Do You Do The Lent Thing?

**Sluggo** · February 25th, 2009, 11:07 AM

Yeah. I do.

**gae** · February 25th, 2009, 11:15 AM

Nope. Raised Catholic and had it forced on me.

Does God really care if I don't eat candy during Lent? If I don't eat meat? Surely, if there IS a God, s/he has more on her/his mind than my diet during an arbitrary time of the year.

What most Catholics won't admit is that the whole no meat thing is the direct result of some Pope having family members who were fisherman. It was all economics, and now it's a SIN. I'll have good company in hell, I'm sure.

Balderdash. The entire "religion" is balderdash.

Break all the golden rules? If you're Catholic, just have your family buy indulgences and you'll get to heaven.

**travelinman** · February 25th, 2009, 01:17 PM

Total Bull Shit.

Just like only eating fish on Friday. Has nothing to do with God but some pope's family were fisherman so it was a way to increase his family's finances.

Catholicism was the worst thing to happen to Christianity.

**jumper69** · March 6th, 2009, 01:23 PM

Originally Posted by gae

Nope. Raised Catholic and had it forced on me.

Does God really care if I don't eat candy during Lent? If I don't eat meat? Surely, if there IS a God, s/he has more on her/his mind than my diet during an arbitrary time of the year.

What most Catholics won't admit is that the whole no meat thing is the direct result of some Pope having family members who were fisherman. It was all economics, and now it's a SIN. I'll have good company in hell, I'm sure.

Balderdash. The entire "religion" is balderdash.

Break all the golden rules? If you're Catholic, just have your family buy indulgences and you'll get to heaven.

Wasn't raised Catholic (one of the few things done right in my upbringing) but wholeheartedly agree with Gae, Trav, GL, et al.

Religion in general, and the Catholics in particular, are the biggest scams in existence today.

**Beachcomber** · March 6th, 2009, 06:49 PM

If I may quote Napoleon, he summed it up very well when he stated:

"All things proclaim the existence of a God, it is undeniable; but all our religions are the children of men"

And his position on Christianity is something I myself felt as a child and have held to ever since, specifically relating to the oft preached fire and brimstone that "non believers will go to Hell" And in particular:

"I was scandalized to hear that the most virtuous men of antiquity would burn eternally for not having followed a religion they did not know. From that moment I had no more religion"

And as Gail mentioned, "indulgences" really sums up especially the official Catholic dogma. Do whatever heinous thing you want, pay the CHURCH enough money andf all is forgiven. I have also seen dyed in the wool fundamentalist groups with slogans such as "Good works will not get you into Heaven" and "You will burn in Hell if you do not accept Jesus Christ as your saviour." That made me NON Christian at a very early age. What kind of arrogant, self important message is that for a supposed Divine individual? May as well tote a Koran around with you.It's all about CONTROLLING people. Hence why Bhuddism and Karma and reincarnation make so much sense to me. What goes around comes around, your next life you make in this one.

I kind of envy the Christians who can follow all the rituals and saint days and holy days and such and truly believe they are following the right path. I don't buy it and never did. Every action in this life is a building block for your next life. I am certain of that. I am also certain I have lived before, many times. And whatever I suffer this time around is the direct result of my actions in the past. I'll get it right one of these times, as will we all....

**LAKE** · March 19th, 2009, 06:12 PM

Any excuse for a fish fry, I say!

With all this religion talk, have any of your read The Shack?

**Beachcomber** · March 19th, 2009, 07:46 PM

Originally Posted by LAKE

Any excuse for a fish fry, I say!

With all this religion talk, have any of your read The Shack?

No sorry. My recent reading has included:

"Napoleon Surrenders"
"Napoleon and his Parents"
"Memoirs of Mdmsl George: A Favorite of Napoleon"

Currently I'm reading when I go to bed, "The Crusades" by Zoe Oldenburg. Never read fiction. Unless it's Voltaire, or Shakespeare or something like that.