Why don't most protestant churches observe Lent?

I came here to aid my answer to a friend who had asked the same question. However, I'm noting some Orthodox and Catholic answers that seem unusually hostile and more importantly, misleading. read more

The Catholic Church celebrates Lent, the protestant churches are followers of the heretics from the sixteenth century - and others who protested THEM. The protestants LEFT the Catholic Church because they wanted to make up their own church and their own doctrine. read more

Lent began in the apostolic era and was universal in the ancient church. For this reason, Lent is observed by the various Presbyterian, Methodist, Lutheran, and Anglican denominations, by Roman Catholics, and by Eastern Orthodox Churches. read more

The Protestant and Reformed church, for the most part, has treated fasting as an individual and personal matter. Therefore, on special occasions, times of fasting and prayer have been called for and have been deemed appropriate. For these reasons I have decided not to observe the practice of Lent and not to recommend it to others. Dr. read more