I was cowering in my office at work all morning, hoping that my boss didn't show up with ashes again. Last year, he came in and bopped my forehead with ashes. Trying so hard to save my wicked soul, bless his little (very little) heart.

He did not do it this year. Praise the lord.

There weren't any Xians in the small town where I grew up that did that so this was new to me.

If someone tried to smear that shit on my I'd probably shout, "Dude, what the hell!!??"

than my heathen boss. He has a picture of the pope in his office, and a huge portrait under glass of Mary behind his desk. The glass is covered with spit. He truly is something to behold! I guess that last year he just wanted to see if it would burn my forehead or leave a scar to show that I was evil.

I do think that this is only Catholic----although I am not sure. I was raise in Presbyterian church and they did not do it either.

They will of course, say "December 25th"

Ask that same person "what day is Easter?"


They generally don't know, because it is different every year.

Know what day Easter is?

The first sunday after the first full moon AFTER the Spring equinox.

Sounds rather Pagan, doesn't it?

THAT'S CAUSE IT IS!

(although for some reason believers discount that by saying it's only called Easter in English, as if that negated the connection. It's only called Christmas in English too, but somehow that doesn't matter).

But let's be fair you are missing a step. Easter is tied to Passover directly, by plain scriptural reference. Passover (now - originally it was tied to barley ripening - another indication of seasonal celebration as origin) has the equinoctial connection, since no reference to the date exists.

But sure - pretty much all older celebrations are "pagan". The trick is not to read too much into that as if paganism itself were a monolithic, older and better religion (I know you didn't say it was). It's just a recognition that a whole bunch of different folks in different northern hemisphere lands could look up, remember events, and keep count - then celebrate things like shorter nights and food growing again.

I will have to tell that one to my wayward catholic wife! I am in NJ this week for some training and there were a lot of folks with ashes on their foreheads tonight at the mall. I don't particularly care for blatant in your face religious stuff no matter what the religion.

If you are 'blessed' Jesus puts out a Marlborough on your forehead

I was about to tell her she had a smudge on her face, but then I remembered .