What did you give up for Lent?
Asked by
LuckyGuy (
43867
)
March 2nd, 2013
I was out to dinner with some neighbors and one of them asked me that question.
What am I supposed to say? Is this a trick question? They know I am a pragmatic, humanist, freethinking, engineer and the chances of me giving up something for Lent is less than the odds of me winning the lottery – without buying a ticket. Zero.
Mad magazine used to have a series called “Snappy answers to stupid questions” but I doubt they covered this issue.
How would you answer the question?
This is in Social, so have fun.
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18 Answers
Nothing. I am not a practicing Christian.
Whenever someone asks me what I gave up for Lent, I always answer “Christianity.”
Beating up clowns with a pillowcase full of oranges.
I didn’t give it up, someone borrowed it.
Whatever it is you are eating right at that moment and without missing a beat as it goes in your mouth say that particular food.
“I gave up my tolerance of assholes like you”.
Although that wouldn’t be very neighborly.
My neighbor, in his late-80s, says he gave up sex.
I too gave up sex, but given my medical condition it was a wash.
These are good answers. I said “skydiving”.
Lint and animal hair is why I gave up black clothes. : )
It would really depend upon who was asking the Q.
Since Lent is totally a man made tradition, I feel zero obligation to honor it. And most people who know me are familiar with my disdain for all the medieval trappings and gewgaws imposed upon Christianity by those seeking to control the masses to scare the crap out of them and keep them in line.
I mean, it’s certainly not anything that God would be impressed by, no matter how severe the deprivation :)
And for someone who didn’t really know me, a simple “nothing” would suffice unless they followed it up with “why?” And if they were foolish enough to be that nosey, I’d be happy to enlighten them :)
@LuckyGuy
If you’re feeling testy about it, you could always try Ann Landers suggestion for the majority of nosey Qs you don’t really want to deal with:
“Why would you think it appropriate to ask me about something of such a personal nature?”
Guaranteed to shut them up and put a stop to further attempts.
:D
I gave up cleaning the dryer screen for lent.
I gave up an ex-nazi paedophile tolerating pope for Lent
A sweet old lady gave me a crucifux (complete with Jesus) “to keep in my pocket and watch over me.” I kept it, even though I’m not religious, because the intent was really nice and I didn’t want to hurt her feelings. She just wanted me to be safe and fortunate, even if it was a little misguided.
The intent behind what your neighbors said wasn’t nice. The way they phrased it left no wiggle room- they just assumed you’re following Lent, and it put you on the spot. So, uh, fuck them.
(I get this from customers all the time at work. It’s like, “Where is [obscure random thing?]” or “I need [obscure random thing] instead of, “do you have this thing?” Not everyday stuff or broad categories of things, but specific stuff that only they care about. The way they phrase the question doesn’t even allow for the possibility of a no. Entitled jerks.)
Being married. I think I like the change so much, I will make it permanent.
“Shooting people that ask me stupid questions – lucky you!”
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