... you were warned.

Maybe it's a result of not being raised Christian, but I really just don't get Lent.

Perhaps I'm missing a nuance somewhere, but so far the explanation I've gotten is that you give up something so that you can identify with the suffering of Christ.

Okay, trying to feel closer to your god... groovy. I'm with you so far.

But what does it seem like people are giving up? Chocolate (or similar food item). And the universal meat on Fridays (unless it's marine meat, in which case it's okay). These are the same people who jumped onto Atkins, which IMHO has FAR weirder dietary restrictions.... so no chocolate and no meat 1/7th of the time seems kind of small potatoes.

I don't care how bad you're PMS'ing (and most of the chocolate abstinence I've seen so far has been from guys)... going without chocolate for a few weeks does NOT compare to the suffering of Christ. (Not to mention, my mom went without it for the entire time she was preggers with both me and my brother... so nobody who gives up chocolate for Lent is going to impress me.)

Also, the preface of many conversations with, "So, what did you give up for Lent?" .... which seems to be a pissing contest among the people involved.

And then they'll turn around and ask me... because obviously everyone would not only 1- be Christian and 2- be the sect of Christian that does the Lent thing (I think it's mostly Catholics, right?).

Although... people seem really quick to make a huge show out of what they've given up for Lent at any available opportunity... so maybe the point is that you must suffer through the whining of everyone else.

I'm sure there are some really polite Lent-ers out there that have the true spirit of it going for them. But man, oh man, I tell you... none of them work around me.