catagory, but damaging to the personal relationship everyone should have with God.

With this in mind, Lent is a time of concentrating and focusing on God rather than worldly things. Worldly things aren't 'bad' as such, only harmful when they become more important to you than God. Jesus went into the wilderness to get away from crowds and people and demands on His time and thoughts, so He could talk personally to God and figure out what He was supposed to do with His life. Giving up things at Lent isn't about denying yourself things - I think, in a lot of ways, the emphasis has (wrongly) been placed sacrifice - but rather on putting aside as many distractions are possibly between you and God. Jesus fasted in the wilderness because he didn't have any food in the desert Orthadox Christians don't fast entirely, but they do make their meals as simple as possible and try and use spare time to talk to God and think about what He wants from their life.

There's a passage in Matthew's Gospel that sums up some of the attitude: "when you pray, go to your private room and, when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in that secret place, and your Father who sees all that is done in secret will reward you. When you fast do not put on a gloomy look as the hypocrites do: they pull long faces to let men know they are fasting. I tell you solemnly, they have had their reward. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that no one will know you are fasting except your Father who sees all that is done in secret, and your Father who sees all that is done in secret will reward you."

Basically, fasting and praying are something private between you and God that is meant to get rid of any outside influences that might distract you. Some people want to ignore food completely, others don't need that - they just lose the things that do get in the way.

Well, that turned out a lot longer than I meant or anticipated - hopefully it clears up a bit of the point of Lent, which I think has been a bit lost in all the talk of giving up and sacrifice; it's more about targeting what you do do toward special emphasis on God. If it's too confusing to be understood... well, I've wasted my time, but I'll save it up for my PhD

Well, that turned out a lot longer than I meant or anticipated - hopefully it clears up a bit of the point of Lent, which I think has been a bit lost in all the talk of giving up and sacrifice; it's more about targeting what you do do toward special emphasis on God. If it's too confusing to be understood... well, I've wasted my time, but I'll save it up for my PhD

Backgroundbob's got it closest in that last respect. Too many people think it's all about giving up things. It's meant to be an exchange.

As to why the whole year isn't for modeling after Christ - it is. Lent is the time to stop and recall whether you've managed to, figure out why you haven't and condition yourself for the next year. Rather like - if you play football, for example, there are two weeks before the season actually begins called informally "Hell Week". You condition your body, learn the plays. If you've played before, you go over it all anyway. Lent is a spiritual version of the former.

--

Look to Backgroundbob though. No PhD, maybe, (:wink:)but an excellent layman's explanation.

Officially, as of 7:57 PM today in Minnesota....
I give up:

Procrastination, my wanting of Mardi Gras beads, and (I'll try this) eating when not a meal, two snacks, nothing fattening... *Will probably get fat anyway*

Hmm... I could say showers get in the way of my Praying right?
So I can use shower time for praying time?

Or how about water? Water makes me pee too much.
Oh I know! School!

I dont get religion. I dont think I ever will.