Lent! Lent! Lent! (the history thread for smarty-pant wearers)

[Sally, la reina]

I don't have the willpower to give anything up for Lent. I'm hell-bound.

[Sarah]

For some reason, all you sinners have put Leonard Cohen's "The Future" in my head, but it is distinctly not safe for work.
http://www.metrolyrics.com/the-future...

[RandomAnthony]

Ok, Heidi has informed me that lent starts...when, Ash Wednesday? Tomorrow? I was raised Catholic and work in a Catholic institution and still can't keep this straight.

I know the librarian gives up chocolate...anyone else?

[Phil]

I will give up not complaining about "ancient thread resurrection." Which means I need to start complaining about it.

Does it really matter if there's a two-year old thread on subject when someone is ready to talk about it again? Just start a new thread and let the old one die with dignity.

Yeah, I'm lookin' at you, Craw.

[Heidi]

RandomAnthony wrote: "Ok, Heidi has informed me that lent starts...when, Ash Wednesday? Tomorrow? I was raised Catholic and work in a Catholic institution and still can't keep this straight.

I know the librarian give..."

Yes, tomorrow. Traditional Lenten sacrifice means NO meat on Friday (I think you're okay on this, RA), except fish... fish is okay, and giving something up for the 6 weeks.

Nowadays, they also honor adding something to your routine as the Lenten sacrifice - like writing a letter a day or a couple of hours of prayer or exercise...

As for me, I quit acknowledging Lent several years back - it's like the mini New Year's Resolution for the lazy people who can't hack it for a whole year.

[Heidi]

I like resurrecting old threads. Just starting a new one without even looking to see if another thread was started on the same topic is lazy, IMNSHO.

[RandomAnthony]

That's an interesting question. Maybe it's my organizational pattern...when I thought of posting on lent I had a distant memory of us talking about this before, so I searched "lent" and found this thread. Sometimes the ancient comments provide an interesting context, and if the conversation is in one place it's easier to find later, if you, uh, have a lot of free time and do such things. I don't have strong feelings as to "new vs. old" thread one way or other, though, I guess.

[Suefly]

Gus wrote: "My manager, the same person who told me about Ash Wednesday not being a mandatory holiday for Catholics, told our group he is FASTING for Lent. Yeah, you read right: he is completely giving up food..."


First, ha! In regards to the masturbation crack. Second, why? He seems to not understand what Lent means...40 days of no food? What is he trying to prove? What's his goal? And why announce it to his co-workers? Is he that desperate for attention? Sorry, I'm just curious like George today. Masturbation...ha!

[Heidi]

Suefly wrote: "Gus wrote: "My manager, the same person who told me about Ash Wednesday not being a mandatory holiday for Catholics, told our group he is FASTING for Lent. Yeah, you read right: he is completely g..."

Over the years, I've given up 2 hours of sleep (dumb), television, caffeine (also dumb), french fries, bacon, pizza, bread, and pasta for Lent.

[Phil]

How about starting a new one, but saying, "Okay, here are my comments on this . This was discussed two years ago, but newbies haven't seen it and others may have changed their opinion. Here's a link to the original. What say you?"

I just don't like it when a thread suddenly appears with some huge number of unread posts. It makes my head hurt.

Aw crap. Do whatever you want, but I'll likely skip those old ones. People grow & change, as do opinions, so I'd rather know your more recent thoughts. That is all.

[Phoenix]

I'm with Phil on this one, and I second his great idea.

[Sarah]

You can also start a new one, point to the old one, and suggest the old one be moved to the archives.

[Phil]

^^^^^ yes, that.

[RandomAnthony]

That's interesting. I wouldn't mind connecting via link. I'm fascinated that this bothers you, Phil...I hadn't thought of these threads in that way but I was most likely part of the original conversation, and these conversations tend to look seamless to me, so I can see from where you're coming with a different perspective.

[Sarah]

Some of them irk me and some don't. I guess if it's brought up in the context of "we've talked about lent before, and it's time to talk about it again" I don't mind the thread revival.

Ones like the showerhead bacteria bother me more, because the whole thread was based around an article that is now old news and may or may not still be accurate.

[[deleted user]]

i give up cheese. its alot harder than it sounds
i cant wait for ash wednesday tomorrow. it basically means a liturgy at school and then we get to leave early at like 9am.

[[deleted user]]

i feel like i should give up something that i actually have to make an effort for, ya know? isn't that the whole point, to resist temptation or something like that?
last year i gave up twizzlers, but obviously my mean father took those away already. poo.

[[deleted user]]

so do i, because i highly doubt ill be going to heaven any time soon.

[[deleted user]]

ive accepted faliure. *shrugs*
ill repent one day. hopefully.

[janine]

you misspelled failure. :)

[Heidi]

Sarah Pi wrote: "Some of them irk me and some don't. I guess if it's brought up in the context of "we've talked about lent before, and it's time to talk about it again" I don't mind the thread revival.

Ones like..."

What Sarah Pi said...

[[deleted user]]

janine wrote: "you misspelled failure. :)"

i knew there was a reason i never get hundreds on essays...

[Jackie "the Librarian"]

I give up desserts for Lent, and it's a nice break after the excesses of the holidays and Valentine's Day.
And it gives me a rock solid reason NOT to eat crappy cake at office parties. :)

[Lobstergirl, el principe]

Phil wrote: "Yeah, I'm lookin' at you, Craw. "

I feel scrutinized.

[[deleted user]]

im sorry, im sorry! my spelling and grammer is horrible, i know. im too used to autocorrect.

[Lobstergirl, el principe]

I give up lint for Lent.

[Lobstergirl, el principe]

Phil wrote: "Just start a new thread and let the old one die with dignity."

Sounds like an Obamacare death panel, if you ask me.

[Hanna]

How is it that I grew up presbyterian and I've only just recently heard of this 'christian' event?! I'm shocked.

Anyway I've decided to observe it this year since it's reasonable and I've been looking for ideas on what to fast from, so great post RandomAnthony.

Hmm...what would cause Hanna to suffer and be tempted?

[Phil]

BunWat wrote: "You are an awesome Buckaroo. Although your spelling gives me the squints."

I misread that last word. The result had me absolutely ROFLMAO.

[Lobstergirl, el principe]

Yeah, my family is Protestant and there was never really an emphasis on Lent. We certainly never gave anything up. I think the giving up is a Catholic thing.

[Heidi]

Also Episcopalian and Methodist...

[Jonathan]

The various Orthodox churches also observe Lent, but on a different calendar and, I think, with slightly different customs regarding fasting, etc.

[ms.petra]

Jackie "the Librarian" wrote: "I give up desserts for Lent, and it's a nice break after the excesses of the holidays and Valentine's Day.
And it gives me a rock solid reason NOT to eat crappy cake at office parties. :)"

me too, Jacks!

[Michael]

Phil wrote: "BunWat wrote: "You are an awesome Buckaroo. Although your spelling gives me the squints."

I misread that last word. The result had me absolutely ROFLMAO."

So did I! I thought Bun might be misspelled-post intolerant.

[Cynthia]

At mass on Sunday, our priest reviewed the dietary rules for lent and talked about not necessarily giving something up but the possibility of ADDING something to your daily life--prayer, charitable gifts, exercise, etc.

[Michele]

13 years of catholic schools/churches here. I usually gave up candy in general or sometimes just chocolate for lent and gave the money I usually spent on candy/chocolate to the Bishop's fund. In my teenage years it meant abstaining from meat twice a week (wed.and fri.) and fasting twice a week as well. My grandmother wanted me to give up reading for lent once, I said "no". For me that was like giving up breathing.

[RandomAnthony]

I'm going with giving up diet coke, since I should anyway, because it's awful, and meditating every day. Cynthia has a great point on the "adding" comment.

Hmm...what would cause Hanna to suffer and be tempted?

Ha, do tell, Hannah...

[ms.petra]

Cynthia wrote: "At mass on Sunday, our priest reviewed the dietary rules for lent and talked about not necessarily giving something up but the possibility of ADDING something to your daily life--prayer, charitable..."

our priest says the same every year

[[deleted user]]

ms.petra wrote: "Cynthia wrote: "At mass on Sunday, our priest reviewed the dietary rules for lent and talked about not necessarily giving something up but the possibility of ADDING something to your daily life--pr..."


Same here. We usually go down to St. Christine's in Detroit to help feed the homeless.

[[deleted user]]

are you allowed to wash off the ashes? because ive had mine on since morning, but i have to go somewhere. and my friend's telling me i shouldn't wipe them off...

[Jammies]

Esme, at least in my church, we left the ashes until they wore off on their own.

[[deleted user]]

so are you supposed to just like wash your face if you have to go out or something? or should you still try and leave them on?
doesn't really matter, i guess, they were pretty much off anyways and my bangs covered them...

[[deleted user]]

but its not like ill burn in hell like my friend thinks, just because i took them off right? just making sure...

[[deleted user]]

oh, well that's good i guess. i figured she was overexaggerating, but she's pretty religious too...good thing i didn't really take it off then.

[[deleted user]]

Diving into the pool would be a good way to wash it off without feeling guilty.

[Jonathan]

A bit chilly for that in our climate at the moment, Gail.

[[deleted user]]

well, i dont have anything against the ritual. im fairly religious, which is why i asked in the first place. i just feel kind of awkward walking into a jewish temple with ashes on my head, but its not like ill take them off because im embarressed about them. it was just more about the fact that i had to wash my face and whatnot.

its a bit to cold for swimming this time of the year...

[[deleted user]]

There are always indoor heated pools Jonathan.

[Jonathan]

Good point, Gail.

[Lobstergirl, el principe]

Stephen Colbert (with the ashes on his forehead) described them as "basically the handstamp for God's nightclub." He then said he was giving up Catholicism for Lent, and rubbed off the ashes. "I feel so empty. Is this what Unitarians feel like all the time? I feel like there's nothing to keep me from masturbating." Then he becomes a Jew, because he's in the media.