Tradition - start one of your own
I'm going to get struck by lighting for this I'm sure, but here goes....The other day in class someone asked me what I was giving up for lent. I just looked at her confused because first of all she knows I’m not Catholic, and second of all I don’t even know the reason they give something up really. I mean, my God, the one that lives in my sunroof somewhere, doesn’t ask me to give something up for him. When my grandma sends me the emails that ask you to not buy gas on Tuesdays I don’t not buy gas on Tuesdays. So what really is the purpose? Does God know that you aren’t eating those Doritos and think its helping world hunger? Or that you gave up candy, which pleases your dentist? I don’t think so. It’s not like we’re spreading kindness or something. Heck, a lot of people get mean when they give things up. Once I decided to only eat green things, and as stupid as that was, it just made me really bitchy. Are you supposed to suffer so that when you’re pissed that you can’t eat that cookie or smoke the cigarette you think of how great God is? A real friend wouldn’t ask you to do that would they? I mean, if someone told you that I wanted you to not eat bread for the next three months how would that sound? Shouldn’t I ask myself? But isn’t it pointless anyway since I get nothing out of it except being able to SEE your true devotion to me? And you can’t even see God in return so why should you have to do these human things that are clearly nowhere near how great you think he deserves? I know I’m nowhere near God, but this Catholic God just doesn’t seem to understand. What if it’s just something the priests made up to make the Catholics suffer some more or some practical joker priest back in the day got a kick out of it? Or what about those fraternity pledges that have to drink until they puke – isn’t it sort of the same thing? Everyone thinks that’s a horrible idea though. And anyway, why should I be impressed that people are giving something up for a month or two when I gave up meat about 13 years ago? I’m not impressed with people that can sacrifice for 1/156 of the months that I have. If you really want to impress God just give something up all together. THAT's the sure way into heaven.
posted by Stephanie @ 3:48 PM
2 Comments:
lightning? naah. God's more into pillars of salt, really...
*chuckle* not being catholic, i dont really get the entire lent thing either. at the same time, an essential tenet of doing something like lent is that you believe that God *is* watching... otherwise it doesnt really work. Simply b/c if you're doing it to impress other people, you might be a bit better off lifting weights or buying a cooler car...
us protestants have it much easier ;o)
Babs and I had a convo about this on Saturday night and she brought up a very good point. The whole reason behind Lent is to sacrifice something or give up something as a way to bring you closer to God. So giving up lying, cheating, etc., those are the types of things you should work on in life and Lent is like a jump-start to a better mindfulness. But somewhere along the way people lost focus and decided that giving up just anything you like is the purpose of Lent. But giving up Dr. Pepper and chocolate doesn't bring you closer to a more spiritual life, not unless that Dr. Pepper is in some way affecting your life in a harmful, sinful manner.
Either way...I just wish the religious folks would do a better job of educating their peeps and stop trying to prove to the non-believers that they're cool enough to give up chocolate for a while but continue to sin in a bunch of other ways.
[end rant]
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