Lent starts today

[Mortimer]

Today is Ash Wednesday. Today I will have one meal (fast) and no meat (abstinence) then my lent penance will be no candies, no cake, etc. and I wont watch any porn 40 days and not have sex or masturbate. I dont have sex anyways but I masturbate sometimes, I wont 40 days masturbate. I will probably have after 10 days or 15 days nocturnal emissions but I will keep not wanking.

I also start with work out today. I want to do a 40 days from now to happy friday a regular work out everyday except maybe sundays not sure.

 

[percysunshine]

You will probably lose 40 pounds.

 

[Mortimer]

You will probably lose 40 pounds.

Probably not. But maybe 5 pounds. I just dont eat candies or sweets. I still eat everything else. Just today I dont eat meat either. On Ash wednesday and happy friday I dont eat meat. But during the lent I do eat meat, just not candies. That is my penance, and I wont masturbate.

 

[toobfreak]

Today is Ash Wednesday. Today I will have one meal (fast) and no meat (abstinence) then my lent penance will be no candies, no cake, etc. and I wont watch any porn 40 days and not have sex or masturbate. I dont have sex anyways but I masturbate sometimes, I wont 40 days masturbate. I will probably have after 10 days or 15 days nocturnal emissions but I will keep not wanking.

I also start with work out today. I want to do a 40 days from now to happy friday a regular work out everyday except maybe sundays not sure.

Really, far more information than I ever would have wanted or needed to hear . . .

 

[CarlinAnnArbor]

Today is Ash Wednesday. Today I will have one meal (fast) and no meat (abstinence) then my lent penance will be no candies, no cake, etc. and I wont watch any porn 40 days and not have sex or masturbate. I dont have sex anyways but I masturbate sometimes, I wont 40 days masturbate. I will probably have after 10 days or 15 days nocturnal emissions but I will keep not wanking.

I also start with work out today. I want to do a 40 days from now to happy friday a regular work out everyday except maybe sundays not sure.

Only matters to Catholics. Nothing scriptural in this ritual

 

[CarlinAnnArbor]

Today is Ash Wednesday. Today I will have one meal (fast) and no meat (abstinence) then my lent penance will be no candies, no cake, etc. and I wont watch any porn 40 days and not have sex or masturbate. I dont have sex anyways but I masturbate sometimes, I wont 40 days masturbate. I will probably have after 10 days or 15 days nocturnal emissions but I will keep not wanking.

I also start with work out today. I want to do a 40 days from now to happy friday a regular work out everyday except maybe sundays not sure.

Really, far more information than I ever would have wanted or needed to hear . . .

I predict he has a happy ending with lent

 

[toobfreak]

Today is Ash Wednesday. Today I will have one meal (fast) and no meat (abstinence) then my lent penance will be no candies, no cake, etc. and I wont watch any porn 40 days and not have sex or masturbate. I dont have sex anyways but I masturbate sometimes, I wont 40 days masturbate. I will probably have after 10 days or 15 days nocturnal emissions but I will keep not wanking.

I also start with work out today. I want to do a 40 days from now to happy friday a regular work out everyday except maybe sundays not sure.

Really, far more information than I ever would have wanted or needed to hear . . .

I predict he has a happy ending with lent

Yeah. Sounds like three VCRs loaded with porn on standby and one inflatable doll.

 

[CarlinAnnArbor]

I also start with work out today. I want to do a 40 days from now to happy friday a regular work out everyday except maybe sundays not sure

 

[james bond]

Today is Ash Wednesday. Today I will have one meal (fast) and no meat (abstinence) then my lent penance will be no candies, no cake, etc. and I wont watch any porn 40 days and not have sex or masturbate. I dont have sex anyways but I masturbate sometimes, I wont 40 days masturbate. I will probably have after 10 days or 15 days nocturnal emissions but I will keep not wanking.

I also start with work out today. I want to do a 40 days from now to happy friday a regular work out everyday except maybe sundays not sure.

Really, far more information than I ever would have wanted or needed to hear . . .

LOL. It's better to leave out the sex part even though one has given it up. The food part is what most people are interested in as well as penance. I think giving up candies, cake, sweets is a good fast. Also, not eating red meat and shellfish. No pork and pork products. Dairy is probably good to give up. I can give up hard alcohol and beer. I can give these up. To say something like I'll be vegan may be hard. I can accept being vegetarian. The penance would likely be to pray more and worship God more by going to church every Sunday and for special services.

 

[toobfreak]

Today is Ash Wednesday. Today I will have one meal (fast) and no meat (abstinence) then my lent penance will be no candies, no cake, etc.

Here, Mortimer, I know I ride you kind of hard (though you bring it on yourself), so to kind of make up for it, you can have this chart I made 3 years ago. Everything is right except the dates which change from year to year. It's a template you can play with.

I figure that if you follow the strict Christian tradition, you can't be all bad.

 

[buttercup]

Today is Ash Wednesday. Today I will have one meal (fast) and no meat (abstinence) then my lent penance will be no candies, no cake, etc. and I wont watch any porn 40 days and not have sex or masturbate. I dont have sex anyways but I masturbate sometimes, I wont 40 days masturbate. I will probably have after 10 days or 15 days nocturnal emissions but I will keep not wanking.

I also start with work out today. I want to do a 40 days from now to happy friday a regular work out everyday except maybe sundays not sure.

Really, far more information than I ever would have wanted or needed to hear . . .

LOL. It's better to leave out the sex part even though one has given it up. The food part is what most people are interested in as well as penance. I think giving up candies, cake, sweets is a good fast. Also, not eating red meat and shellfish. No pork and pork products. Dairy is probably good to give up. I can give up hard alcohol and beer. I can give these up. To say something like I'll be vegan may be hard. I can accept being vegetarian. The penance would likely be to pray more and worship God more by going to church every Sunday and for special services.

I'm just curious to know why you think it would be hard to be vegan for a certain amount of time. It's really not hard to be vegan these days, especially in the US. There are vegan alternatives for just about everything.

As for lent, I don't really get the point. Fasting and prayer, of course, is biblical and a good thing... but that can be done at any time, not just a certain time of the year. If it's about penance, giving up a vice or sin for a certain amount of time in order to be forgiven is (I'm sorry to say) unscriptural. We are forgiven when we get saved / born again, but that doesn't happen by our works or going through the motions in a religious way.

But hey, if anyone is going to stop eating meat, even if only for 40 days, I'm happy about that, lol.

 

[konradv]

Today is Ash Wednesday. Today I will have one meal (fast) and no meat (abstinence) then my lent penance will be no candies, no cake, etc. and I wont watch any porn 40 days and not have sex or masturbate. I dont have sex anyways but I masturbate sometimes, I wont 40 days masturbate. I will probably have after 10 days or 15 days nocturnal emissions but I will keep not wanking.

I also start with work out today. I want to do a 40 days from now to happy friday a regular work out everyday except maybe sundays not sure.

Only matters to Catholics. Nothing scriptural in this ritual

• Matthew 18:18 (KJV)
  Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
  
  
• Matthew 16:19 (KJV)
  And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
  

 

[Compost]

Today is Ash Wednesday. Today I will have one meal (fast) and no meat (abstinence) then my lent penance will be no candies, no cake, etc. and I wont watch any porn 40 days and not have sex or masturbate. I dont have sex anyways but I masturbate sometimes, I wont 40 days masturbate. I will probably have after 10 days or 15 days nocturnal emissions but I will keep not wanking.

I also start with work out today. I want to do a 40 days from now to happy friday a regular work out everyday except maybe sundays not sure.

Really, far more information than I ever would have wanted or needed to hear . . .

LOL. It's better to leave out the sex part even though one has given it up. The food part is what most people are interested in as well as penance. I think giving up candies, cake, sweets is a good fast. Also, not eating red meat and shellfish. No pork and pork products. Dairy is probably good to give up. I can give up hard alcohol and beer. I can give these up. To say something like I'll be vegan may be hard. I can accept being vegetarian. The penance would likely be to pray more and worship God more by going to church every Sunday and for special services.

I'm just curious to know why you think it would be hard to be vegan for a certain amount of time. It's really not hard to be vegan these days, especially in the US. There are vegan alternatives for just about everything.

As for lent, I don't really get the point. Fasting and prayer, of course, is biblical and a good thing... but that can be done at any time, not just a certain time of the year. If it's about penance, giving up a vice or sin for a certain amount of time in order to be forgiven is (I'm sorry to say) unscriptural. We are forgiven when we get saved / born again, but that doesn't happen by our works or going through the motions in a religious way.

But hey, if anyone is going to stop eating meat, even if only for 40 days, I'm happy about that, lol.

Lenten fasting is a tradition that reminds us that man does not live by bread alone. We fast for 40 days as Jesus did in the desert. Everything is not scriptural. For example, chatting online about being a vegan is not scriptural.

Meanwhile, here's some scripture. James tells us that faith without works is dead. Bible Gateway passage: James 2:14-26 - New King James Version

 

[Compost]

Today is Ash Wednesday. Today I will have one meal (fast) and no meat (abstinence) then my lent penance will be no candies, no cake, etc. and I wont watch any porn 40 days and not have sex or masturbate. I dont have sex anyways but I masturbate sometimes, I wont 40 days masturbate. I will probably have after 10 days or 15 days nocturnal emissions but I will keep not wanking.

I also start with work out today. I want to do a 40 days from now to happy friday a regular work out everyday except maybe sundays not sure.

Good for you Mortimer.

 

[Meriweather]

giving up a vice or sin for a certain amount of time in order to be forgiven

Ummm...Catholics are not forgiven for giving something up during Lent. Forgiveness involves repentance--a complete turning away from sin without any intent to return to it in the future.

If one is trying to turn away from a sin, Lent is a good launching pad. Think about it. Even secular advisors note that it take six weeks (which coincidentally is the length of Lent) to turn away from a bad habit (or sin).

Lent is a discipline. It focuses on examining our walk with Christ and what we can do to improve it. Fasting has a way of making itself felt and that in turn reminds us of why we are fasting. Also there is the part that many give the money they save from fasting to the poor, reminding us to love and care for others, including the poor.

 

[james bond]

giving up a vice or sin for a certain amount of time in order to be forgiven

Ummm...Catholics are not forgiven for giving something up during Lent. Forgiveness involves repentance--a complete turning away from sin without any intent to return to it in the future.

If one is trying to turn away from a sin, Lent is a good launching pad. Think about it. Even secular advisors note that it take six weeks (which coincidentally is the length of Lent) to turn away from a bad habit (or sin).

Lent is a discipline. It focuses on examining our walk with Christ and what we can do to improve it. Fasting has a way of making itself felt and that in turn reminds us of why we are fasting. Also there is the part that many give the money they save from fasting to the poor, reminding us to love and care for others, including the poor.

>>If one is trying to turn away from a sin, Lent is a good launching pad. Think about it. Even secular advisors note that it take six weeks (which coincidentally is the length of Lent) to turn away from a bad habit (or sin).

Lent is a discipline. It focuses on examining our walk with Christ and what we can do to improve it. Fasting has a way of making itself felt and that in turn reminds us of why we are fasting. Also there is the part that many give the money they save from fasting to the poor, reminding us to love and care for others, including the poor.<<

Yes, one can start not being gay, for example, even though they may not be able to repent completely. No question it will be hard. It is disobeying a direct command from God and can be between oneself and God. Gay people are not happy despite them being labeled gay. What a misnomer.

Being vegan may or may not be as hard, but it involves a total change in not just your thinking about food, but your lifestyle. It probably starts with understanding what veganism means. One definition means you get rid of animal products such as a leather belt or purse. Or if your mom tells you to wash your mouth out with soap, it should not be made from animal fat. Or you care about the environment and animals, so you try to fix non-existent global warming. If that isn't veganism, then please enlighten me.

What Is a Vegan and Why You Should Consider Veganism

 

[buttercup]

giving up a vice or sin for a certain amount of time in order to be forgiven

Ummm...Catholics are not forgiven for giving something up during Lent. Forgiveness involves repentance--a complete turning away from sin without any intent to return to it in the future.

If one is trying to turn away from a sin, Lent is a good launching pad. Think about it. Even secular advisors note that it take six weeks (which coincidentally is the length of Lent) to turn away from a bad habit (or sin).

Lent is a discipline. It focuses on examining our walk with Christ and what we can do to improve it. Fasting has a way of making itself felt and that in turn reminds us of why we are fasting. Also there is the part that many give the money they save from fasting to the poor, reminding us to love and care for others, including the poor.

The reason I said "If it is about penance" is because that is what I read when I looked up lent from a Catholic perspective. It mentioned penance. Can you define penance, in your own words?

In response to what you said about lent being a launching pad, or a way to get rid of a bad habit or sin… I agree that it's good to try to give up a vice or sin, but there are a couple problems with this. First, from what I've seen, it seems that people will say they're going to give up something for lent but then after that they go right back to their old ways. So, it seems to be more a religious thing, just going through the motions because everyone else is doing it....which is not what God wants from us. Also, it seems to support a works-based mentality, which is misleading, when it comes to what truly matters. (But I don't want to get into a big debate on that, at least not here and now.)

As far as improving one's walk with Christ... For some, lent seems to be about telling others what one is giving up. (As Mortimer did) Jesus said to do the opposite, He said fasting shouldn't be done to make it obvious to others, but in secret, only for God. (Matt 6:16-18)

That same principle is found throughout the bible, as you can see in the Old Testament as well, like in Zechariah 7 and Isaiah 58. The "fast" that God says He wants is in bold:

‘Why have we fasted, and you see it not? Why have we humbled ourselves, and you take no knowledge of it?’

Behold, in the day of your fast you seek your own pleasure, and oppress all your workers. Behold, you fast only to quarrel and to fight and to hit with a wicked fist. Fasting like yours this day will not make your voice to be heard on high.

Is such the fast that I choose, a day for a person to humble himself? Is it to bow down his head like a reed, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him? Will you call this a fast, and a day acceptable to the Lord?

“Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the straps of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke? Is it not to share your bread with the hungry and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked, to cover him, and not to hide yourself from your own flesh? Then shall your light break forth like the dawn, and your healing shall spring up speedily; your righteousness shall go before you; the glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard.
​

You mentioned giving the money one saved from lent, to the poor... that's good. I was just bringing up my thoughts, based on what I've seen many people do. It's almost like New Year's resolutions, giving something up for a few weeks, but then going back to how we were before. Setting the topic of lent aside for a moment, the bottom line is, God wants us to be born again, completely renewed in a permanent way which means the changes and "works" will come naturally over time, as a result of spiritual birth and regeneration.

Trying to be good on our own strength does not work. It never has and it never will. Trying to do good works if one is still in their natural state is like spraying perfume on a corpse. Spiritual birth is essential and that is what brings radical change and transformation that is not temporary but forever.

 

[Dick Foster]

I'm thankful for lent because it gave rise to one of my favorite beers.

Salvator | Paulaner Brauerei München

Hundreds of years ago it was created by monks to get them through lent. It's sometimes referred to as liquid bread.

 

[Fort Fun Indiana]

 

[Borillar]

Today is Ash Wednesday. Today I will have one meal (fast) and no meat (abstinence) then my lent penance will be no candies, no cake, etc. and I wont watch any porn 40 days and not have sex or masturbate. I dont have sex anyways but I masturbate sometimes, I wont 40 days masturbate. I will probably have after 10 days or 15 days nocturnal emissions but I will keep not wanking.

I also start with work out today. I want to do a 40 days from now to happy friday a regular work out everyday except maybe sundays not sure.

TMI dude, TMI.