[ SECRET POST #2618 ]

[case]

⌈ Secret Post #2618 ⌋

Warning: Some secrets are NOT worksafe and may contain SPOILERS.

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Notes:

Secrets Left to Post: 02 pages, 039 secrets from Secret Submission Post #374.
Secrets Not Posted: [ 0 - broken links ], [ 0 - not!secrets ], [ 0 - not!fandom ], [ 0 - too big ], [ 0 - repeat ].
Current Secret Submissions Post: here.
Suggestions, comments, and concerns should go here.

Comments

Do you observe Lent? if so, what are you giving up this year?

[queerwolf]

^

Re: Do you observe Lent? if so, what are you giving up this year?

[(Anonymous)]

I used to. But my weak will is ironically stronger than my guilt. So, I stopped.

Re: Do you observe Lent? if so, what are you giving up this year?

[sporkly]

I used to because it was part of my upbringing, but I don't anymore.

Re: Do you observe Lent? if so, what are you giving up this year?

[iceyred]

I do observe Lent. I have no idea what I'm giving up. I considered chocolate or maybe coffee, but I figured Jesus wants me to be realistic.

Re: Do you observe Lent? if so, what are you giving up this year?

[(Anonymous)]

I've tried giving up chocolate and Diet Coke (because I drink too much and it's not good for me), but the headaches from caffeine withdrawal. And the repeated failures to stick it out make me feel like... well, a failure. So maybe I should try to think up something realistic as well. :)

Re: Do you observe Lent? if so, what are you giving up this year?

[(Anonymous)]

Look, I don't want to be antagonistic, but isn't changing your behavior kind of the point?? Instead of focusing on "giving up" something only to put it right back into your life right after Lent's over, why not look at it as a way to improve your habits? Don't quit caffeine cold-turkey, you've got a chemical dependency. Set a goal for Lent to lessen the amount of it you consume, and maybe decrease it a bit for each week. Make yourself healthy in body and spirit, and don't beat yourself up if you slip because the struggle is all part of it; just keep trying. :)

Re: Do you observe Lent? if so, what are you giving up this year?

[(Anonymous)]

nayrt

Yes, you're absolutely correct. The point of Lent is not to give up something that's easy for you and requires no effort to go without. It's supposed to be a hardship. You're supposed to struggle with it a little. I think it's silly, but I'm not religious. I don't know why people would want to do this for religious reasons and then undermine the whole exercise, though.

Re: Do you observe Lent? if so, what are you giving up this year?

[(Anonymous)]

Yes, and caffeine.

/cries

[scrubber]

Ooooh shit.

I need several days to think about this. I need to like, make lists and shit.

Re: Do you observe Lent? if so, what are you giving up this year?

[lunabee34]

I've been bad about observing Lent since I converted to Catholicism.

I tend to think of Lent as a time of transformation rather than deprivation, though, so if I do participate this year, I will probably focus on trying to transform some of my bad habits or adopt something positive rather than depriving myself of something I enjoy.

Re: Do you observe Lent? if so, what are you giving up this year?

[(Anonymous)]

LOL! If it makes you feel better, I was raised Catholic and I *still* have a hard time remembering to observe it.

While I don't exactly view the same way you do [personally, it's more about remembering the God/Jesus' sacrifice for us, etc], it is a really good time to get started on changing bad habits - particularly since it's not a specifically a *thing* you have to give up, so it works to give up a habit too.

Also, if I may ask, why did you decide to convert? [I apologize if it's rude to ask, I just always hear the "Screw it! I totes left Catholicism!" and never "I converted to it" so...I'm being nosy. ^^;;]

Re: Do you observe Lent? if so, what are you giving up this year?

[lunabee34]

Here is my very long answer. :)

I was raised fundamentalist Protestant (Southern Baptist) in a family that has become ever-increasingly conservative in worrying ways. The religious upbringing I grew up with racist, sexist, and ignorant. For example, I was told in Sunday school that women could go to college if they really wanted to, but then they should get down to the business of baby-making. My white Sunday's school teacher's son's best friend was a black boy. When he got into some trouble at home, this man told us that he wouldn't allow the best friend to sleep over at their house because he didn't believe white people and black people should sleep under the same roof. Nothing I was ever told about another religion or denomination of Christianity as a child is true, and as this was the pre-internet era, I didn't know any better. This church believes in a literal interpretation of the Bible--the earth is six thousand years old or whatever and science isn't real. The incessant focus on eschatology was also extremely off-putting to me; I don't want to die. I'm not ready for the world to end. I think we have to take care of the world we have now rather than use it up because The End is Near. Lots of focus on hell. I would pray the salvation prayer every night as a child just in case I didn't do it right and it didn't stick so I would go to hell. Also, the intersection of conservative politics (which IMHO espouse the exact opposite of Christianity) with protestant christianity was enough to make me back button out of there as soon as I could.

I become really disgusted really early only with Christianity. I remember being six years old and being super upset because I loved my stuffed animals but not an intangible god I couldn't see. I stayed after the service to talk to the pastor who dismissed my concerns naturally.

My husband is Catholic, and when I met his family I saw that being Christian doesn't automatically mean being a racist, sexist asshole. His parents were heavily involved in the Civil Rights movement in their youth. His mom worked in government for equality. When I went to church with them, I saw black people and Asian people and Indian people. There was a focus on community over individualism. PRIESTS HAVE TO GO TO COLLEGE TO LEARN THEIR SHIT; NO DUMBASS IDIOT CAN JUST BE CALLED BY THE SPIRIT AND START PREACHING. Even though the track record on women and gay people in the Catholic church is shitty IMHO, I think that's changing too. yay new pope!!!!

Re: Do you observe Lent? if so, what are you giving up this year?

[(Anonymous)]

I like that idea of adopting something positive. I think I'll try that this year. :D

Re: Do you observe Lent? if so, what are you giving up this year?

[lunabee34]

Good luck!

Re: Do you observe Lent? if so, what are you giving up this year?

[(Anonymous)]

I like the idea of being careful of what comes out of your mouth rather than what goes into it.

Re: Do you observe Lent? if so, what are you giving up this year?

[lunabee34]

Me too. :)

Re: Do you observe Lent? if so, what are you giving up this year?

[shortysc22]

That's an interesting perspective because a roommate of mine in college used to view it as a sacrifice but if you couldn't give something up yourself, find a way to help others at least. She would encourage the CCD students, rather than giving up something, to give up their time and volunteer.

As for my answer, I give up alcohol every year.

Re: Do you observe Lent? if so, what are you giving up this year?

[lunabee34]

I fully acknowledge I am probably doing it wrong. LOL

But I do like the focus on a positive.

Re: Do you observe Lent? if so, what are you giving up this year?

[(Anonymous)]

It's nice to think of Lent as a period of transformation, but framing it as a time where deprivation isn't the point is... well, not understanding what Lent is. Lent is traditionally about atonement and self-denial. You're transformed, yes... by your voluntary self-deprivation of something you would ordinarily not go without.

That sounds kind of harsh, but hey, welcome to religion.

Re: Do you observe Lent? if so, what are you giving up this year?

[lunabee34]

I am not trying to be snarky in reply because I'm sure your comment is 100% well-intentioned but apologies if I do not succeed.

I am well aware of the traditions surrounding Lent. Because I was commenting to a thread specifically about Lent, I assumed most of the people reading and commenting to the thread would be familiar with Lenten disciplines, with the associated scriptures, and with related traditions. I didn't think I needed to demonstrate my knowledge in my comment.

I have huge huge huge issues with Christians in America framing themselves as martyrs (because of the way I was raised; see comment upthread; the kind of Christianity I grew up with continually frames American Christians as persecuted, as soldiers in some sort of battle they're fighting, etc.). I realize that Christianity in general has a storied history of meditation upon the suffering of Christ and saints and of framing earthly suffering in that context. I also realize that Christianity (and other religions too!) has a long history of valuing mortification of the flesh as an avenue to godliness. For me, those two traditions are inextricably bound up in what I see as abuses of those practices and make me deeply uncomfortable.

I also think that for many people Lent has become what many others have commented about here--a time to diet, a chance to try to give up that nasty nail biting habit, a moment to perfunctorily "give up" something you don't really give a shit about anyway because it's easy--rather than any form of prayer, penitence, or atonement.

I've also always heard Lent framed as an opportunity for transformation in the three parishes (across two states) where I've attended Mass.

While I still struggle with belief, I think a formal time of reflection, meditation, and transformation is a useful one. As I am pretty cool with ladies and gay people, it's always been clear to me that my stance on any particular issue is never going to jive completely with the church, at least not for now anyway, so if my understanding of Lent is grossly incorrect, I think I can live with that too.

Re: Do you observe Lent? if so, what are you giving up this year?

[(Anonymous)]

I observe that it is Lent, and I am not giving anything up. :p

Re: Do you observe Lent? if so, what are you giving up this year?

[othellia]

I observe Lent, but I'm not giving up anything this year (other than forcing myself to go to bed before midnight every night). Instead, every time there's an option to donate money at a checkout, I'm going to contribute at least $5.

Re: Do you observe Lent? if so, what are you giving up this year?

[(Anonymous)]

Oh my gosh, you are an amazing person. As someone who benefits from a few of those checkout-donations organizations, I appreciate your contribution. (I know this sounds kinda weird and stuffy, but I always want to thank people when I see them do it, but I don't want to be sketchy...)

Re: Do you observe Lent? if so, what are you giving up this year?

[the_missing_y]

Not usually. I'm not into organised religion or their practices but this year I've decided to give it a whirl. I enjoy easter and christmas, so why not take this opportunity to test my willpower?

So for lent, there will be no pizza for me.

8(

I suppose it wouldn't really count if I didn't give up something I really really enjoy.

Re: Do you observe Lent? if so, what are you giving up this year?

[abharding]

Yes I do observe Lent in that I don't eat meat on Fridays - but I don't usually give up anything.