Lent

While there are many things I think are cool, neat, awesome and lessboringthanmostotherthings, Lent has always been way up there on my list of things that can't be anything less than awesome. As a college educated indivdual with a love for all things properly researched, I feel I should back this statement up with the facts:

• Historically, Lent is the Catholic tradition of fasting prior to Easter that some of the more "catholicy" protestants think awesome as well. "Catholicy" protestants are defined as Episcopalians, Lutherans, Methodists and Anglicans. Traditionally, one is expected to fast for the forty days leading up to Easter. One is supposed to refrain from such fleshly temptations as food, drink and sex in order to prepare for the sacrifice of Christ's crucifixion and the glory of  resurrection. (along with this practice, and the holy communion, I submit the Catholics for the most morbid religious group in history. Man! These guys just LOVE death and implied cannibalism.)

• Leading up to these difficult forty days is, of course the debaucherous, hedonistic, colorful and well known pagan celebration of Mardi Gras. Fat Tuesday, King Cake and all the other traditions are basically a way of making a mega deposit in the sin (read: fun) bank before Christ dies for you in a month. Get all the party in before you have to behave.

From time to time, I remember this holiday exists and feel compelled to participate. As a religious ex-pat , I do love me some empty religious ritual from time to time which requires just enough committment to build some character, but not enough theology to be troublesome.

Lent is perfect. In modern days, one can pick out any kind of stumbling block to give up for Lent. Some people go for the no sugar, caffeine or alcohol route. I was always partial to secular music, tv or any-book-besides-the-bible. None of these will do now. I don't really think that secular music is destroying my soul anymore.

BUT, I do have one addiction:

See, I have an unhealthy obsession with religion. Christianity. Research specifically. I talk about it constantly. My friends will probably stop talking to me soon and my family just roll their eyes at this point.  My personal library and internet book marks are all organized by criticism, translation and theological persuasions.

All of this comes from my past with Christianity, but that's neither here nor there. Its just feeding a negative attitude which is getting alittle out of hand.

So, ironically as it may seem, I believe for Lent, I shall give up religion.

Cheers to the Catholics for creating a holiday so full of contradictions. Like the crusades, centuries of rape, burning at the stake and keeping the general public dumb, Lent is imperative to the western mind.

I've missed the traditional kickoff, but I follow the spirit of the law if not the letter. And as they say, better late than never.

My list of don'ts for the next 40 days:
-no reading the bible
-no reading books related to the bible
-no reading history books related to the bible OR church history
-no talking about what I've been reading
-no talking about what I believe
-no visiting any religious sites, blogs, news articles or forums
-no more watching youtube videos of cults and religious leaders
-no responding (even in my head) to any religious statements made by other people. I shall merely smile and nod and say "wow, thats interesting thought!".
-no fiction which alludes more than a few passages to religion
-no participating in those politcal conversations that have somehow become entrenched in religion.

Unfortunately, this means I'll have to stay away from most western philosophy and history books as well.

Now, I know this is all a bit cheeky and might offend some (its not meant too of course, but saying that is being alittle naive), but here's the serious part.

My goals are as follows:

-to stop being so obnoxious
-to become a better listener
-to realize that there is no formula for truth, not even doubt, and people can be walking masses of contradiction and thats ok.
-to try and find a way to embrace those intrinsic contradictions
- to stop acting like such a danged know-it-all.

So, here's to Lent and fasting from god!