Do you eat read meat on Friday's during lent?

@lpipe0240 (1161)
United States
March 2, 2007 2:42am CST
My wife and I are not Cathloic, but she is admient on not eating read meat on Friday's during lent. She said it is how she was raised yet her mom said they don't do this. Does anyone here who is not Cathloic do this and why?
12 responses
• Philippines
14 Mar 07
I am a catholic and yeah i used to practice this...Why??? because i want to and no one ask me or force me to do so....I believe that fasting and abstaining during Ash Wednesday and friday's of the lent is very necessary...Jesus Christ spent 40 days in Mount of temptations without anything...and that's why im doing this because i believe that if do this it's like that i am with Jesus Christ at that time..I mean it's like im accompanying him in his journey and sufferings... In line with this, not only read meat but expensive foods...and the excess of my money is given to the poor...
@lpipe0240 (1161)
• United States
14 Mar 07
I like the idea of not eating expensive foods and giving that money to the poor.
• Philippines
16 Mar 07
thanks for that....i think that's the real essence of Lenten season..Prayer for good, fasting and abstinence for ourself and alms giving for the poor
@mobyfriend (1017)
• Netherlands
2 Mar 07
I would like to know where this tradition came from and why fish is not considered meat? Because in my mind the flesh of a fish is also flesh.
1 person likes this
@Modestah (11179)
• United States
2 Mar 07
a very good question. The practice starts from Christ giving up His Flesh for us on Good Friday...so denying our flesh is a return and recognition of His doing. To give up Flesh meat is symbolical. Flesh meat is meat that comes from mammals, so fish being cold blooded do not fall under the restriction. We can eat turtle, which tastes like beef - we can not eat whale.
1 person likes this
@DeenaD (2684)
• United States
13 Mar 07
In my house we do not eat meat on Fridays during Lent.
1 person likes this
@astromama (1221)
• United States
14 Mar 07
I am a vegetarian, so I abstain from meat and fish all the time! I was raised Catholic, but am not anymore, so I was raised with this practice. In my elementary school the cafeteria only served fish on Fridays during Lent. I don't know why, as schools are not supposed to favor one religion... Anyway, I still practice Lent. I usually abstain from other things for the 40 day season, like alchohol or certain foods. I think I do it because I always liked the ritual and the meaning.. it's like Christmas. I'm not Catholic/Christian anymore but I still celebrate certain holidays. Also, I think it does a body good to consciously do without certain things for 40 days a year. Fasting is good for the body and the soul.
1 person likes this
@lebgirl90 (181)
• Lebanon
2 Mar 07
well here in lebanon there's still people who don't eat meat on fridays around the year and there's people who don't eat meat on fridays, as for most of the people i know, although they're catholic, they do eat meat on friday. as for me i have taken a serious decision on not eatin red meat during lent
1 person likes this
• Philippines
2 Mar 07
I am a Catholic and I am raised to follow the traditional practiced during Lenten season including not eating red meat during fridays. However, last Ash Wednesday, I was not able to take it and was not able to have a cross mark on my forehead. It's in the tradition that once you have been marked with the ashes on your forehead, you are no longer allowed to eat red meat during fridays as a sing of fasting in preparation for the Lenten Season. But though I was not able to have the cross mark, I still follow the practice. It's also one way to discipline yourself and to have a good health.
@emeraldisle (13139)
• United States
2 Mar 07
I was raised Catholic but I do not follow the religion anymore. I eat meat on Friday's. I can't see following that especially since they still allow so many to eat it on Friday's like children under 12 and adults who are seniors. Then the medical excuses others can use. To me it's a bit silly.
@hcromer (2710)
• United States
14 Mar 07
I'm not Catholic and I've never not eaten meat on a Friday because it was lent. I don't really know much about the Catholic religion so I wouldn't even know what the customs were.
@Michele21 (3093)
• United States
2 Mar 07
I am not Catholic and we eat meat whenever we want too!! I don't know anything about the religion so I didn't know that they don't eat meat of Friday's.
• Philippines
2 Mar 07
I dont find nor heard that it is written in the bible. If you are a follower of Christ, you should based your belief in the word of God. So to me, its ok to eat meat, red or not, on lenten season.
1 person likes this
@Modestah (11179)
• United States
2 Mar 07
I know you asked for non-Catholics, but just wanted to mention it is all flesh meat that we abstain from not just red meats, and it is all year around not just during lent.
1 person likes this
@palpalsky (899)
• United States
14 Mar 07
well iam indian and we do have certain days like tuesdays or some people follow thurdays where we dont eat non-veg ..well according to the believe its is considered as auspicious days .