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Penthesilea:
--- Quote from: Jeff Wrangler on February 25, 2009, 03:51:53 pm ---No offense, Little Darlin', but as a gay man who has lived through the worst years of the AIDS crisis, I do not need reminding that I am ephemeral, or anyone else, either.
No, that's not my point. My point is that having been raised Lutheran in a time when neither Lutherans nor ordinary Episcopalians practised the imposition of ashes on Ash Wednesday, I think it's a silly innovation. Even some Lutherans do it, now. I can see value in using the rite as a testimony of one's Christian profession, and that's about the only justification I can see for doing it. Reminder of sinfulness? The churches spend 46 weeks out of the year trying to make us feel good about ourselves and God, playing down mankind's sinfulness and need of repentence, and then all of a sudden for six weeks we're sinners who need to repent?
Oh, and the Gospel lesson that is traditionally read in the Episcopal Church on Ash Wednesday is from the sixth chapter of Matthew's Gospel, where Jesus is depicted telling his followers that when they fast (like in Lent?), they are not supposed to make themselves look like they are fasting, even, specifically, they are supposed to wash their faces--and then we dutifully troop up to the foot of the chancel steps to get dirt smeared on our foreheads? :laugh: It's just silly.
As I said, even some Lutherans do it nowadays. We didn't when I was growing up. And since the 1800s there have been some Anglicans and Episcopalians who really want to be Roman Catholic, they just don't want to deal with the Pope. I'm glad to hear that the Protestants in the Fatherland keep to the good old Protestant ways. ;)
--- End quote ---
Don't shoot the messenger (nah, I know you don't :-*). It's not my rite. I only recapitulate what I've learned.
BTW, I don't know anyone (under the age of, say 60) who practises it. But then, I don't know anyone (again, in my age group or younger) who is a regular churchgoer, be it Protestants or RCs.
Jeff Wrangler:
--- Quote from: Penthesilea on February 25, 2009, 04:09:02 pm ---
Don't shoot the messenger (nah, I know you don't :-*). It's not my rite. I only recapitulate what I've learned.
--- End quote ---
;D :-*
--- Quote ---BTW, I don't know anyone (under the age of, say 60) who practises it. But then, I don't know anyone (again, in my age group or younger) who is a regular churchgoer, be it Protestants or RCs.
--- End quote ---
Well, you know at least one person under age 60 who is a church-goer--me! :laugh: :-*
Penthesilea:
--- Quote from: Jeff Wrangler on February 25, 2009, 04:40:34 pm ---Well, you know at least one person under age 60 who is a church-goer--me! :laugh: :-*
--- End quote ---
Good point! :)
I change my sentence from above to: ...don't know anyone .... on this side of the Atlantic!
Jeff Wrangler:
--- Quote from: Penthesilea on February 25, 2009, 04:59:09 pm ---Good point! :)
I change my sentence from above to: ...don't know anyone .... on this side of the Atlantic!
--- End quote ---
;D
oilgun:
--- Quote from: Jeff Wrangler on February 25, 2009, 02:49:33 pm ---So today is Ash Wednesday. This evening I will go to church, and the minister will smear ashes on my forehead while he (or she) says, "Remember you are dust, and to dust you shall return." I wish I could do this in the morning, but our ministers only have services at noon and in the evening on Ash Wednesday.
I decided years ago that I can see a point to receiving ashes early in the morning; going about all day with some dirt smeared on your forehead makes a silent testimony, at least for one day, that you are Christian. But what's the point of receiving ashes in the evening when you're just going to go home and go to bed? 8)
--- End quote ---
:laugh:
I know I'm a lapsed Catholic and an Atheist, but I don't think the point of getting ashes on your forehead is to announce your religion to the world. Are people supposed to keep that shit on all day? I can't imagine anyone not cleaning their faces before going to work! I thought it was just another one of those bizarre rituals, this one to remind us that we were made of dust and that we will return to dust.
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