/christian/ - Christian Discussion and Fellowship

I'm actually pretty excited for Lent

I'll do:

- No masturbation, try to minimize the risk of encountering porn online.

- No soft drinks, water only

- Listen exclusively to instrumental music, preferably classical.

- No intoxicants obviously, that is alcohol, cigarettes, etc.

- Sleeping on a mat on the floor to improve my posture

>>250074

I hope to keep this going beyond Lent, and thinking about it, I don't see why listening to instrumental music would be a sacrifice, maybe no music at all would be a good idea.

>>250074

>- No masturbation

Technically you should refrain from masturbation the whole year, not just lent.

>>250083

>>250084

I'm already 40 days into no masturbation, my longest streak, all thanks to my new faith. I really didn't think it was going to be possible.

>>250084

I've got my Bible ready. I'll also check out those mats and see how it goes.

Lent is a wonderful time.

I'll be attempting the standard Orthodox fast, no meat, fish, oil, wine, or dairy.

Good luck to all of you as we enter the Lenten journey.

>>250084

>same goes for praying the rosary for the Catholics among us, or prayer rope for the Orthobros

>implying catholics can't use prayer ropes and orthobros can't pray the rosary

In fact, I think the prayer rope/rosary is underappreciated among catholics/orthobros.

>tfw in my living situation I can't fast on Lent because the people I live with are hardcore protestants and me admitting that I'm catholic will just cause a huge shitstorm

Does this count as denying God in front of people if I'm currently going to school so in a year I can get a job and move out on my own so that then I can fully embrace things like Lent? When is being cautious too far?

i will be doing:

>no alcohol

>no decadent eating

>no fap/porn

>no cigarettes

i hope to make it.

First Lent since returning to the church after quite some time, so I'm going to start off with something small enough that I can manage but something I struggle with regaredless.

No porn or masturbation, loaded up my browser with blockers and used a password I know I can't type in without regretting it. Hoping 40 days away is enough to help me abstain permanently.

I'll be doing a lot of extra almsgiving and morning devotionals/prayer, as well as dieting but I can't rightly call that fasting.

Hoping a small first step will keep me going confidently, the last few times I bit off more than I could chew and it kind of scared me away from the faith each time. I suppose thats a lesson of sorts.

>>250103

Don't tell anyone you're fasting. Keep it as much of a secret as you can

>>250131

Hmm that might work. I only eat with everyone once a day so as long as I keep it at low portions it might work.

This would probably also be a great time for me to read the bible for the first time. I know of some of the bible from sunday school as a kid but I've never actually sat down and read it. Lent is about sacrifice so I could probably sacrifice time for movies/games/other books with time for reading the bible.

Doing the same as you OP.

No meat, no processed sugars, no alcohol.

Is it selfish to look forward to the weight loss/improved physique that comes with fasting? Probably not, but I'm looking forward to losing some serious poundage.

I've learned over the years that the denial of self doesn't mean much unless it is for the benefit of others. Things like no-fap, no booze, no television, etc are all selfish pursuits - benefit to nobody but the self.

For Lent I will give up my time to be in service to the Lord. My free time will be spent in homeless shelters, hospitals, and jails; ministering to the lost, forgotten, and sick.

>>250214

since when is benefiting the self not good?

>>250196

excellent idea. you would be surprised what new things you learn.

>>250215

Lent is not about the self. It's about the powerful sacrifice that was made for you by one who is greater than you.

Nothing Christ did for you was selfish. Why would you be selfish in return?

- No sweets

- No chocolate

- No buns or biscuits

- or ice cream etc.

- No coffee

- No Pornography

I do a bit more every year, I hope to finally get round to confession also

First time I'll be doing coffee and porn

>>250073

sorry I don't weep for Tamuz.

I hope to abstain from all porn, meat, caffeine, selfishness, hypocrisy, and other evils.

Another thing you could add to ur lenten plan could be cold showers cuz not everyone has hot water on command.

can anyone explain to me what to do during lent

what to eat

what to do

what im not allowed to do

which prayers and when

also i live in israel so i doubt ill be able to get to any churches the ones that are in the 100km radius are more like money schemes for tourists

No meat

No dairy

No fast food / sweets

This is my first time taking lent seriously and I've been hearing different things about fasting and abstaining on Sundays. I know the Lent period is 40 days (not including Sundays which make it 46) but does that imply we are able to indulge in what we have abstained from on Sunday's because they aren't included in the 40 day fast?

Could I please get some clarification on this as I've been hearing mixed things

>>250741

The way I understand Lent, you determine yourself what you give up. Obviously it should be something that is hard for you (e.g. I never drink alcohol, so me giving up alcohol would be rather pointless)

>>250752

okay and what about the foods i have to avoid?

am i free to eat anything?

are there special prayers for the lent?

So I haven't done anything remotely christian/catholic since I was confirmed in 8th grade. That was a long time ago. I plan to return to the church, and wish to participate in Lent. When I was a kid, it was always giving up candy, but I want to do more. I want to find God in my sacrifice, but I'm unsure what all to give up. I've read through the thread, and I've decided that alcohol, sweets, dairy are all a thing to give up, the hardest will be meat at all times except fish on Fridays. Any advice to a returning brother in Christ?

I will abstain myself of drawing, I will even put my scanner away.

>>250684

>tfw you cant draw vaginas correctly

Drawing porn is harder than drawing cars and space ships, though Spaceships are as Satanic as porn.

>>250753

>am i free to eat anything?

We're not allowed to eat meat on fridays during lent.

Also, Lent requires some form of fasting. The Catholic Church devised a "beginner's fast": "When fasting, a person is permitted to eat one full meal. Two smaller meals may also be taken, but not to equal a full meal. "

So, you can have a small breakfast, and you give up either lunch or dinner and eat a small meal instead.

>>250073

No meat, only fish.

Going to try to get a more regular excercise and prayer routine going (this got to last way past the 40 days ofcourse).

Don't know about the no processed sugars stuff. I use a lot of energy and cutting from the sugars will make me go aushwitz mode I think.

I don;t smoke, nor do I drink, but I'll completely abstain from alcohol anyway.

>>250758

I don't think you should try to tackle all those things at once. Also, since you're catholic, you're technically obliged to fast. The Church's official fast: "When fasting, a person is permitted to eat one full meal. Two smaller meals may also be taken, but not to equal a full meal. ".

Of course, you can also do other kinds of fasting:

Bread & water fast: breakfast before 9AM, bread and water when you feel hungry or thirsty, but don't exaggerate. Ends at 6PM. (Don't eat bread and drink water at the same time, it will give you a headache).

Liquid fast: breakfast before 9, hot tea, coffee, juice and etc. afterwards.

Complete fast: breakfast before 9, only water afterwards. Ends at 4PM. (You can extend it till 6PM if you have the balls and health to do that.

>>250831

>>250845

I wish you guys the very best with the pr0nz and that you'll quit it for good after the 40 days.

>>250768

Share it anon

I will try to no fap.

So I can abbando certain form of degenarcy and get closer to God.

>>250874

So there's 40 days of Lent and 66 books in the bible. If I read 1 book a day I'll only end up with 6 sundays to finish the other 26 books. Then on those Sundays I can read 4 books a day (probably 2 in the morning, 2 at night) with the exception of one Sunday where I have to read 5 books.

That or I could read 2 books for every day of lent but that would mean I would finish reading the bible early on and I want to last the entirety of Lent.

>>250874

>>250892

Crap, I forgot that Catholics have extra books in their bibles. Oh well, I can just read the extra books after Lent.

>>250895

Catholics don't have extra books. Protestants removed books.

>>250928

>>250932

You know what I mean.

I don't see any Orthodox posters here, I was hoping for some guidance since I have not been keeping the faith and traditions very well. When is the (Orthodox) Lent starting and what are the specific rules? I know that no meat, dairy, fish, eggs, oil or alcohol is allowed. But is oil allowed on Tuesdays and Thursdays and and alcohol on Sundays? I remember reading about it on an Orthodox website, but my town's traditional fasting only excludes meat, dairy fish and eggs, nothing about oil or alcohol.

>>250961

http://lmgtfy.com/?q=When+is+the+Eastern+Orthodox+Lent+starting%3F

>>250746

p-pls respond

>>250845

im basically doing the same

unactivated my fb and trying to avoid music aswell

also no coffee

the only thing im keeping is dairy coz gotta get dat brotein

>>251104

See >>251084

It's obligated on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. You can choose to do it everyday if you want (I'm trying to)

>>251104

>am I obliged to fast

Well, we used to be. But since V2 the episcopal conferences have relaxed the rules regarding fasting and abstinence a lot.

>>250928

Luther just separated the apocrypha from the books that belonged to the Bible Jesus used :)

I'm a Lutheran and I'm abstaining from meat and cutting down on sweets. Also haven't eaten anything so far today on Ash Wednesday.

>>251132

>the books that belonged to the Bible Jesus used :)

The New Testament has 340 quotations of the Septuagint and only 33 from the masoretic text. This means that Jesus's disciples (people who knew Him personally) relied heavily on the Septuagint.

>>251132

This faggot is a heretic. Do not listen to him. Never listen to him. He does not know what he's talking about.

>>251154

>How angry will God be?

As angry as he gets when you masturbate any other day of the year. Quite angry.

You are the one who should get really pissed off if you fail.

im not having any candy(which i wasn't a huge fan of anyway) nor ice cream which I like very much for all of lent, and for all of today i will not eat any food whatsoever until after midnight

also, am i supposed to bring anything to church on ash wednesday?im going to 7:00 pm mass

>>251127

>only gregorian chant and classical with explicit religious themes.

Can you point me in the direction of some of that music? I've always wanted to get into stuff like that.

So how's Lent been going for everyone so far? I'm the guy from earlier who's having my first Lent. Sadly I couldn't go to church today for Ash Wednesday because of no transportation and the fact that I'm living in a protestant family and I'm hiding my catholism from them. However I did just clean the house for 5 hours straight while everyone was at work and read some of the bible this morning when I woke up. Right now is part of the only 10 or so minutes I'm allowing myself to use the computer today. I've been enjoying it a lot so far. It's how I imagine Jesus lived when he was with Mary. Helping her clean up the house all day while constantly thinking about God's plan.

>>251220

As far as classical music with religious themes goes, J.S. Bach is a very good start. He wrote SDG (Soli Deo gloria) at the end of his works and was very religious in genenral. Only downside is that he was Lutheran, I believe.

>>250760

Thanks for the calendar mate!

>>251270

10/10 dedication

>>251302

1/10 comment. no dedication Y.Y

>>251270

>>250073

>What are /christian/'s plans for this year?

Does this sort of thread count as showing off?

Eh, either way:

-no meat

-no tobacco or non-medical nicotine products

-no alcohol

-no (personal) computer at work

-no coffee

+get back into doing daily readings

I won't be fapping or drinking anything but water and tea, but these are mostly standard practice for me anyway.

>>251369

that's the beauty of an anonymous imageboard, that we contribute for the sake of helping others rather than priding ourselves :D

ok so i tried doing no smoking and no music but i failed that so i hope ill atleast be able to keep

- no alcohol

- no sugar

- no coffee

- no fap

>>251644

no fap no sugar and no coffe is so hard for me

no meat i can keep but its 2nd day and its so hard to not do those 3 i dunno how i will last

help

>>251645

>no fap no sugar and no coffe is so hard for me

I hope you try the nofap at least.

No fap

No porn

No lmaoweed

No alcohol

Still in high school so every time I go hang out with friends it consists of trying to find ways to get intoxicated. Also, I want a gf but the only place to talk to grills around here seems to be parties. I like my friends too, my main friend group I basically met through a "nondenominational" church(its in TX though so it's conservative) youth group we've gone to since we were little. Now, they are all still Christian, but most of the girls are partying sluts and the dudes are all into drinking and starting to get more into weed. My other sort of friend group are stoner skaters so I feel kind of fucked right now tbh. I'm also still kind of doubting the Catholic Church and am basically on a roller coaster of believing and not believing right now, so hopefully I can remain faithful enough to keep these lent promises. Sorry for blog post guys, I just hope I can stick with these promises and keep, and maybe somehow save my friends.

>>251146

>This faggot

Don't you have any nicer nickname for us Lutherans, like you do for Orthobros? Also, the OP really wanted this not to happen. Thanks anyway for letting me experience a minimal fraction of the mockery Lord Jesus faced on Good Friday. Let this be a significant step on my spiritual Lenten journey.

>>251717

Pray the morning and evening and compline prayers (you can use the app laudate), and the rosary too. Read the catechism and something like The Seven Story Mountain, by Thomas Merton or Confessions of St Thomas Aquinas. Oh yeah and The Bible. That should all keep you busy, help you grow to triumph over these obstacles youre running into, and fulfill the prayer part of Lent. If you dont already, watch some Robert Barron vids, dude should help you out with certain difficulties that might make you doubt The Church.

Might seem like a lot but not only is it Lent, but people sometimes dont focus enough on the learning/intellectual side of Christianity. You will be in my prayers, friend.

>>251731

Sorry, wasnt thinking. The confessions is by St Augustine.

>>251731

>Oh yeah and The Bible

This might not be the place to ask this and is off-topic, but what translation do you recommend? RSVCE?

>>251735

Awesome. Thanks.

>>251739

Sorry, wouldnt know much about bible translations. I know the NRSV is praised for being a very exact and scholarly translation, and i happened to get a nice old RSV from a thrift store a little bit ago and just got that and use it. Havent learned more about bibles since then. But hey, now that you mention it, I might as well do a little more research. I need to get apocrypha texts and stuff anyway.

>>251686

so end of 2nd day

i havent ate any sugar nor drank coffee

didnt fap either

i feel like brain foginess is going away

also i prayed some chotki

>>251769

congrats.

>>251769

I wasn’t gonna judge you. I just mean that masturbation is a sin.

>>252336

>Are they really as bad as say, alcohol or pornography?

No, but it's the principle that counts. Do you want to be a slave to cigarettes or chocolate or w/e or do you want to be independent and free?

I personally think that nicotine has many great properties, but they are negated by the fact that cigarettes destroy your lungs.

'You trade the future for the present.

I was a heavy smoker as well (1.5 packs a day) i know how difficult it is. I smoked marijuana as well, i drank a lot and nothing was as difficult to quit as cigarettes. It's very difficult, no question about it.

I'd say nicotine is a mixed bag, but ultimately i am happy that i quit because the negative effects far outweigh the positive ones.

>>252343

It doesn't cloud your mind, in fact it does the opposite, you think more clearly, but the rat poison analogy applies. It is 90% good (subjectively), but the 10% kill you. It's another evil temptation.

>You're literally tarnishing God's temple.

This.

>>252343

I never denied that that smoking is incredibly harmful. I don't think there's a single smoker in modern society who's happy about that fact.

It's just, at least IMO, on a different level to drugs or porn, for example. Plus unlike moderate drug use and porn (which is mentally addictive but not physically,) cigarettes are incredibly addictive and hard to give up cold turkey.

Not saying that you shouldn't go for it if you want to, though.

I will do the next things:

I will not draw anything, I will throw away all my pencils and erasers since I need pens to write.

I will uninstall all my games since they are linked to my account I can download them latter anyways.

I will put all my anime and fantasy movies on my external hard drive and lock it away on the basement.

Delete ALL my porn pics, sorry I have some…

I could make small cuts on my finger tips to resist the temptation of drawing if I find pencils and paper at work though…

>>252349

>It's just, at least IMO, on a different level to drugs or porn

I agree that is on a different level, but in principle it is the same.

>>252351

I am on another level bro.

>>252352

The slippery slope is real.

>>252350

Christ sacrificed Himself in the most brutal and painful way to wash away your sins.

You put down a pencil.

Yeah … you're a real hero.

>>252336

>cigarettes

>clouding the mind

they themselves don't cloud the mind, but as a dipper who gave tobacco up for lent:

nicotine artificially "stabilises" the mind. without it, your have less available acetylcholine, and thus end up in a mental fog for 2 weeks until your brain reattenuates to not being hooked on nicotine.

that is, it forces you to need them in order to not have mental fog, which is just as bad.

"man doesn't live on bread alone". that is, the constitution of the body isn't sustained on food alone, but it abides in the spirit.

likewise, your mind shouldn't need nicotine to operate well. it should abide in the spirit.

I'm not very religious, I'm pretty nervous about getting back into religion but I've been looking into my local orthodox Church and I'm working up the courage to shoot them an email. ANYWAY, I my Presbyterian friend took me to my first Ash Wednesday service and convinced me to give something up for lent. It's lame but I'm giving up mac n'cheese. It's something I've eaten almost daily for as long as I can remember so I'm excited to see how this can work for me.

Failure. On the third day. And with less Lenten commitments than, like, anyone else. (Well, OK, that mac'n'cheese guy, but I totally respect him nevertheless.)

I went to this really fancy cafeteria for lunch, it's like a restaurant; they serve three courses, and the main course is served to the table. I selected fish. But for starters, they had minestrone. And only after removing the lid and taking the plate in my hand did I realize it contained meat. I felt like having passed the point of no return and took some. Mea culpa, mea culpa, mea maxima culpa!

I really need to tighten the rules next year, if not sooner. After abstaining from meat for several Lents in a row, I've become too used to it; I know how to make the most of what I don't abstain from. I should at least compensate eating out somehow. Lent's not properly doing its thing anymore.

Sincerely yours,

"this faggot" the Lutheran.

P.S.

>>251727

Modern Catholics are a bit better than mediaeval Catholics :)

Just kidding. Catholics are individuals. Catholics aren't St. Peter, Orthobros aren't St. Andrew, and Lutherans sure aren't M. Luther.

Also, *I* wasn't there in the 1500s defending the true faith. Neither were you.

>>252389

There is literally nothing anyone on Earth could do that would be comparable to Christ's sacrifice. No need to be all snarky, putting down a pencil isn't so much easier than putting down a meal a day or praying daily.

>>250210

Is it selfish to look forward to the spiritual growth from lent? No, we almost always ask for something, its in our nature. God loves us that way, it doesnt make us evil. Just that we tend to get carried away with it, outside of the healthy amount, gettinf greedy.

>>250238

The part of fasting has to do with imitating christs resistence to temptation in the desert.

>>252389

Lol, sounds like you want him to cut his hands!

Also when you "like" to draw, is an addiction like any other, cutting down an addiction IS painful and stressful the withdrawal makes you want it more.

>>251727

Speaking of St. Andrew, I've always wondered how Orthodox Christians came to regard him as the founder of their church.

>>252439

There are a vast number of things one can do to simulate Christ's sacrifice. If all you're doing is benefiting yourself, then you are being selfish.

I don't recall anything selfish about Christ's sacrifice.

>>252496

Cutting his hands wouldn't benefit anyone either.

People need to use Lent as a time to honor the sacrifice Christ made, not benefit themselves by doing something they will just pick back up after Easter.

Christ died and went to Hell for all of us. Take up your cross and follow Him.

>>252509

Are you a prod? Cause im pretty sure youd be going against your church if you are catholic/orthodox. They require you to fast, and fasting has no immediate benefits to others. Some things purify the spirit without directly affecting others.

>>252552

Fasting is only one aspect of Lent. The other is sacrifice.

>>252506

Constantinopole claims apostolic succession from him. He preached in Greece, Balkans and the Black Sea shore(which also make Romania, Ukraine and Russia claim he brought Christianity to them).

Guess where most orthodox christians are?

Anyway, hes not the founder of the OC, just of their first see.

>>252350

What the fuck is wrong with drawing? Are you some kind of iconoclast?

>>252438

>"this faggot" the Lutheran

My sides, you faggot!

>Catholics aren't St. Peter, Orthobros aren't St. Andrew, and Lutherans sure aren't M. Luther

I strive to be 1% of what Saint Peter is.

>*I* wasn't there in the 1500s defending the true faith. Neither were you.

Kinda wish I was, though.

You weren't there eating the fruit from the tree, yet you're guilty of original sin.

>>253154

Well, to go on from my previous post >>252438

The cafeteria at my workplace frequently serves meat. I had to take my lunch with me from home today, and so I must do tomorrow too. Meaning I'll have to make some salad for tomorrow. On Wednesday, the cafeteria may be serving fish for me.

Hunger bothers me. Not all the time, but right after supper I tend to crave more. Instead of sweets, I have some peanuts and dates. And fingernails. :(

I've been reading the Bible daily since last Advent, so that's not a Lenten exclusive… I should start praying constantly in association with the Lent to really prepare myself spiritually, I guess. It's just difficult to let go of these everyday distractions.

Regards,

The Lutheran (please don't make me use that offensive nickname again!)

How are you all doing, anons? Keeping it up?

>>251727

>Lutherans created the church of Sweden

technically speaking, the heresies of the Swedish church were forced on them by the state.

>>256067

>>250395

That post of Lenten promises is mine

Have not cracked once on anything but porn, I have broke 4 times and feel like a right cunt because usually lent for me is so spotless.

However it is my first time trying to conquer this and its a new kind of temptation I'm trying to overcome, 8chan makes it difficult

Been praying the rosary a bit more too, so all in all good, but could always be better

no candy

but I'm also doing nofap independent of Lent (70+ days by now) and I never drink, smoke or do drugs

>>258322

Coincidentally I havent touched games since Ash Wednesday as well, I think, but it's because of having so much stuff to do I can't find the time for it. Perhaps God wills it.

Before Lent started, I thought I'd have a very hard time abstaining from meat that long. (I absolutely love all kinds of meat). And that no sugar would also be very hard to a lesser degree. I thought alcohol wouldn't even come to my mind during Lent since I barely drink throughout the year anyway. But what happened instead surprised me.

I don't miss meat that much at all. And even less sugar. But for some reason, I do get cravings for a drink. It's not that I'm struggling with it, I haven't broken my fast or anything, but I'm surprised to see that I craved the most for something I thought I wouldn't even think about at all.

Other than that, Easter is already near and Lent flew by pretty fast for me. How are you guys doing?

>>252733

If not about God/Jesus, drawing can be worse than Videogames or Porn.

I've already given up everything. Because of a shitty medical condition, I have to mix of a basic carb mixed with a complex protein.

I can only leave my house (which now feels like a prison) for small periods of time otherwise my immune system is overwhelmed and I fall ill.

I am physically quite healthy though, since my diet is scientifically flawless and I exercise vigorously. Aside from that most of my communication and work is online. So I become terribly lonely.

I wasn't always like this. When it first happened, I fell into a deep despair.

The idea of fasting has since started to feel like a reminder, that it feels like I've already had to give up almost everything. Sometimes when I lay down to go to sleep, it feels like all I have left keeping me connected to myself, is my faith that Christ will keep me. Or I hope so, since talking to another Christian these days feels like a coin toss on if they will tell you that you have to do this special thing or that special thing otherwise you aren't a real Christian or a heretic or an idiot or any other number of things. And I can become so hopelessly unsure of what I think I know or don't know. I just decided a while ago, that the only part of reality I ever need to hold onto is the belief and knowledge that Christ can save me from anything.

Which sounds funny, but holding onto reality can be quite difficult at times. After some of the things I've seen, you'd be surprised to hear that isolation, removal from the regular world, making basic necessities of life difficult or extremely uncomfortable (like eating or sleeping) can really wear down on you worse than any bloody mess you find yourself in.

But as we learned, from the Canaanite woman and the young rich man and the poor woman donating, I should be grateful, since giving up even more at this point means I know I am giving up something I can't afford to give.

Perhaps it would be apropos then, to rekindle myself to this tradition, regardless of the view of it being a necessity or not.

Since it's hard to throw yourself out of something flying, it helps to be kicked out. Name what I should give up and should I still have access to it, I shall do it.

Sorry for the rambling but seeing someone mention lent suddenly made all this come out of nowhere, I haven't heard about lent for a very long time. And there are a lot of pent up emotions. These last few years have been…rough.

i ate meat today because i forgot it was a friday

is it sinful to not practice lent (by accident in this case) or just weak faith and self control. Also i was unaware of the orthodox's position on the month of Easter till quite recently, what do orthobros have to say about people that don't practice lent or willingly avoid it?

>>261206

If you ate meat because you forgot it was Friday and therefore verboten, it is probably not a mortal sin since you lacked intent. However, eating meat on Friday is still a materially serious matter even if your culpability is lessened, and you still probably bear some fault for your negligence and forgetfulness. At any rate, you should resolve to do a better job to remember the Church's fasting laws, and bring up the incident in confession.