04-07-2016, 04:56 PM
(04-07-2016, 04:29 PM)RICHMONDBENGAL_07 Wrote: I completely understand this. I still maintain though that grooming standards for religious reasons is absurd. I guess it's because I'm not religious.
I know I couldn't do it. I may wear a beard, but I like it neat and tidy. Too much hair on my head and I get too hot.
(04-07-2016, 04:49 PM)michaelsean Wrote: I still believe in God, but it is things like this, although Catholic versions, that always left me scratching my head. You mean the Being that created everything, and is all powerful gets upset if I eat mean on Friday during a certain part of the year? That's a discipline, and not a matter of faith, but still the implication is God will be unhappy.
So, a long time ago I read an article on this sort of thing and how the sacrifice for Lent is is really anti-Christian. The theologian's position was that Jesus did things like living as an ascetic for a period of time and sacrificing himself so that we didn't need to sacrifice any longer. He argued that the idea of Lent where you sacrifice something, albeit temporarily, is misguided and that in reality we should make Lent a 40 day long party. Continue the theme of Mardi Gras throughout the season to celebrate and revel in the gift that Jesus/God has granted us by sacrificing himself.
It was a very interesting take on it all. At the time I had never been involved in a church where Lent was taken very seriously, Anabaptists don't do much with the liturgical calendar. I kind of want to dig into this a bit more now that I am a member of a more liturgical church.
