Non-Religious People Who Give Up Stuff For Lent

Yesterday was Ash Wednesday. I know this, because it was on my calendar. Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent. In the Catholic tradition (the way I was brought up), Lent is a time of prayer and self denial. You give something up. It is supposed to symbolize the 40 days Jesus spent in the desert fasting before starting his public ministry.

I broke my addiction to Nintendo as a child by giving it up for Lent and then right after getting grounded from it, probably for hitting Maggie (she usually had it coming). But I digress.


I hear all these people talking about what they are giving up for Lent, which is cool if you are into it. But a lot of these people aren't really that religious. One person discussing her plans to give up potato products for lent actually said "I haven't been to Church since Christmas." Then what is the point? You want to make God happy now? Just right around when his Son died, cause, you know, it is a rough time of year for him? I haven't been to church since Christmas either, but I am also not getting on the Lent bandwagon. Forty days of self denial does not make up for a year of not going to church, nor does attending only on Christmas and Easter. If you really believed, wouldn't you believe that God saw your hypocrisy? Don't half ass your faith. It kind of just makes a mockery of it and organized religion does a good enough job at mocking itself with out the help of supposed followers.

All or nothing, ladies and gentlemen. Balls to the wall.