A Truce on the FR Religion Forum for Lent. (Vanity)

2/20/2007 | Redgolum

[redgolum]

Do you celebrate Christmas?

[Dr. Eckleburg]

"...Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. ..."

AMEN!

"...shall I fall down to the stock of a tree?

He feedeth on ashes: a deceived heart hath turned him aside, that he cannot deliver his soul, nor say, Is there not a lie in my right hand?" -- Isaiah 44:19-20

"The spirit of the Lord God is upon me...

To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified." -- Isaiah 61: 1,3

[AlbionGirl]

"...Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. ..."

I do agree that fasting should be kept a private matter. And when it becomes a matter for squabbling, all is lost.

As far as the Lenten season is concerned, from my understanding of history, the period of 40 days took its start from the early Christians and the 40 hour period of total fasting preceding Easter. It was known as Quadragesima. How it developed into what it is today, I'm not really sure.

[mware]

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[marshmallow]

I was about to post a facetious reply to your suggestion, to the effect that Lent was evil and you were a Papist stooge for even suggesting such a truce. Then I scanned the thread and found that somebody had already posted words to that effect ......but in all seriousness.

Maybe a 40 hour truce rather than a 40 day one would be a more realistic goal in the first instance. Ya know........just till we sort of get the hang of it.....

I mean, geeeeez...........now we're arguing over the merits of Lent........*shakes head*.

[Dr. Eckleburg]

Do you celebrate Christmas?

Sure. There is Scriptural support for celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ. The Wise Men brought gifts in honor of His birth, and the shepherds joined with the angels in heaven to rejoice on that exact day.

"And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.

And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.

For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.

And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.

And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,

Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men." -- Luke 2:9-14

[redgolum]

Couldn't remember if you were one of those who called Christmas a pagan holiday or not. I have been accused by many here of being a closet pagan/Papist/ whatever for actually celebrating Christmas. Now I get to add Lent to it.

Listen sir, I am going to try to follow my own suggestion, but if you have come here to slam me and those who practice Ash Wednesday, on Ash Wednesday, please show some respect.

[Dr. Eckleburg]

Slam? Posting Scripture is not "slamming" anyone. Please don't make this personal.

[Campion]

Ash Wednesday and subsequent fasting and penance up until Easter were founded on pagan ceremonies incorporated into Roman Catholicism

Yeah, like the "pagan ceremony" described in Matthew 4:1-2.

[Campion]

Your post #40 is not Scripture. It is also objectively false on several points. Finally, it is in impressively bad taste to pick a fight on a thread where someone asks for a truce.

[Dr. Eckleburg]

I mean, geeeeez...........now we're arguing over the merits of Lent........*shakes head*.

Well, I prefer to think we're discussing them.

IMO this is a good example of how some Roman Catholics assume everything they believe is shared by all Christians. It's not. Show me in Scripture where we are to "do penance" to relieve our sins, let alone for 40 days before Christ's crucifixion. We are to exhibit a "Godly sorrow" for our sins, but Christ is the only manner and method of redemption.

Here is what the Scriptures say about the only sacrifice for sin...

"But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God;

From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool.

For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.

Whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us: for after that he had said before,

This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them;

And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.

Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin." -- Hebrews 10:12-18

[Titanites]

Genesis 3:19 For out of it you were taken; For dust you [are,] And to dust you shall return."

Joshua 7:6 Then Joshua tore his clothes, and fell to the earth on his face before the ark of the LORD until evening, he and the elders of Israel; and they put dust on their heads.

Job 42:6 Therefore I abhor [myself,] And repent in dust and ashes."

Jeremiah 6:26 O daughter of my people, Dress in sackcloth And roll about in ashes! Make mourning [as for] an only son, most bitter lamentation; For the plunderer will suddenly come upon us.

Daniel 9:3 Then I set my face toward the Lord God to make request by prayer and supplications, with fasting, sackcloth, and ashes.

Joshua 7:6 Then Joshua tore his clothes, and fell to the earth on his face before the ark of the LORD until evening, he and the elders of Israel; and they put dust on their heads.

Matthew 4:1-2 Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. And when He had fasted forty days and forty nights, afterward He was hungry.

Matthew 11:21 "Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.

Luke 10:13 " Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes.

[Dr. Eckleburg]

it is in impressively bad taste to pick a fight

Your comment to me is "making this personal." We were discussing Lent, a particular religious practice.

Some Roman Catholics (and probably some Protestants, too) think any challenge to their belief system is in "bad taste."

Feel free to refute my contentions with fact. My feelings won't be hurt. I will not take refuge in saying you personally have "bad taste" or are personally "picking a fight."

I will, however, continue to define those beliefs as "errors according to Scripture."

[fortheDeclaration]

Spooky isn't it.

[Campion]

Feel free to refute my contentions with fact.

You posted no evidence, you just made an unsubstantiated claim about other people's beliefs. I am under no obligation to respond to your accusations with facts.

[Campion]

Every Catholic who went to Mass today heard that passage from Matthew 6 you quoted; it was the Gospel reading today. I think we know that "old book" pretty well after all.

[Dr. Eckleburg]

Hebrews 10 refutes the error that men can do penance for the remission of sins.

The observation of Lent is not in Scripture and therefore, it is not to be undertaken.

[Dr. Eckleburg]

Yeah, like the "pagan ceremony" described in Matthew 4:1-2.

Christ fasted. Christ does not say our fasting will take away our sins.

Furthermore, you stopped your Scriptural lesson too quickly. Please read the two verses which followed...

"And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread.

But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God." -- Matthew 4:3-4

[wmfights]

Spooky isn't it.

Yes it is!

I was wondering when the sparks would start flying. ;-)

We can always discuss my Church's practices. We only baptize adult believers after a public declaration of faith.

[redgolum]

Please lock this thread. It seems it is to much to ask for Christians to behave like Christians.