fandomsecrets | [ SECRET POST #2618 ]

[ SECRET POST #2618 ]

⌈ Secret Post #2618 ⌋

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

01.

__________________________________________________

02.

__________________________________________________

03.

__________________________________________________

04.

__________________________________________________

05.

__________________________________________________

06.

__________________________________________________

07. [tb]

__________________________________________________

08.

__________________________________________________

09.

__________________________________________________

10.

__________________________________________________

11.

__________________________________________________

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.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

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.

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. ^^;;]

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!!!!

Also wow that's a lot of typos.

LOL

Also, I can't get over the trauma of how I was raised to truly believe in anything. I feel bereft because I would like to have a spiritual anchor and I do not. I'm terribly afraid of dying, terribly afraid I'm going to hell, and unable to truly believe in Christianity even though we are raising our children in the Catholic church.

AYRT

Ouch, I'm sorry you went through all that. I won't lie, I haven't heard a whole lot of good things about the Southern Baptists [my mother's family was S.B. and I've heard some...interesting stories].

Yeah, the new pope seems pretty awesome! While I'll admit, that yeah. The church's current stance on gay rights/women sucks, and I'm looking forward to that changing, albeit slowly. I think Pope Francis is what the Church needs right now, if nothing else to bring it's focus back on to where it should be.

And, for whatever it's worth, you've always seemed like a awesome, good, person. And I think that'll count more for where you end up than following any strict "Do this, this and this!" rules will.

Awwwwww, thank you. *hugs* You are very kind to say that. I needed to hear it.

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

Good luck!

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

Me too. :)

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.

I fully acknowledge I am probably doing it wrong. LOL

But I do like the focus on a positive.

I really wish that people would focus on why they are giving up something. As a child, it was just you were supposed to give up something and it wasn't until I got much older that I started understanding why I was giving up something and how it could be a challenge and a good thing.

I used to do ice cream through college, but that became too easy. I tried to give up caffeine in high school, but I went through bad withdrawals and couldn't do it.

I also find it intriguing that you converted to Catholicism (though I understand why). I guess because I was raised it, but only halfheartedly (my mom's Catholic and my dad's not) it's a very different experience.

*nods*

I can understand that. My husband is a cradle Catholic who's actually an atheist. He doesn't have the same deep-seated need that I do to find a religious system that works for me. He also finds value in Catholicism without necessarily believing in the god part of it.

I also take huge issue with not examining the reasons why you are doing something. I know this jackass who is not religious at all who crafted his own cross and who likes to climb up on it in his yard to observe Ash Wednesday. And he always gives up something for Lent even though it has no meaning for him. I always want to smack him upside the head and say, "You're on a diet, asshole! That's not the same!

I find that with a lot of Catholics who were born into it, they sort of give it up. I haven't been to church in forever, but mostly because I work on Sundays and it's just not what we do. But I went on my own in college (going to a school in the South encouraged that, but being Catholic I was still slightly outcast)

I don't follow a lot of the beliefs but Lent is the one thing I do every year. I take it as a small sacrifice. I try to remember not to eat meat on Fridays, but that's not always the case.

Yeah, I grew up in and still live in the South, and there's plenty Catholics but Protestant Christianity dominates and it's bizarre how many Protestant Christians don't think Catholicism is Christianity. I was raised to believe Catholics aren't Christians. Bleck.

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.

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.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ SECRET POST #2618 ]

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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