We call it "Lent For Sport." I give up the same things every year: soda pop, fast food, sugary sweets, and celibacy.

My daughter gave up pop (which she stubbornly insists on calling "soda;" I grew up calling every kind of pop "Coke." As in, "What kind of Coke do you want? We've got Coke, 7-Up, root beer...."), so I said I'd give that up too. So no Diet Coke for me for a while.

I wasn't raised Catholic, and the concept of giving up something for Lent has always intrigued me. My question is: "Why?" I believe life is short, and to give up something that gives pleasure (as long as it's not illegal or immoral) seems wrong to me. If there are benefits to self-denial, then why not do it the rest of the year?

I'm not Catholic, but I usually give up something for Lent. It reminds me that my world won't collapse if something I enjoy is removed. This year I've given up beer and skipping the gym. Football Sundays are usually pretty beer-soaked at my house, so Lent is the perfect time to cut it out. I also have a gym date four days a week and, during the season of Lent, I'm not allowed to make excuses for not going. The combination of these two sacrifices will produce a more physically fit Chewbeckah, and I will fit into my spring clothes more comfortably!

It's only 40 days so who cares that life is short.

I grew up Lutheran (essentially Catholic light), and the understanding of giving something up had a couple of different reasons, but it all boiled down to preparing for Easter.

From a recent article in the UK:

Lent, in the Christian tradition, is usually a time to think of someone other than yourself. Most obviously Jesus, whose 40 days of suffering, deprivation and temptation by the Devil in the desert is the blueprint for Lent. We are meant to find some - embarrassingly pale - way of following his example.

He stuck it out, the gospels report, to save us from eternal damnation. And so, in our Lenten fasting, we need to be doing something for others.

You might find this enertaining:

http://popvssoda.com:2998/

I'm giving up religion.

"I wasn't raised Catholic, and the concept of giving up something for Lent has always intrigued me. My question is: "Why?" "

Well, we're supposed to fast, pray and give alms. Fasting from something you like (i.e. giving up pop, candy, meat) provides an opportunity to challenge yourself, to, like Kimiko said, follow Christ's example in some small way. Fasting from something negative (i.e. when kids give up fighting with siblings) provides that challenge as well as an opportunity for discipline and self improvement. Interesting that the word discipline is related to disciple.

The food requirements of Lent, like not eating meat on Friday or fasting on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday, are also a way of reminding yourself who you are, of your religious identity. Think about the Jewish food-related requirements; they provide a constant reminder of identity and community.

Alms giving, or acts of charity, are another way of trying to think of others rather than yourself, to put someone else's needs before your own, again, in some small way.

I'm thinking about giving up coke since I haven't had any since Lent began but I'm not sure yet.

randy: Look at it this way. 40 days doesn't sound like a long time. But times 40 years, and that's 1,600 days. That's more than four years!

It's the least I can do for the person who died for me. ;-)