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Original poster

Does anyone do Lent, for religious reasons or otherwise?

44 replies

Somatronic · 02/03/2022 11:27

I was raised Catholic but have no interest in the church, and have been an atheist since I was around 15.

However I have always liked the concept of Lent and try to do it every year (I've never managed to stick to it fully but I don't worry about it too much). I like the discipline of it and setting a challenge for myself.

Is anyone giving anything up for 40 days (I just counted and it's actually 44 days which seems unfair). Or maybe taking something up for Lent?

I'm quitting chocolate/sweets and alcohol. I'll take a day off for my birthday

OP posts:

BlackeyedSusan · 02/03/2022 11:31

Sundays don't count apparently.

RunningFromInsanity · 02/03/2022 11:31

Yes I do each year. I am slightly religious but I mostly do it to test my self control and be a bit healthier

Lemonie2000 · 02/03/2022 11:32

I've never done anything for lent before so have no idea how I will get on but I have decided to give up chocolate. I'm viewing it as a challenge and just see how it goes. Day one going well so far, although it is only 1130 😂

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LaurieFairyCake · 02/03/2022 11:33

I'm preaching on this, this week

My sermon (so far) is all about taking things up and deepening relationship with God

Justkeeppedaling · 02/03/2022 11:34

I have done in the past: I've given up chocolate, biscuits, cake etc

This year I've been on a diet since Jan, so there's not much else I could give up, without losing the will to live
(thank you for asking, I've lost 9lb )

AnotherNameChange1000 · 02/03/2022 11:37

In the Catholic Church the season of Lent ends on Palm Sunday, not Easter Sunday. I only found this out a few years ago but makes logical sense once I thought about it.
I think I'm going with giving up chocolate but also making sure I do some form of exercise every day.

DoorLion · 02/03/2022 11:37

In 2020 I gave up "drinking alcohol in the house" (I was still allowing myself to drink wine with a restaurant meal, but felt I had fallen into the habit of too much wine while watching TV). Then what happened? Lockdown! So "giving up alcohol in the house" became "giving up alcohol completely". I also gave up sugar (apart from naturally occurring) and I have to say I felt fantastic.
Tried to do it again in 2021 and it didn't have the same health effect and also it was a lot harder!
I don't know whether I will do it again this year. I mean I haven't had any booze or sugar yet today but I have only been up for two and a half hours...

DetailMouse · 02/03/2022 11:38

I like pancake day so always feel obliged to do lent too. I'm not a practicing Christian, but feel you can't just pick the traditions that are fun/easy I generally use it as a reset for something that's becoming problematic for me.

One year I did no buying "stuff" that was one of the best.

This year I'm trying no bread or cheese and instead doing a short core workout at the time of day I usually gorge on cheese.

dontknowwasmadetoknow · 02/03/2022 11:43

@LaurieFairyCake

I'm preaching on this, this week

My sermon (so far) is all about taking things up and deepening relationship with God

I would really like to hear your sermon on that. I'm really struggling

Jellycatrabbit · 02/03/2022 11:45

I will be avoiding ultraprocessed foods e.g. biscuits, crisps, cereal.

I haven't really articulated the reason in terms of faith but something around appreciating food as it was created for us and turning away from modern excesses.

Any savings on the overall food bill to be donated to charity. I did no buying stuff one year, that was a big donation

ChocolateChocolateEverywhere · 02/03/2022 11:50

I have strong convictions about no religion but have often given up something for Lent. I have given up chocolate sufficiently often that I don't do that any more, because it's not much of a challenge. It's just "here we go, reset brain, no chocolate till Easter".

This year I'm planning to cut down significantly on added sugar (may not cut out completely, but certainly no chocolate, biscuits, desserts, hot chocolate, cakes etc). Days off for birthday celebrations because it makes me such a PITA for everyone else if I sit there and say no, no cake for me, thank you, I've given it up ".

Still got to work out the details, which is setting me up to fail. I do need a set of rules to follow! Nearly mid day on day 1 and I've not slipped up yet!

NrlySp · 02/03/2022 11:50

Catholic, so doing Lent. As far as I know Lent ends on Easter Saturday and Sunday’s don’t count.
I’m planning to say the Rosary every day and give up sweets/desserts.

Marmite27 · 02/03/2022 11:53

A few years ago I successfully gave up Amazon for lent.

Then the year after was lockdown. I assumed god would forgive me for ensuring my children had necessities for school during this period.

This year, I’m back to it. I’ve given up Amazon for lent. It meant ordering anything I needed for DC2’s birthday in advance because it’s early April.

DinosaurOfFire · 02/03/2022 11:53

I'm joining in this year- the past 2 years we were in lockdown/ heavy restrictions so it felt like a step too far for my mental health to give up anything- I tend to give up a treat type thing. So this year its chocolate.

gingerhills · 02/03/2022 11:54

I forgot today is first day of Lent. I think I'll give up chocolate and sweets. They've been creeping in as a habit too often after dinner. No chocolate until Easter Day sounds like a plan. Walk in the park compared with what Jesus put up with for forty days.

Grinling · 02/03/2022 11:54

I'm an atheist in adulthood, but grew up in a devoutly Catholic family in a devoutly Catholic society, and Lent was taken very seriously, and I genuinely think people, both adults and children, seldom broke their 'fasts', at least among the people I knew. I gave up sugar in my tea aged six, which was the first Lent we were encouraged to take seriously, because we made our First Communion after Easter (and then of course found it revolting when I tried it again at Easter. I think we gave up sweets of any kind, and biscuits, every year, and stuck to it -- St Patrick's Day was allowed as an exception in some families. (And other people's birthday parties, but very few people I knew seemed to have been born during Lent!)

And money that would have been spent on sweets went into a Trócaire box on the kitchen table. Older, in secondary school, going to early mass before school every day was also quite usual (especially in exam years ).

REP22 · 02/03/2022 12:05

My mum does. She's in church now. Been there since 9.30 this morning.

Not me though. Apart from cigarettes, alcohol and rollerblading (c/f Father Ted).

balalake · 02/03/2022 12:09

I have done, and when doing so have tried to work out what I have not spent, and donated the amount to charity. Not doing so this year as with the pandemic and less days/evenings out, it would not be giving up much if anything.

KStockHERO · 02/03/2022 12:16

I'm a staunch atheist.

I used to try giving things up for Lent but it always felt so arbitrary and pointless - so I don't eat cake for 40 days, what does that achieve? What are the long-term effects? What have I proven or learnt? Nothing.

So the last few years, I've taken things up for Lent. Sometimes these things 'stick' and I carry on for months/years/forever. Other times they fall by the wayside but it feels good to try something new, or rediscover something I'd lost.
This year, I'm taking up eating pears. I don't eat enough fruit and I love pears. So two birds, one stone. At least one pear every day through Lent.

Tiredforfive45 · 02/03/2022 12:21

I gave up swearing for lent a few years ago as I was aware that it was creeping into my interactions far more than I wanted it to.

It really helped me reset and I only swear when it is ‘necessary’ now!

This year I am giving up using my phone after 8pm. I am planning to read much more in the evenings and hoping to sleep better!

SarahAndQuack · 02/03/2022 12:22

I do Lent, but never give anything up - I wasn't really raised in that tradition. I'm also interested in @LaurieFairyCake's sermons!

Bloodybridget · 02/03/2022 12:29

I hadn't thought about doing anything special for Lent (raised RC, now atheist), but I like the idea of saving money on something given up, and giving it to charity - especially with the current situation, although of course there are always people in great need.

LaurieFairyCake · 02/03/2022 12:35

I will happily put (oh my god it can't be dull now) sermon up once I've finished it

ukborn · 02/03/2022 12:35

According to Catholic.com, Lent ends on Holy Thursday, before the mass for the Holy Supper, as that issues in the Holy Triduum. Sundays are part of the Lenten season, but as it's voluntary, taking Sundays off is seen as 'perfectly fine'. Personal choice.
I was raised Catholic but do not practise it now, but in honour of my mother, who went to mass daily, I give up alcohol as that's what she did. In the past I've given up sugar and anything sweet (biscuits, cakes etc). My birthday falls in Lent, so I take that day off, but I do the Sundays.
When I was young some of my classmates' 'sacrifice' was to go to daily mass before school, so sacrifice can be something you add, not just something you give up.

Grinling · 02/03/2022 12:36

@LaurieFairyCake

I will happily put (oh my god

it can't be dull now) sermon up once I've finished it

Yeah, this is going to have to knock John Donne away.

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