What are you giving up for lent this year? Soda? Swearing? Eating more than 5 slices of pizza in one sitting? I feel like Lent is just "New Years Resolutions take two". For those who failed already in their resolutions they get a second chance! I can give up being a complete Dbag for lent and feel good about myself! (I swear to god that is a person who I work with)
Much like New Years Resolutions, I gave up on the Idea of Lent LONG ago. Not because I didn't think I could follow through, but becasuse I think there are some serious issues with the catholic church right now (or since always) and I just don't have the desire to "show my faith" by adhering to a silly notion of giving something up to "prepare" us for Easter. Did you know that Jesus (if he is real) spent 40 days in the desert "fasting" before starting his public ministry? Yep, that is how we get 40 days of Lent. We give up saying "F off" because that is the same as Jesus nearly starving himself to death for over a month... I just don't think it's necessary. It seems far too insignificant and a lot of people don't follow through anyway.
Lets now get into "no meat" on Fridays. This is by far my favorite thing when it comes to arguing the validity of an organized religion imposing laws and rules on its followers. So as we all know, during lent we cannot eat any meat on Fridays. This is nothing new, this has been going on for hundreds of years, however it is not entirely "original". By which I mean that it wasn't a commandment from God...
No, The rule came from the Church, and do you want to know why? Of course you do, you haven't deleted this web page and unfriended me on Facebook yet. The Church struck a deal with the Fishing Industry because they were struggling. Both sides got something out of it, and that's why you can't have meat on Fridays during Lent but you can have fish... Please, If I am offered a juicy cheeseburger on any Friday throughout the year, I am tearing into that thing.
Lent isn't important to me because it has nothing to do with my faith. I no longer find myself "attached" to a specific religion or organization. Do I believe in God? That's a loaded question. I believe in a higher power, what that power is and what purpose it serves, I do not know. What I do absolutely believe is that if there is a heaven, you don't earn your acceptance by going to church on Sundays and giving something up for lent. And by the same token, if a man lives a good life and is charitable and decent, I believe that he should not be disqualified from heaven because he doesn't belong to any religion. Makes no sense.
Now, I do not mean to degrade or belittle the Catholic (Christian) religion. Many people rely on their faith and their religion to guide them. And to that I say: As long as it's guiding you in the right direction, by all means, keep going. But do not tell me that because I am Catholic I need to refrain from eating meat on Fridays... Or that I need to give something up for 40 days to show my true faith... I show my faith by not being a complete Jack Ass at all times. What? I AM a complete Jack Ass? Crap.
*EDIT - I neither hate Catholicism nor any other religion. In a previous post I talked about three religions that were founded on great principles, tolerance and kindness being two of them. But the Catholic Church has come a long way, lots of good has happened and lots of bad has happened. My faith has been shaken by many events in my life. And some are either hurt by this or disagree with it. I understand where you are coming from but want you to know, I grew up in a very religious house and I do believe that I learned a lot from it and was taught great core values from catechism and church on Sunday's. However when I grew up I saw the rest of the world and learned much more. And in that time I found myself pulling away from the church little by little. Then one day I found myself on the other side of the argument. Not trying to disprove God's existence, but more about disagreeing with what the "church" has done and the stance it takes. I may not be religious but I have faith. I may not go to church but I believe.
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| Meet Pauly D, not the worst part of The Jersey Shore... wow |
Lets now get into "no meat" on Fridays. This is by far my favorite thing when it comes to arguing the validity of an organized religion imposing laws and rules on its followers. So as we all know, during lent we cannot eat any meat on Fridays. This is nothing new, this has been going on for hundreds of years, however it is not entirely "original". By which I mean that it wasn't a commandment from God...
 | |
| See, even God swears... |
No, The rule came from the Church, and do you want to know why? Of course you do, you haven't deleted this web page and unfriended me on Facebook yet. The Church struck a deal with the Fishing Industry because they were struggling. Both sides got something out of it, and that's why you can't have meat on Fridays during Lent but you can have fish... Please, If I am offered a juicy cheeseburger on any Friday throughout the year, I am tearing into that thing.
Lent isn't important to me because it has nothing to do with my faith. I no longer find myself "attached" to a specific religion or organization. Do I believe in God? That's a loaded question. I believe in a higher power, what that power is and what purpose it serves, I do not know. What I do absolutely believe is that if there is a heaven, you don't earn your acceptance by going to church on Sundays and giving something up for lent. And by the same token, if a man lives a good life and is charitable and decent, I believe that he should not be disqualified from heaven because he doesn't belong to any religion. Makes no sense.
Now, I do not mean to degrade or belittle the Catholic (Christian) religion. Many people rely on their faith and their religion to guide them. And to that I say: As long as it's guiding you in the right direction, by all means, keep going. But do not tell me that because I am Catholic I need to refrain from eating meat on Fridays... Or that I need to give something up for 40 days to show my true faith... I show my faith by not being a complete Jack Ass at all times. What? I AM a complete Jack Ass? Crap.
*EDIT - I neither hate Catholicism nor any other religion. In a previous post I talked about three religions that were founded on great principles, tolerance and kindness being two of them. But the Catholic Church has come a long way, lots of good has happened and lots of bad has happened. My faith has been shaken by many events in my life. And some are either hurt by this or disagree with it. I understand where you are coming from but want you to know, I grew up in a very religious house and I do believe that I learned a lot from it and was taught great core values from catechism and church on Sunday's. However when I grew up I saw the rest of the world and learned much more. And in that time I found myself pulling away from the church little by little. Then one day I found myself on the other side of the argument. Not trying to disprove God's existence, but more about disagreeing with what the "church" has done and the stance it takes. I may not be religious but I have faith. I may not go to church but I believe.
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