Religous Learning By Anger

[Moshe]

So, I have had to learn about other religions, both at the University and beyond, and sometimes before.  You get the basics, you don't get the nitty gritty.  Well, I had to learn about Catholicism by accidentally pissing a couple of people off.  High School:  Speech/Drama Course.  You had to learn public speaking on whatever topic.  Some people didn't explain the intricacy when they explain a concept.  I try my best to avoid faux pas like that when I explain something.  So, anyway, this guy takes the wooden stage and he wasn't adept at explaining things well.  He simply got up and said he was giving up gum for Lent.  The only lent I knew about came from the drying vent you clean out when doing laundry.   So, I asked the guy, "Why?  Does it taste better?"  He lost his friggin' mind.   Flash forward what I aw on general free calendar on the wall, apparently Ash Wednesday is coming up.  That was never explained in the overview of Church History in comparative religion.  It talked about Council this, Council that, etc  Nothing about Ash Wednesday, which would have been helpful.  I am a Senior Border Patrol Agent.  You come in clean, for muster, came back dirty from the brush and the elements.  That was normal.  So, a Hispanic Agent comes in with some schmutz on his forehead.  I try to be a buddy, and said, "Bro, you might want to check your forehead and nose."  He too lost his friggin' mind.  Vatican II confused the ever living crap out of me too.  So, I am taking college level Spanish as you need to be able to read and write.  So, this lady next to me seemed every conservative was wearing a white shirt with like a long jeans dress.  Turns out she is a Nun!  Well, any possible innocent flirtation went out the window after that.

[Moshe]

Now, not my faux pas.  My wife is dyed in the wool SDA.  The participation in the genocide of World War II, and Rawanda she views as "teaching" moments, for reform.  I tried to help with that, it ends up with a lot of angry Anti-Semitism.  The black folks there from Africa could care less, and are just curious.  Not violent, just curious.  Well, one of the confused white guys gets up to do announcements  admonishing the sparse congregation that even though he is tired with a job and little kids he makes time for Wednesdays, "And I only see one, two, three, four of Jews-er I mean you."  I laughed.  I found it funny.  The other thing that amuses me, despite the mixed congregation it is extremely WASPY.  One of my son's friends gets yanked to give the Adovah (worship service) or the scriptural ready.  My son starts clapping, and everyone is staring at him.  He is thrilled with the Messianic version of worship which is very lively, with rhythmic clapping,, sing and holy dance.  I can't dance anymore, but if you have never seen it, is a thing to behold, and wonderful.  He forgot he was in WASP central and starts clapping.  I said, to him, "There is a place and time for that, and this is not it."  Everyone was staring at him as if he let out a 30 second fart.  WASPY services that seem so dead drive us both nuts.

Edited March 31, 2019 by Moshe

[Historian]

15 minutes ago, Moshe said:

So, I have had to learn about other religions, both at the University and beyond, and sometimes before.  You get the basics, you don't get the nitty gritty

Being Catholic i get a kick out of walking around with ashes.   A lot of people don't know what it means.   It offers a chance to have a conversation.

You know, Moshe, there are about a billion jokes about a priest and a rabbi walk into a bar.

I'm the guy who's there with a notebook in case a scribe is needed.   This conversation could get very interesting.

[Moshe]

Just now, Historian said:

Being Catholic i get a kick out of walking around with ashes.   A lot of people don't know what it means.   It offers a chance to have a conversation.

You know, Moshe, there are about a billion jokes about a priest and a rabbi walk into a bar.

I'm the guy who's there with a notebook in case a scribe is needed.   This conversation could get very interesting.

I like humor.  It is just a way to deal with problems in life.  Even if it is macabre,  It is still funny.  LOL

[Historian]

2 minutes ago, Moshe said:

I like humor.  It is just a way to deal with problems in life.  Even if it is macabre,  It is still funny.  LOL

I think we all need more good laughs.

[Moshe]

Good Friday is coming up.  That was so huge in Laredo, that they had to have private security.  I never got, it and no one could explain why it was fish day as it was supposed to be no meat.  Fish to me was just a type of meat.  So, I always sought an explanation and never got a good answer, until a couple years before I retired.  I had someone who used to be a devout Catholic explain to me that it was to avoid any meat that could look human, and a fish is less human looking, and some people don't consider it meat.  I understand about the crucifixion and the sacrifice that Yeshua made for all of human kind.  It is something I accept being Messianic.  I do get tired of the old schtick of "You killed Jesus."  I told one guy that popped off with that, "Well, if just died for us, I guess you're screwed." LOL

[Historian]

7 hours ago, Moshe said:

Good Friday is coming up.  That was so huge in Laredo, that they had to have private security.  I never got, it and no one could explain why it was fish day as it was supposed to be no meat.

So...meat is considered the finest part of dinner to most people.  It's the good stuff.  So the reason behind six weeks of fish is...to make you reflect on the absence of what you have.  And that is reflective of what you "give up" or "add" to your life during the six weeks of Lent.

Fish...and alligator for that mater...i guess even octopus...are not considered as refined a meat product as cow, lamb, etc.

The idea Moshe...is this give you a time to reflect on the important nature of Jesus.

Absence....makes you reflect.

[Moshe]

Interesting.  I like to eat Salmon whenever I can get it.  So, fish to me isn't denying me anything.  My wife made fish tacos last night.  I like them too.  Until the lake began to get questionable with the last major flood and houses on the edge being swept into it.  I used to like to get as much white bass as I could legally get.  For me, fish really isn't a denial, but an enjoyment.  But, I guess different strokes for different folks.  I am not a huge meat fan as it always gets stuck in the back left molar hole (and I spend time get it out with floss), after someone generously lent me their fist and cracked it to the point it began falling out and the dentist just removed it.  Apparently, there were a tacit difference of ideology that I was not aware of, but soon got the punch line.   I made a nurse laugh about that one before surgery when she asked about all things dental.  

Here is what baffles me, and tell if I am wrong, because I am from the outside looking in on this.  Didn't Yeshua feed the disciples fish to eat when he reappeared to them?  I would think that would be a good way on reflecting upon Him,