Lent is retarded.
I’ll even take a break from my usual abrasive Atheist attitude for [most of] this article, because my problems with Lent aren’t religious. They’re realistic issues, and problems I have with it’s practicality (of which there is none.) I would like to clarify that when I say “God” I’m simply referring to the idea of a god. I’ve carved it in stone that I don’t believe in a higher power so don’t crawl up my ass like so many people do when I say “Oh my God!” It’s an expression dicknose. And exclaiming “Oh my Science!” would make me look like a giant faggot. I’ll even capitalize “God” to keep you fundamentalist assholes happy.
Lent is the religious equivalent of “Don’t Buy Gas Day.” It’s a monumental waste of time and effort. The purpose of Don’t Buy Gas Day is solid, yet its application and relevance is laughable. Only a small population of people will decide not to fill their tanks up on one day of the year. And since any gas station with a decent amount of sense will raise prices the next day, they’ll actually profit off of this silly ass shit because people will just buy gas the next day.
Lent is only a little different since it takes place over 40 days instead of one. Also, and this is the big thing. Everyone’s “sacrifices” end up being slight inconveniences that can just be substituted with something else. Oh you gave up McDonald’s for Lent? I guess that means you can still stuff your face with Taco Bell. You’re going to work out more over Lent? Cool. But the day Lent ends I bet you anything your cankles won’t touch that treadmill until society tells you to again. You’re not kidding anyone, especially me. Lent is a bogus tradition that religious people practice in order to feel good about appeasing a man in the stars.
If you really wanted to change yourself, you’d do it. You don’t need a religious reason (or any reason) to better yourself. The same goes for New Year’s Resolutions. The fact that it’s a new year doesn’t mean you need to change anything, and if that’s your only motivation then you really don’t care that much. I say this to everyone who bitches about themselves. If there’s something you don’t like, change it or accept it. It really is that simple. If you want to change you’ll do it, if you don’t you won’t. I was upset with my weight, so over three months I lost 27 pounds. My motivation was that I wanted to be healthier and look better. I did it for my own reasons, and for myself. Changing yourself for others is counterproductive in this respect. Unless you want to change, you probably won’t.
Here’s a test to see how dedicated you are to Lent. Give up Facebook. Oh that’s too hard? Interesting. I guess God isn’t worth that much.
Lent, DBGD, New Year’s Resolutions, and any other silly social influences to make people change themselves are all the same. Just silly traditions revolving around manipulating people. There’s always someone profiting.
Just think about it. Do you really think your God cares that you’re sacrificing a couple of cheeseburgers over a period of forty days? Get fucking real. He doesn’t.