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I don't see myself as very religious anymore. I don't see an infallible hand behind any religion: Catholic, Muslim, Pagan. They're all probably just words, or systems of control, or at best codes of conduct. Despite all that, it still gets my Irish up when people bash my faith. Hypocritical, yes. Get a thicker skin? Certianly. Rather then leave snarky comments elsewhere, I'll just drop some of my own thoughts/research.
Lent was originally a time of fasting, a period of sorrowful reflection on the last days of Jesus's life, before he was crucified. It was a time of preparation for the Resurrection, the Big Event in Catholicism. Many other religions have periods of fasting as well. The Church has rituals and rites, like many Pagan practices. Any rite is as empty or meaningful as the person who follows them allows them to be.
Mardi Gras was the last big blowout before Lent. People drank and ate to their heart's content, to celebrate life before entering the period of fasting. They reveled in life, like they do every day of the year, before entering a time to focus their thoughts elsewhere.
More recently, the fasting side of Lent was relaxed to giving up "something you liked". Many times, this something is a guilty pleasure or something that's bad for you (sweets, sex, alcohol). Another facet of Lent that used to be observed was service to others. People would save the money they wound have spent on their "treat" and donated it to charity, or donate their time to helping others.
Just throwing some words out there.
Lent was originally a time of fasting, a period of sorrowful reflection on the last days of Jesus's life, before he was crucified. It was a time of preparation for the Resurrection, the Big Event in Catholicism. Many other religions have periods of fasting as well. The Church has rituals and rites, like many Pagan practices. Any rite is as empty or meaningful as the person who follows them allows them to be.
Mardi Gras was the last big blowout before Lent. People drank and ate to their heart's content, to celebrate life before entering the period of fasting. They reveled in life, like they do every day of the year, before entering a time to focus their thoughts elsewhere.
More recently, the fasting side of Lent was relaxed to giving up "something you liked". Many times, this something is a guilty pleasure or something that's bad for you (sweets, sex, alcohol). Another facet of Lent that used to be observed was service to others. People would save the money they wound have spent on their "treat" and donated it to charity, or donate their time to helping others.
Just throwing some words out there.
