Credit: Thays Orrico / Unsplash.com
Those who honor the days likely already know, and those still puzzled about why some walked around with ash-smeared foreheads yesterday will understand now, but lent began yesterday. The series of religious days kick-off with Ash Wednesday, which this year was on March 5. The 40-day period is one that leads many Christian religions to the celebration of Easter Sunday.
As its religions explain, the 40 days of Lent are to echo the suffering of Jesus, when he spent the same amount of time in the desert, fasting and resisting temptations from Satan. For that reason, many observing Christians also focus on giving up a habit, pleasure, or luxury to mimic the sacrifices made by the religions’ leader.
Whether it is a time you observe or not, you’re likely to see the changes throughout our American culture. Many Catholics, for example, do not eat meat on Fridays of Lent. Some say this is a practice, again, done to show penance, or honor the sacrifice made by Jesus. Some do each Friday of the entire Lent span, while others simply focus on Good Friday (the Friday before Easter Sunday) to observe the practice.
What non-observers will likely notice is a boost in fish-selling restaurants, grocery stores, and vendors. Catholics that do not eat meat these Fridays are allowed to eat fish and seafood. Some say it is because Jesus “sacrificed his flesh” on Good Friday, the day he was crucified, and therefore those that practice do not eat meat “of the flesh” during that time.
I consider myself a logical person. I’m not religious in terms of attending any church or routinely practicing my Catholic upbringing. As I aged, I found, though I’ve been through each of the required sacraments thus far, that my beliefs didn’t quite align with “the church.” I believe in a higher power. I believe that there is more to life than what we know, understand, or see.
But when it comes to “religion,” as we know it, today especially, I just can’t condone all “the church” has come to do, say, or preach. I do think that everyone should love whomever they wish to love. I do think that leaders of churches should be able to marry, too, if they so choose. I could continue on and on with the laundry list of points that don’t align with my heart, but needless to say, as religions became more and more black and white, the world became far greyer, at least in my opinion.
I don’t personally find a lot of wiggle room in a religion that tells me to confess my sins to another man (who can only be a man, a single man, devoted only to God), so I can be forgiven. I don’t see how Jesus could tell us to love everyone, and yet we’re not to love those of other religions, those that practice lifestyles we don’t agree with, or those that follow a different path. Isn’t “everybody,” I don’t know, everybody?
When it comes to practices such as Lent, I also find it strange that any God would care what I eat on a Friday. I’m not sure why anyone would care what another eats. And yes, I know some religions restrict foods year-round. I’ve been told that, historically, that fishermen on the Mediterranean (close to the seat of Catholicism) begged church leaders to help their dwindling sales. Agreeing to do so for a bump in contributions, the Church started to proclaim that fish was to be eaten on Fridays, and no other meat. Now, to me, that makes a lot more sense.
I don’t see why sacrifices are required at all. If there is a higher power, like God, why would he want others to suffer? To be penitent?
Am I giving up something for lent? Nope. Do I give up meat for Fridays? Nope. Do I mind if you do? Nope. Do I mind if you don’t? Nope.
At the end of the day, that’s the only point that really matters to me. Whether you follow a religion to the T, or don’t believe in any way, that’s your decision. I don’t hate you for being different. I don’t wish ill of someone that doesn’t align their faith with mine.
I realize wars were started over such things. They still are. I realize entire groups of people were born and raised to hate others because of religions. They still are. I just don’t understand why. Wasn’t our country founded for such freedoms? To allow people the opportunity to choose?
Religions, and their practices, whatever they may be, should be an individual’s choice. And, no matter what we select, or perhaps do not, that’s no one else’s business. It shouldn’t matter whatsoever to another person.
We’re all human. We’re all people. Isn’t that enough? I’m not sure I’ll ever understand the actions of others who judge another, look down upon them, treat them differently, or even hate them because they’re different. To each, his, or her, or their own.
