What are you giving up for Lent?

2/27/06 | Me

[tje]

Just wondered what people were giving up for Lent.

[facedown]

What are you giving up for Lent?

Lent.

[MeanWestTexan]

Last time I checked, Missouri Synod Luths. observed Lent in their fashion:

http://www.lcms.org/pages/internal.asp?NavID=3908

[Maximus of Texas]

I give up on Millee paying off her bet with me. But only for Lent!

[MeanWestTexan]

Here is the MSLC official stance (I believe, not Lutheran):

Q. Do Lutherans have to give up something for Lent as some other denominations require?

A. From the perspective of The Lutheran Church--Missouri Synod, "giving something up for Lent" is entirely a matter of Christian freedom. It would be wrong, from our perspective, for the church to make some sort of "law" requiring its members to "give something up for Lent," since the Scriptures themselves do not require this. If, on the other hand, a Christian wants to give something up for Lent as a way of remembering and personalizing the great sacrifice that Christ made on the cross for our sins, then that Christian is certainly free to do so--as long as he or she does not "judge" or "look down on" other Christians who do not choose to do this.

[Nathan Zachary]

Seriously - in the old days (and currently for many in the Orthodox Catholic churches) fasting for Lent meant no meat at all during Lent (except for Sundays), only one main meal each day and nothing to eat at all on Good Friday. Many of the Orthodox churches also had no flesh at all (meaning no meat OR fish), no eggs, no cheese or dairy products of any kind and no sugar or sweets. This meant they could basically eat only bread and vegetables. This diet probably led to a very long life - or maybe it just SEEMED like a very long life!

That's why Borscht, perogies, and so many other vegetable dishes are found in the Ukrainian Catholic diet, and the feasts are so good!

[Dashing Dasher]

Good choice - but sauerkraut is widely appreciated for it's antioxidant qualities. blah blah blah.

[papertyger]

It was a joke Texas...you dropped the "n" in "converted."

:^>

[MeanWestTexan]

I took it as a joke (at being a religion hopper).

I spell so badly, however, I missed the intended joke.

[cgk]

All that said, too often, the traditions overwhelm the purpose and people just go through the motions and don't know why.

Exactly why I asked :). I wanted to avoid this! Thank you very much for your responses. I wasn't sure if there was a distinction in belief or tradition, and appreciate the clarifications. I'm giving a lot of thought to what I will give up for Lent - my first.

[Nathan Zachary]

" That one is tough to square with the "I was only following orders" Holocaust guards..."

Not really. Those nations who remove themselves from faith get the governments they deserve. Eg. if the people are sinful and wicked and cruel they get a sinful and wicked and cruel government, and deny themselves the protection of God. God removes his grace from the land, turns his back, or however you want to interpret it.

[Laura Earl]

I'll stick with tea for antioxidants.

Actually I'm suthren baptist, so don't have to give anything up...and I HATE sauerkraut!

[Mordacious]

I haven't decided. Either cherry red lip gloss, watching UFC Unleashed, or huffing glue...Just kidding about that last one. I'd never give that up ;)

Still kidding.

[rattrap]

I'm going to give up eating chicken livers on mint ice cream, shouldn't be too hard.

[papertyger]

I spell so badly, however...

Well try a bath now and again!

(yada dada da da!)

;^>

[Dashing Dasher]

Looks like I picked the wrong week to quit drinking.

---

Looks like I picked the wrong week to stop sniffing glue

---

Looks like I picked the wrong week to quit amphetamines

[Dashing Dasher]

Excellent choice.
I much prefer my chicken livers on pistachio ice cream.



ewwww....

[Ignatz]

I'm giving up personal sacrifice.

[Publius6961]

BUMP!

[Dashing Dasher]

Are you giving up Dancing the Bump?

I approve and respect that decision.

[MeanWestTexan]

I'm going to save your post and read it when it is 110 in the shade here in West Texas.

It's 77 today. Sunny.