Happy Birthday to Me!
Happy Birthday to Me!
I’m going to make fun of a religious tradition
That’s protected under my 1st Amendment freedom of speech!
I will admit I’m a little behind on Christian traditions from my lack of attending Church growing up (I never knew the trivia answers from the Bible study game, hell I didn’t know what the Bible was). I’ve had docs dig into my psyche about why and maybe some of it has to do with the last time I actually attended Church was when Stubby lost his hand so there might be a link there (but more than likely I probably just didn’t want to go). I never thought this would have affected me until Ash Wednesday at Witt a few years back.
I was working out one day when I kept seeing all these good looking girls with black smudges on their foreheads. I didn’t know if it was some sorority thing, secret (sshh don’t tell) thing, or what so I went up to one and asked what was going on. She said it was for Ash Wednesday with an arrogant attitude and in that “You're surely going to Hell” tone (oh sorry I didn’t realize you were such a devoted follower of faith from the shots you were slamming and the basketball player you were dry humping last weekend at the bar, my mistake).
I was so pissed at the exchange that I never even bothered to look up what Ash Wednesday was until this week when Digger was rocking the Ashes on ESPN (and I half-assed it at Wikipedia so take it for what it is):
Ash Wednesday, in the calendar of Western Christianity, is the first day of Lent and occurs 46 days before Easter. It is a moveable fast, falling on a different date each year because it is dependent on the date of Easter. It can occur as early as February 4 or as late as March 10.
According to the Canonical gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke, Jesus spent forty days fasting in the desert before the beginning of his public ministry, during which he endured temptation by Satan. Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of this forty day liturgical period of prayer and fasting.
Ash Wednesday derives its name from the practice of placing ashes on the foreheads of adherents as a sign of mourning and repentance to God. It also means that we will always have sin. The ashes used are typically gathered after the palms from the previous year's Palm Sunday are burned.
This brings me to Lent which I totally get a kick out of from time to time. So JC (never even knew he was Jewish till like three years ago) makes the total sacrifice for 40 days and endures suffering, pain and Satan (not fun, that guy sucks as a host let me tell you) to show his faith, it is impressive. I have trouble finding the connection between that and someone giving up Fast Food nowadays. Which is totally a sacrifice and one I couldn’t do (I have an arrangement with the Big Man, I get fast food for the 14 days of being committed in the psych ward) but JC roamed the desert for over a month and you gave up a deep fried meal that is free if not accompanied by a receipt (I feel like someone’s getting the better deal here).
I find religion to be fascinating and a vital aspect of society but how people practice it just makes me laugh at times. I hadn’t really contemplated my faith until after my episodes (psychosis will change a man) and for me it’s not about the show, it’s about what’s inside. So for the 90% or so of the people who read this and I offended, it’s my birthday so give me a break (I’ve had a rough few years, I think I deserve it).
Since many of my manic experiences involve music I’ve decided to add random music videos to the blog for my enjoyment and your inconvenience. Enjoy!
Coming Correct,
d01roK
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