Season of Lent

[STEVIEBOY1]

Hope this is not too controversial. As the Season of Lent is coming, I wonder if anyone on FL does anything during this period. Fasting, giving something up etc. I know many people will give up sugar, sweets, candy, chocolates etc, waking an hour or two earlier than normal etc. I am considering my options.

 

[GHT]

My wife and I abstain every year, always from the more pleasurable food and drink. We give up eating meat, anything confectionery, that includes chocolates, biscuits, meal time desserts, sweet drinks like coca-cola. We also abstain from alcohol. We usually end lent a good few pounds lighter.

 

[Edward]

I've tried different things over the years. Meat once (eating out was surprisingly challenging then, as I hate cheese and it seems that that's all most vegetarians eat). bread another year, salt another.... I've done chocolate, sweets, chips, crisps. Also dome alcohol and tobacco, though that's a fairly easy one as I drink and smoke so little. I find it helpful to give something up; as I get older, ritual assumes a greater importance to me.

 

[scotrace]

The last few years, I've turned it inward. I don't give up material things, but instead look for things in my life that separate me from others, or the love of God. And I try to work on those things. What am I doing that I don't need to be doing and that I would be happier not doing and without which I would be more free to be a better servant?
I don't see lent as a time of penance or self-denial. I'm not going to deny myself a material thing because of guilt over sin or in self-punishment. That's a form of justification in which I don't believe.

I also use the time as an excellent excuse to eat less in general and drink heavy beer. The former because holiday weight gain and the latter because Luther. Neither has much to do with faith.

 

[Harp]

Lent is a period of introspection with certain past life episodes revisited, a taking of stock, temporal as well as spiritual.
Habitual practices, food, drink are seldom altered to accommodate Catholicism; laxity serves innate purpose and brief fasts
seem to accomplish little outside of nominal observance. I do however spend more time among the Franciscans at St Peter's,
often marveling at this particular order's holiness, devotion, and community service. And being suitably chastised by being humbled.

 

[Edward]

The last few years, I've turned it inward. I don't give up material things, but instead look for things in my life that separate me from others, or the love of God. And I try to work on those things. What am I doing that I don't need to be doing and that I would be happier not doing and without which I would be more free to be a better servant?
I don't see lent as a time of penance or self-denial. I'm not going to deny myself a material thing because of guilt over sin or in self-punishment. That's a form of justification in which I don't believe.

I also use the time as an excellent excuse to eat less in general and drink heavy beer. The former because holiday weight gain and the latter because Luther. Neither has much to do with faith.

In a number of the reformed 'protestant' traditions over here in the UK, the idea of committing to doing something positive for the lent period is certainly taking more prominence. I tend to feel both can have their place, but certainly it's a poor religion that makes its adherents feel punished rather than valued.

 

[hatsRme]

Last year Lounge Member @mmbarnes disappeared from our neighborhood for 40 days. I hope he finds another way to observe this year. (If he has to fast, should we ALL be hungry?)

 

[hatsRme]

...but certainly it's a poor religion that makes its adherents feel punished rather than valued.

I've always thought those seemingly harsh, imposing religious practices of "affliction" were something of early forms of mental health therapies. Take the case of orthodox Jews' observance of the Sabbath, a weekly dose of therapy, when properly practiced.

 

[LizzieMaine]

Methodists don't have formal rules for how to observe Lent -- it's left up to the individual believer whether or not to do anything, and I don't remember that we ever did anything out of the ordinary for the Lenten period. But I did get in trouble in Sunday School once for asking if someone receives great satisfaction from living a very religious life of self-denial all year round, would it be appropriate for them to force themselves to eat, drink and carry on during Lent?

 

[Fading Fast]

Methodists don't have formal rules for how to observe Lent -- it's left up to the individual believer whether or not to do anything, and I don't remember that we ever did anything out of the ordinary for the Lenten period. But I did get in trouble in Sunday School once for asking if someone receives great satisfaction from living a very religious life of self-denial all year round, would it be appropriate for them to force themselves to eat, drink and carry on during Lent?

So you were an easy child. I often think that if you had been my dad's kid, one of you would have murdered the other by the time you were ten.

 

[LizzieMaine]

Small town Sunday School teachers in the 70s weren't much for theological speculation. Mostly they were babysitters designed to get the kids out of the house for a couple of hours so Ma could sleep in.

 

[belfastboy]

Hope this is not too controversial. As the Season of Lent is coming, I wonder if anyone on FL does anything during this period. Fasting, giving something up etc. I know many people will give up sugar, sweets, candy, chocolates etc, waking an hour or two earlier than normal etc. I am considering my options.

Our church suggests an alternate way of Lent. We give up our favourite form of suffering for the 40 days .....hoping it sticks.

 

[ChiTownScion]

Methodists don't have formal rules for how to observe Lent -- it's left up to the individual believer whether or not to do anything, and I don't remember that we ever did anything out of the ordinary for the Lenten period. But I did get in trouble in Sunday School once for asking if someone receives great satisfaction from living a very religious life of self-denial all year round, would it be appropriate for them to force themselves to eat, drink and carry on during Lent?

My college roommate and great friend is a Methodist, and I love to kid him with a definition of Methodists proffered by the dad (and Presbyterian pastor) in A River Runs Through It. Played by Tom Skerritt in the movie version (Have you seen it?). He defined Methodists as, "Baptists. Who can read."

Of course, some define Presbyterians as "Methodists with a bank account." And following through, Episcopalians are merely "..Presbyterians now able to live off their investments." (Or, if you like, "... Catholics, who flunked Latin.")

 

[ChiTownScion]

They made a big deal on giving stuff up for Lent when I was raised Catholic. Candy, soda pop, movies, etc. The only permanent good that I ever saw come out of that practice was when, in 1964, my eventually agnostic Dad decided to give up smoking. Having gone cold turkey, he decided to stick with it after Easter, and I believe that it likely helped to extend his life. Publication of the Surgeon General's report on smoking that year may have had as much to do with it as religious fervor, but he always had fairly good health as he grew older. He died from an on the job injury when he was nearly 80.

 

[Harp]

My college roommate and great friend is a Methodist, and I love to kid him with a definition of Methodists proffered by the dad (and Presbyterian pastor) in A River Runs Through It. Played by Tom Skerritt in the movie version (Have you seen it?). He defined Methodists as, "Baptists. Who can read."

Of course, some define Presbyterians as "Methodists with a bank account." And following through, Episcopalians are merely "..Presbyterians now able to live off their investments." (Or, if you like, "... Catholics, who flunked Latin.")

And the beloved disciple, John was a dry-fly fisherman.
-----
quod postquam omnia in omnibus verbis facunda? ---

 

[LizzieMaine]

My college roommate and great friend is a Methodist, and I love to kid him with a definition of Methodists proffered by the dad (and Presbyterian pastor) in A River Runs Through It. Played by Tom Skerritt in the movie version (Have you seen it?). He defined Methodists as, "Baptists. Who can read."

Of course, some define Presbyterians as "Methodists with a bank account." And following through, Episcopalians are merely "..Presbyterians now able to live off their investments." (Or, if you like, "... Catholics, who flunked Latin.")

We used to call ourselves "Congregationalists with a sense of humor."

 

[Fading Fast]

My college roommate and great friend is a Methodist, and I love to kid him with a definition of Methodists proffered by the dad (and Presbyterian pastor) in A River Runs Through It. Played by Tom Skerritt in the movie version (Have you seen it?). He defined Methodists as, "Baptists. Who can read."

Of course, some define Presbyterians as "Methodists with a bank account." And following through, Episcopalians are merely "..Presbyterians now able to live off their investments." (Or, if you like, "... Catholics, who flunked Latin.")

Love that movie - it's so darn beautiful to look at that the fact that it's actually a good story is only an added benefit.

This message brought to you by the TCM fan club (note upcoming screening date):

A RIVER RUNS THROUGH IT(1992)

• A RIVER RUNS THROUGH IT SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 3 @ 08:00 PM (ET)
  
  - REMINDER

Synopsis:A preacher''s sons, one serious, one wild, look out for each other while growing up in rural Montana.

Cast: Brad Pitt, Craig Sheffer, Tom Skerritt.
Dir: Robert Redford.
Details: Drama | 123 mins.

 

[Benny Holiday]

I've always thought those seemingly harsh, imposing religious practices of "affliction" were something of early forms of mental health therapies. Take the case of orthodox Jews' observance of the Sabbath, a weekly dose of therapy, when properly practiced.

The Sabbath is the only Commandment that starts with the word 'Remember.' It's like the case of a Father saying to His children, "It's not healthy for you to work yourselves to the bone constantly. You need a regular break, and besides, I want to spend time with you and for you to spend time with Me, relaxing, no pressure, no work, no distractions. It's good for your health and your sanity, and it strengthens our relationship."

 

[Edward]

The Sabbath is the only Commandment that starts with the word 'Remember.' It's like the case of a Father saying to His children, "It's not healthy for you to work yourselves to the bone constantly. You need a regular break, and besides, I want to spend time with you and for you to spend time with Me, relaxing, no pressure, no work, no distractions. It's good for your health and your sanity, and it strengthens our relationship."

It's fascinating to rad a lot of those Old Testament laws and think of the practical purposes behind them, whatever one might believe about their source. There's a lot of very basic health and safety type stuff - avoid the shellfish (you're in the desert!), for instance. The pork ban is interesting: many cultures (including our contemporary, western cultures) avoid eating animals which are carnivores - the root of this lies in avoiding health risks. The pig is the next step on that line (being an omnivore). Specific prohibitions on piercings and tattoos (or, more accurately, tattoos in memory of the dead), were about keeping the faith pure, as such practices were common among the other faith cultures surrounding the Israelites at the time.

 

[STEVIEBOY1]

It's fascinating to rad a lot of those Old Testament laws and think of the practical purposes behind them, whatever one might believe about their source. There's a lot of very basic health and safety type stuff - avoid the shellfish (you're in the desert!), for instance. The pork ban is interesting: many cultures (including our contemporary, western cultures) avoid eating animals which are carnivores - the root of this lies in avoiding health risks. The pig is the next step on that line (being an omnivore). Specific prohibitions on piercings and tattoos (or, more accurately, tattoos in memory of the dead), were about keeping the faith pure, as such practices were common among the other faith cultures surrounding the Israelites at the time.

Interesting to read the above above piercings and tattoos, (as I am thinking of having both done.!)