NationStates Jolt Archive

Very interesting.
http://www.cnn.com/2007/TECH/internet/03/29/no.facebook.lent/index.html

Shows how addicted much of the teenage population is to the computer. I know because I'm addicted - and trying to get rid of it. I no longer have a PC in my house (although I do have a laptop, which sort of ruins the purpose).

Your definition of interesting is... interesting.

I propose a year-round Lent event, thus people give up addictions forever! Lent would be on New Years...

As Dolan observed, "People are realizing that reality involves people, not pixels."
I reject his reality and substitute my own!

Students give up Myspace for lent. Sexual predators disappointed.

What a load of bilge Lent truly is. Whyever should I stop doing something I hold dear to glorify a religious leader who got lucky?

Students give up Myspace for lent. Sexual predators disappointed.

That would be a much funnier headline, even though it's kind of bad.

Much like many of the things DCD says.

What a load of bilge Lent truly is. Whyever should I stop doing something I hold dear to glorify a religious leader who got lucky?

The idea is that you give it up in order to do something more edifying. In many cases, this means prayer, Bible study or other religious activities. Giving something up for lent also signifies that your commitment to God is greater than any material thing.

Students give up Myspace for lent. Sexual predators disappointed.

Come now. Surely you realize the type of christian who participates in Lent is most likely not the same type that uploads pics and vids of herself doing the splits in her catholic school uniform.

Come now. Surely you realize the type of christian who participates in Lent is most likely not the same type that uploads pics and vids of herself doing the splits in her catholic school uniform.

Come on. Typically repressive enviroment+access to internet+digital camera=mayhem. Some of the time, anyway.

Come now. Surely you realize the type of christian who participates in Lent is most likely not the same type that uploads pics and vids of herself doing the splits in her catholic school uniform.
In a little white dress
Catholic girls
They never confess
Catholic girls
I got one for a cousin
I love how they go
So send me a dozen
Catholic girls
Ooooooh!
Catholic girls
Ooooooh!

The idea is that you give it up in order to do something more edifying. In many cases, this means prayer, Bible study or other religious activities. Giving something up for lent also signifies that your commitment to God is greater than any material thing.

to be honest, i wouldn't consider myspace or any other networking site "material" sure the actuality of it is, but not the meaning, i know for most people they use those kind of site to stay connected with friends, as in my case i moved farther away from my friends then i have ever planned and to talk to them through emails and letter gives me comfort, and to see their faces does as well. So as far as showing that god is more important than materials things, i say that giving up myspace is much different than giving up alcohol, or personal possessions, because when it comes down to it networking can be more of a spiritual thing rather than a material thing.

just some food for thought if you are religious and intend on trying to give up myspace this year, try to think up something more material than a networking site (please not that i am atheist, so I'm SURE my view might differ from those who gave up networking for lent in the past)

The idea is that you give it up in order to do something more edifying. In many cases, this means prayer, Bible study or other religious activities. Giving something up for lent also signifies that your commitment to God is greater than any material thing.

So, in essence, one gambles on getting brownie points from a being whose existence is conjecture when reducing one's immediate happiness?

So, in essence, one gambles on getting brownie points from a being whose existence is conjecture when reducing one's immediate happiness?

haha sounds kinda oppressive don't you think? I'm glad i don't practice religion :S ideas are goodhearted but it actions are foolish

Students give up Myspace for lent. Sexual predators disappointed.

Students give up lent, Sexual Predators get to rest their arms...

Come now. Surely you realize the type of christian who participates in Lent is most likely not the same type that uploads pics and vids of herself doing the splits in her catholic school uniform.

Oh god, that sounds hot! :eek: Where can I get those vids???

to be honest, i wouldn't consider myspace or any other networking site "material" sure the actuality of it is, but not the meaning, i know for most people they use those kind of site to stay connected with friends, as in my case i moved farther away from my friends then i have ever planned and to talk to them through emails and letter gives me comfort, and to see their faces does as well. So as far as showing that god is more important than materials things, i say that giving up myspace is much different than giving up alcohol, or personal possessions, because when it comes down to it networking can be more of a spiritual thing rather than a material thing.

just some food for thought if you are religious and intend on trying to give up myspace this year, try to think up something more material than a networking site (please not that i am atheist, so I'm SURE my view might differ from those who gave up networking for lent in the past)

No, you make a very good point. For many people, there are probably better things to give up than Myspace. But the point, for someone who is truly religious, is that you ought to be willing to give anything up.

So, in essence, one gambles on getting brownie points from a being whose existence is conjecture when reducing one's immediate happiness?

Is the idea of giving up something today in the hope of having something better tomorrow really that foreign to you?

No, you make a very good point. For many people, there are probably better things to give up than Myspace. But the point, for someone who is truly religious, is that you ought to be willing to give anything up.



Is the idea of giving up something today in the hope of having something better tomorrow really that foreign to you?

i think he is pointing that you give up your happiness for something that COULD or COULDN'T happen, and if you are content and happy then what is the point on giving it all up to have a CHANCE at being happier?

I reject his reality and substitute my own!

Proper use of mythbusters reference. 10 points.

Now these are good little students! Give them cookies.

So, in essence, one gambles on getting brownie points from a being whose existence is conjecture when reducing one's immediate happiness?

As a Catholic myself, I often see atheists and agnostics such as yourself have trouble understanding why Christians do what they do. I think that what you're having a problem with is not being able to "think like a Christian" when evaluating what Christians do.


First, these people have already made their decision to put their faith in the Christian God. So it's not like they're saying to themselves, "boy, I hope I'm picking the right God to make sacrafices for!" They've already thought about and made that decision in the past (and as doubts come up in the future, may have to renew that decision -- though there's no reason to think that doubts resurfacing would necessarily correspond to the beginning of lent).

Second, though it's a "sacrafice", I would be confident in saying that most people are quite happy with themselves for successfully giving up with whatever they set out to give up (so is it really a sacrafice at all? That woud be an interesting question). The first reason for this is religious. They see fasting and giving things up as a form of prayer and a way to get closer to God (which is a good thing -- remember, you're looking at this the same way that a Christian would look at this.)
The second reason can be understood secularly. Fasting and giving up things builds determination and discipline (if you don't believe me, try it. Have your own 'atheist lent'). Both are things that lead to a happy life. The person that is able to forego immediate happiness for long term gain will likely lead the happier life. For instance, in my college years, I saw two types of people. Those who would constantly put off studying for computer games and partying and those who would often choose to "miss out" so that they could excel at school. I've seen a lot of my friends excel and put themselves ahead in life because they were able to delay gratification... I've also seen a lot of other friends put themselves behind the eightball because they weren't able to.

Will power and discipline also help, of course, with avoiding behavior that is downright destructive (as opposed to behavior that just "gets in the way" of doing productive things, as mentioned in the above paragraph.) Things like drugs.

As a Catholic myself, I often see atheists and agnostics such as yourself have trouble understanding why Christians do what they do. I think that what you're having a problem with is not being able to "think like a Christian" when evaluating what Christians do.


First, these people have already made their decision to put their faith in the Christian God. So it's not like they're saying to themselves, "boy, I hope I'm picking the right God to make sacrafices for!" They've already thought about and made that decision in the past (and as doubts come up in the future, may have to renew that decision -- though there's no reason to think that doubts resurfacing would necessarily correspond to the beginning of lent).

Second, though it's a "sacrafice", I would be confident in saying that most people are quite happy with themselves for successfully giving up with whatever they set out to give up (so is it really a sacrafice at all? That woud be an interesting question). The first reason for this is religious. They see fasting and giving things up as a form of prayer and a way to get closer to God (which is a good thing -- remember, you're looking at this the same way that a Christian would look at this.)
The second reason can be understood secularly. Fasting and giving up things builds determination and discipline (if you don't believe me, try it. Have your own 'atheist lent'). Both are things that lead to a happy life. The person that is able to forego immediate happiness for long term gain will likely lead the happier life. For instance, in my college years, I saw two types of people. Those who would constantly put off studying for computer games and partying and those who would often choose to "miss out" so that they could excel at school. I've seen a lot of my friends excel and put themselves ahead in life because they were able to delay gratification... I've also seen a lot of other friends put themselves behind the eightball because they weren't able to.

Will power and discipline also help, of course, with avoiding behavior that is downright destructive (as opposed to behavior that just "gets in the way" of doing productive things, as mentioned in the above paragraph.) Things like drugs.

i agree, but seeing as i used to be a Christian it is hard for me NOT to understand what they think, but as a no religeous person one would think that giving up ones happiness to believe that something better will happen for giving that up will make them happier is a gamble, sure upon giving that up, religious people may not be giving anything up except for what they currently hold dear and in exchange they themselves feel happier... but it doesn't take religion to provoke that... a kid might save up enough cash to donate to some charity that he cares about and in giving up the money he then feels better about himself and is happy

so in the end it is conflicted by not wearing the other persons shoes, but i still stand by what i said; "a good idea, but handled with bad actions"

i live by the philosophy that everyone believes what they want to believe, in the end we are who we are, we met who we met, and we did what we did. who is someone else to force something upon another?

Proper use of mythbusters reference. 10 points.

Ooh, ta :)

The funny thing; I've never seen Mythbusters. Or The Dungeonmaster, which it's from originally (apparently). I just remembered it from Smunkee's sig and looked it up to make sure I was getting the joke right!

In a little white dress
Catholic girls
They never confess
Catholic girls
I got one for a cousin
I love how they go
So send me a dozen
Catholic girls
Ooooooh!
Catholic girls
Ooooooh!

I've got one better.

The good books says we must suppress
The good books says we must confess
But who cares what the good books says
Cause now shes taking off her dress

Catholic school girls rule, catholic school girls rule.
Catholic school girls rule, catholic school girls rule.

Very interesting.
http://www.cnn.com/2007/TECH/internet/03/29/no.facebook.lent/index.html

Yay for no Myspace! :D

A friend of mine gave up MSN for lent - I think that's pretty retarded, but religious nonsense never made much sense to me.