I gave up being a Catholic, but I have been a born again Christian for 30 years. This happened because of people that stayed believers and prayed for me so I try and do the same, didn't mean to demean anyone's religion because I know Catholics that are better Christians than I am and I considered myself pretty good.
"Letting go of" or "Giving something up" frees a person to find out what the heck they really are all about, what they've taken for granted or what they've used as a safety net.
Check out the book: THE ROAD LESS TRAVELLED by Scott Peck, really gets into the letting go of religious dogma for some, but getting into sacred ritual is a plus for others. Everyone is on their own path.
Sometimes I think that during LENT, we should take on something, since we in the US are so fortunate. Take on a positive attitude, take on performing a random Act of Kindness each day, take on listening more to people you might dismiss. Just ideas.
Have a blessed day!
I gave up my virginity.
good grief wrote:
Sometimes I think that during LENT, we should take on something, since we in the US are so fortunate. Take on a positive attitude, take on performing a random Act of Kindness each day, take on listening more to people you might dismiss. Just ideas.
This is exactly what I thought when the OP first posted.....volunteer - for anything - soup kitchen, nursinghome, walking humane society dogs, etc. GIVE something, rather than GIVE UP something.
I gave up all my New Years resolutions for Lent.
I gave up lent
Mrs. M wrote:
good grief wrote:Sometimes I think that during LENT, we should take on something, since we in the US are so fortunate. Take on a positive attitude, take on performing a random Act of Kindness each day, take on listening more to people you might dismiss. Just ideas.
This is exactly what I thought when the OP first posted.....volunteer - for anything - soup kitchen, nursinghome, walking humane society dogs, etc. GIVE something, rather than GIVE UP something.
Good idea and definitely better than giving up something that will have no impact on you. Lent is supposed to be a time of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. Those three components are supposed to go together. For some reason we only focus on the act of giving something up. Giving up something like candy, pop etc. is fine, but if that's all you do, you're missing the point. Lent is about conversion and preparation for Easter. If you give up something but don't do anything to help the needy, or try to improve your relationship with God, you're missing the intent of the Lenten season.
I gave up religious sacrifice for Lent.
orgasm (wet dreams don't count). My whole college xc team is doing it. it's a yearly tradition stretching at least as far back as the movie 40 days 40 nights, which, if memory serves me, sucked.
religion is a fairy tale you are wasting your time. instead of wasting your time praying to an imaginary god and singing at church why don't you do something to help others
lentsucks wrote:
instead of wasting your time praying to an imaginary god and singing at church why don't you do something to help others
I do.
Sex. Although the Woods' not-quite-a-press-conference should be a hoot.
lentsucks wrote:
religion is a fairy tale you are wasting your time. instead of wasting your time praying to an imaginary god and singing at church why don't you do something to help others
You may be right, or not.
I'm not overly religious, but it always amazes when people boldly claim their atheism by calling anyone who is religious a complete idiot. It's like they're angry at people for believing in God. Most of the time these atheists really have no deep understanding of the religions they criticize. They are atheists because it's trendy and it makes them feel intellectually superior to believers.
I've also met some young people who are atheists, but also believe in ghosts and other paranormal activity.
i gave up posting on letsrun
crap.
Sobriety.
I gave up Ice Cream, bad words, and internet porn, I went puritan!
i'm right there with you and Don Kedik.
oh yeah and to the guy going vegetarian - bad idea. lean meat like chicken, ultra lean steak, and seafood are good for you. particularly seafood. humans aren't middle/top of the food chain for no reason. we evolved to eat meat. our ancestors ate plenty of meat and had little disease.
What criteria does someone use to rate themselves on a scale of Christianity? Most people I know who claim to be "good Christians" turn out to be better at talking about it than actually being one. If being a good Christian means you hate people with different beliefs, you couldn't care less about anyone else, and your main interests are getting whatever you can at the expense of someone else, then most of my neighbors/co-workers are good Christians.
try this one wrote:
I gave up being a Catholic, but I have been a born again Christian for 30 years. This happened because of people that stayed believers and prayed for me so I try and do the same, didn't mean to demean anyone's religion because I know Catholics that are better Christians than I am and I considered myself pretty good.
Mrs. M wrote:
This is exactly what I thought when the OP first posted.....volunteer - for anything - soup kitchen, nursinghome, walking humane society dogs, etc. GIVE something, rather than GIVE UP something.
I basically concur, but would add that *giving* something does not preclude also giving up something. Sometimes, giving up something can help you to give, too.
Inspired by the book The Power of Half, I am giving up half of my income, not forever, but at least for Lent.
I'm a single guy in my late 20's, and I don't make a ton of money, but I have way more than a single guy in his 20's needs. Having already declared that for my next 3 paychecks, "Half of this is not mine," I am finding it much much easier to *give* (to charities working in Haiti, to local charities that I've always felt I should support but haven't, to my church's food pantry, to friends or neighbors who have greater need than I do, to an unemployed friend who needed cab fare to get to a job interview, whoever, whatever). I could do that anytime, but now that I've decided, officially, I have no claim whatsoever to half of "my" paycheck, it at least temporarily quiets the selfish voice inside.
The Bare Facts wrote:
lentsucks wrote:religion is a fairy tale you are wasting your time. instead of wasting your time praying to an imaginary god and singing at church why don't you do something to help others
You may be right, or not.
I'm not overly religious, but it always amazes when people boldly claim their atheism by calling anyone who is religious a complete idiot. It's like they're angry at people for believing in God. Most of the time these atheists really have no deep understanding of the religions they criticize. They are atheists because it's trendy and it makes them feel intellectually superior to believers.
I've also met some young people who are atheists, but also believe in ghosts and other paranormal activity.
most of the atheists i know became completely disenfranchised by the hypocracy of the church. upon observing the ever present contradictions they started having the courage to question the basis of religion. once they did this they realized how improbable and fantastic religion really is.
the day i stopped believing in god was the most liberating day of my life.
i think 99% of christians are christians for two reasons:
-ignorance
-fear
ps there are a lot of christians way way way smarter than me.