For Lent, what will you give up?

[The Good]

In case you're not familiar with Lent, it's a forty day period before Easter when a Christian would give up something out of personal choice at least for forty days.

I'm thinking about giving up pork this Lent. This is actually the first Lent that I'm going to take seriously. I've tried before but with less discipline.

Basically, Lent is symbolic, in that the believer is giving up something they like in thanks to the Lord our Saviour Jesus Christ.

[Axeman]

Maybe I will give up work... :hmmm:

But on a serious not, probably one of those annoying unhealthy habbits that won't kill you, so I will probably stop going out EVERY friday night and dancing, and drinking, and.... well this is where this post ends....

[Pontifex Maximus]

I think I will keep with my devotion of the past years since I have taken steps away from my fait. This year I will give up nothing.

[Finn]

I going to try to give up being lazy and unfit. I'm going to get myself to a gym and workout, and maybe even get back in decent shape.

[boofhead]

I don't have Lent, even though I'm Christian, as it isn't the slightest bit Biblical, however I understand the concept.

When does it begin exactly?

I'll have a crack at cutting down on the beer.

[Winter]

It starts Ash Wednesday 40 days later (not counting sundays) on Easter.

Its actually not a bad practice even if you aren't religious. Give up something thats not good for you but you like to do for forty days, consider it an endurance challenge.

I for one will do nothing, because I am a bad, bad Catholic

[Erwin Rommel]

i will give up TWC

no i cant do that!!! i dunnoh i;ll think about it

[Dayman]

Christianity...oh wait.

[The Good]

I don't have Lent, even though I'm Christian, as it isn't the slightest bit Biblical, however I understand the concept.

When does it begin exactly?

I'll have a crack at cutting down on the beer.

I actually do know that Lent is primarily a Roman Catholic tradition, but really it's a great chance to sacrifice something you like in return for what the Lord has done to save you. Thats the whole idea of it, even though it's probably not mentioned in the Bible.

[Scorch]

I actually do know that Lent is primarily a Roman Catholic tradition, but really it's a great chance to sacrifice something you like in return for what the Lord has done to save you. Thats the whole idea of it, even though it's probably not mentioned in the Bible.

It's completely and utterly useless and self-serving.

'Yes, I'll give up chocolates/beer/lollies/being unfit for forty days in order to repay Jesus for being brutally tortured, mocked, humiliated and then finally nailed into a wooden beam to die in a way so painful that they had to create a new word to describe it (the word excruciating comes from 'crucifixion'), and that is a very worthwhile gesture'.

Right ...

[Pontifex Maximus]

It's completely and utterly useless and self-serving.

'Yes, I'll give up chocolates/beer/lollies/being unfit for forty days in order to repay Jesus for being brutally tortured, mocked, humiliated and then finally nailed into a wooden beam to die in a way so painful that they had to create a new word to describe it (the word excruciating comes from 'crucifixion'), and that is a very worthwhile gesture'.

Right ...

I take it Scorch was either molested by a priest, or a radical Muslim

[Scorch]

I take it Scorch was either molested by a priest, or a radical Muslim

Neither. I haven't been molested and I'm a Christian, but thank you for your concern.

It's customary in the Orthodox Church to have a strict fast during Lent - no meat, no dairy products, no oil, no fish and no wine for the forty-day period. The Orthodox also fast during Advent (before Christmas), for a month before the feast day of Ss Peter and Paul, and for a month before the feast day of the Dormition of the Mother of God. On an ordinary basis, the Orthodox also fast each Wednesday and Friday (the same rules apply as above).

The point about Lent and fasting is not to try and match Christ's suffering, but to teach yourself discipline (worldly goods distract you from the pursuit of Heaven) and to remind yourself that you don't have an innate right to anything. As my bishop said in his sermon this morning, "It is only through giving that we can truly possess anything."

I'm not Orthodox, but if you're going to 'give up' something, then that is the right way to go about it. As it stands, Lent is a useless and self-serving event that makes Catholics feel as though by giving up chocolates/beer/whatever for forty days they can somehow equal the suffering of someone who was viciously beaten, tortured and then executed in the most excruciating of manners.

[Pontifex Maximus]

I'm not Orthodox, but if you're going to 'give up' something, then that is the right way to go about it. As it stands, Lent is a useless and self-serving event that makes Catholics feel as though by giving up chocolates/beer/whatever for forty days they can somehow equal the suffering of someone who was viciously beaten, tortured and then executed in the most excruciating of manners.

I'm Catholic and lent doesnt make me feel better than anyone in any way. I envy other people for not having to do it. I'm not gonna lie, as soon as I'm out of HS. im probably not going to pursue any faith It's been chased out of me

[Dayman]

It is a Roman Catholic thing, and like a lot of RC things, masochistic and pointless at the same time. Also, if you're young, old, or sick, you were exempt. That in itself is astonishingly ridiculous.

[kev-o]

It's completely and utterly useless and self-serving.

Its called temperance. In some ways it can be seen as a form of meditation. But what the hell right, useless crap anyway.

[Scorch]

Its called temperance. In some ways it can be seen as a form of meditation. But what the hell right, useless crap anyway.

Yes, right. Giving up some particularly superficial aspect of your life to 'emulate' the extreme physical and emotional suffering of Jesus is obviously quite an apt comparison.

Hmm ... next time I give up pork for a month, I'll call it meditation as well.

[Grobar]

Just abstaining from one type of food will not please God. Christians need to refrain from all food products made from animals during the Easter lent. That’s real fasting and is very powerful tool together with praying in spiritual growth. Not eating one type of meat while eating dairy and other meats gives no benefit to a person. As I understood Catholic Church used to have strict fasting rules like Orthodox Church but they changed it for some reason.

[boofhead]

Ramadan for Christians

[kev-o]

And Ramadan is Lent for Muslims.

[Baron Thunder-ten-tronckh]

I could give up pork. Should be easy, never had the stuff, don't know what I am missing.
I would like to give up something difficult, but I know I just dont have the mental strength to carry through with my idea.