Why I Don't Observe Lent

The Aquaila Report ^ | March 3, 2014 | Roland Barnes

[G Larry]

Fasting is a biblical discipline that can be defended from both the Old and the New Testament. Christ expected his disciples to fast (Mt 9:14-15) and issued instructions for how they should do so (Mt 6:16-18).

Abstinence from certain foods is also a biblical discipline. In Daniel 10:2-3 we read, “In those days I, Daniel, was mourning for three weeks. I ate no delicacies, no meat or wine entered my mouth, nor did I anoint myself at all, for the full three weeks.” Catholics use a practice similar to Daniel’s when, as a way of commemorating Christ’s Crucifixion on a Friday, they abstain from eating meat on that day of the week during Lent. The only kind of flesh they eat on Friday is fish, which is a symbol of Christ.

[D-fendr]

Thank you!

Makes it worth another linking:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o8YAEXvjnmw

hoping everyone will watch and benefit from it tonight.

While I’m linking..
I’m reading this book I got from Amazon:
http://goo.gl/oZG8NV

If it strikes anyone as something they’d like to read now, I recommend it highly.

[D-fendr]

Excellent post, thank you.

Thought it gives me a good excuse to post an article on Lent from that wonderful site Fisheaters.com:

http://goo.gl/zs7d00

{^_^}

[tiki]

I surely will, thank you.

[D-fendr]

And here’s one for all of us:

The Lenten Prayer of St. Ephrem has been prayed by the Christian church since it was written in the 4th Century.

O Lord and Master of my life, take from me the spirit of sloth, despair, lust of power, and idle talk.

But give rather the spirit of chastity, humility, patience, and love to Thy servant.

Yea, O Lord and King, grant me to see my own transgressions, and not to judge my brother, for blessed art Thou, unto ages of ages.
Amen.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sxV2Bs9Rr0A

[D-fendr]

Good point:

Think those Coptic Christians ISIS did away with recently were concerned about which Christian or from of Christianity is more “right”?

It was division in Christianity that allowed the muslims victories centuries ago.

I think Christians are more unified today - the snipes on this thread notwithstanding ( it's just a small handful on FR that attacks other Christian's beliefs and practices).

To your point, I think our bigger danger today is that the West has lost its Christianity.

But still, your point on this thread is well put.

[Campion]

Really? Tell me what I’m giving up for Lent. It ought to be easy; supposedly, I’ve already told you.

[Campion]

Sometimes it seems some folks wouldn't have a religion at all if it weren't for Catholicism -so they could be Not Catholic.

That really says it all. Their religion isn't about Jesus; it's about AtLeastIAmNotPapistScum.

[Campion]

Regarding extra-bilblical worship requirements, the Westminster Confession of Faith states

You honestly don't see the irony in a statement like that?

"Regarding extra-biblical statements of doctrine like the Westminster Confession of Faith, Campion the Freeper states, 'They have no authority or power to bind me, and the opinions they express are just that -- opinions which I am not bound to accept, and am free to reject, without the slightest trace of guilt or implication of sin.'"

Has as much value and makes as much sense.

[Ransomed]

Those Coptic Christians who were martyred fast for 210 days out of the year, to my understanding. God bless them all.

Freegards

[boatbums]

Very educational article especially for this time of the year. Thanks.

Seeing people like Joe Biden piously walking around with their foreheads smudged on Ash Wednesday, reminds me of Jesus' admonition:

And when you fast, don't make it obvious, as the hypocrites do, for they try to look miserable and disheveled so people will admire them for their fasting. I tell you the truth, that is the only reward they will ever get. (Matt. 6:16)

[boatbums]

Don’t you think even Catholics should know about the things they are required to do and where these came from?

[boatbums]

Maybe you didn't notice the title of this thread:

"Why I Don't Observe Lent"

Nobody is demanding you either read it OR agree with it. Got it?

[boatbums]

Why is it FRoman Catholics can freely and gleefully dominate the Religion Forum on all the wonders and greatness of Lent but a non-Catholic posting a thread trying to explain why one doesn't observe it like they do is spammed, derided, insulted and the thread is virtually taken over by them???

Nobody - not even the author - denies the place and benefits of fasting in a Christian's life. So why the blasting and blustering just because someone discusses the history of the practice and why one chooses to observe it differently? We have some blatant, anti-anyone-but-Catholic-Christians here and it becomes pretty obvious when one dares post something like this. I wonder why the panic? What are they afraid of?

[omegatoo]

Colossians 2:16 Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day.

Yet on these threads, non-catholics continuously judge Catholics by what they choose not to eat or drink, by which festivals they choose to celebrate, and how they keep the Sabbath.

Love, O2

P.S. tagline,tagline,tagline.

[WVKayaker]

... I wonder why the panic? What are they afraid of?

I think they are afraid to leave the comfort of their indoctrination. The knowledge that everything you have been taught is built on sinking sand and myth is hard to take.

Our intentions seem clear enough. Preach the good news, the Gospel. The single thought that we can become part of God's children, with all the benefits found in the fruits of the Spirit. Faith is all it takes. The relevant Scripture has already been posted on the thread.

But, I often think we follow a different Spirit, one without a mother always nagging!

[imardmd1]

But isn’t this ashes + penance humbling of oneself such a nice work of supererogation, that one can thus add a little more to improve and embroider the work Jesus did on the Cross? /sarc

[Cvengr]

If a believer were practicing the faith in regards to Lent, rather than promoting the ritual, they would be warning others of the temptations of turning those rituals into sinful thinking.

Nothing wrong with repentance and fasting through faith in Christ, nor in judging ourselves through faith in Christ, but if those are counterfeited as a substitute for what God provides, then they are sinful.

For example, if we attend a mass to crucify Christ again, we fail to have faith in what He provided at the Cross.
If we fast to earn holiness, we make our effort a work to turn God into a debtor and it is sinful. If we seek forgiveness and absolution of sins via a priest other than Jesus Christ, then we substitute His protocol for the forgiveness of sin by His forgiveness and seek approbation by another en lieu of Him, and continue in degenerate sin.

Those who believe they can give absolution instead of God, who even seek worship as priests, may also manifest their degenerate behavior by not only marking those who seek their involvement, but degenerate even further by marking them with an upside down crucifix. When brought to their attention, they will continue to degenerate by claiming it is a crucifix of Peter, which manifests their obvious lack of faith in the work of Christ on the Cross.

[imardmd1]

Where does it say that? Not once in scripture does it call the first day of the week "the Lord's day".

Consider the commonly observed day, the day of His resurrection and heavenly sacrifice of His Blood, in which the followers of Jesus engage in the Remembrance, to honor Him as Lamb of God and Lord of Creation, and to rejoice in the reconciliation with His Father.

Act 20:7 And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight.

1 Co_16:2 Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come.

The first day of the week also reminds us of the day the Holy Spirit was poured out, on and into His People, as prophesied for the Pentecost:

Lev. 23:16 Even unto the morrow after the seventh sabbath shall ye number fifty days; and ye shall offer a new meat offering unto the LORD.

It was on this first day of the week that John received the Word of the Apocalypse from The Christ:

Rev. 1:10 I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet, . . .

[Mark17]

What are they afraid of?

I think I can say that I feared getting out of my comfort zone, but I had an inner frustration that I just could not put my finger on. It took some good old fashioned humble pie to get right with Jesus, but better late than never.