News1 min ago
Lent And Ash Wednesday
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Do religious people find it odd that non-religious people observe giving things up for lent and dont eat meat today?
On Facebook a few people have posted that they are angry with themselves for forgetting Ash Wednesday and for eating bacon for breakfast, yet they are not, to my knowledge, remotely religious nor do they attend church.
I had a sausage sandwich earlier, as today isnt significant to me as an individual. I do think Lent is good religion aside, to give up something that is perhaps bad for you in excess, alcohol, smoking etc....
On Facebook a few people have posted that they are angry with themselves for forgetting Ash Wednesday and for eating bacon for breakfast, yet they are not, to my knowledge, remotely religious nor do they attend church.
I had a sausage sandwich earlier, as today isnt significant to me as an individual. I do think Lent is good religion aside, to give up something that is perhaps bad for you in excess, alcohol, smoking etc....
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I must admit, that despite being nearly 60, I have never come across hordes of "non-religious" people giving up things for lent, or not eating meat today.
Why would somebody do that if they weren't religious ?
I was brought up as a Catholic in the 1950's and 1960's, and went to a Catholic school, where I was taught by a motley crew of nuns and brothers.
Giving something up for Lent wasn't an option back then...it was compulsory, especially if you were 10 years old. The nuns used to tell us that we should make the sacrifice and give up something, although the reason and rational of so doing was never fully explained. It was one of "Gods mysteries" along with millions of babies dying in African famines.
I suggested one year that I was going to give up cabbage, and sprouts for Lent. The nuns were horrified, and asked me to explain. So I told them my Mum always told my brothers and I that cabbage and sprouts were very "good for you", thus making their absence from our diet a really good sacrifice.
I thought my reasoning in this matter was unimpeachable but the logic seemed lost on the nuns altogether. Much use of the cane ensued.
Why would somebody do that if they weren't religious ?
I was brought up as a Catholic in the 1950's and 1960's, and went to a Catholic school, where I was taught by a motley crew of nuns and brothers.
Giving something up for Lent wasn't an option back then...it was compulsory, especially if you were 10 years old. The nuns used to tell us that we should make the sacrifice and give up something, although the reason and rational of so doing was never fully explained. It was one of "Gods mysteries" along with millions of babies dying in African famines.
I suggested one year that I was going to give up cabbage, and sprouts for Lent. The nuns were horrified, and asked me to explain. So I told them my Mum always told my brothers and I that cabbage and sprouts were very "good for you", thus making their absence from our diet a really good sacrifice.
I thought my reasoning in this matter was unimpeachable but the logic seemed lost on the nuns altogether. Much use of the cane ensued.
When I was nine years old, I decided to give up apple pie and custard for Lent. My Mum made the best apple pie in the world back then, and her custard could have been served up to the crowned heads of Europe in the Ritz. To paraphrase Hancock, her custard didn't move around a lot but it was terribly tasty. She went to her grave with the recipe but I seem to remember that she added lots of vanilla essence.
The reason that I chose this dish out of all the rest to make my Lenten Sacrifice with, came from a conversation that I had with my Parish Priest. I asked him one day what Heaven was really like. After I told him that eating my Mum's apple pie was my favorite thing to do, he said "Well then, you can eat apple pie all day and all night in Heaven if you wanted to"
Couldn't think of a better thing to give up for Lent !
The reason that I chose this dish out of all the rest to make my Lenten Sacrifice with, came from a conversation that I had with my Parish Priest. I asked him one day what Heaven was really like. After I told him that eating my Mum's apple pie was my favorite thing to do, he said "Well then, you can eat apple pie all day and all night in Heaven if you wanted to"
Couldn't think of a better thing to give up for Lent !
im not sure if its odd as im not sure what you mean by non religious people.....
i dont know any non religious people who have given up anything for lent, its just pancake day to them..... but i do know people who dont really practice their religion and say they arent religious yet they do give up something But last year my granddaughters school encouraged the kids to give something up for a week or so...
i dont know any non religious people who have given up anything for lent, its just pancake day to them..... but i do know people who dont really practice their religion and say they arent religious yet they do give up something But last year my granddaughters school encouraged the kids to give something up for a week or so...
maybe they are more religious than you think? i am occasionally surprised by a person i have known for many years suddenly showing their religious side ... i always assume most people i know arent, unless they mention it etc
i would find it odd if they made a sudden big thing out of it, got upset, and said stuff like that they'd defied god or whatever it is - but i think its just used as an idea, a basis for giving their body a break from something that in not that good for it.
its like how some people cannot stick to diet or excercise unless they have a friend with them to stick together
i think its also a 'luck' thing - there are many that have a sense of ingrained bad luck if they break a rule
i undertsand why people celebrate xmas - it is not a religious festival anymore - not for most people any way, but i do know some people who go to midnight mass at xmas - and it baffles me why they would go and do that once a year...
the whole thing is stupid really
i would find it odd if they made a sudden big thing out of it, got upset, and said stuff like that they'd defied god or whatever it is - but i think its just used as an idea, a basis for giving their body a break from something that in not that good for it.
its like how some people cannot stick to diet or excercise unless they have a friend with them to stick together
i think its also a 'luck' thing - there are many that have a sense of ingrained bad luck if they break a rule
i undertsand why people celebrate xmas - it is not a religious festival anymore - not for most people any way, but i do know some people who go to midnight mass at xmas - and it baffles me why they would go and do that once a year...
the whole thing is stupid really
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