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A very important part of the Easter season are the 40 days of Lent, in which Catholics (I don't think protestant denominations do this, correct me if I'm wrong) sacrifice something. It represents the 40 days where Jesus was in the desert and was eventually tempted by the devil. The sacrifice should be something that is hard to give up. I gave up caffeine, because I realized that I was having coffee once, or twice a day. Now I can't stop thinking about it lol. But I think because of the cool weather, I liked the warmth and the comfort it brought me. But I gave up *all* caffeine - so no more coffee, tea or soda for me.

 

What did y'all give up for lent?

If you don't practice Lent, what do you think you might give up if you had to?

Questions/comments about Lent?

 

Y'all get the idea!

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I've kind-of stopped doing the whole giving up thing for Lent, I figured that I wouldn't keep them anyway. I did tell myself that I was going to stop smoking for at least all through lent but it just came down to cutting down instead, I figured that works better. I did in a way tell myself that I would somehow find myself closer to God during Lent though, how I would achieve that I've yet to determine. I'm going to try to instead start a healthier habit rather than giving something up whenever Lent comes around again.

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I've kind-of stopped doing the whole giving up thing for Lent, I figured that I wouldn't keep them anyway. I did tell myself that I was going to stop smoking for at least all through lent but it just came down to cutting down instead, I figured that works better. I did in a way tell myself that I would somehow find myself closer to God during Lent though, how I would achieve that I've yet to determine. I'm going to try to instead start a healthier habit rather than giving something up whenever Lent comes around again.

 

Cutting down is good, see if you can do it all the way next year! A couple years ago, I gave up being judgemental and I guess it worked, but I think giving up something material is so much harder than something abstract.

 

 

I havent heard of Lent before, sounds difficult!

I would give up Heavy Metal for those 40 days, would be one of the hardest things ever!

 

That's a good idea! Usually, it should be something material, but if you REALLY like heavy metal then it would be worth it!

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Cutting down is good, see if you can do it all the way next year! A couple years ago, I gave up being judgemental and I guess it worked, but I think giving up something material is so much harder than something abstract.

 

I did do the same thing last year, I didn't smoke for the whole 40 days. But it was only about 2 weeks after Easter that I started again...

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I always thought Lent was such an awesome idea! It teaches us all how materialism can really effect us, and teaches us how much we truly indulge. Good for you Karen for taking it upon yourself year after year! My grandfather has 24 hour care and the women who does the night shift is extremely religious catholic she actually fasts ever single day of lent. That to be is just unbelievable! That someone could take that upon themselves, wow. I am really in awe of her. I know a lot of people who give up chocolate every year. Idk what I would give up. Maybe tv or shopping. That would for sure teach me a thing or two lol.

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I always thought Lent was such an awesome idea! It teaches us all how materialism can really effect us, and teaches us how much we truly indulge. Good for you Karen for taking it upon yourself year after year! My grandfather has 24 hour care and the women who does the night shift is extremely religious catholic she actually fasts ever single day of lent. That to be is just unbelievable! That someone could take that upon themselves, wow. I am really in awe of her. I know a lot of people who give up chocolate every year. Idk what I would give up. Maybe tv or shopping. That would for sure teach me a thing or two lol.

 

 

That might be a good idea :lol:

 

I've always wanted to go the way of the Benedictan monk one of these years though. I would seclude myself form the outside world, take up a life of poverty and almost to point of monasticism. Do maybe garden work, cook and that'll be about it. Lock myself in my room most of the time and just pray.

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I'm not catholic I'm prodestent but I've been giving things up for lent since middle school. I don't do it as a religious obligation but I do it because I want to. This year I gave up my cell phone. It's very difficult since the only way I can talk to my friends now outside of inperson is through facebook. I find that now I spend a lot more time doing more important things then texting. I feel that there is a lot of things in our lives as believers in Christ that we dont realize take up a lot of time, resources and energy (Texting, smoking, drinking caffine, watching tv, ect.) and lent is a time for us to take a step back and look at the things that we feel we depend on and as believers no matter what our demonination bring the focus back the Jesus and the huge sacrifice He made for the world right before the holiday of Easter.

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That might be a good idea :lol:

 

I've always wanted to go the way of the Benedictan monk one of these years though. I would seclude myself form the outside world, take up a life of poverty and almost to point of monasticism. Do maybe garden work, cook and that'll be about it. Lock myself in my room most of the time and just pray.

 

That would be super intense! The priest from my college actually just took a sabbatical, not for lent specifically but just to go to the woods of new hampshire and pray for a higher calling in the church. I thought it was really cool and so dedicated!

 

I'm not catholic I'm prodestent but I've been giving things up for lent since middle school. I don't do it as a religious obligation but I do it because I want to. This year I gave up my cell phone. It's very difficult since the only way I can talk to my friends now outside of inperson is through facebook. I find that now I spend a lot more time doing more important things then texting. I feel that there is a lot of things in our lives as believers in Christ that we dont realize take up a lot of time, resources and energy (Texting, smoking, drinking caffine, watching tv, ect.) and lent is a time for us to take a step back and look at the things that we feel we depend on and as believers no matter what our demonination bring the focus back the Jesus and the huge sacrifice He made for the world right before the holiday of Easter.

 

I used to not have texting so I think maybe I could do it again! My friend gave up texting this year for lent, actually. The hardest part is for other people to remember that she gave up texting, I think! But yeah you're right, Lent is a time to reflect on things that take away from our "god time" so to speak.

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By Lent you don't mean just fasting, right? You mean you give up other things too?

 

I wanted to give up eating meat once but i ended up fainting. I don't think i could stand all 40 days without something, especially coffee *shrugs*

So i just cut down on everything, during the last week, the Great Week, Holy Week? Idk how you call it in English. I practically eat just bread and oil. Except for the Big Friday that i eat only bread.

Edited by something better
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By Lent you don't mean just fasting, right? You mean you give up other things too?

 

I wanted to give up eating meat once but i ended up fainting. I don't think i could stand all 40 days without something, especially coffee *shrugs*

So i just cut down on everything, during the last week, the Great Week, Holy Week? Idk how you call it in English. I practically eat just bread and oil. Except for the Big Friday that i eat only bread.

 

Holy Week is a whole different matter from the rest of Lent, everyone's just so... a 'lil different during Holy Week. On Good Friday I would just fast until dinner and have only water for the day; sometimes I don't eat anything at all.

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Ooops, I eat on good friday lol. I try to fast though, I might not have a meal. I've been really bad about sticking to the whole no-meat on fridays thing, but I'm not sure if that is actually legitimate - wasn't it a movement of the vatican to try to support the fishing industry during the 60's or something?

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Since the middle ages, it was forbidden to eat meat, eggs and dairy all throughout Lent. Over the years that rule was more "lax" for lack of a better term. But, no meat on Fridays except for fish has been part of the Roman Catholic tradition since the 13th century as part of canon law passed by the Vatican then. It was supposedly for every Friday of the year and everyday during Lent. Now the abstinence from meat evolved to just Fridays on Lent. Technically speaking, you only need to fast until about 3 o'clock on Good Friday which is when the Passion of the Lord is celebrated.

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Well today is now Palm Sunday, the last Sunday of Lent and the start of Holy Week leading into Easter. Today marks Jesus's arrival in Jerusalem. He rode into Jerusalem on a donkey and was greeted with palm branches and open arms; in just a few days time, he will commence his Passion in which the very people who welcomed him with palms condemn him, spit on him, and have him crucified.

Edited by sirbenedictvs
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I was watching a movie called madeinusa and it was set in a small village in south america and the custom was that on 3:00pm on good friday until easter sunday the villagers could do whatever they wanted because they believed that Jesus/God was dead. Interesting way to look at it, but now that I think about it, essentially it's true. Holy week is coming up so I thought I'd throw that out there :)

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Some communities in the Philippines re-enact the Passion... literally. Real people volunteer to play the condemned and get crucified as an act of their faith. They get taken down of course but the very act of going through a crucifixion... wow; some flagellate themselves in a Good Friday parade while others are nailed to a cross.

 

Warning: Graphic

 

 

Edited by sirbenedictvs
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Oh my God Jeremy! That is insane! I mean, whaaaaatttttt!!!! I'm sure some people don't find it insane because it's part of their culture but for me, I could never picture going that far just to please God. Especially beating themselves. It's not too common here but it's very common in other parts of the world, I remember watching Globe Trekker episode to that effect, but I forget where they were. I consider it to be a little extreme but I guess it's really good for understanding the pain of Christ...

 

For me, watching the passion of the christ is graphic enough and gets the point across.

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