Who is lent/fasting 40 days for Easter?

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  • mattyc772014
    mattyc772014 Posts: 3,543 Member
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    Good Friday=Pizza=Spiritual Enlightenment!
  • RoxieDawn
    RoxieDawn Posts: 15,488 Member
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    meganridenour wrote: »
    RuNaRoUnDaFiEld wrote: »
    lynn_glenmont wrote: »
    I'm sure some people will think I'm over-reacting, but Lent is a religious observation. It's not a fad diet.
    Loads of us atheist people joining in and twisting the meaning to suit ourselves. I can see why some religious people wouldn't like it but it is going to happen.

    As an atheist, I can't imagine wanting to participate in Lent. Kinda defeats the purpose of being an atheist.
    But then again, I guess the debauchery of Mardi Gras is probably celebrated by a whole lot of non-religious folk as well.

    Yeah I pick all holidays that allow me to torture myself.
  • SuperSaiyanGoddess86
    SuperSaiyanGoddess86 Posts: 84 Member
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    OMG thats not what she is asking just answer it or be quiet. To answer your question I am giving up all diary and sugar.
  • yayamom3
    yayamom3 Posts: 939 Member
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    A wonderful way to turn the observation of Lent (whether you are a Christian or not) into an act of mercy toward your fellow man would be by giving alms. Whatever you choose to give up, calculate the cost of what you would have spent on that and donate the money to the charity of your choice. That way, everybody wins! Also, observing Lent doesn't have to be just about "giving up" something. It's about making a sacrifice. So you could also "add" something. Such as donating your time to a charity, spending more time with an elderly family member, doing chores for a neighbor, etc.
  • Asher_Ethan
    Asher_Ethan Posts: 2,430 Member
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    I give up a vice for lent every year. This year it's online shopping... it's seriously the worst for me.
  • babybellyfat
    babybellyfat Posts: 1,102 Member
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    I'm not vegan but I'm vegetarian I don't eat meat or fish but I do eat eggs and cheese. But giving that up for 40 days..
  • babybellyfat
    babybellyfat Posts: 1,102 Member
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    I'm Greek Orthodox
  • babybellyfat
    babybellyfat Posts: 1,102 Member
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    I'm religious yes!
  • wonderchu
    wonderchu Posts: 53 Member
    edited February 2016
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    ...
  • babybellyfat
    babybellyfat Posts: 1,102 Member
    edited February 2016
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    I posted this message. It's not for a weight loss etc I wanted to get some ideas what people are eating during this time.. I'm religious and I respect everyone and what choices they make.
  • Jruzer
    Jruzer Posts: 3,501 Member
    edited February 2016
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    People often misunderstand Lent. It's not supposed to be about torture or punishment. It's supposed to be about repentance and growing closer to God.

    Many of you are not religious, or even actively hostile to religion. That's your prerogative. So let me offer an analogy:

    Most people who are on MFP are here to lose weight and become more fit. Losing weight is an admirable goal. But to do it we must nominally eat less food. That is, we are "giving up" something in order to get something better. Is the concept really that foreign?
  • SolotoCEO
    SolotoCEO Posts: 293 Member
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    Although I don't celebrate Lent for religious reasons, for the 40 days of Lent, I'm giving 40 items to the homeless shelter. Some out of my closet, some new. Lent isn't a diet - for me, it's a time to give of ourselves.
  • tracefan
    tracefan Posts: 382 Member
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    Yes it's a catholic observance.. and most will give up and sacrifice for 40 days. Doesn't necessarily someone has to give up food for instance. I'm Catholic and I just choose to give up a certain snack or food. I don't use LENT for dieting purposes. I usually give up cookies. I may have to give up Chocolate I seem to really want that lately.
  • babybellyfat
    babybellyfat Posts: 1,102 Member
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    I don't use lent for dieting. I'm religious!! I'm not sure if u all misunderstood.. I wanted to know what do u eat during this time. That's all.
  • Holly_Roman_Empire
    Holly_Roman_Empire Posts: 4,440 Member
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    babybellyfat wrote: »
    I don't use lent for dieting. I'm religious!! I'm not sure if u all misunderstood.. I wanted to know what do u eat during this time. That's all.

    Do you need advice or are you just curious what everyone does? If you're religious in your understanding of Lent, then you should understand that the Lenten sacrifice is between the individual and their God. Did you not read the Ash Wednesday gospel today? Mark 6:1-6?
  • Jruzer
    Jruzer Posts: 3,501 Member
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    babybellyfat wrote: »
    I don't use lent for dieting. I'm religious!! I'm not sure if u all misunderstood.. I wanted to know what do u eat during this time. That's all.

    It sounds like the rules for the Greek Orthodox church are somewhat more restrictive than for the Roman Catholic rite. Here's what we do:

    - Today, for Ash Wednesday, I had a Greek Yogurt for my collation. We'll probably have buttered noodles for dinner.
    - For Fridays in Lent we will not eat meat. We usually have grilled cheese sandwiches, or spaghetti with marinara sauce, or even something like stir fry with tofu. We're not big fish eaters but sometimes we'll go out for Friday fish fry which is an institution here in Wisconsin, especially so during Lent. (I will not debate about fish vs meat. Seriously. I can guarantee that debate is raging all over the interwebz.)
    - For penances, as I said above I'm doing without alcohol and ice cream. I will be enjoying those in moderation on Sundays.
    - Good Friday will typically be similar to Ash Wednesday.
  • Holly_Roman_Empire
    Holly_Roman_Empire Posts: 4,440 Member
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    RuNaRoUnDaFiEld wrote: »
    lynn_glenmont wrote: »
    I'm sure some people will think I'm over-reacting, but Lent is a religious observation. It's not a fad diet.
    Off topic I realise o:)

    Isn't it just the same as Easter and Christmas though?

    Loads of us atheist people joining in and twisting the meaning to suit ourselves. I can see why some religious people wouldn't like it but it is going to happen.

    No, it's not the same. Like, not even close.

    Christmas and Easter have a lot of traditions rooted in pagan practices. While Lent is a 40-day sacrifice leading up to Easter, it is completely rooted in Christianity. While it's cool that non-religious folks want to participate, it is NOT cool to twist it around to equate it to some diet.
  • Nikion901
    Nikion901 Posts: 2,467 Member
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    I often heard the passage from the Bible Matthew 6 "But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face so that your fasting will not be noticed by men, but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you" or stated more plainly ... "That you appear not to men to fast, but to your Father which is in secret: and your Father, which sees in secret, shall reward you openly"

    It's not Lent for me, yet, as I don't follow either Catholisism or any Protestant faith, however in my Chrisian faith fasting for Lent had some pretty specific foods to avoid. Some monastics would do a 40-day fast, but even they ate something (bread and oil, water, pickles). In my home the little children, the aged, and the inferm were not obligated to participate. And if you did fast, you didn't talk about it as the purpose was of a spiritual nature. Of course, the cook had reign over the family in this as well because if it wasn't placed on the table, you didn't eat it.
  • trjjoy
    trjjoy Posts: 666 Member
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    It's such a simple question from someone who is curious about what other people want to give up for Lent. Answer it if you want to. Don't answer it if you don't want to.
  • caroldavison332
    caroldavison332 Posts: 864 Member
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    I try to worship Christ with the way that I live my life, and disciplining my body from excess added sugar is as appropriate as many other ways. Let's see how healthy I can be by treating my flesh as the temple of the Holy Spirit these 40 days.
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