Lent 2019 - What are you giving up?

[Lark]

I didn't see anyone suggest otherwise. Did you? We are not our parents, though, and must live our own lives. I commented on this above.


For me, it is a matter of honesty and accuracy. If you borrow from another tradition, whether as an individual or as an institution, that should be acknowledged rather than whitewashed in a form of religious plagiarism. But then that would be admitting that you didn't have all the answers, and had something to learn from outside your own tradition.

Ceecee you've spelt your name differently, that sort of thing would really throw someone off.

 

[Lark]

That's the point - it doesn't matter. Just be honest about it. Pagan beliefs being hijacked by Christianity is normal, same for any other religion or faith. In fact I'm sure Constantine felt comfortable assigning "Christmas" to December 25th, taken from the cult of Sol Invictus, enforced by the Emperor Aurelian and before that, probably the winter solstice and woah, back to the Wheel of the Year.

I think it is better for people to choose or not choose a religion or belief. Not to have one imposed. I don't see how that in itself has any value. Or be questioned as "lapsed". It makes no difference what your actual reason for using that word is. And frankly I've read enough of your posts on the matter of Christianity to know when you are asking in accusatory ways and when you're not.

Asking in an accusatory way? Really?

I've read a lot of stuff attributed to me on this forum but that's a new one. Its not right. Although its not new. I guess it must work out for you because you do keep doing it.

Anyway, it does matter Ceecee, I'll tell you why, because memory matters. I dont know anyone who'd opt for the existence of the character in 50 first dates, do you? And if they would, I can see no way in which it'd be anything other than a departure, a pretty radical one, from how the brain operates to inflict an injury on it making memory impossible.

That's what tradition is, memory, it matters. Everyone can benefit from it in the same way that an individual benefits from their own memory.

Christianity didnt hijack anything, hijacking would entail way more of a wish to preserve unchanged. Although I know why you'd choose that sort of language, the idea is that Christianity is contrived and the earlier paganism is the truth. The whole thing breaks down when you decide it doesnt matter anyhow.

Considering religions or beliefs to be entirely imposition is a little bizarre to me. I can understand the wish for choice, freedom, although I'm pretty sure that most context, circumstances and even choice are at least half-chance and unchoosen, it doesnt mean they dont have value.

 

[Coriolis]

Ceecee you've spelt your name differently, that sort of thing would really throw someone off.

Your point here escapes me. I see no confusion on who is posting what.

 

[Mole]

It is only a short step from believing a three headed God, called the Trinity, createo the universe, to believing children are sexually attracted to you.

Thousands of clergy have taken this short step.

 

[Lark]

It is only a short step from believing a three headed God, called the Trinity, createo the universe, to believing children are sexually attracted to you.

Thousands of clergy have taken this short step.

Do you think that all Roman Catholics are pedophiles Mole or just the priesthood?

Someone remind me of this forum has any rules what so ever to do with sectarian hatred?

 

[Mole]

Do you think that all Roman Catholics are pedophiles Mole or just the priesthood?

Someone remind me of this forum has any rules what so ever to do with sectarian hatred?

Simply read the Irish Judicial Enquiry into Child Abuse, then read the Australian Royal Commission Enquiry into Institutional Child Abuse, and you will find it more difficult to defend the indefensible.

I know there is a tradition within Catholicism of defending outlandish ideas, and I admit it has a certain brio, but it become plain these are Catholic cranks. Most religions have their cranks seen by everyone.

 

[Mole]

What took you so long? I gave that up long ago, to embark on my own time of personal reflection, that ultimately set me on my present path.

I see our religious upbringing almost inherently as baggage, in the sense that it burdens us, though none of us chose it. At some point we need to unpack those bags, examine what is inside, and decide whether it is worth our while to continue to carry them along. Perhaps we leave them by the wayside. Eventually we may pick up others filled with content more suited to our needs and circumstances.

Only in the West do we change our religion, everyone else is given their religion at birth and do not change it.

In our Western solecism we think everyone else is like us or wants to be.

 

[Lark]

Simply read the Irish Judicial Enquiry into Child Abuse, then read the Australian Royal Commission Enquiry into Institutional Child Abuse, and you will find it more difficult to defend the indefensible.

I know there is a tradition within Catholicism of defending outlandish ideas, and I admit it has a certain brio, but it become plain these are Catholic cranks. Most religions have their cranks that everyone can see.

Mole, I'd like to be really, really clear because you often are not.

Are you saying that practicing, believing Roman Catholics, are apologists for child abuse?

A yes or no would be grand.

 

[Mole]

Mole, I'd like to be really, really clear because you often are not.

Are you saying that practicing, believing Roman Catholics, are apologists for child abuse?

A yes or no would be grand.

In the 1950s we started to complain about child sexual abuse among the Catholic clergy. We were told by Catholic police, Catholic Bishops, Monsieurs, parish clergy, Catholic politicians, Catholic Unionists, Catholic parents, Catholic religious Orders, that we were trying to destroy the Church.

You Lark are using our social media to carry on this evil tradition.

The cat is well and truely out of the bag and we have Australia's leading Catholic, and third in command in the Vatican, George Cardinal Pell, in jail, convicted of the child sexual abuse of altar boys in the sacristy in Melbourne Australia.

 

[Coriolis]

Only in the West do we change our religion, everyone else is given their religion at birth and do not change it.

In our Western solecism we think everyone else is like us or wants to be.

I don't think this way. I sometimes get in trouble for it, too. And I did change my religion.

 

[Mole]

Mole, I'd like to be really, really clear because you often are not.

Are you saying that practicing, believing Roman Catholics, are apologists for child abuse?

A yes or no would be grand.

Click on YouTube to see the evil you and your institution are propagating.
[MENTION=7280]Lark[/MENTION]

 

[tinker683]

Well, since I was the one who opened this thread originally and Lent will be coming to an end within the next couple of days, I thought I'd close the thread by offering some final thoughts on my Lent experience this year.

The big take away from me is that I don't manage my stress well. I've been stuck in a routine for years that used to work but doesn't anymore. Video game were my go-to way of de-stressing and when I gave those up up...I discovered that I wasn't really de-stressing at all and that was why I was still so tired and irritable a lot.

Going forward, I'm regulating my game time. It's still a hobby I enjoy, but for the good of my own health I need to change up my routine before my stress gives me an ulcer or ruins my marriage because what I was doing wasn't working. I've since discovered that reading a good book (reading Shelby Footes trilogy on the American Civil War currently) or working on my Linkedin Learning courses (presently working on Adobe applications then plan to move onto Linux) while listening to some music is far more effective. I realized that it's been forever since I just sat down...and listened to an entire album.

So, to summerize: It's been a learning experience, one for the better, and that's the point isn't it?

Anywho, that's all for me for this thread

 

[Lark]

Click on YouTube to see the evil you and your institution are propagating.
[MENTION=7280]Lark[/MENTION]

blah, blah, enlightenment, something, something, confusing nonsense, blah, australia is great.

 

[Lark]

Well, since I was the one who opened this thread originally and Lent will be coming to an end within the next couple of days, I thought I'd close the thread by offering some final thoughts on my Lent experience this year.

The big take away from me is that I don't manage my stress well. I've been stuck in a routine for years that used to work but doesn't anymore. Video game were my go-to way of de-stressing and when I gave those up up...I discovered that I wasn't really de-stressing at all and that was why I was still so tired and irritable a lot.

Going forward, I'm regulating my game time. It's still a hobby I enjoy, but for the good of my own health I need to change up my routine before my stress gives me an ulcer or ruins my marriage because what I was doing wasn't working. I've since discovered that reading a good book (reading Shelby Footes trilogy on the American Civil War currently) or working on my Linkedin Learning courses (presently working on Adobe applications then plan to move onto Linux) while listening to some music is far more effective. I realized that it's been forever since I just sat down...and listened to an entire album.

So, to summerize: It's been a learning experience, one for the better, and that's the point isn't it?

Anywho, that's all for me for this thread

Dude, do you plan to post anything about the Linkedin learning courses? I find that interesting.

I have not been buying any books, which is goal I have anyway, only I ramped it up over Lent. I've purchased a think one or two only in the entire time. Its something I need to stick to as I have ample books and it stresses me that I cant read them quicker and get rid of the ones which arent keepers to make space.

Its a sort of addictive behaviour or compulsion. Which I want to overcome.

 

[tinker683]

Dude, do you plan to post anything about the Linkedin learning courses? I find that interesting.

I have not been buying any books, which is goal I have anyway, only I ramped it up over Lent. I've purchased a think one or two only in the entire time. Its something I need to stick to as I have ample books and it stresses me that I cant read them quicker and get rid of the ones which arent keepers to make space.

Its a sort of addictive behaviour or compulsion. Which I want to overcome.

I mean...I could...but it's really dry stuff. Presently I'm trying to figure out Photoshop. It's one of those apps that's practically become mandatory to know how to use if you're a frequent visitor to the Internet. But before that I was focusing on Office 365 Admin stuff and Adobe Acrobat, since both are very relevant to my job. I have discovered, playing around with Adobe Creative Cloud and Linkedin Learning, that Caligraphy and Document Presenation is a pet fascination for me.

And I get where you are at with books. I have a backlog of my own and I just want to eat the pages and throw away the covers like a banana peel.

 

[Jaguar]

Nothing.

 

[RedAmazoneFriendZone]

The brand new "relation" (with huuuuge brackets !!) I thought I could have had

 

[Lark]

I mean...I could...but it's really dry stuff. Presently I'm trying to figure out Photoshop. It's one of those apps that's practically become mandatory to know how to use if you're a frequent visitor to the Internet. But before that I was focusing on Office 365 Admin stuff and Adobe Acrobat, since both are very relevant to my job. I have discovered, playing around with Adobe Creative Cloud and Linkedin Learning, that Caligraphy and Document Presenation is a pet fascination for me.

And I get where you are at with books. I have a backlog of my own and I just want to eat the pages and throw away the covers like a banana peel.

If I could download some to my brain I'd do it and then dispatch with the actual books themselves. Its strange though as I do not always feel the same about getting it in kindle and then getting rid of it.

I agree with you about photoshop, I've yet to master it and use it how its intended though.

 

[senza tema]

Got depressed and didn't do any of the shit I said I would. Oh well.

 

[Lark]

Got depressed and didn't do any of the shit I said I would. Oh well.

That happens. Happens to me at least. Still, I think its really important to recognize that doing something is as important as refraining from something most of the time. If you are giving something up what are you going to do instead.

The idea of giving something up is supposed to be about change or changing something, like in a lot of the old religious sources that I've read it is about discipline, awareness, developing consciousness or conscientiousness.

I've seen a lot of Lenten fasts, a lot of other fasts too, which take on a character of a challenge or accomplishment but do you have any idea what that accomplishment is meant to unlock at the end of the day?