Ash Wednesday

[leo-rcc]

We use Bolognese sauce.

[Eilonnwy]

I used to have a job as a receptionist for a couple of years and everytime someone came in with ashes on their forehead I used to mess with them by telling them that they had some dirty stain on their head.I have no respect for religious rituals and think of them as funny and ignorant.Maybe the pastafarians can come up with an equivalent holiday where all pastafarians walk around with spaghetti on their heads for a day,you never know it might catch on.

That is awesome. I will do that next year! XD

[Kyuuketsuki]

No but I did do Shrove Tuesday (no idea if it has religious significance but it's always the day before Ash Wednesday) because I love pancakes and I'm a total porker

Kyu

[infidel666]

I'd never seen it before. I told my coworker she had a smudge on her forehead.

[Eilonnwy]

I'd never seen it before. I told my coworker she had a smudge on her forehead.

Nice, was she offended?

[Oldandeasilyconfused]

I was raise Catholic,this included ash on the forehead on Ash Wednesday. Not all silly to Catholics if you understand the symbolism. Not that the understanding of others is relevant.



"In the Western Christian calendar, Ash Wednesday is the first day of Lent and occurs forty-six days (forty days not counting Sundays) before Easter. It falls 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.

Ash Wednesday gets its name from the practice of placing ashes on the foreheads of the faithful as a sign of repentance. The ashes used are gathered after the Palm Crosses from the previous year's Palm Sunday are burned. In the liturgical practice of some churches, the ashes are mixed with the Oil of the Catechumens[1] (one of the sacred oils used to anoint those about to be baptized), though some churches use ordinary oil. This paste is used by the priest who presides at the service to make the sign of the cross, first upon his own forehead and then on each of those present who kneel before him at the altar rail. As he does so, he recites the words: "Remember (O man) that you are dust, and to dust you shall return." (wiki)

[chatpilot]

padraic like I said it's a pretty stupid tradition.I am shocked they did not take the entire ritual and drag it into todays practice.

Esther 4:1:


1.When Mordecai perceived all that was done, Mordecai rent his clothes, and put on sackcloth with ashes, and went out into the midst of the city, and cried with a loud and a bitter cry;

They forgot to rip their damn clothes off and weep uncontrollably!! Lol

[Oldandeasilyconfused]

"padraic like I said it's a pretty stupid tradition.I am shocked they did not take the entire ritual and drag it into todays practice."

Your opinion,not mine. We obviously have different perceptions. An assertion based on personal incredulity is a logical fallacy, a form of argument from ignorance. .

My perception is based primarily on formal study.A basic premise of such studies is that ritual and religion are crucial to most of humanity.All have their own internal logic. The reasoning behind most religion is based on the syllogism.Logically valid ,but with an unjustified inference,due to faulty information.

You also seem to be implying that your own beliefs (or lack) are superior,perhaps because they're based on empirical logic. With respect,they are not superior,merely different. It is also my position that in principle reason has little if anything to with the formation of one's belief system. Reason and logic are more commonly used after the fact, to justify any and all beliefs and behaviour.

Ritual body markings are found in many cultures for reasons as diverse as status and protection. Such markings are often permanent in the form of tattoo or scarification,or even permanent maiming, as in circumcision. Personally I find our cultural habit of disfiguring the body with piercings and tattoos pretty stupid.But I understand it's usually only preening behaviour, part of human mating behaviour and/or of group membership.. Of course in some exrtreme cases it may indicate a pathology.

I'm not suggesting your opinion is necessarily wrong,but that you have merely asserted your opinion. That you have not made a case for that opinion.

I guess we may need to agree to differ.I have nothing more to say on the matter. I'm merely stating a different opinion,not starting a argument.( In my experience real debate is rare on internet forums.)

[leo-rcc]

I think Chatpilot wasn't looking for a debate on this either Padraic, he was merely expressing his views which as a former catholic I agree with.

[chatpilot]

padraic I apologize if I led you to the belief that I was looking for a debate I merely stated my opinion on the matter.As a former evangelist I have been on both sides of the fence and I am pretty set in my ways regarding religious matters.It is true that ritual is a result or a compliment to religion and in alot of ways the symbolism involved in rituals helps the believer visualize his beliefs and concepts.But the atheist in me views religion as a primitive form of thought and beliefs based on ignorance of the world around us and the sciences.