There's a lot about Easter that's co-opted from pagans, too.

"Kids eat chocolate eggs because of the color of the chocolate and the...color of the wood on the cross? Well, you tell me!"

Then there's the whole bit where Catholics do worship Mary and other saints, which Protestants generally don't.

Hey, in my hood it was just instant lawn ornamentation. Rock on.

Really? I have never been raised to worship Mary, despite 12 years of Catholic school. Honor her. Ask her or other saints to intercede on our behalf (or some crap). But worship her? No.

OOOOh. The guy I left a note on his car to pull the fuck forward or else risk getting hit as I leave my driveway, is pulling away in a huff.

Which brings me around to a new blog: All the shit I didn't say.

Catholics believe in transubstantiation, which means that it literally becomes the body of Christ, no shit, something that freaks out every Catholic schoolkid making their First Communion.

We were taught this as well. Because that's what the Bible literally says. (Or so they told us - I don't remember the actual Bible verse anymore.)

Actually, that really used to bug me. Because if it really becomes the body of Jesus, I figured scientists could, say, pump the stomach of someone who's just had communion, and look for bits o' Jesus in there. And even when I was 8 years old, my gut feeling (no pun intended) was they wouldn't find any Jesus bits. SO even though I was (in my mind) a good Christian, I had some doubts even back then.

Actually, that really used to bug me. Because if it really becomes the body of Jesus, I figured scientists could, say, pump the stomach of someone who's just had communion, and look for bits o' Jesus in there.

There's a scene in Angela's Ashes where Frank throws up after he has his first communion, and his grandmother makes him go back into the confessional to ask the priest whether there's a special way to clean up communion host vomit. And the priest tells him that they should just wash it up with water, and then his grandmother makes him go in again to ask whether he means regular water or holy water.

My dad's biggest gripe with Catholics is that "they believe things that aren't in the Bible."

Pfft. My MIL is as protestant as they come, and she believes that Cream of Mushroom Soup is the only seasoning you ever need.

can I Christina Hendricks?

Verb missing. Be? Do?

This year, instead of the traditional New York Jewish Christmas of movie and Chinese food, we're seeing a Broadway show and eating Indian food. I feel this is a distinct improvement.

Sex Fest For World Peace Canceled Due To Public Pressure

Organizers of a sex fest to mark International Orgasm Day were forced to cancel the event after public pressure became too intense, reports Ynetnews. The sex fest, to be the largest of its kind in Israel, was meant to promote world peace, the article states.

The orgy was organized by the Raelian movement, a UFO religion whose followers believe humankind was created by aliens. The group's spokesman, Kobi Drori, said that the orgy was meant to include straights, gays, lesbians and bisexuals, all of them over 18.

...

The Raelian website provides information on the group behind the sex fest.

The Raelian Revolution is boldly bringing about a complete paradigm shift on our planet. The Messages given to Rael by our human Creators from space contain the world's most fearlessly individualistic philosophy of love, peace, and non-conformism: a beautiful combination of spirituality, sensuality, and science.

You can also check out this website dedicated to Global Orgasms. It states that December 21 was the third annual Global Orgasm Day.

WHO? All Men and Women, you and everyone you know.

WHERE? Everywhere in the world, but especially in countries with weapons of mass destruction and places where violence is used in place of mediation.

That's nice.

If I could bring myself to be Christian again, I'd totally go for the Catholics, with all the former-pagan-gods-as-saints, and Mary, and the ritual and stuff. So much of what they do is magic barely disguised as religious ritual and miracles.

I miss pagentry. The Mormon religion is a very plain thing, and Methodism, which I was raised in, only occasionally brought out the fancy regalia. To me, a worship service should have some flash to it, a bit more overt joyfulness. A Mormon service has all the pizazz of my 8 AM Econ lectures, with a few half-hearted hymns thrown in. A few rousing choruses of "Up From The Grave He Arose" would do wonders.

ok, mostly it's nothing. small out-patient operationy type thing sometime in January. Waiting to confirm a date. Should be back to work the next day or day after.