What are you giving up for LENT?

[Jack_Dawson]

Last year I gave up alcohol. 40 days and 40 nights w/o a drink. It was challenging - especially Friday nights. At the end of the 40 days I was thinner and had more energy. I also had the tolerance of a sorority girl, catching a buzz off one beer. It was a good thing overall. I'm flirting w/ doing it again this year, except I'm going fishing this weekend. Anyone have any other ideas?

:toast:

[bif]

1. Smoked Iguana

Shouldn't be hard.

[Intelsucks]

2. I'm giving up "Lent" for Lent

:P

[StopTheMorans]

7. I'm with ya, gave it up 5 years ago in college

and haven't felt better since :evilgrin:

[Fenris]

3. Cigarettes

I don't smoke.

[Bertha Venation]

4. atheism

with a nod to the writers of M*A*S*H

[Az]

5. Gave up religion for lent

Old joke. But used it this morning and someone broke up who had never heard it before so I thought I would share it here.

[ewagner]

6. A good theologian friend of mine

once told me that we have the wrong impression of lent. He said that instead of "giving up" something we should "take up" something as an obligation. In his words, we should "bind onto ourselves" an obligation to remind us of the season. Hence, I'm committing to Wednesday night services.

[Richardo]

8. That's been my view - do something positive...

...personally or in service to the community. :thumbsup:

[blackcat77]

12. I agree

Lent is a time of reflection and you should use it as an opportunity to discover something about yourself that needs changed for the better.

It may sound like a trite thing, but I'm in a couple internet leagues for a racing game and I take them WAY too seriously. Last week I got so mad when somebody wrecked me that I slammed my fist down on my keyboard and broke it. So I'm making a conscious effort to put these racing leagues in their proper place -- a game that's supposed to be for fun, not some ego trip. To that end, I'm going to put a little statue of my patron saint next to the monitor when I'm racing as a reminder to keep my emotions in check.

[trogdor]

17. St. Christopher?

Sorry, I just had to say that.

[ewagner]

20. LOL

My high school driving instructor once told me that if I drove any worse, St Christopher would get out and walk!

[meegbear]

9. I'm giving up Lent for Lent

[ironflange]

10. punctuation

i usually try to give up punctuation for lent it's kind of hard to stay on the wagon though but im going to give it another try

[BurtWorm]

11. Mel Gibson movies.

Oh. I guess that would go under porn.

[Bossy Monkey]

13. For the 20th consecutive year, Roman Catholicism

Of course, I've given it up for the other 326 days, too, but still

[TheMightyFavog]

14. Bugger all!

In fact tonight do what I do every Ash Wednesday. I'm gonna make myself a nice, big bacon double cheeseburger, with some nice fries, wash it down with a few beers, make a big bowl of buttered popcorn (with real butter, of course!) and watch Monty Python's Life of Brian.

[Jack_Dawson]

15. LOL

OK, so DU isn't the most religious organization...I can respect that.

[trogdor]

18. While smoking a few fags, right?

I couldn't resist.

[TheMightyFavog]

19. Well, smoking my pipe, yes

I hate ciggartes, except for those Indonesian Clove ciggies.

[skippysmom]

16. Catholicism?

The church is really starting to piss me off.

[Mrs. Overall]

21. Lent is about the word "should"--

I should give this up, I should do this sort of community service, etc...
Living healthy and serving community are great things to do all the time, not just 40 days a year, crying and groaning until Easter.
Like other Catholics on this thread, I gave up Lent and Catholicism several years ago and I feel so much better!

[sonias]

22. same her paxmusa

"I gave up Lent and Catholicism several years ago and I feel so much better!"

Easter, Christmas it doesn't matter anymore to me. I just try to live my life as a caring human being. I don't need organized religion for that. Every day is sacred. My religion if life.


Sonia

[Interrobang]

23. It's not just a Catholic thing -- I was raised CofE and we still did it.

The first thing I gave up was religion. The second thing I gave up were those dumb pancake suppers. (What kind of a moron would willingly eat a sweet breakfast food for dinner when there are hundreds of savoury things to be eaten?) Now that I don't eat dairy products or very many greasy foods, I'm out for Shrove Tuesday, too. ;-)

Now, I think that if I'm going to get introspective and change my life, I'm going to do it in the fall, which has always seemed like the "natural new year" to me, anyway. Admittedly when I began studying Judaism out of interest (and not because I want to practice the religion) I was quite piqued by the New Year falling in Septemberish. Since I've (still) spent the majority of my life in school, September has always seemed like "the beginning of the year" to me, and this time of year doesn't mean much except slush.

[Armand]

24. I'm giving up....nothing.

I won't let my religion (Christianity--more specifically Lutheran) dictate whether or not I give up something. Screw them. I'm keeping my "vices."

[CBHagman]

25. The jury's still out.

I'm debating giving up saying nasty things about George W. Bush, saying nasty things about Zell Miller, and cursing the loins that begat Ann Coulter.

Any ideas?

:-)

[TrogL]

26. There is no necessity to give anything up for Lent

The purpose of Lent is study and meditation. If you have sufficient time for that, you don't need to give up anything. If your X-box (or DU) addiction prevents it, then maybe it's time to cut back.

[terrya]

27. The lingering possibility I'd ever watch "The Apprentice"

So, no Donald on my television....

:-)

Terry

[AlabamaYankee]

28. Rather than give up, I'm going to do something

Lent is really a time for reflection and contemplation. Rather than give up something as a symbolic sacrifice, I plan to so do some serious study of the issue of Sex and Religion(and not the Steve Vai album). It seems that sexual issues have defined and divided Christianity, Islam and Judaism almost from their founding. The Episcopal Church, my adopted denomination, is being split by the gay bishop issue, and I've never seen such hate as has been spewed out by the conservative Anglicans about this. My birth denomination, Lutheran (ELCA), has been ducking and weaving like a punch drunk boxer to avoid the same fate.

So for Lent I will be looking into the issues of Law and Gospel, Grace and Works, and maybe even come up with a paper on it. In any case, I hope to experience some significant spiritual growth.

[jeffsurfus]

29. Root canals, enemas, and figs

None for 40 days and nights.

It's going to be a struggle but I think I can do it.

I believe all Unitarian Universalists typically give these things up for lent.

[Missy Vixen]

30. Bush!

I'm giving up George W. Bush for Lent. That's right.

When he appears on the television, it's getting shut off or the channel changed. When I hear of yet another one of his stupid pronouncements on a variety of subjects he wishes he understood, I'll stick my fingers in my ears and chant "la la la la" till he's gone.

The next 40 days will be much more peaceful, and my husband doesn't have to live in fear that I may put my boot through the television.

Julie

[Butterflies]

31. I'm going to try to give up my laziness

I didn't start exercising as a New Year's resolution, so maybe I can look at it from the other way and give up my inactivity.

I guess I'll have to use a little extra energy starting tonight.

[Cuban_Liberal]

32. Chocolate.

It's gonna be HARD, but I can do it. :)

[ChoralScholar]

33. As I said in the other thread

I'm giving up pointless religious rituals for Lent.

[kodi]

34. self control.

a terrible vice.

[The Zanti Regent]

35. That stupid Mel Gibson movie

I'd rather see a double bill of From Justin to Kelly and Gigli!