Giving up Internet Forums (including CAF) for Lent?

[PetraG]

When I’ve done it in the past, it only took a few days to start doing whatever it is that I decided to do instead.

It is a lot easier to replace a habit with a different habit than to extinguish a habit and replace it with nothing. When it comes to a habit of thinking a certain way, I think you almost have to have an incompatible thought to replace it with to have any hope of success. For instance, someone who thinks in a lustful way and says to themselves “I’m not going to think about women like that any more” won’t have much luck unless they say, “Instead of thinking about women this way, which is false, I am going to think of them this way, instead, which is true.”

 

[Glennon_P]

It is a lot easier to replace a habit with a different habit than to extinguish a habit and replace it with nothing.

I hear ya - I’m a huge believer in the “give up something for Lent and replace it with something better” school of thought.

Give up sweets? Good. Take the money you would have spent on sweets and donate it to the poor? Better.

Give up web surfing? Good. Spend that time doing spiritual reading or a work of charity? Better.

 

[PetraG]

I hear ya - I’m a huge believer in the “give up something for Lent and replace it with something better” school of thought.

Give up sweets? Good. Take the money you would have spent on sweets and donate it to the poor? Better.

Give up web surfing? Good. Spend that time doing spiritual reading or a work of charity? Better.

Really good point–that is, not just something different or incompatible, but something better. Perfect.

 

[Brendan_64]

I will try to give up Facebook. As for CAF I don’t really post much on here and it can be a useful place to read different views and discuss things, so I think I will continue to use it during Lent. Using Facebook, on the other hand can, I think anyway, too often end up driving wedges between people, particularly regarding politics.

 

[PetraG]

I will try to give up Facebook. As for CAF I don’t really post much on here and it can be a useful place to read different views and discuss things, so I think I will continue to use it during Lent. Using Facebook, on the other hand can, I think anyway, too often end up driving wedges between people, particularly regarding politics.

I found this link on Twitter, @Pontifex:

http://w2.vatican.va/content/france...ancesco_20191007_messaggio-quaresima2020.html

I ask Mary Most Holy to pray that our Lenten celebration will open our hearts to hear God’s call to be reconciled to himself, to fix our gaze on the paschal mystery, and to be converted to an open and sincere dialogue with him. In this way, we will become what Christ asks his disciples to be: the salt of the earth and the light of the world.
–Francis
Rome, at Saint John Lateran, 7 October 2019
Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary (Message of His Holiness Pope Francis for Lent 2020)

So there are at least some Twitter feeds that are worthwhile, if they aren’t too much of a distraction, that is.

 

[Brendan_64]

So there are at least some Twitter feeds that are worthwhile

I don’t really bother with Twitter. I tried initially, but I just didn’t get it. Facebook is about interacting with others and contacting friends etc, but Twitter just seems to about following people making short comments and presumably making your own comments. Twitter doesn’t really appeal to me.

 

[Tis_Bearself]

Twitter is only useful in an emergency messaging context, like if the airports are all shut down in an area and you’re trying to find out when they are open again.
Otherwise it’s just a playground for people to fight over politics and for celebs and politicians and activists to “promote” themselves in sound bytes. Boring.

 

[PetraG]

I like the Pope’s twitter feed a lot.
There are others that keep it on good ground.

The thing to remember is that reading is fine in its own sake. There need not be a rebuttal nor a re-tweet nor any clever personal remark added. We can even just think about what was said without liking it.

There had to be a reason, after all, that cloistered life is long on listening and prayer and very short on personal feedback. You can have community without a lot of talking, actually.

This is why I think I need to give myself some radio silence. More listening, more reading, a lot less of my windy posting.

 

[PetraG]

OK, well, off I go…
Thanks so much for your thoughts, and have a very blessed Lent, all of you!

 

[jack63]

Nah…still learning here on CAF. No reason to give it up. I actually think it helps me understand my Catholic faith better still.

I’m definitely adding way more scripture reading to this lent though

 

[dochawk]

Is anyone else giving up CAF or some other kind of online presence for Lent?

I can’t fathom giving up something that is overall (yes, with huge exceptions) a positive spiritual influence as an attempted pious act.

 

[Katherine438]

Just a little recommendation … instead of giving up CAF entirely, devote your time to the prayer forum and praying for others … it is truly a way to do as Jesus has asked, love thy neighbor.

 

[Pat_Albertson]

I haven’t committed to giving up forums. I have decided to attempt to meditate every day, and to pray the rosary every day. I am such a beginner at meditation though; it seems difficult right now to remember to do everything I’m supposed to do.

Giving up forums seems like a good idea though. Even though we’re supposed to start our Lent today, still, better late than never.

But, I want to try not to make the good the enemy of the best, so I’m not going to push myself to give up forums this very day.

PS: I’m also trying to relearn some of my spoken prayers in Latin.